Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Richard!
I just returned from the Walt Disney World Resort, and it truly is the most wonderful time of the year, with holiday music, decorations, and treats around every corner. We had the merriest time with Mickey, and soon you’ll be rockin’ around the Christmas tree in the most magical kind of way!
Lunch at Disney’s Contemporary Resort on Christmas Eve sounds fantastic – they have some of my favorite
dining options at the Walt Disney World Resort. I just want to clarify, because Contempo Café is a Quick-Service dining location and does not accept reservations. Perhaps your reservation is at Chef Mickey’s, California Grill, or The Wave…Of American Flavors? As a Guest who is not staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, you will need to present the confirmation number for your reservation to the security Cast Member at the entrance in order to park at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and parking is complimentary with a dining reservation.
Without a dining confirmation number (for example, if you’re planning to eat lunch at Contempo Café or one of the lounges), you would likely need to park at the Transportation and Ticket Center (Magic Kingdom Park's parking lot) and take the monorail to the hotel on Christmas Eve. That’s a very busy time around the resort, and parking is restricted at the resort for Guests staying there and those with confirmed dining reservations. While
Guests may be permitted to park for three hours while dining, shopping, and exploring a resort, many of the resort hotels within walking distance to the theme parks are not able to accommodate Guests without reservations, and this is at the discretion of security.
Now let’s talk about holiday dining at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. I just spent Thanksgiving at Disney, and had the yummiest turkey dinner at Disney’s Old Key West Resort. At Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, there are several restaurants to choose from. At Whispering Canyon Café,
a Thanksgiving menu has been posted on their menu page, and it includes turkey, ham, beef brisket, cornbread, mashed sweet potatoes, and a holiday dessert, along with other delicious sounding options. My bet is that their Christmas menu is very similar.
Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White also had a Thanksgiving offering including turkey and sides, so there may be a Christmas dinner there as well. My advice is to keep checking each restaurant’s web page for updates. You might also want to read the
Disney Parks Blog, as they are great about sharing the latest food news from all around the resorts.
Richard, I hope you
have the happiest holiday at the Walt Disney World Resort this year! While at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, be sure to stop and see their gingerbread displays, which smell and look incredible. You can even purchase gingerbread and other festive goodies to enjoy while you take in the lovely decorations and Christmas cheer.
Wishing you a merry and magical vacation,
Robyn