Hi Amy,
The winter holidays are a beautiful time to visit Walt Disney World! The theme parks and resorts are decked out in their holiday finest. It is truly a magical time of year to visit.
It is also a very crowded time of year. So many children are out of school, and so many people love to celebrate at Walt Disney World, that you can expect some of the highest crowds of the year right around Christmas. The good news is that with a little planning ahead, you can manage the crowds.
I recommend that you get to the theme park you wish to visit as early as possible on each day, even 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled park opening. The first couple of hours of the day will likely be the least crowded, and thus have the shortest lines for attractions. I would also ask each member of your traveling party to choose one or two attractions that they really want to do each day. Once you have completed the attractions that everyone wants to do, anything additional is a bonus! Finally, make some dining reservations now. Many of the restaurants to fill up at busy times of year. You can make reservations at
Disney Dining Online or by calling (407) WDW-DINE (407-939-3463).
Yes, the attractions will be open at this time of year. A couple of attractions may be closed for refurbishment; however, I do not have a schedule of these and it should be no more than a couple at each park. One of the Disney Water Parks, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon or Disney's Blizzard Beach, may be closed for its annual upkeep; however, if one is closed, the other one should be open.
I would love to help you plan your holiday trip more, Amy; however, I am limited in the amount of space that I have to answer. Please do write back if you have any further questions. I would love to help you plan your magical vacation!