Santa in WDW?

[DrFacilier]

We are Christmas Week newbies and have no idea what people do when they spend Christmas Eve at Disney. How does Santa deliver presents?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[NYCgrrl]

We spent two memorable weeks at WDW that began December 22nd and ended January 2nd, last year.

On the day of Christmas Eve, we visited Epcot’s World Showcase, visiting the various holiday marketplaces, listening to the different countries’ storytellers, and taking in the decor and singing fests.

We opted to eat dinner at Flying Fish, as we traditionally only eat gifts from the sea on this night.

We choose to observe the Candlelight Processional on a different night but it was still showing on the Eve.

 

[TwinkleKS]

We go every year for Christmas. Santa brings big gifts and all items from Mom and Dad to our house. He only brings little trinkets to WDW.

Depending on our plans and if we have a rental car we may go to Wal-Mart / Walgreens wherever and buy a small table top tree and a few decorations (or candy canes ... they are cheap and you can use them to decorate the tree). We have also spent quite a few years in the cabins at Fort Wilderness where we bring a huge display of blow ups. If all else fails, the gift shops have stockings in case you need them.

Small gifts are pre-wrapped and placed in a black trash bag at the bottom of my suitcase. No one shares a suitcase with me and none of the kids have expressed the desire to rummage through my underwear while on vacation

Usually the gifts are things like Disney gift cards, lip balm, Hot Wheels, things that might normally be stocking stuffers if you were at home.

 

[ice cube]

Will be our 12th Christmas in a row and like the pp's stated also only eat gifts from the sea. We do ll Mulino's, Todd English Bluezoo and Paddlefish previously Fultons.
In the beginning we started with a table top tree a few decorations even a window lit one too. As the years have gone by we now have a 6ft tree lots of decoration and
put lights all around the room. We cheat a little as we store the decorations at my brothers house who now lives in a development behind MK. We still leave the big presents home just bring
small ones. From the beginning we would leave a letter under the tree in which my oldest daughter who was 7 at the time read it to her baby sister on Christmas morning.It would explain
that Santa knew they were in Disney and their big presents are home under the tree. I remember our first year at the BCV's I went to the front desk around 2am to ask for tape so I could hang a
string of lights on the wall. I guess I wasn't the only one who needed tape as they had a dispenser on top already to go. Its easier setting up in a 1 bedroom and a little more challenging in a studio
when everyone is sleeping. We also go to the Contemporary Resort Christmas morning as they hold a few different religious masses. As you can tell by my signature the girls are at that age so the
innocence of Christmas is gone. We tried to make it last as long as we could with the little one but now all we have are great memories. My advice to you is put 100% into making it like your home
just on a smaller scale then sit back and enjoy. It goes by faster than we all think and I do miss it. We will be at CCV I'll be the father in the lobby looking around at all the little ones who are thrilled
to wake up in Disney for Christmas as my crew will look like its just another day.

 

[bkfamilyof5]

We are doing Christmas this year for the first (and only) time. We are having no gifts even though we have at least a few kids who still “believe”. This trip is everyone’s gift and there is absolutely no need for additional stuff just because. We will do stocking from “Santa” with trinkets and useful things like always (socks, lip balm, etc).

 

[NYCgrrl]

We, too attended a religious service @ the Contemporary on Christmas Day. They have separate R.C. and Protestant services scheduled in the morning.

As for holiday decorations I purchased a 12" mini tree with stand included from a dollar store. Removed most of the decorations that came with the tree and personalised it w/ various papier mache birds and twig nests from my craft collection (Michael's or Hobby Lobby are your friends for the decor). Was easy to pack and easier still to leave when we checked out.

The man and I no longer exchange gifts during the holidays unless there is a something one of us really craves; we've entered a minimalist period in our lives even though somehow his polo shirts appear to be procreating in the bureau drawer but I digress. Probably one of us takes the less is more philosophy a bit more seriously. Anywho this rule doesn't apply to DGD so we added to her college fund (practical but a bit boring), surreptitiously purchased a long sought Pandora glow in the dark hoodie from WindTraders (provoked squeals of joy and came in handy during a cold spell during the vac), a set of Mickey Mouse diamond earrings (lifelong whimsical memento hopefully), the grandparent's special, Christmas pjs from Hanna Andersson (Psst-they are currently on sale and this might be a good time to buy if you know your little ones growing spurts) and a book of French Christmas tales (We are planning a trip to France and Belguim next year and those countries are part of her heritage). Easy to acquire, meaningful and best still simple to pack. We were prepared to place her gifts under the mini tree located on the room's bureau when she told us she preferred to NOT celebrate Christmas for a few days to prolong the sense of joy and anticipation..funny little child yet so thought filled.

 

[ice cube]

We, too attended a religious service @ the Contemporary on Christmas Day. They have separate R.C. and Protestant services scheduled in the morning.
Anywho this rule doesn't apply to DGD so we added to her college fund

Not to get off topic but we were probably at the same 10:15am service..2 NY families have to go to Disney to sit at Christmas service......and I only wish someone added to my daughters college fund

 

[NYCgrrl]

Not to get off topic but we were probably at the same 10:15am service..2 NY families have to go to Disney to sit at Christmas service......and I only wish someone added to my daughters college fund

Bwahahaha! to the first. Errrrrrrr I wuv my children yet know them as adult individuals. Don't want them caring for me when I get older and greyer since the two of them would stand over wheelchair bound me arguing about who had fed me last and who I loved best as the oatmeal congealed. "Hedging' my bets with DGD .

 

[Deb & Bill]

We were there for Christmas a few times. When our son was younger, Santa brought a few of his gifts and put them under our little tree that we brought along, plus a note telling him that the rest were at home under the tree there. When he got older he might have gotten cash and a few presents or we waited until we got home to celebrate as a family.

We've often stayed in a DVC one bedroom villa, so we had a full kitchen. Once we purchased a holiday meal from a local grocery store and made a full Christmas dinner for us and our guests.

If you put up decorations, please don't use tape or tacks. DVC asks that guests not use anything on the walls. I've had problems with Command hooks so I never use them either.

 

[DrFacilier]

Thanks for the ideas everyone! It’s great to hear how others do/ have done this. Here’s our plan at this point:

We are going to wake up the kids on 12/23 and tell them our Christmas gift to them is a Disney trip and that we are leaving right away. We fly SW so it’s easy to pack a separate suitcase with a mini tree decorations, stockings and small gifts from Santa. We will also leave a note from Santa under the tree about gifts being left at home.

We will check out the Magic Kingdom decorations on 12/23 and spend Christmas Eve Day at Epcot doing the holiday stuff. We have booked a CP Dining Package on Christmas Eve for the 6:45 show so we’re really excited about that. I think that will be our “Christmas Service” for this year.
We’re huge AK fans so we will spend Chrismas Day there with a lunch at Sanaa. I currently have Raglan Road booked for dinner that day but not sure if we’ll keep it.

Thanks again everyone. This is going to be awesome!

 

[daisyduck123]

I packed all the Xmas gifts in a large separate bag and stowed it in the back of our vehicle, away from the kids. (This was when we used to drive to WDW. Ugh never again!). I kept the bag hidden in the closet throughout our stay. On Xmas Eve, I just waited til the kids were asleep and put the presents in the room under our little Xmas Tree.

 

[Summer2018]

We are Christmas Week newbies and have no idea what people do when they spend Christmas Eve at Disney. How does Santa deliver presents?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

We drove, so we packed DD’s wrapped gifts (special wrapping paper that Santa always wrapped her gifts in her entire life) in big plastic bags and hid them in the back of the trunk behind the luggage. After she fell asleep on Christmas Eve, DH got them out of the car and brought them into the room. When she woke up on Christmas morning to discover that Santa found her in Disney World, she was beyond excited. I, of course, cried just like I did when I saw Santa in our Disney hotel lobby at check in.

That was our BEST Christmas ever.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

I'm certain that Santa delivering presents to Disney World prolonged belief by several years.

We packed an extra suitcase with presents. Kids don't notice boring things like suitcases. When we got to the room, we unpacked and stored the bag under the empty bags so it was less likely to attract attention. We specifically chose physically smaller presents and added a few things that we picked up at WDW (while DD was distracted).

We also bought a small tree and had it delivered to our room, brought a Mickey wreath, and I made Mickey ornaments that we brought with us.