Attendance Level in Dec?

[goltedl]

This will be our first trip to Disneyland. What is the attendance level two weeks before Christmas? We check in Sunday the 14th and check out Friday the 19th? When we went to Disney World last December around the same time...the crowds were low.

 

[DLR29]

Crowds should be low-moderate, each day will probably get increasingly more crowded, with a possible spike in crowds on Friday because that will be the start of a lot of schools' breaks.

 

[goltedl]

Thanks for the info. Friday we will be driving home. I'm from Houston and was wondering how is the area around Disneyland? Is it safe? I have never been to California...I just see all of the gangs and violence on the news.

 

[ShawnaF]

We did it last year around that time as well and every day was perfect, pretty low crowds Sunday thru Thursday. Friday afternoon got pretty crowded and Saturday was so packed that I was ready to leave.

The area around Disneyland is okay, lots of hotels/motels/convention center. I wouldn't call it completely safe when you're outside of the park/Disney areas because the housing is aging and lower priced than other areas, thus, crime is a little higher. Gangs...I'm never concerned until I have to go into South Central and even there people are very friendly. Let's put it this way, think about the area in Houston around the convention center - when you're off Disney property that's about the same.

Regardless, I'm a mid-western small, farm town girl. After college I've lived in Southern and Northern CA for 15 years (although I'm back out for the past year.) There have been very few areas in California where I was scared. California is nice and beautiful and they certainly have learned how to cater to the tourist industry, have no worries.

We were in Houston for a time as well but didn't end up making it permanent, I'd personally say that the only real difference is that the Houston people were amazingly gracious and friendly and you can order sweet tea and fried anything!

 

[goltedl]

We are staying at the Grand Californian Hotel...so I don't plan on leaving the resort site. Is it to cold in Dec to wear shorts or swim?

Thanks for your response.

 

[ShawnaF]

You're totally safe then, in the best possible hands and the security at the hotels is great - and they are amazingly sweet and friendly!

Coming from Houston - dress in layers, it's likely to be chilly for you. I'd go with jeans/pants for the most part and layers with tops. December for us (now we're in Colorado but were in No.Cal a year ago) was still cold and we wore our coats and pants and sweatshirts. A few times we got down to just one shirt but that was it. The breezes and shade of the gorgeous trees make it extra cold in spots.

Swimming - the pools are heated (not to MY preference but definitely heated!) So, that's going to be a personal choice there. Even after a year back in Colorado with blizzards, I can't do it. But, go figure, in October I usually do swim with my little one.