We are going to Disney during Christmas. Should I buy tickets in advance or when I get there?
Get them ahead of time. Christmas is the busiest time of the year at Disney. We went in 2009 and probably will never go back for Christmas, as amazing as it was. We'll try for a less busy time :). But have a GREAT trip!
When we went (in 2007) we ordered tickets ahead of time. They were mailed to us. They were hard like credit cards. My BIL bought his at the time-share. His ticket was a thin card. I don't actually know how much he paid for his, as time-shares are often able to get you a better deal.
On the one hand, I liked that my card was a little more "sturdy." Then again, i was so nervous that I would forget it. I probably check a dozen times before we got on the plane.
I think I would probably wait and get them there, but that's mostly because I'm paranoid that I would forget it. Not sure there was any real advantage to having them ahead of time.
Are you staying at a Disney hotel?
When we went (never at Christmas time) but every 2 years for many years... we always stayed at the Polynesian (on the monorail line) and we got tickets when we checked into the hotel which were good from check in until midnight of the checkout day for any park any time, unlimited.
Our tickets were also hard like a credit card because we did a lot of swiping with them at the parks, room service, hotel shops, etc.
In advance to avoid lines. Christmas there is a MAD HOUSE!
Yes nget there way before it opens because they will close when the maximum amount of people are there.
Yes - and be there before the park opens to guarantee getting in.
This Christmas? As in 29 days from today, give or take....?
Good luck and anything other than park entrance tickets.
Everything else will be sold out.
You can purchase tickets at the park (they don't have them for specific days unless it's the Christmas party). But I strongly suggest that you get to each park when they open that week.
Christmas is the busiest time for this area in Florida and people come from the UK, South America (its summer there) and all over the US. The last two years both Universal parks and Magic Kingdom both closed on several days during the week of Christmas because they were filled to capacity (this was early in the day too).
Hi E.! You are going to have so much fun! Disney at Christmas time is just amazing! I would suggest, like the others, that you purchase them ahead of time and get there as early as you can. You can get discounted tickets at undercovertourist.com. Have fun!!
I don't think it absolutely matters - if you get a park pass for multiple days, it starts the first day you use it with the first park you go into. But either way, I would be at the park in the morning a good hour before they actually open - that time of year is extremely busy (we were there at Christmas last year!) and Magic Kingdom on Christmas Day will get crowded enough that they will stop letting people in once it reaches capacity. Getting there early also allows you to go on more rides before it gets too crowded to move and every line is a 2 hour wait.
