Christmas crowds

[Epcot Mom]

Ok, I know it's crowded but can someone give me a more specific idea of how crowded? My sister is thinking of taking her family (kids, grandkids, etc) to WDW to celebrate Christmas instead of doing it at home. I was on the college program in 1988 and it was crazy! Is it still unbearably crowded at that time? Is it even worth going or is it just lines and oceans of people?

Thanks.
Epcot Mom

 

[Bob P]

Hi,

Yes, Christmas week and July 4 week are probably the two busiest of the year.

There are indeed long lines and oceans of people....but isn't a trip to WDW always worth it?

 

[Gregg]

It's not *that* bad. We went last Xmas -- 12/23 thru New Years. It's crowded, but they do a good job of having late hours, etc. You'll get to see everything you want. I have 4 kids plus my mom in her mid-70s and it was OK. You'll have to wait in some lines, but just try to have a plan of attack for each park and you'll do great.

 

[Disneyfanwithskill]

It's not *that* bad. We went last Xmas -- 12/23 thru New Years. It's crowded, but they do a good job of having late hours, etc. You'll get to see everything you want. I have 4 kids plus my mom in her mid-70s and it was OK. You'll have to wait in some lines, but just try to have a plan of attack for each park and you'll do great.

Yeah, If you look at the calendar for park hours the entire week of Christmas has "Extra Magic Hours"

 

[rkmassa]

Lines are huge. A sea of people, mostly at the MK. Fast passes run out early. Late hours, which are good if your kids are night owls. It is down right crazy. I know people talk about the magic, etc., but we just thought it was awful. Our kids did okay, but only because we had arrived 7 days before and had lots of time to ride their favorite rides over and over. It was nuts Christmas day and on into the week. If we had just arrived that day, our kids would have been very, very disappointed. Christmas day and later we didn't ride very much, the shows were mobbed, and the parade was hard to see due to the crowds. Older kids might understand, but younger ones won't. We saw lots of melt-downs due to the long lines and crowds. We won't go again over Christmas. If we can't go days before Christmas day to get lots done, it isn't worth it to us.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I've done Christmas week twice, and both times, because of good planning, it was manageable. By good planning, I mean book dinner shows, cruises, packages, Cirque, etc. for the evenings, and hit the parks EARLY! AVOID the EMH morning parks like the plague. Have a good touring plan, and finish the parks before noon. Do other fun things in the afternoons...pools, resort-hopping, DTD, ride the sea-raycers, trail rides, fishing trips, golf...you get the idea. It does add cost to the vacation at the priciest season of the year, to do all those extras, but IMO it's the best way to enjoy your holiday stay.