Christmas at Disney would be memorable for all members of the family, but also expensive. To get the most bang for your buck, you might want to look into using a budget airline, such as Southwest, to get to Orlando. Use the Disney World Shuttle service to get from the airport to a Disney World Resort. This would obligate the need for a rental car. Driving in Orlando can be hectic, and the parks charge for parking. If you stay at one of the Disney World resort hotels you can use the monorail to get back and forth. This also seems to allow for better use of a mult-park Disney Pass. Staying near Epcot allows easy access at meal times to the International Restaurants there.

The parks are decorated for Xmas and the light and fireworks displays are worth seeing. Keep in mind if you are from the north, that this will be a green Christmas, but you find that a plus! Dress for warm days and cool evenings. Bring sunscreen.

There is a shuttle service from Orlando to Kennedy Space Center, which provides a nice side trip. Check the NASA schedule before you leave home to see if a launch is planned. Purchasing a Maximum Access ticket that allows you to view the launch from the Visitor Center for about $40 is money well spent. NASA puts on an incredible show! If you go, expect to meet astronauts who will narrate the camera views you will be seeing on a giant view screen, and interviews with everybody involved in the mission.

Study the family budget closely and look for deals online months in advance. Consider the stamina of those family members who will be going. If very young or elderly folks are traveling with you, calculate how many hours they will be able to keep on their feet and plan accordingly. All the Orlando parks are huge, Epcot is close to 800 acres. While shuttles are available from parking lots, you need to look at how much time certain family members will be able to be away from home base during the day. Are children still taking naps? Does an elderly person have mobility problems? This is where staying in a Disney Resort that has monorail access might make the difference between a dream vacation and a hassle. Older teens can stay longer at their favorite parks, while the rest of the family heads back for some rest.

Think about what you will be doing when you are not at the park. Some resorts offer wildlife parks, river boat cruises, inland beach access, etc. Well-planned down time can be an important part of a relaxing vacation.

With careful planning, a Disney World Xmas vacation can be the trip of a lifetime!

Learn more about this author, De Ette Stewart.
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