December 2015 Help Thread - What To See & Do (Crowd Calendar Added)

[5Hfan]

The resort buses run until the parks are empty. I don't know if this also applies to SoG, but it's my understanding that SoG is basically across the street from the Poly so you could just take the Poly bus.

Shades buses run on set times...so you would know what time the last bus would be.

 

[lovndisney12]

I thought I saw updated MK hours for the weeks around Christmas / New Years but not seeing the hours updated on any calendars anymore. I thought MK was now open an hour earlier - 8 AM - every day. Did I just dream this???

 

[iona]

I thought I saw updated MK hours for the weeks around Christmas / New Years but not seeing the hours updated on any calendars anymore. I thought MK was now open an hour earlier - 8 AM - every day. Did I just dream this???

They added a whole bunch of EMHs at MK around Christmas recently but I haven't spotted any changes other than that.

 

[BCO]

This may have been asked already but I am planning to be at HS on December 20th from RD till around 3 and then head back to the hotel for some rest/pool time then go back around 6 to see the lights and Fantasmic. Do you think I'll run into a problem getting back because of possible closure due to capacity issues? I am staying on the resort.

 

[lovndisney12]

This may have been asked already but I am planning to be at HS on December 20th from RD till around 3 and then head back to the hotel for some rest/pool time then go back around 6 to see the lights and Fantasmic. Do you think I'll run into a problem getting back because of possible closure due to capacity issues? I am staying on the resort.

Not on December 20th usually - but not sure what will happen with this being the last year for the lights and the fact that many on free dining have park hoppers. There are also multiple levels of closures. I wouldn't be overly concerned and we are going around the same time. When we have been there before parks didn't reach capacity until Christmas day.

 

[BCO]

Not on December 20th usually - but not sure what will happen with this being the last year for the lights and the fact that many on free dining have park hoppers. There are also multiple levels of closures. I wouldn't be overly concerned and we are going around the same time. When we have been there before parks didn't reach capacity until Christmas day.

Thank you. That's what I was thinking but didn't know if I needed to rework my plans. I haven't been in a long time and never around Christmas - this is all new to me!

 

[PirateD]

I thought I saw updated MK hours for the weeks around Christmas / New Years but not seeing the hours updated on any calendars anymore. I thought MK was now open an hour earlier - 8 AM - every day. Did I just dream this???

No, you didn't just dream it. They did add 8 AM EMH's but then went back and removed them. Not sure why they would do that. I'm still anxiously and impatiently waiting for the final schedule.

 

[sharona]

Just made my FP+ reservations for Dec 10-15 and was surprised to see decent availability for A&E and Wishes on our MK days. I did have to break our party of 5 up and get overlapping windows for 7DMT in order to get the time frame that we wanted but otherwise mostly got what we were looking for with no problems. But boy did it take a while to organize everything! 5 people, 5 park days, 5 ADRs to work around and not all wanting the same FP's - what a pita! I may have to send my family a bill for services rendered.

I'm sure I'll tweak this a million times before we go but it's a good start!

 

[epcotty]

What a cute cat. Now where's my helpful pictures?

 

[lovndisney12]

No, you didn't just dream it. They did add 8 AM EMH's but then went back and removed them. Not sure why they would do that. I'm still anxiously and impatiently waiting for the final schedule.

Thank you. That is what I thought and had changed it in my planning spreadsheet but went back and double checked to see if any additional hours had been added - and the opposite happened - they were removed! I still expect them to add hours since I went back and looked historically over the last 5+ years and it looks like hours have been extended. I know the last time we were there over Christmas (2010) that the parks (not just MK) opened around 7 or 8 AM every day.

 

[Mainemama]

No, you didn't just dream it. They did add 8 AM EMH's but then went back and removed them. Not sure why they would do that. I'm still anxiously and impatiently waiting for the final schedule.

I thought I was losing it! Now to go back and change the hours on my plans... Thanks for clarifying this.

 

[Colleen27]

Is there anything holiday related at AK at all now, with the parade and Camp Minnie-Mickey gone? It has been six years since our last holiday trip and everything AK had then has been displaced by construction. Has anything new gone in, or is AK skippable for a holiday oriented trip?

 

[Naughty Nurse]

Just made my FP+ reservations for Dec 10-15 and was surprised to see decent availability for A&E and Wishes on our MK days. I did have to break our party of 5 up and get overlapping windows for 7DMT in order to get the time frame that we wanted but otherwise mostly got what we were looking for with no problems. But boy did it take a while to organize everything! 5 people, 5 park days, 5 ADRs to work around and not all wanting the same FP's - what a pita! I may have to send my family a bill for services rendered.

I'm sure I'll tweak this a million times before we go but it's a good start!

Glad to hear you managed to get most of what you wanted and planned for...we are doing our FP choices on 16th...but a tad nervous as our party is 11...so I know we are definitely going to need to have all our fingers crossed to get most of what we want...and be trying numerous options of party number sizes to find the best availabilities for things...I think my brother-in-law may also charge us a fee for all his hard work with most of the planning

 

[MudBud]

Is there anything holiday related at AK at all now, with the parade and Camp Minnie-Mickey gone? It has been six years since our last holiday trip and everything AK had then has been displaced by construction. Has anything new gone in, or is AK skippable for a holiday oriented trip?

I read that Mickey & Minnie will be in holiday outfits but it didn't say when it starts.

 

[Planogirl]

I'm probably overlooking this but what time does the Osborne Lights typically start? Also, I wonder if just before closing might still be a good time to see them.

 

[Colleen27]

I'm probably overlooking this but what time does the Osborne Lights typically start? Also, I wonder if just before closing might still be a good time to see them.

The lighting is at 6, from everything I've read. I'm not sure about seeing them just before closing, though. I think how well that strategy works depends on the F! schedule. We tried that approach and ended up packed in with everyone who hurried over from the first F! of the night to see the lights before leaving the park, but that was years ago and IIRC the schedules for Fantasmic have changed a bit since then.

I read that Mickey & Minnie will be in holiday outfits but it didn't say when it starts.

Thanks! We're only going for a fairly short trip, mostly to see the Osbourne Lights one last time, so if all AK has going on is special outfits for the characters I'm not going to worry bout getting over there. I just wanted to make sure they didn't add some holiday entertainment I hadn't heard about yet (wishful thinking, right? ), since I'm not on the theme park board much these days.

 

[Mandak22]

You can all dine out together at home anytime you want. Don't pass up something special for a (usually) mediocre, overpriced meal. Have a late lunch/early dinner then see the lights. Get snacks or order a pizza after if you're hungry later.

We actually can't, as my husband works overseas for most of the year, so the few times he's home, and we don't have the crazy school schedule we take time to eat together. We enjoy the majority of the meals we have had at Disney over the years, only a handful that we have not. It's good to know that they do stay on later so we can possibly head over there after one of our meals.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Just did our FPs for 12/18-12/26. Got everything we wanted except there's no Christmas parade available! I see it listed but it says "closed for refurbishment".

 

[LynJ]

I had the same problem. I'd imagine they just haven't opened the FP+s up for it yet. Aggravating, though!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

I had the same problem. I'd imagine they just haven't opened the FP+s up for it yet. Aggravating, though!

If you notice it open up please let me know.