Disney with 1 year old at Christmas - is it worth it?

[London910]

Hi everyone! This is my first post here. Glad to find the boards. I'm a mom of a 6 month old who will be 1 in November, and considering our first family trip to Disney the week before Christmas. I have family in Orlando, and they have yet to meet the baby, plus I've been itching to get back to Disney since we haven't been since 2010.

We usually take our family vaca this same week in Dec every year, since it's a slow time at work for DH and we like to see different ways people celebrate Christmas and do 'festive' activities. I've never been to Disney at Christmas time, and would love to see the decorations, Mickey's Christmas party, etc.

However, my husband is NOT a big fan of crowds (and honestly, he could take or leave Disney in general, has a good time when we're there but isn't overly excited about going), and I'm concerned that this time of year could be a bit much. We've only been to Disney in October and Jan previously and crowds weren't an issue. The more I think about it, I wonder if the trip could turn into a disaster with a 13 month old who at 6 months, is already pretty headstrong and active. We've never flown with him, but we live in Philly so it's not a long flight.

Thoughts? Are the crowds that bad the week before Christmas? Can a 1 yr old even go on the tamer rides sitting on our lap? I'm guessing we'll have to book soon since when I looked at a few hotels, they were already booked week after Christmas...which I guess is probably more popular than week before when we'd go. We usually stay with my family but they just downsized to an apartment, so there goes our free vacation room lol.

Thanks

 

[mrsmomo]

I took my daughter when she was 10 months and she loved it smiles all the time, my son the same thing when he was 18 m, as far as the age I don't think ur ever 2 young or to old.

Now the crowds are a whole diff story...I love Disney but hate crowds i would not travel the wk b4 Xmas because of this, if u can change the dates just a lil the crowds are generally pretty low ( considering ) the two wks after thanksgiving, we went last yr this time and loved it!

Hope this helps, its only my opinion & experience

 

[Marionnette]

Hi everyone! This is my first post here. Glad to find the boards. I'm a mom of a 6 month old who will be 1 in November, and considering our first family trip to Disney the week before Christmas. I have family in Orlando, and they have yet to meet the baby, plus I've been itching to get back to Disney since we haven't been since 2010.

We usually take our family vaca this same week in Dec every year, since it's a slow time at work for DH and we like to see different ways people celebrate Christmas and do 'festive' activities. I've never been to Disney at Christmas time, and would love to see the decorations, Mickey's Christmas party, etc.

However, my husband is NOT a big fan of crowds (and honestly, he could take or leave Disney in general, has a good time when we're there but isn't overly excited about going), and I'm concerned that this time of year could be a bit much. We've only been to Disney in October and Jan previously and crowds weren't an issue. The more I think about it, I wonder if the trip could turn into a disaster with a 13 month old who at 6 months, is already pretty headstrong and active. We've never flown with him, but we live in Philly so it's not a long flight.

Thoughts? Are the crowds that bad the week before Christmas? Can a 1 yr old even go on the tamer rides sitting on our lap? I'm guessing we'll have to book soon since when I looked at a few hotels, they were already booked week after Christmas...which I guess is probably more popular than week before when we'd go. We usually stay with my family but they just downsized to an apartment, so there goes our free vacation room lol.

Thanks

According to EasyWDW.com, crowd levels will hover between 4-6 on a scale of 10 during the Dec 13 - 20. It will jump to 8 on Sat., Dec. 21 and climb to 10 from Sunday, Dec 22 until at least New Year's Day. If you plan to go the week before Christmas, don't plan to be there the weekend before the holiday or else you will encounter massive crowds. (Think wall-to-wall people and impossible to push a stroller or permit your little one to get out and stretch his legs a bit).

Crowd levels in the 4-6 range are pretty manageable. I wouldn't hesitate to go during that time if seeing the holiday decorations was on my list of Disney wants.

 

[London910]

Thanks! I think we would definitely have to leave by the 20th to avoid those crowds then. We may even consider going earlier in December, but I want to make sure it's when the decorations are up. I assume they probably go up right after Thanksgiving, though?

 

[Fob]

If you can change to one of the 1st 2 weeks of December it would definately be better crowd wise. We did this with my son (now 6) just before his first birthday (Chirstmas Day baby). Had a GREAT time. The longest wait we encounter was 25 minutes for Dumbo (his first ride). There are plenty of rides that children his age can go on and you can always do ride swap to allow you and DH to ride some of the rides he can't ride.

To answer your other question, yes the parks will be decorated for Christmas during this time.

Either way, hope you have a wonderful trip.

 

[DSNY4ever]

If possible I would go earlier in December. And yes, a one year old would have PLENTY to do. They can sit you lap for almost every ride that doesn't have a height requirement, plus there are parades and characters and even just seeing all the balloon people selling balloons on main street was enough excitement for DS at that age!

 

[London910]

That's a relief, I couldn't remember seeing people with babies on laps on rides (then again, not that I was looking last time I was there...I wasn't even THINKING about getting pregnant yet! haha).

 

[mwins78]

Just did christmas week at Disney last year....Very pretty but the crowds where unbearable we literally walked inch by inch in foot traffic the wait in lines where at least 2 hrs. Glad I got tho see Disney for Christmas but will never do it again

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[jillianjigs7]

We've been taking our DD ever since she was 4 months (she is now 3). We go every year the first week of December and it's awesome. Hardly any crowds, weather is perfect and the decorations are beautiful. They go up right after Thanksgiving. This year it will be our DS first time (I am due in 2 weeks) and he will be 6 months at the time of travel and we are so excited to take him!