Tips about Christmas

CHRISTMAS - I'm 14 and today I was decorating my mini Christmas tree in my bedroom. Since we are going to the World on December 15, I was trying to think of a way to bring Disney magic to my tree. Then I found the perfect thing! I took all of my pins and laid them out on my bed. Then, I took some thread and cut pieces about five inches long and looped the thread around the pointy part leaving the back on. Simply tie the string together and *ta-da* you have an instant ornament! It also puts your pins on display instead of them sitting on a shelf gathering dust. - Leah

CHRISTMAS - If you will be in WDW during the Christmas holiday season, don't overlook the hotels. Go to one of the Epcot area hotels, and walk around the lake visiting each hotel's grounds and lobbies -- each one has unique decorations. Ride the monorail stopping at each hotel to see the decorations, especially the tree and gingerbread house in the Grand Floridian lobby. Take a boat from the Contemporary or Magic Kingdom to the Wilderness Lodge. - Cindy DeRosa

CHRISTMAS - My one tip would be for anyone who is thinking about going to the taping of the Christmas Parade -- DON'T, unless you want to totally waste a day of your vacation. They bring the first group in and don't make them move. The second group comes in and they are way in the back. I stood there from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. and was not in any film. I even wore my red Christmas party sweatshirt and Minnie Santa hat. It was certainly hot! If you don't want to stand around and get pushed around don't go. - Bonnie Lock

CHRISTMAS - On our last Christmas trip to WDW we decided that we wanted to give something to the Cast Members that have to work over the holidays to make our "magical" trips possible. We bought some of the small individually wrapped candy canes (there are about 40 canes in a box). We carried them with us and gave them to Cast Members who were nice, helpful or looked like they needed a little magic themselves. It was amazing to see the responses that we got from the Cast Members when my kids gave them the candy canes and said, "Merry Christmas." The Cast Members don't usually get anything back from the guests, especially at that time of year. It was nice to show our kids how much they could brighten someone's day with just a little gesture and kindness. We have decided that we are going to try to find some way to do that kind of thing on each of our trips. It added a lot to our holiday! - Brenda Holt

CHRISTMAS - One of my favorite things to do at Epcot during the Christmas season is watching (or hopefully participating in) the World Showcase Players rendition of the Dickens classic "A Christmas Carol." The players are always a hilarious respite from all the walking, but it just seems to me they are more into the performance during the holidays. Take 15 minutes off from your busy schedule and be entertained in the United Kingdom pavilion of the World Showcase. Who knows, you might be "Bob Scratchitt." - Joe Kobza

CHRISTMAS - During the Christmas holidays, our family tradition is to spend part of an evening on the Fort Wilderness hayride. Cuddled up in blankets, your group sings Christmas carols while viewing the wonderful Christmas light displays and decorations of the guests staying in the cabins and campground. These displays rival any light or decoration displays you would see up north. It is definitely worth the small fee for the hayride. You can access Ft. Wilderness easily via bus from the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) or via boat from Magic Kingdom/Wilderness Lodge/Contemporary Resort. Wear warm clothes; some blankets are provided for public use. - Michelle Kocar

CHRISTMAS - We stopped by the Osborne Lights last night and there was a nice little picto-history of how the lights and their final home at WDW came to be. You'll find it next to the soldiers (by Major Mouse). If you look throughout the display there are a number of "Hidden Mickeys," as well as references to the Osborne family members! - Jane

Candlelight Processional - With the beginning of autumn comes the time to plan our family's annual Christmastime visit to see the Candlelight Processional. I have two tips to share; both were a result of poor planning that led to great discoveries. We always attend the Processional as part of the dinner package. Last year, I'd waited too long to make my reservations and all that was left was the Biergarten. I didn't know how this would go over with my family of picky eaters. Also, we were leery of the communal seating. What we discovered was that it's a great dining experience! There's something for everyone in terms of the food (roast chicken, chicken schnitzel, sauerbraten, roast pork, salad, veggies), the entertainment was fun, we enjoyed meeting other park visitors at our table, and (as any parent who's spent much of the day carrying a 50-pound girl can attest), the liter mugs of Beck's Dark can really hit the spot! The other tip is weather-related -- the Processional is right near the water and it can get really nippy. We got caught under-clothed last year. The gift shops in the Mexico pavilion in the World Showcase sell a pretty nice variety of warm apparel hoodies and such, which are not emblazoned with the Disney logo and, as such, are pretty reasonably priced. It's good to know this if you need a warm jacket on short notice! - Edward Cunliffe

CHRISTMAS - We had our own Christmas ornament idea. We bought the official attraction collectibles -- the ones that look like a ride car -- tied clear string and a hook to them, and hung them on our tree. These only cost about $5 each! - Bill Fosbenner

CHRISTMAS - Our family always checks out the key rings at WDW. A lot of the key rings are suitable to be used as Christmas ornaments or jewelry. On our most recent trip we purchased a monorail key ring to use as a Christmas ornament. We saw a glass monorail ornament that was twice the price and I wasn't sure it would survive the plane trip home. We also bought a key ring that had a Tinker Bell charm on it. I removed the charm (silver) and placed it on a chain to wear as a necklace. The key ring cost $6 compared to the actual Tinker Bell charms that were $12. - Ronda

CHRISTMAS - Nothing beats Disney at Christmas - the music throughout all the parks - decorations - everything - it's wonderful - We will never go back in the summer again. - AHalton

CHRISTMAS - Buy a Christmas ornament that commemorates that year in one of the Christmas shops. My father started this back in the early '90s and when I got married. He gave me all of them from the trips just the two of us made. Now every year when my husband, son and I decorate our Christmas tree it reminds me of each trip we have taken to the park. - Megan Kelley

CHRISTMAS - Several years ago for a mid-December trip to Disney World we took along a huge Christmas stocking (about 3 feet long). This was our first Christmas trip (our girls were 4 and 7) to Disney World. Each day during the trip, my husband and I would purchase small items such as candy, stickers and other items related to the trip or to what we had done on that particular day. We would also purchase one larger item for each of the girls (water toys, balls, etc., or something they might have seen during the day). Each morning we would stuff the stocking full of all the fun goodies and hang it outside the room on the doorknob. Then once the girls' "Mickey wake - up call" came, they would spring out of bed to see if their "Secret Disney Santa" had come, which he had every morning. I'm not really sure who got the biggest kick out of it, the girls, or Mom and Dad! - Jan Reynolds

CHRISTMAS - I had two little ones at the time who were very scared that Santa could not find them at Walt Disney World, so we sent Santa a letter telling him where we would be on Christmas morning.

My husband and I packed an entire bag full of presents. My sister and I packed a three-foot artificial Christmas tree, and we had collected several ornaments prior to our trip. Add some Christmas lights, and it was a miniature version of home! We set it up late Christmas Eve, when everyone was asleep. You can imagine their surprise when they saw it Christmas morning complete with gifts! We even strung some lights in our hotel window! We just had it shipped home when our trip was over so we didn't have to deal with it on the plane. My mother has set it up along with her real tree every year since! - Laura Bonke