Theme park crowd reporting website Thrill Data predicts that Christmas week 2023 will be the busiest week of the year at Walt Disney World. The holiday season brings the busiest crowds of the year to U.S. theme parks.
Thrill Data uses metrics to predict crowding levels, such as average wait times for rides. This site will be updated in December 2023. walt disney world Wait times for rides will be moderate to above average.
Families aren’t the only ones visiting Disney World during the holidays. Travel in general is getting more expensive.pricewaterhousecoopers Vacation outlook for 2023 They note that 47% of all consumers plan to hit the road or air during the season.
Theme parks are busier during the holidays, not just because families take more time off to travel. Over the years, theme parks have added more during the holidays to attract more families. Theme parks of all sizes bring excitement to the holiday season each year. From covering the entire park with lights to hosting an entire holiday party, families have vacation options.
Orlando theme parks host popular festivals
Orlando’s major theme parks draw the most people of the year during the holiday season. Walt Disney World is celebrating the season with a limited-time party. Theme park journalist Megan Dubois highlights her favorite events. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, offered at Magic Kingdom each November and December. She says, “Seeing snow on Main Street USA is awesome. Plus, the ride overlays and free hot chocolate and cookies are fun.”
The Magic Kingdom Christmas Party is an after-hours event and guests must make a purchase. separate tickets. That makes an already expensive vacation even more expensive, but experts note that not all Walt Disney World vacation plans require tickets.
Mikkel Woodruff, Co-Founder and Editor sometimes sailingsays, “The resort hotels are so beautifully decorated that you don’t actually need theme park tickets” to vacation at Disney World. “The oversized gingerbread house on display at the Grand Floridian and the gingerbread merry-go-round at the Beach Club are awesome,” Woodruff said. Simply enjoying the sights and sounds surrounding the resort hotel brings holiday vibrancy to many repeat guests.
Universal Orlando Resort has a limited time holiday offer starting in mid-November.Sarah Gilliland, travel editor and writer Traveling with Sarahsaid, “I love Grinchmas at Universal Orlando. It’s fun because who doesn’t love the Grinch and his bratty holiday antics?” Grinchmas will include live performances, character meet-and-greets, and a holiday-themed character breakfast.
Universal Orlando also hosts a dazzling nighttime show, Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle, at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Disneyland Resort continues annual tradition
On the West Coast, Disneyland Resort remains a top destination for theme park enthusiasts looking for family vacation activities. During the day, enjoy limited-time makeovers of classic Disneyland rides. Seasonal versions of popular attractions include “It’s a Small World” Holiday; The Nightmare Before Christmas, Haunted Mansion Holiday.
The park becomes festive at night with bright Christmas lights and cheerful music. Eric Begel, co-founder of The Insiders, recommends his family prioritize nighttime lighting for its “It’s a Small World” holiday façade. “Seeing Small World with its Christmas lights is always a sight to behold. There’s a lighting ceremony once a day once the sun goes down, so I try to go as many times as I can during the holiday season.”
many families make plans Disneyland Christmas visit Around the first weekend of December. That’s usually when the park holds its annual Candlelight Processional, a tradition dating back to Disneyland’s early days. Although this show is smaller than Epcot on the East Coast, it’s just as memorable, with a surprise celebrity narrator and a chorus of Disneyland cast members. Kimberly Fiddler, Vice President of Marketing for Get Away Today, said: There’s nothing else like it! ”
Don’t miss the local theme parks
Families staying close to home this holiday season have the option of attending theme park events. Smaller regional parks include: Silver Dollar City Pack a punch with dazzling décor in Branson, Missouri. Gilliland noted how impressive the park’s light displays are, saying, “It reminded me a lot of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights that used to be held at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s very nostalgic.” This park is decorated with more than 6.5 million lights for Old Time’s Christmas. USA Today Readers’ Choice’s top 10 poll for the nation’s best theme park holiday events.
Sister park of Silver Dollar City, dollywood, holiday season celebrations continue to be in full swing. The Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, theme park will host a Smoky Mountain Christmas through early January, giving families plenty of time to experience the festivities.
Smaller theme parks, both national and large, are also participating in holiday season activities. Monica Fish, founder of Planner at Heart, said: legoland Her family is a must see every year. She says: “We start every December; holiday bricktacular. My kids love roasting marshmallows, writing letters to Santa, giving them to the elves to mail to the North Pole, and riding Lego Ninjago again before the end of the year. ”
Many local parks close for the winter after the holidays and reopen in the spring. Families take advantage of this season to experience one last celebratory visit before the park closes for several months.
This article was created by Media decisions Syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
