Hi Molly!
Welcome to planDisney!
I am so happy to see that you have a vacation planned for December - one of my most favourite times of the year at Walt Disney World Resort. The Christmas decorations are stunning and I'm sure your family will love seeing them all, especially at the Disney Resort hotels and at the theme parks.
I always rent a car when staying at Walt Disney World. It adds another level of convenience, and I would definitely recommend doing this with a large family. There is currently a parking charge for parking a vehicle overnight at any Disney Resort hotel. The charge for 2020 is $25 per night at Disney Deluxe Resorts, and please note this is subject to change. Parking is complimentary at all theme parks if you are staying at a Disney Resort hotel, but at this time the parking trams are not operating in the parking lots of the theme parks so it would be worth arriving earlier in the day to ensure you are parked closer to the entrance. You can always use the buses if you wish to let someone else do the driving, and yes, you will have to collapse your strollers before boarding. The complimentary bus service begins operating from
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge 45 minutes prior to park opening. All buses will take you closer to the park entrances.
It's worth noting that all
Disney Resort transportation is operating with physical distancing measures in place, in the load zones and queues and also onboard the buses. There are also physical barriers inside the buses, and therefore waiting times for buses could be slightly increased. Disney Minnie Vans are not available at this time.
During the phased re-opening of Walt Disney World, we may need a little more considered and careful planning, but our vacations to Walt Disney World Resort can still be a magical experience. Please read this information about
Returning to a World of Magic, and keep your eye on the
Disney Parks Blog for all the latest official updates as they are announced.
Please know we are working to be able to answer your questions as quickly as possible, and we look forward to providing an update as soon as we have more information to share. Come back and ask as many questions as you like! We are always happy to help you plan your vacation.
Sue