My family and I live in Michigan and will be in Orlando from December 12-Jan 3rd. We are planning on doing the theme park thing, but I'm wondering if there is anything special we really don't want to miss. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!

Make sure you make reservations for a character breakfast with some of the charcters at Disney. Cinderella's castle is really special for the girls. The park is dressed really pretty for Christmas, you will enjoy yourself.

I've never seen crowds like those at Christmas break. Go to the parks as close to that Dec 12 date as possible!

MGM Studios decorates with 1 million lights. Also, take the monorail to the Grand Floridian Hotel. Inside there lobby is a HUGE tree beautifully decorated as well as a real life size gingerbread house.
Outside of the theme parks check out Opry's GrandPalm resort--they have an inside "Ice Winterland" display

There was another thread on this exact subject within the last few weeks, and it got a lot of responses. Do a search for it if you have not seen it already. I'v gone to Orlando at Christmas a few times and that thread had everything I can think of listed in it.

If you put "Orlando Christmas" in the search box, the two recent threads come up.

I said it on those threads and gave the link there-- do go to see the ICE exhibit at Gaylord Palms.

Here's one -
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34674672

And here's the other - with ICE -
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...t=0&dirtyBit=1

Oops, that last link was a mistake

Here's the correct one -

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34856972

I think that the "Candlelight" at Epcot is a not to miss program.
We have gone for the last couple of years and it has become one of our favorite holiday events.
If you go on to the Disney website you can see the schedule for the celebrity narrators to see who is there and when.
You also can book a package of a dinner at one of the restaurants at Epcot and get preferred seating for the performance.

Oh, one more thing, and I don't think it was mentioned in those other threads. See the Osborne Lights at MGM Studios park. It is amazing. You can get front of the line access by getting a dinner package. I recommend the package with the "drive thru" movie diner. That was a very fun evening.

Here's a Miami Herald article outlining all the top spots in Orlando for Christmas :

http://tinyurl.com/y8kyke

I find this website really helpful. It lists all Disney Christmas events and everything for Orlando Christmas.

Definitely the most up to date.

http://www.christmasinorlando.com