Braving the Holidays at a Disney Park

Good morning! Hope you're all having a great start to your week. The countdown to Christmas is ON, folks...in just a few short weeks, we'll be opening our gifts, spending time with our families and enjoying the festivities.

Oh, you mean you're not done shopping / wrapping / yet? Yeah, me either. We still have time, right?

Since it's the holiday season, I wanted to share some tips about visiting the Disney theme parks during these times of the year. The holidays at Disney are MAGICAL - no doubt about it. The decorations, sights, smells..if you weren't in the holiday spirit already, you WILL be by the time your vacation ends!

But, you do have to go prepared and know what you're up against. You can still have a wonderful, incredible vacation - but here are some things you'll want to know / do when traveling to a Disney park over the holiday season.

* Pack your patience.

If you have patience, you can go up against anything, right? Make sure to allow extra time to get to and from the parks, and know that you'll be dealing with higher crowds everywhere (resorts, Disney Springs, the parks, etc). You'll also have longer waits at the attractions, as well as places like stores, bag check, etc.

Also - be EXTRA nice to the cast members. They are the recipients of a lot of bad attitudes during these busy times, so make sure to be extra sweet to them.

* The crowds WILL be higher during the holidays - no exception.

I've heard a few people who think that the holidays are pretty quiet, since people are at home with their families, right?

Yeah.....nope.

A good rule of thumb is anytime that schools are out of session, the parks will be busier. This is especially true for the holiday season. For instance, the week between Christmas and New Years is THE busiest time of year at Walt Disney World. On New Years Eve last year (2014), Magic Kingdom and Epcot were closed to capacity by 10AM.

Again, you can have an AMAZING vacation during the holidays but know that crowds will be heavier.

* Make some time in your day for relaxing / de-compressing at your resort.

For me, the key to not getting overwhelmed by crowds is to build quiet and rest time into my vacation. After hours of touring the parks, I love to go to the resort and swim (if it's warm enough), read, do puzzles, wander around the resort and take pictures, etc. Allowing yourself some down time will REALLY help your sanity and your mood.

* The same adage applies as during other busy times - get to the parks EARLY.

I always advise my clients - anytime you're encountering crowds, get to the parks at rope drop (opening time) or very soon after. It's amazing how much you can get done, even with just an hour or two before the larger crowds start to descend. 

* Want to get out of the parks for awhile, and not head back to your resort? Go and tour the holiday decor at other resorts.

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is seeing all the varied decor at the resorts. Each resort takes their look/theme and applies it to the decor, so each is a bit different. For instance, at the Beach Club you'll get a, well, beach-y vibe. Animal Kingdom puts a different twist on their decorations, featuring animals and tribal prints and objects.

If you're looking to get some non-park time but don't want to head back to your resort, ride the buses or monorail and head to some different resorts. You might just find a new favorite!

How do you enjoy the holidays at Disney parks? What are some of your favorite things to do?

Have a magical day!