Greetings Vicky,
Welcome to planDisney! I'm so happy you stopped by with your question about planning Christmas Day at the Most Magical Place on Earth. My family has spent Christmas at Walt Disney World for the past 7 years, so I hope our experiences can give you some ideas for planning your family's holiday.
Each year, we open a few small gifts in our resort on Christmas morning. (I bring a small tree and our stockings, though that might be difficult for you since you are coming across the Atlantic). Here's our typical day after that:
We usually have a waterfront brunch at The Boathouse at Disney Springs. Then, we take a walk through Disney Springs to take in the Christmas Tree Stroll, and we stop by the Disney PhotoPass Studio for a family holiday portrait. (No reservation is necessary. Photos upload to your My Disney Experience account and can be purchased there. If you have Memory Maker, the photos are included for no additional cost.)
Or we may brunch at the Grand Floridian Cafe and then spend our afternoon visiting the other resorts on the monorail. Each has lovely decorations and fun spots to shop, snack or have a drink.
If the weather is warm, we may return to our resort for an afternoon snack or drink by the pool. If it is cold, as it has been a couple of years recently, we may seek out a cozy spot like the Territory Lounge at Wilderness Lodge or Victoria Falls at Animal Kingdom Lodge.
We usually book a nice dinner at a favorite place, such as Jiko, Morimoto Asia or Toledo -- Tapas, Steak & Seafood. Or sometimes, because we've been noshing all day, we will opt for a light meal or dessert in a festive place like Dahlia Lounge, Abracadabar, Three Bridges Bar & Grill or Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar.
As you can tell, our Christmas plan includes a lot of strolling and eating and just spending unscheduled time together in our family's happy place.
My family doesn't go into the parks on Christmas Day because our annual passes are blocked out then. If you want to go to a park, Magic Kingdom is, of course, a classic choice, but please note that it is also a very busy day at that park, and a reservation may be required.
If we did visit a park on Christmas Day, I would probably choose Epcot and make plans to see the Candlelight Processional. This year's celebrity narrator on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is scheduled to be Jodi Benson, the original voice of Ariel. I've seen her in past years, and she's fabulous.
If that sounds like a perfect addition to your holiday, you might want to consider a Candlelight Processional Dining Package, which guarantees you a seat for one of the performances. Those reservations open October 14, and they usually go fast. And, again, a park reservation may be required.
I hope that gives you some ideas about how to plan your family's day, Vicky. Or, like us, you may choose to pick a starting point and an ending point and simply see where the Christmas spirit takes you along the way.
Wishing you the happiest of holiday visits,
Wilma