Christmas Eve/Christmas Day at a Resort

[daisykp]

A bit of background - We are currently booked in a room at POFQ for Dec 24th-26th, we are only staying at the resort, and possibly heading to Disney Springs at some point to watch the new star Wars movie and eat. We are looking for that one "special" hotel for those nights that will be extra "Christmassy" for our two kids 7 and 10, this will be their first time not waking up at home on Christmas AM.

POFQ was not our first choice of resorts(although we enjoyed POR and the access to the boat to Disney Springs). The room was $350 a night and at the top of our budget. My question is that if we could come up for the price difference of $700-800 to book into Wilderness Lodge(I would say this a dream resort for us) would it be worth it? Has anyone ever spent those times at WL that could chime in? I know only we can determine "worth" but I love to hear first hand experiences. The other option is to head to AKL for approx. an extra $500 - but standard room so not Savannah.

Because we are only spending time at the resort we would love for it to feel like Christmas. Does anyone have any other resort that they have just loved on Christmas Day?

Thanks for your input

 

[hakepb]

http://www.kennythepirate.com/2012/12/27/meeting-christmas-characters-at-walt-disney-world-resorts/

As amazing as it was seeing carol era and characters in the YC/BC lobby..I think I would rather spend the extra $ on going into a park. Yes, Christmas Day is that busy, but I also thought it was extra-magical with so many wonderful CM’s wishing us a sincere “Merry Christmas”

My other Christmas experience was at PORr. We had a little tree and a string of lights in our room, but I didn’t spend much time going around the resort that day. I wouldn’t be against starting a Christmas beignet tradition.

 

[Nancyg56]

One of my favorite Holiday resorts is POFQ. I thnk that you will enjoy the resort, and will love the Holiday music that plays softly in the background. It is "off the beaten path" in regards to resort hopping, so you can have a little respite from the holiday crowds in Disney during the holiday season.

Now I know that value is subjective, but for me, give a choice between upgrading our resort or using that money to enjoy being in WDW, I would stay at POFQ and visit different resorts. It is not too late to book a special meal at any one of the resorts and enjoy the lobbies and grounds while you are there, and then head to DS to explore the decorations there. You could also use the difference to purchase park passes for one or two days and embrace the crowds. The fireworks are spectacular during the holiday season and alone are worth the price of admission. And the parade in the MK is as well.

I will be the first to admit that the crowds are not my thing, so I try to avoid them but if I chose to be in WDW during Christmas I would change my mindset and have a ball and be all "CHristmas" from nose to toes.

 

[Disneylover99]

We stayed at Pop on Christmas Day a few years back. Loved it!

We stayed at POFQ a few days after Christmas last year. Absolutely loved it!! It was quiet, beautiful, love the jazzy but subtle Christmas music. And best of all, is the smell of the lobby at Christmas. It was amazing! That is where I sat and drank my coffee every morning.

 

[Dumbo7]

I wouldn't change. All the resorts are beautiful all December!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I would stay at POFQ. WL is absolutely gorgeous, but, given the costs of rooms at Christmas, I just don't think spending an extra $800 on a room is worth. All WDW will have a Christmas feel and, given that you may be going to DS, you are in a perfect spot. Traffic during Christmas week is horrendous, so being able to boat to DS is a major perk. As others have suggested, perhaps plan a monorail tour (to see the gingerbread house at GF, take the boat from MK to WL to see the tree). You could even have a meal at WL (Whispering Canyon is really fun), but I wouldn't spend an extra $800 to stay there. If AKL is of any interest, we enjoy the standard rooms there, but POFQ is absolutely lovely.

 

[daisykp]

Thank you all much for responding. We will have already done the parks from Nov 28th-Dec 9th. Our budget will not allow us to head back into the parks again, and the crowds hold absolutely no appeal either. We were actually supposed to be heading to the airport and travelling over Christmas Eve and Day but decided this stopover would be much better(and amazing!) for the kids. So we are looking at a great resort to hang out at that might have some activities during the day and maybe even some special things happening. It looks as though we are more than likely to see that happening at the Deluxe resorts than the value and moderates. We do love Pop - but my hubby is set on something more festively decorated(we've been there at December before). We will have also stayed at AoA earlier that month. This is just a little added Disney Bonus in our lives!

 

[Nancyg56]

Given the additional information I would look at the Beach Club, AKL or WL. All are decorated beautifully, and all offer different experiences. IF you like to have a pool and plenty to occupy you outside of the resort, look at BC. If you want a woodsy rustic Holiday feel, WL fits the bill. Honestly, if I was planning a lot of resort time I would choose AKL. It is stunning, and offers so much to do.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

The WL has never been on my radar but it gets a lot of love on the Dis. I've seen pictures of it decorated during Christmas (and I'm a Christmas freak) so that would be #1 on my list. BUT I don't think I could stay that close to WL and not be tempted to go into the MK. Although, I believe, you can see the fireworks from the resort so that would be cool.

Second choice would be AKL. The pics of that lobby with the tree look amazing.

 

[tjmw2727]

POFQ is beautiful all the time and definitely for Christmas, you have live family appropriate entertainment in the "lounges" at both POFQ and POR the only resorts on property with this especially in the moderate category. You have the horse drawn carriages and easy access to Disney springs by boat and I am sure they will have Christmas in full force (last year they had a drone show) including Santa. Lots of amazing Christmas day dinners to choose from there

Honestly I wouldn't spend that 700 on a resort but instead stay with POFQ and just spend say 1/2 that (if any) of that $ on a fun Christmas dinner or event.

If you want to tour the Deluxe resorts just hop on a bus - we did a Christmas brunch at GF one year and that was Amazing! We enjoyed the resort including the life size ginger bread house and all the decorations and then took the monorail to see the rest of the resorts dressed up for Christmas.

You can also take the HS bus to tour the Epcot resorts and decorations and maybe have a meal at one of those resorts.

You could even book dinner at the Polynesian or Contemporary and then see the MK fireworks from there or a dinner at an Epcot resort and catch Illuminations from the bridge toward Epcot.

 

[PurplePencil]

The pics of that lobby with the tree look amazing.

Somewhere (one of the countless SD cards in my house) I have a photo from the day they put it up. We arrived pretty late at night and it was evident they were doing something in the lobby. The next morning the tree was there with the lobby fully decorated. Truly amazing