While there is no bad time at all to visit a Disney Park, without a doubt one of the most popular times to visit is a holiday. There’s something special about holiday decorations, whether it’s for a Patriotic holiday, Halloween of Christmas. It adds a little extra Pixie Dust to that already magical experience.

If you are one of those planning out your visit to the Magic Kingdom or any other park for an upcoming holiday, there are a few things you’ll need to keep in mind.

Going to Disney during a holiday does mean more magic, but it also means higher crowds. In order to get the most magic, and the least frustration out of your trip, there’s a few things you’ll want to take into consideration!


Parking


If you are driving your own car, be prepared for a much longer walk to and from your parking space. Arrive as early as you can for the best parking space possible. There will also be longer lines or wait times to take the parking tram.



Park Capacity


Because holidays, New Years, Thanksgiving and Christmas especially, are such popular times to visit, Magic Kingdom can reach capacity. What does this mean? A holiday at capacity happens in stages, so knowing those stages can make sure YOU get inside. Disney can change the way they do things at any time, but this is generally how it happens when it starts getting closer to capacity. Usually you’ll only need to worry about this a few days before, and after Christmas.


First Stage: 

Guests with one day, single park tickets or those using cast member passes will not be allowed to park, they will be turned away at the toll plazas.


Any guest staying at a Disney Resort, even if they drive themselves, is allowed in. Also, anyone with a multi day ticket, or park hopper tickets, annual passholders, someone hopping in from another park, anyone arriving by Disney transportation or anyone with an existing in park reservation.


Second Stage:

When the second stage occurs, the only ones allowed into the parking lots, or through the ticket turnstiles are:

Those staying at a Disney resort, annual passholders, those re-entering the park from earlier that day, those hopping from another park, those with in park reservations or those coming by Disney transportation.


Third Stage: 

Once it reaches the third stage (which isn’t too often, the second stage it the most common) the only ones allowed into the turnstiles, or the parking lot are:

Those staying at a Disney Resort, annual passholders, those with in park reservations.


Fourth Stage: 

The fourth stage, the park is entirely shut down, to all visitors. This has only happened once though, so it’s unlikely you will need to worry about it.


HOWEVER! 

If you are visiting during a holiday, and NOT staying on property, you need to arrive at least an hour and a half early in order to make sure you get into the park. Remember, with the new opening procedure for the park, the hub is open an hour, sometimes earlier, than actual park opening. Once that is filled, and it will fill on a holiday, people will be stuck between the gates and the turnsiles, backing up to to the arrival areas and it will take much much longer to get inside of the park and get where you want to go. Holiday are NOT a time to get there late.


Crowds

There will be crowds, but like any Disney crowd, common sense will see you through. If you’ve small children, keep them in the stroller or tightly hold their hands so they don’t get lost, or knocked over. It only takes the blink of an eye for your group to be separated when another group pushes past you, so something like matching hats or shirts can go a long way towards spotting each others.


First-timers- please note! You will NOT be able to hear your cell phone ringing, and the person you are trying to call will not be able to hear theirs! Even on a regular park day, it’s just too loud in the park to hear it, so plan to take frequent breaks to look to see if you’ve missed a call or text from another in your group.


Reservations


If there was a sit down place you wanted to eat, or if your little princess wanted a makeover, I hope you’ve already got reservations. You can start booking your preferred restaurant 6 months in advance. Didn’t do that yet? It’s okay, and you might still be able to get a reservation, but the sooner you start checking, the better. As time draws closer to your trip, if you haven't been able to score a table, don’t give up. Things happen sometimes with the others who hold those reservations, and it’s not unlikely, or impossible to get the restaurant you’ve been longing for, a few days before your trip. The trick is to keep trying, and not stop. Check the odd times too. It doesn’t matter if it’s quick service or not, tables are filled more from 11:30am-1pm.


Longer lines


This really goes along with the crowds, but you know there will already be some longer crowds. While it’s a little harder to beat the crowds on a holiday, it’s not impossible to minimize your wait time if you have a plan. If you don’t know what you want to do, where you want to go and where you want to eat, the lines are going to get longer and longer and you are going to start feeling frustrated. Disney is such a great place to visit, don’t let your magical trip be ruined by something so small like an hour per park that you’ve made at least a general outline of what order you are going to do things.


Packages


Take advantage of the great service Disney offers that’s totally free! Have the shop send your purchases to the front of the park for pickup on your way out, or even better, back to your resort! Keep in mind though, if you are sending back to your resort, don’t send anything back in the last 24 hours of your trip because it might not get to you in time.


Photo Ops


Holidays at Disney have some extra special photo opportunities, so be sure to take advantage! You’ll find Mickey and his friends in seasonal costumes, as well as characters you might not get to see during the rest of the year. There will be special parades, music, shows and of course, lot sof special treats to sample that you can only get during these special occasions.


Seasonal Events


Disney also offers special seasonal events, such as the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, and the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. These have special things like trick or treating, or cookie and cocoa stations throughout the park as well as other fun surprises.

Keep in mind that if you are visiting the park on a day where one of these parties is held, the park does close early to those who do not have tickets for these events. Tickets can sell out quickly, so it’s best to get yours the moment you know you will be there during a holiday. It is very unlikely that you will be able to buy a ticket the day of the event.


Patience, patience, patience

While this is a top tip, other than planning, for any Disney vacation, it’s needed more than ever during a Disney holiday. Have patience. Patience with the family who just cut in front of you, patience with that REALLY annoying family remember who keeps slowing you down, patience with your kid who had to stop for the 11th bathroom/pretzel/pin trading moment in the last hour and a half. Don’t forget to have patience with yourself, too. You might not get to do everything you want. That’s okay. Enjoy what you can!

Remember, a little prep, a little planning will go a long way towards making the most out of your vacation. It can be a little overwhelming to plan a Disney trip, but it’s far worse to be standing there in a panic as the lines get longer and longer and you’ve no idea what anyone wants to ride! Like the old adage, an ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure.

Stay sane, and have fun during your Disney holiday!  



Want some more ideas? 

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​A few weeks back, I mentioned all of the great ways to stream FREE Disney music from the parks, and more. One of those places, Sorcerer Radio, has started playing holiday music! Right now, you've got Halloween, with constantly great music like a blend of Haunted Mansion with Thriller! It's fantastic! And every few hours, they play the Boo To You parade!  Starting November 1st, it will be Christmas music. What a great way to add the Disney to your day, but also bring the holiday Spirit, ghosty or jingly!

                                                                      Photo from Disney

If it's not the special fireworks, the once a year parade or the rare character meet and greets and low crowds that have you excited about going to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, it might be the epic trick or treating! The internet is full of pictures of candy piled high. People reporting backpacks full of sugary sweetness, but this year, there's a trick that some people have been playing, that isn't very nice. 

Once of the best parts of Disney is the fact that they are not only allergy aware, but allergy friendly. In addition to the regular candy passed out, Disney has a (limited) supply of safe, allergy friendly treats too, redeemable at two locations in the park. 

Imagine...that time of year when everyone's getting yummy treats, handfuls at each stop, and your child is getting a single allergy token, with the promise of redeeming it for a treat at the allergy friendly station. They get there, and either are handed a half full bag, or, even worse, being told not even two hours into the party, that they have run out of allergy friendly treats. 

This year, that has been an all too common scenerio for children and adults who are there to enjoy every aspect of the Mickey's Halloween Party. multiple reports from partygoers have said that those taking the allergy bags are greater this year, and that the majority of the people they've talked to, are laughing, saying they want the healthier, or organic candy, because then they won't feel guilty eating it. 

I say shame on them. they SHOULD feel guilty eating it. 

The organic Surf Sweet gummies? Might just taste like gummies to someone, but to a child, that's a treat made in a top 10 free facility. No nuts, no dairy, no sesame, no soy, etc...10 allergens that are the most common this treat is FREE of. The Enjoy Life chocolates? Also free of dairy, nuts, and many other things. 

By choosing this "healthier" candy, it is being taken away from those who do not choose to have an allergy, or choose to eat a Gogo Squeez applesauce instead of a Hershey bar, particularly children. 

Please, if you don't need the allergy candies, take the regular ones. let those children who are excluded and different during birthdays, and holidays, and classroom parties and family get togethers, and every day restaurant meals feel normal, and excited, and be a regular kid when at Disney. There's already so many treats that they can't have at Disney that those with allergies can have. Please, leave those allergy friendly trick or treats for them. 

​Ahh! Tis the season! The bath set and gift set season! They are everywhere, and this year, there's a lot of fun Disney stuff that would be perfect to give as is, or, take out of the packaging and fill a stocking, or make a fun gift basket! Here are some of our favorites! Everything here is at Walmart. It's not just kid stuff either! 

First up... these  nail polishes you saw up top. I won't lie...I want these just for the bottles! They look like skirts! And $10 for all 18 of these? WOW! Give them all at once, or split between people! 

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It's hard to beat $5 for 4 chapsticks, and a cute little box to put them in! 

A younger version, for little girls who want "lipstick" 

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Disney "spa day" anyone? 
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Lip gloss for the tween, or the adult who wants a little more Disney in her purse! 

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When bathtime is this fun, maybe they won't argue about it?
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Fun in or out of the tub! 
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There are a lot more things, and you can see, the prices are great!! Are you hoping for a little Disney Magic in your stocking this year? I know I am!! 

I've seen some cute advent calendars in the stores, I'll bet you have too! The problem for me, is either we don't want cheapy tasting chocolates, or little Tsum tsums! We want something we love!! PINS!! 

The best part of an advent calendar is opening a door, and then the anticipation of what's inside, right? So while YOU don't have to fill your advent with pins, I'll bet there's something you, or the person you are making the advent for does love! Stickers? Coins? Better tasting chocolates? A joke or riddle? 

You can be totally creative, and make an awesome advent calendar with most anything you have laying around, or, you can dust off your advent box (thank's dad!) that you might have gotten a few years back when they were so popular! 

​Day one, ohhhhh a slipper, from Ariel! 
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Since we are planning to go "home" this summer and spend a wonderful week at Disney, we are going to need to start collecting pins! I forsee the Easter Eggs being loaded...! And this is just another run way to start collecting! 

What will be inside of your advent calendar?