5 Resorts You Should Stay (or Visit) at Disney World This Christmas Season

If you're considering staying at Disney World in November or December, you have the opportunity to see the resorts and parks decked out in Christmas decorations. I have had the chance to stay or visit at some of the resorts on Walt Disney World property, and these are my recommendations so far! If you want to read about my FAVORITE, scroll down to the bottom.

Southern Christmas: Port Orleans Riverside

My family and I stayed one night here, but the Christmas vibes at this resort are hard to beat! The lobby is decorated beautifully, and it seemed so special to stay at Riverside during the holiday season!

If you're looking to stay at Disney World on a more modest budget, then I highly recommend checking out Port Orleans Riverside! It's right next to Port Orleans French Quarter if you want to enjoy Christmas decor at another resort and grab some beignets! You can also take the boat down to Disney Springs that is all decked out for the holidays with about a dozen Christmas trees!

Bougie Christmas: Grand Floridian

The most iconic Disney World resort to stay or visit is Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. I visited twice, and it is worth the crowds to get a gorgeous picture of the very tall Christmas tree in one of the grandest lobbies on Disney World property.

There is also a gingerbread house display in the lobby, and you can have the chance to buy some of the gingerbread products.

The crowds can be substantial because it is a very popular place to visit during the Christmas season. You can take a boat, monorail, or walk to the Grand Floridian. While you're there, you should consider having a meal at one of the five restaurants at the resort (1900 Park Fare, Citrico's, Grand Floridian Cafe, Narcoosee's, Victoria & Albert's) or grab a quick service meal at Gasparilla Island Grill.

Relaxing Christmas: Riviera Resort

If you want a more peaceful, relaxing holiday atmosphere, Riviera is the perfect place! It's one of Disney World's newer Disney Vacation Club resorts. There is still not a lot of foot traffic, so this is a great spot to avoid the crowds. The best part is the Skyliner makes it super easy to get to the Riviera. If you're staying along the Skyliner route at Caribbean Beach, Art of Animation, or Pop Century, or along Crescent Lake at Boardwalk, Yacht & Beach Club, or Swan & Dolphin, then it is easy to pop on over to the Riviera. Even if you're visiting Hollywood Studios or EPCOT, Riviera is a wonderful spot to take a mid-day break for a late character breakfast or signature dinner experience at Topolino's, or a quick service meal at Primo Piatto, or even a coffee or pastry at Le Petit Cafe. Take a stroll outside and listen to the instrumental Christmas music.

My Favorite Christmas Resort: Yacht & Beach Club

Yacht & Beach Club is my favorite because it SCREAMS Christmas. You might see some foot traffic from guests coming over from EPCOT since it is steps away from the International Gateway entrance. There is so much to see at these resorts during the holiday season.

In the Beach Club lobby, there is a gingerbread carousel, and there's usually a different theme every year. The carousel even runs! It's a really delicious display, and young children are going to enjoy it too! You can even buy some of the gingerbread products here as well.

Over in the Yacht Club lobby, there is a gingerbread display of a lighthouse! It lights up and everything! There is also a Christmas village set up with a toy train. This is also great entertainment for all ages! The train isn't always running, but usually runs an hour or two at a time during the day.

When we were waiting to be checked into the Beach Club Villas, we visited this lobby in the evening, and it was beautiful. The lights were dimmed, and the Christmas tree adorned with yacht ornaments illuminated the lobby.

As you walk around the grounds of Yacht & Beach Club, Christmas music plays in the background, and it creates the ultimate Disney Christmas atmosphere.

If you want to stay at a deluxe resort during a Christmas trip to Disney World without breaking the bank, I would recommend staying at Yacht or Beach Club if you're willing to wait for some of the holiday stay room discounts. These discounts are usually announced in June, and can be up to 25%-40% depending on eligibility.

My family decided to rent a 2 bedroom villa at DVC Rental Store. We were staying with extended family, so we wanted more space. We also wanted to have a refrigerator so that we didn't have to buy our 2-year-old milk at every meal time. Disney Vacation Club is a time share program through Disney, and owners will sometimes rent out their points to be used. Renting a DVC room can be a huge savings, and you still get the perks of early entry and extended evening hours, as well as all of the amenities. We booked a confirmed reservation at Beach Club Villas meaning that the owners had already picked the dates and room type so those were nonnegotiable. We were able to negotiate the price and got it down to $26/point. I would recommend looking for confirmed reservations for $26/point or less for a good deal!