For some reason, as soon as summer is over I begin thinking about the holiday season. This time is one of the best times to go visit Walt Disney World (with the exception of Thanksgiving week and the week between Christmas and new year).
Schools are back in session so the parks are less crowded, the summer humidity begins to fade and nobody decorates for any holiday like Disney does. Making it even more irrisistable is the free dining promotion Disney is offering for those traveling Sept. 27 through Dec. 17th. Disney has never extended free dining like this before! It's like getting the all inclusive free.
If you're going to be in Disney during the holidays - and by that I mean Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas - you'll want to consider one of Disney's special events such as Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. These events take place on specified nights after the Magic Kingdom closes around 7 p.m. It does cost an extra admission price but I believe it's worth it.
In 2007, I went to the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party in the Magic Kingdom. It was not crowded (they limit the amout of tickets they sell for this event). There were special parades and performances, they made it snow on Main Streetand they served free cider, hot cocoa and cookies throughout the park. It was very festive. Even the stores have special merchandise that they sell only during the party.
I definitely recommend spending time during the holidays seeing some of the amazing decorating Disney does.
One of my favorites is the Gingerbread House in the lobby of the Grand Floridian resort (pictured above). This amazing life-size structure is made completely of gingerbread and icing. It's been featured on the Travel Channel and is a must-see if you're in Disney during the holidays. You can even purchase miniature replicas of the ginger bread house to take home (though that might be challenging to take on a plane!).
Like everyone else, Disney no longer waits till after Thanksgiving to put up their Christmas decorations.
Disney uses 150 tractor trailer loads of decorations for Christmas throughout the property and usually begins putting them up in early November. You can be certain the Magic Kingdom will be decorated by November 10th, the first night of Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.