Early December crowds?

[laughinplace199]

I've always heard that early December is a great time to visit WDW because the crowds are low. My neighbors just got back from a trip (Dec. 3-9) and they said it was really crowded, especially MK. They were at MK when they were filming the parade, so maybe that had something to do with it?

I'd love to hear from anyone who has been at this time of year. We are planning a trip for early Dec. '05, and I want to have an idea of what to expect as far as crowds go. Thanks!

 

[Kaycee]

It looks like conventional wisdom is out the window on this one. Normally, early December has light crowds, but all we've been hearing this year is how heavy the crowds have been. Looks like people have caught on to visiting in early December. Whether the trend lasts until next year is anyone's guess.

My philosophy is...a crowded day at WDW is better than any day not at WDW!

 

[DisLUV]

Just got back (dec 6 - 12) and it was my third trip to WDW during this time and it is still the only time that I will go.

It was crowded more than usual but a bad day in dec is nothing like a good day in July ! Some reasons I found out for the crowds:

1) Hurricane reschedules
2) POP WARNER SUPERBOWL

Now usually #2 is going on during our stay and the parks are still uncrowded but add in #1 and boy I could definately tell a difference from our previous stays. I will post a mini trip report later

 

[pvl000]

Crowded????? We just got back from WDW 12/3-12/10.

The streets were crowded but waits for rides were minimal. We avoided MK on the filming days - no reason to fight that crowd.

Standby waiting times were usually less than 15 minutes for the popular rides - there were a couple of 25 minute waits posted here and there but that's what fast pass is for.

The longest line I waited in was to go through security at the airport on the way home.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I was just there Dec 1-6 and no crowds whatsover. We did not have more than a 5 minute wait for any ride and even at that, only 3 or 4 rides had 5 minute waits. Fast Pass was never needed and some rides like ToT and Star Tours we went on over and over without getting off.

Rides we had 5 minute waits were Thunder Mountain, Pooh, Indy SpeedyWay
We had some 5 minute waits for characters...

The only thing we used Fast Pass on was Voyage of the Little Mermaid.

The only crowds we saw were for the Osbourne Lights (and I blame that on the way WDW had it set up...they were herding people in and it was very crowded and chaotic) and the restaurant Prime Time Cafe in MGM Studios. We had a 45 minute wait past our PS time. (and it was not worth it in the end).

Aside from that though, rides were almost all walk ons and crowds were the lightest I have ever seen them...

 

[MaryKatesMom]

We just got back last night and compared to last year the crowds were much higher. We held to approxamately the same schedule. Do EE and then lunch and back to the hotel. Not as crowded as August but way more crowded than last year.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

It is definitely more crowded this year.

 

[Lucky4me]

On Friday Dec. 3 we started out at Epcot at opening. We went on Mission Space and Test track two or more times in a row with no waits. It was much more crowded by noon. We had lunch at Beaches and Cream around 1pm and had to wait 20 minutes for a table. Took the boat to MGM and went on RNR and TOT with 15-20 minute waits. Saw Mermaid, WWTBAM, Movie ride and Beauty and the Beast. Walked through Osborne lights and it was mobbed. Got to Fantasmic 30 minutes before it started and almost didn't get a seat. Had no problem getting out of Fantasmic by just waiting 10 minutes after it ended.
We found MVMCP on the 7th to be very crowded. We did quite a bit between 4 and 6 with less than 10 minute waits. After that, it was crazy. DH left at 9 and said people were still pouring into the park! We must have had bad timing because we kept missing the shows and waiting a long time in lines for rides. When we were up in Astro orbitor I looked around and could not believe the amount of people I saw down below! I have read where other people thought it was not crowded??
Overall it did seem more busy than other years we've been there at the same time. I don't think it can be considered a true slow time of the year anymore. The secret is out.

 

[laughinplace199]

Thanks for the quick replies everyone! I will be prepared for crowds for our trip next year, then I can be pleasantly surprised if the crowds are lower than I expected.

 

[nowellsl]

I agree, if was definately more crowded this year than the last 4 or so since we've been going in Dec. Lines going in the parks were bigger than at any time I've been in quite a while. I don't usually go during peak times though.

 

[WaltD4Me]

We are just back. Our trip was Dec. 5th to the 11th. I was very surprised by the crowds. Not that is was awful and nothing like summer, but there were alot more people than I thought there would be.

I would definitely make sure you don't go the week of Pop Warner. I think if it weren't for them the crowds would have been okay. We were at POFQ and thought we wouldn't see them much, but some of them were staying at Riverside and we had some at FQ too. They made the buses crowded and one night MGM Studios closed early because they had a special event there.

Ride times were fine, but some shows did fill up pretty quick and we almost missed seeing Fantasmic.

The longest I waited for anything was 20 minutes, but there were also rides we walked right on to.

We went to the MVMCP on 12/9 and I thought it was VERY crowded, once again though, I saw alot of Pop Warner groups.

We will definitely go in early December again, but next time I'm checking the Pop Warner schedule first before booking anything.

Lisa

 

[cobbler]

Were were there from 11/28 - 12/7 and it was more crowded this year than last couple Decembers we visited.

I think our longest wait time was for Aladdin about 30 minutes but it wasn't a big deal to us. There was also a 70 minute standby for splash mtn but we had fastpass so we waited a grand total of 5. Everything else was around 15 or less.

I think the hurricanes earlier in the season may have been a contributing factor to the extra crowds this year as some may have rescheduled their vacation.

All in all it wasn't bad and honestly I go with the mentality of having to wait in lines - it is Disney after all

 

[Artuero]

I also just got back (Dec 4-12) and thought there were more people in the parks than I expected, given that this is supposed to be the slowest time of year. I have also gone in January and May and both were less crowded than this visit.

However, it is nothing like the summer. We still did not wait in lines, primarily due to good touring plans & fastpass use, etc. Timing it right allowed us to hit every ride we wanted to go on with less than 10 minutes wait in all but a few cases. We also went to Fantasmic and got seats about 10-15 minutes before the show started, and got (relatively) good Parade spots 10 minutes before it came to the area.

 

[wilderness01]

We also just got back and it was more crowded than usual. On the 8th at about 1:30 pm Pooh had a wait time of 50 minutes. TT also had wait times of 35 to 45 minutes earlier in the week. We waited a good 20 minutes in the fastpass line for the safari. We toured correctly and had below 10 minute waits when we went to MVMCP but I noticed that Peter Pan had a 45 minute wait and that was at about 8 o'clock at night. More crowded than I expected and we will stick to going in January instead.

 

[lucky978]

I agree. We just returned (12/3 - 12/11) and I was amazed at the crowds (and the heat). We went to MVMCP on 12/9 and the crowds didn't thin out until around 11pm. By then, the girls were asleep. Standby line for Pooh and Peter Pan were around 30 min. each. We couldn't even get into some shows arriving 30 min. before. I'm not sure I would pay the money again.

For some of the other parks during the week, we noticed that the streets and paths were VERY crowded, but the waits for the rides weren't that bad.

I think I'll try even earlier next year (and avoid pop-warner ).

 

[HollyJoy]

I'd have to disagree, but then again, I suppose it's all a matter of opinion. We walked on to so many rides, we were amazed. Wait times were often less than the times posted.. we were in heaven. Were there lots of people in the parks? Yes. But I wouldn't consider it mobbed or anything.

 

[tink2]

We just got back- Dec. 5-11. We usually travel during THanksgiving week- which is a madhouse. We fell in love with early Dec. We did our usual get there at opening, head to Fantasyland, etc. We walked on every ride early in the morning. By afternoon, most rides were 10 minute waits- we even rode Dumbo at 4 in the afternoon with a 5 minute wait- WOW! The waits were shorter than what was posted also. A couple of times they weren't even giving out fastpasses- we wanted one to Philarmagic and they said we didn't need them- to go ride and come back. tHe cm was right! It was wonderful to us. A few times the wait was 20 minutes to something. We'd either go to something else and come back, or get a fastpass. But we did everything in the parks we wanted to several times. Saw lots of characters with little wait. And shorts in Dec. Gotta love it!!!

 

[shamrock30]

We were there Dec 1-6. It was our fifth early-December trip, and DH and I thought it was certainly the most crowded, particularly in Fantasyland. We were glad we'd ridden Peter Pan during MVMCP, since it had a 75 minute wait when we checked on Dec 6.

 

[jaysmom4285]

We were there Dec. 5-11 and found that there were certainly more people in the streets than in previous early December visits, but as others have said, ride times were very reasonable - most in the 15-20 minute range at most, with fastpass returns only about 45 minutes out. We had no trouble riding anything we wanted, multiple times. If we hit a longer ride time (Test Track always seemed to be 30-45 minutes), we just got a fastpass. We did mostly counter service eating and found them with only an average mealtime crowd, nothing exceptional. MVMCP on 12/7 seemed crowded to us, but we didn't do rides, just shows and parades, so we were where everyone else was at the same time, which undoubtedly made it seem more crowded. But we still got into the 6:15 Mickey's Twas the Night Before Christmas 20 minutes before, and got a place quite close to the stage for the castle stage show just 15 minutes before. All in all, still a good time of year to go. And only future years will show whether this was an aberration due to hurricane rescheduling or whatever. Regarding the Pop Warner crowds, we saw very few cheerleaders/football players in the parks. Maybe we were just lucky, but we only saw some small groups with parents. I'm not sure they impacted crowd levels all that much, since I would assume much of their time is devoted to practice and competition.

 

[Scottish-Helen]

I honestly don't think it was crowded at all, sure there were a few more people than when I last went that week in 1995! and more than the week of Halloween in 2002 but 15 minute waits (at the most) are not a big deal to me. Having said that we only did Disney on Tuesday and Wednesday and were at Universal and Seaworld the other days so maybe we got lucky.