We’re tentatively planning a trip in early December, but can’t decide which coast! Are there preferences for which one is better for Christmastime?
We have been to both the week after Christmas (though not recently) but I haven’t been to either pre-Christmas. It’s just me and my parents so no kids and we were last at DLR in Feb 2020 and WDW in Oct 2019, if that matters. Any opinions are appreciated!
I think there’s a greater chance of colder weather in California - no? That could be a plus or a minus I guess. I love DLR, so would have a hard time not choosing to go there, but I haven’t experienced WDW at Christmas. Oh! And I just now realized I have a quick trip to WDW planned for early December! 
So maybe I did choose WDW? Or maybe this is just research. Yeah, that’s it - just research. 
I am going to give the edge to DLR because of the overlays. Small World at Christmas is just amazing. My daughter marched in the Rose Parade a few years ago and my son and I did a few days at DLR during Christmas week while we were there (and she marched down Main Street too…It was SO exciting!!!) and I think I made him ride Small World w/ me 4-5x a day…it was awesome!
That said, either set of parks will be fun. Maybe it depends on the length of the trip? A bit shorter go to DLR but a bit longer go to WDW?
Hard decision, but Small World at Christmas is my tie breaker!
ETA - There is also The Night Before Christmas overlay for the Haunted Mansion which is also amazing, but I am a HUGE Small World fan so it is weighted more for me.
The lights on the outside of IASW are beautiful! It’s fabulous to ride at night for that reason. I love the feel of DL over MK even though MK has a bigger castle. I just love the castle all lit up with a snowy roof at Christmas. The parade is fab. The snow that falls on Main Street after the fireworks … maybe they do the same at MK? There are some cool holiday decorations in Carsland too at DCA. And DCA does (or did) a little Christmas thing called Feliz Navidad. It comes out like a parade but then is stationary. Who knows if they’ll be doing stuff like that this year, though.
Ah the parade. The DLR parade is the “Christmas” parade w/ the wooden soldiers and everyone decked out. The WDW MK parade is only “Christmas” themed the few days directly around the 25th and is otherwise reserved for the MVMCP, but who knows what will happen this year as we don’t have any parades yet.
Haha research is always valid! I’m thinking I just need to do one this year and the other next, but then I still can’t decide which to do first!!
We’d probably do 3 days at DLR or a week at WDW. I do love the DLR Christmas parade, we saw it the last day they did it in Jan 2014 but I don’t think we rode IASW that trip so that is something to consider!
I like WDW during December when all four parks are decorated up, plus you can visit the hotels and Ft. Wilderness to see what they do special at Christmas. EP has the Festival of Holidays with (pre-covid, I hope they come back this year) storytellers in several countries, plus food booths. HS did special things along Sunset Blvd, with decorative lighting along that area (such as lights around palm tree trunks), fake snow falling, and projections on Tower of Terrror. AK had more holiday things than usual this past year. WL has the gigantic tree in their multistory lobby, and in 2019 had a gingerbread cabin to see. GF (pre-Covid) had a large gingerbread house. Ft. Wilderness campers bring their own decorations to accessorize their campsite, so it’s fun to tour the area as if it were a residential neighborhood in a town.