Christmas Holiday Tips For Walt Disney World

The busiest time of the year for Walt Disney World theme parks is the Christmas holiday season. Just how busy does it get? From around the two weeks before Christmas to New Years day, all the Disney theme parks should fill to capacity around early afternoon.

What happens when a Disney theme park fills up to capacity? They don't let anyone else in, that's what! Many people think Disney never will turn away people, no matter how full a park is. But they are wrong, it's very common for Disney theme parks to fill up to the number of people it can hold.

Once a theme park has reached the safe number of people, they just can't let anyone else in. Most of the time during the year that does not happen. But during the busy Christmas holiday season at Walt Disney World, it's very common for the parks to get full around early afternoon.

So if your going on a Walt Disney World vacation this Christmas holiday season, keep that in mind. Get to the Disney theme park your going to go early in the morning and plan on staying in the park until you done for the day.

This also means it's a very bad idea to park hop during the Disney holiday times. If you spend the morning at the Magic Kingdom, then try to go to Epcot around 2:00 PM, you may very well get turned away because it's full. However a park that is full in early afternoon could let people in later toward the evening.

That's because they keep track of the number of people coming in AND out all day. So once the number of people leaving is enough, they will let new people in again. However with so much traffic and crowds it's best to play it safe and plan on one Disney theme park per day during the Christmas holiday season!

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This year at Walt Disney World they have decked out the resort and theme parks early with their Christmas decorations and lights. Normally they put up all Christmas lights and trinkets the night after Thanksgiving. But this year Disney has transformed the resort into a Christmas winter wonderland already!

Because of that they are having more nights for their special Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, held at the Magic Kingdom theme park here in Orlando. This is a special Christmas party held between 7:00 PM to midnight nightly on selected nights.

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is an amazing display of Disney magic, with several shows, parades and special entertainment. For starters you can see all the Christmas lights and decorations throughout the Magic Kingdom park.

Disney really knows how to transform the park into a spectacular, magical sight with fantastic Christmas lights and holiday displays. Each night with Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party Micky, Minnie and friends perform the Cinderella's castle and tree lighting ceremony.

After a short show the Disney castle comes to life with thousands of glowing Christmas lights that sparkle and change color. It's a display you can't describe and something you don't want to miss. The giant Christmas tree at the front of the park also comes alive with fantastic holiday lights.

Next is Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas time Parade, complete with a special appearance by Santa Claus himself! All of the parade floats are Christmas themed with all your favorite Disney characters in their holiday best.

Many floats are lit up with wonderful Christmas lights and displays you can't see at any other time of the year. Throughout the Disney park will be meet and greet stations where you and your kids can have pictures taken with your favorite Disney characters.

There also will be live shows, all Christmas themed of course. Christmas is not the same without snow, and you can find a magical snow fall on Main Street, U.S.A. at different times of the night.

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party also features Complimentary cookies and hot cocoa, yum yum! Last but far from least will be an exclusive holiday fireworks extravaganza named Celebrate the Spirit of the Season. It's a holiday fireworks display unlike any other, bursting from behind the lit up Cinderella's castle!

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is a special event that requires a special ticket; standard Magic Kingdom theme park admission tickets are not good for this event. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is held from 7:00 PM to 12:00 midnight on the following nights of 2009:

* November 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 29
* December 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18

Click here for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party tickets!

I live in Orlando and have an annual pass to all the Walt Disney World theme parks. I go there every week, checking out everything new. Then I write all about it in my Orlando tourist site, Orlando Inside. I talk about all the theme parks; Universal Studios, Sea World, Disney and much more.

So if you want to find out what else is going on over the holiday season in Orlando, check it out. You can see maps of the Orlando airport, get tips on rental cars, hotels and lots of other things. Plus more holiday news at Walt Disney World. Let me know what you think of my site!

The 2009 holiday travel has begun! Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's sees the biggest tourist crowds in the Orlando airport. Many from Florida are flying out to spend a white Christmas with loved ones up north. While many more are flying in for a Disney or other theme park Holiday vacation.

The biggest hassle will be at the Orlando airport. Expect long lines both at the baggage check-in area and also at the security points. These two spots will give you the biggest headaches and cost you the most time. Many people flying in or out for the Holidays don't travel often and may not be up to date on everything.

So here's a few refresher tips and tricks for you. Many airlines now charge for checked baggage, or checked bags over one per person. So remember that when your in the baggage line. But since they charge per bag anyway, and the baggage line is the longest wait at the airport, why not ship them instead?

You can use FedEx and UPS, or even luggage shipping services to ship your luggage right to your hotel. It cost a bit more, but they WILL show up. Plus you can walk past all those frustrated people in the baggage lines and go right to the security line, nice!

As for what you can take with you aboard the plane, most all airlines now allow only one carry-on plus a "personal" item. A personal item can be a purse, small backpack, laptop case and so on. Generally your personal item should fit under the seat in front of you.

Unfortunately with the checked baggage fees more and more people are trying to carry more things than they are allowed on board. That causes tension, angry looks and slows down the boarding process. I always see someone with a bag way to big to stuff in the overhead compartment.

So be prepared for that, and please do your part by following your airlines carry-on guidelines. Now back to the security checkpoint. Everyone has to go through the security checkpoint. Your carry-on luggage will go through an x-ray machine, and you have to walk through a metal detector.

Have your picture, government approved ID and your boarding pass out and ready. The first thing they do is look at those papers. Without both of those you cannot go through security.

Here's a few basics. Yes you STILL have to take of your shoes, no matter what type they are. Take them off and put them in one of those plastic tubs. If your carrying and liquids or gels remember the 3-1-1 rule.

Each bottle can be no larger than 3 oz. in size, they ALL must fit in one 1 quart-sized, clear plastic zip-top bag and only one per person. That means any toothpaste, shaving cream, lotion, antiperspirant, anything. Take it out of your bag and place it in a plastic tub.

You cannot take aboard any matches, lighters, knifes, weapons of any kind, toy swords or guns, bats, pool cues, brass knuckles and so on. You also cannot take aboard any snow globes, no matter how big or small, so remember that. Put all these in your checked or shipped luggage.

What you CAN bring in your carry-ons is disposable razors and razors in a cartridge, nail clippers, Scissors 4 inches and shorter, tools seven inches or shorter in length and you can wear gel filled bras, not that I ever wear any! For special need items see the full list here.

Take off anything metal and put them in a plastic tub or bowl. That includes change, belt buckles, cuff links, anything like that. If you set off the detector they will give you a wand detector once over and pat down. It happens all day long, so don't make it a big deal if it happens to you.

Once you arrive at the Orlando airport, if you have baggage go to level 2A or 2B, depending on what airline you used. If you have no baggage go right to level 1, which is where you find all the taxi, buses and rental cars. This Orlando airport map will help you out.

Then get out of the airport and enjoy your Orlando Holiday vacation,,,,, until you have to go back!