Holiday Questions about WDW

[darner]

We'd like to book at WVL or BWV sometime in December and enjoy all the holiday decorations...

but

What's the opinion on when crowds in the park are less?

How soon after Thanksgiving is it "safe" to go and how close to Christmas can you get before the holiday crowds start going?

The DVC guide pushes up a point season on Dec. 14 - does that coincide with crowds or just a 1/2-way date in Dec. since it's the same day for 2003 point seasons?


- darner
BWV '01
GCH/DL & CC '02

[wdwendyd]

We go at that time regularly. The weekend right after Thanksgiving is very crowded. Then it is fairly unbusy (although weekends are still crowded at MK) until Winter vacation starts which is the weekend before Christmas.
I have also noticed that the weather plays a big part in how crowded it is. When it is cold, the parks are empty!

[marymrg]

When does Disney put up the Holiday decorations? The week after Thanksgiving? Or, are some up during Thanksgiving week?
mary

[ohioMickey]

We were at VWL last Dec 9-21. The first week we were there was not crowded at all, but the second week was a little busier (but still managable). By the 19th-20th it started getting VERY BUSY.

This year, we have moved the vacation to Dec 1-13 to avoid that crowded time close to Christmas.

The decorations are beautiful by the way. It still amazes me that the whole resort is decorated in ONE night!

[Rock'n Robin]

We went down last Dec. 6-9 for a minitrip to see the decorations, Osborne lights, MVMCP, etc. We stayed at the Poly so as to not use points (and we had a killer rate). I didn't think that period was busy at all! This was NOT the week after Thansgiving, though, since Thanksgiving was earlier last year. If you could go around that time frame I think you'd be fine.
Robin M.

[PamOKW]

I would keep in mind that comparisons to last year could be deceiving. Tourism was at its low point then. But, I agree that early-mid December will be MUCH less crowded than any time close to Christmas.

[Beth]

We went over to BWV for a one-night stay over the Veterans Day holiday last year, and they were already starting to decorate for Christmas!! What is that, around the 18th, or so? It was a little early for me...

We've gone the 1st weekend of December since 1997, and the decorations are always done. I believe you can expect everything to be done on Thanksgiving day - if not earlier.

FWIW... We were able to book BWV in '97, '98, & '99 - but haven't been able to get in there at the 7-month mark since then. I love my OKW, but BWV really <i>does</i> put you in the Christmas spirit!!

Have a great time!

[Merilyn]

We went one year the week before Christmas. We left the day after Christmas. The parks were not that bad. It was warm and we didn't plan our clothes well. You need to be prepared for cold and warm. I know it is real busy between Christmas and New Years. The decorations were up when we got there and they are just beautiful.

[hoosiergirl]

We'll be there this year from 12/16-12/22--will it be extremely busy during this time? We've gone in the past but always earlier in December.

[DebbieB]

We've gone the first or second week of December the past 4 years and it wasn't bad. Thanksgiving was early the past couple of years, we went the weekend after Thanksgiving weekend (last year Dec 1 to 7). This year Thanksgiving is late - Nov 28 so we're going Dec 6 to 13.