Difficulty Deciding On Date To Go...Help!!!

[PonyChick79]

Basically we can go for our original scheduled dates without FD (but probably with a RO discount), No Memory Maker, No Park Hoppers and pay for our planned dining (lots of Character Meals because of our 3 year old) or we can go with FD, MM, & PH for the same cost. The difference will be the week following Thanksgiving Nov 28th-Dec 6th or the week before Christmas Dec 12th-Dec 20th.

We are celebrating our 15th Anniversary and likely taking our only Christmas season trip. I want to enjoy it all. I want to make sure we can see all the decorations at the parks AND RESORTS. So it will have to be after Thanksgiving. We also don't have any desire to see the Christmas Parade taping so that doesn't come into play with the dates. I would truly prefer to have the MM & PH.

DH is concerned about crowds since we went in September last year and had no waits for most rides and only 10-15 mins max for ANY ride. We almost had no need for FP+'s. I am not as concerned about the crowds because we will be going for longer than last year so it will give us more opportunities even if it's busy. We are park openers so we get a ton done first thing in the morning. We don't take afternoon breaks since my daughter doesn't nap. We do have planned days out of the park to tour the resorts and relax. We would not be in the parks on the 1st or last day of either trip.

So what are the crowds like those weeks? Which is worse?

What would you do?

Thanks in advance for any and all opinions & comments.

 

[PonyChick79]

Bump

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

I assume you mean your original date was the week after Thanksgiving since there is no FD then.

Although your original dates would be less crowded and nicer park- wise, I think it would be hard for me to give up the value of free dining. At this point, we don't know what room discounts will be offered the week after Thanksgiving (although check on difference in rack room rates. They are much cheaper in early December).

I would go ahead and make FD reservations if I were you, making dining reservations for that week as well. But I would not cancel my original reservations. Wait and see what will be the room discount and total package cost for your original dates. Hopefully there will be a nice room only discount. Compare package prices. If there is not much cost difference, then pick the week after Thanksgiving. If going that week would be much more expensive, then cancel all reservations for that week and stick with FD.

Make sure that you make package cancellations 45 days in advance, and be sure to cancel dining reservations for your cancelled week.

I know it stinks to have to reserve two vacations with dining reservations, but it is the safest way to ensure you have a great vacation at good price.