Christmas or New Year?

[ruthless333]

Looking to get over this Christmas for nearly two weeks.... so my tough choice is Christmas in Orlando or New Year in Orlando?
We will be spending some nights in Daytona and Fort Lauderdale too but presume it is best to make Orlando the main choice for either of the Celebrations!
ALL comments and advice would be really appreciated. Such as where to book for a good meal [3 adults 1 teenager]and what needs to be prebooked for the holiday season to ensure entrance etc.

Also back to the real world, we will not be in a self contained villa but various motel type accommodation - therefore any advice about shopping/food etc - when stores are closed - would be really helpful too.

THANKS in advance.
Ruth.

[blott]

Answer to tough choice - both? Not sure what celebrations are on at Daytona or Ft Lauderdale but Orlando certainly has plenty!

As for food, does the motel type location have a fridge and cooking facilities? Even if it does, are you going to try to cook a meal? If not, you're going to have to eat out and that might be slightly tough on Christmas day as lots of the usual restaurants are closed. Big hotels usually remain open but are very popular and need to be booked in advance.

[ruthless333]

Thanks for that!
Would love to do both but itinery at present will only allow for one of the festivities in Orlando [working on stretching it though!]
Presume that if possibly only able to eat at hotels on Xmas day, then same problem will be encountered on New Years Day?
Booking in advance not problem, so any suggestions welcome.

Logging off now, work tomorrow! Will catch up tomorrow night. Thanks in advance to any one else who replies.[msnsmile]
Ruth.

[orlandobabe]

Think I would go Xmas in Orlando-New Year at the beach.

We spent Xmas eve at the church in Celebration-fantastic experience and Xmas Day at the Renaisance Brunch-fabulous and later saw part one of Lord of the Rings.

New Year's Day we spent at Sarasota beach-again 80 degrees and fabulous.

[Newhomebuyer]

I also think Christmas in Orlando. The parks and resorts are beautifiul, So much to see and do I would stay there as long as I could at that time of year and only on to the beach (it may be cold)as late as possible.

[Cruella DeVilla]

Christams in Orlando is a must!

[berni_richards]

we ate at gaylord palms last christmas though not traditional food was good buffet style eat as much as you can you can book from september or you could last year!

[sunandfun]

ruthless333, for the past three years at Christmas time, we have been in the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area at New Year. It really is a great place to be. We always head for 'Las Olas Boulevard' in Fort Lauderdale. This is an area which you will be able to find easily. It is fantastic at New Year and has something for everyone. There are shops, restaurants galore at all prices (there is also a Cheesecake Factory on the Boulevard!!) and if you head for the very far end of the Boulevard (heading away from the seafront) there is a dock area. This is where the fireworks happpen at 12.00 midnight. There are restaurants right on the dock and they all stay open for the festivities. We never book and have always been able to get a table. You can also hire a boat or join one of the cruises which head off from the area and watch the fireworks from the intercoastal waterways. There are bands playing and other street entertainers, all free. It really is worth a trip if you have had your fill of theme parks and we really look forward to it. The only drawback is that it seems like the whole world is there, but it is all good humoured and very safe.

[feathersonline]

I would suggest anywhere would be great at Christmas or New Year - we have only done them in Orlando (Disney), so cannot comment on the coast resorts.

[Steve and Dawn]

We were there for both xmas and new year 2002 and 2003. Christmas Day it is a bit harder eating out We had dinner in the hotel we stayed in. We never had a villa then. New years eve we went to Pleasure Island and saw the B52's in 2002/3 and in 2003/4 we saw Blondie Excellent night. We are looking forward to next year when we plan on staying in our Villa over xmas and new year. The only problem with hotels/motels is don't bank on getting to sleep before 5 or 6 am. The festivities do tend to carry on in the hallways!:)

[Solana]

We did Xmas in Orlando last year and it was fabulous, everything is so xmassy (even the weather last year). The Epcot Candlelight procession was like an outdoor carol service and well worth doing. We ate at the buffet at the Renaissance hotel and that was very leisurely and exotic (strawberries dipped in thick chocolate a must), the norm seems to be to then go to the cinema for the latest releases. I think all this followed by New Year at the coast sounds great,
let us all know what you choose,
Jocelyn

[suesimpson007]

We went for Xmas & New Year a couple of years ago but didn't book anything. for New Year, Pleasure Island was totally booked solid (we didn't get to see the B52's!!!) and the Magic Kingdom also stopped entries as it was too full! So whichever you do, book it early. Also the temperature dipped to just 4 or 5 degrees at one point! Brrrrr... chilly.

[luckylady]

Christmas in Orlando is magical
We spent Christmas and New Yearin Florida we loves it,
The weather is greaT, the sales are great, the food is great.
We also was at the beach on New Years Day at Clearwater

[Ray&Sarah]

We love Christmas in Orlando, it is really magical.[msnsmile2]

[CarolAnn]

I have never heard a bad comment about Christmas in Orlando, I would imagine that if you had to choose, that is the celebration I would go for!![msnwink] I think you will need to have some idea of what you think you might want to do on the day itself and then ask specifics on here with regard to booking or not as a requirement:)

[ruthless333]

Thank you everybody for your comments - looks like we will aim for Xmas in Orlando then travel on from there.
Ruthless333.

[Parrothead]

Xmas in Orlando, New Years Eve has to be Key West.