Disney trip Christmas week! HELP PLEASE!!! :)

Hello all! I'm a newbie here and I was hoping some of you "seasoned" Disney goers can help calm my nerves about an upcoming trip I have planned for my family of 4...Here it goes: We are planning our FIRST Disney World trip for the week of Christmas 2015. 20th-26th. I know that this an INSANE time to go for our first visit but it is the only time we can all take off work/school to travel. I already have everything in place. Disney package, dining reservations etc... Just waiting on October to book our fast passes!!! I'm beyond excited that we get to experience the Disney Magic in December but I am so very worried about the excessive crowds during this week. I understand that we are not going to be able to do exactly what I have planned but I don't want it to be a total disaster. I just cant stop thinking..."Am I making a mistake going during such a busy time"?? The last thing I want is for a WONDERFUL time to actually turn into a DISASTER. I've read online about Disney World shutting down due to capacity that week, and have also read that the first part of the week isn't too horrible but the days leading up to Christmas get more and more crowded... I can't help but to think "Should I just cancel our trip"?? "Should we just tough it out and go with the crowds"??? HELP!! My mind is going 90 to nothing and I can't decide what to do!!! Has anyone on here gone this week last year?? Any tips if we do go? Thanks in advance!!!!

I say don't cancel. Disney at Christmas is very magical. I think if you set your expectations (waiting in line and slow moving people) you should be ok as you will know what to expect. MK doesn't really shut down but it gets to capacity and they won't let anymore in. Try to follow tips that people use during the hottest months of the year. Go early. Leave mid-day and go back in the evening. Eat at "off" times if you can and use FP as much as possible. Plan down time away from the parks (pool time {yes you can usually swim in Dec at Disney if you aren't from FL ;-)} or resort hop for fun. The resorts are decked out for holiday and that is enjoyable in itself.
It's going to be crowded and unless everyone suffers from some sort of phobia of people, you will be fine if you plan it right and keep your expectations to understanding that patience is going to be needed.

Yes it will be SUPER busy, insanely crowded. But, it will also be beautiful and magical. My best advise would be to plan well. Rope drop at MK is your friend...they will close to capacity that week, there are different levels of closings, then it tends to open back up in the afternoon. I would avoid MK on Christmas Day...it is shoulder to shoulder all day long. We live next to Disney, and last year we went the Monday of Christmas week to MK just to see the Christmas parade at noon that day...we got there 2 hours early to get a spot for the parade and left right after, it was wall to wall people. The other parks that week were much better, VERY BUSY, but much better I hope you have a great trip!

Thank you! I am planning this whole trip myself for the FIRST time and I have relied HEAVILY on tips and tricks and reading everything I can on Disney. It's like a second job!!!! lol I want to go in knowing what to expect so I can prepare my family. I have heard everything from it being super crowded to it not being that bad...So i'm not sure!!! Also I was concerned about the traffic as well. We plan on using disney transportation some but also are planning on driving to a few destinations. Some of which are dining reservations. The last thing I want to do is get stuck in TRAFFIC on our way to an ADR!!

We went the 26th- Jan 2nd many years ago. Not sure if accurate info but I've been told that week is even busier...it was our first trip as a family. I loved it. My husband hated it. It is crowded. Lines are forever. But it is so pretty and magical and fun! MK closed New yrs eve at 9:00 for admissions until some left. That was the only day. Ive had two friends whove gone recently with the new band system (our nov trip is the first using fastpass+) and they both said it wasn't bad! I can see that! No running around trying to fight crowds and get the passes just to walk again to go somewhere else and then come back! So, that is a HUGE plus!!!! If it rains, go to your fav park!!! We went in rain to MK and got on everyride without waiting more than 5-10 min!!!! It was great!! So where the other day there was more walking and looking that day we rode and rode and rode and even left early!

HC2015 said:

I have heard everything from it being super crowded to it not being that bad...So i'm not sure!!! Also I was concerned about the traffic as well. We plan on using disney transportation some but also are planning on driving to a few destinations. Some of which are dining reservations. The last thing I want to do is get stuck in TRAFFIC on our way to an ADR!!

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I'm not sure where you heard "not bad", but better to assume that WDW will be super crowded (but maybe not as crowded as the week between Christmas and New Years. As long as you go in with proper expectations, and a good plan, you should be fine.

Like others have said, definitely good idea to get to the parks early at rope drop. Parks will also be open very late at night, if I was going at Christmas-time, I would definitely be taking numerous midday breaks during the week, then going back to the parks in the evening and staying late. That gives you lots of options for booking FP+, you can book them in the morning or the evening depending on if you are planning on a break, what park you're going to, if you're park hopping, etc.

As far as park closures, I only have experience the week after Christmas, and New Year's Eve was the absolute worst. I would imagine MK on the 24th and 25th might be wicked busy.

The last two times we went was over Christmas and new years. Yes, it will be busy. Yes, it will be crowded. Yes, there will literally be wall to wall people. But we love it!!! So much in fact that we have booked next christmas again. Plan your days. Rope drop, early afternoon break and then back to the parks again . Last time we went to MK on Christmas day and it was pouring rain. We threw on rain jackets and had the best time!!! Don't cancel your trip. Go and have a great time!!!!