Christmas surprise trip...need help with logistics

[MsMulan]

I would like to take my daughter back to her favorite place on earth for her Holiday break. I would like the dates of December 28 - January 4. I have a few questions for those of you who have taken the trip around this time of the year.

1. If we stay offsite (Dec 28 - Dec 31) will we be able to get into the parks on any of these days? From what I understand this is the time of the year when the parks can become extremely crowded and they will only allow resort guests to enter the parks. My reason for staying off site is financial as a single parent, bugdeting becomes a main part of the program.

2. Exactly how crowded are we talking? We've only gone in late to mid August and the parks have people in them but you can still get around.

3. Does anyone know if there are any codes available at this time of the year? I suspect not right around Christmas but what about early January? I would like for us to stay onsite (Jan 1 - Jan 4) if I can find us a good deal.

My main objective is to see the parks/resorts in all the their granduer at that time of the year. Since my daughter has a two week vacation, I figured this would be a good time for us to go.

Any advice you pass along will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Bob P]

Hi,

Here's my take on the first two:

1) It's possible you could be shut out, espeically on New Year's Eve.

2) It will be about as crowded as you can imagine, again especially on NYE. There is no comparison to mid-late August!

Having said that, zillions of people go every year and have a great time, so enjoy!

 

[tink1978]

We went down on December 29 this past year. We stayed at one of the hotels on Plaza Blvd until the 1st, then we checked in at Contemporary. The only problem we had was the massive crowds on New Year's Eve ( I am talking human traffic jams in Mexico and Canada around 6pm and 8pm. We were still allowed in the parks because we got there in the morning and stayed (we went to EPCOT). The crowds were bad for several days, before letting up. It was still alot of fun though. There are not any deals out yet for January. I made ressies at CBR for January 1-8 and we are paying a little over $900 for the whole week. I think the rates were $140 or $145 a night. Not too, too bad. Call and see about the All Star resorts, but they may not have availability until after the 1st. I have stayed there for the last 3-4 years, always with a Jan 1st checkin, with no problems.

 

[disnut8]

We went for New Year's a couple of years ago. My son (a Disney vet) said MGM was not crowded at all for New Year's Eve. He thought that because Magic Kingdom and Epcot are featured on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, MGM is ignored by most people. Animal Kingdom closes early. At MGM, they will have bands and hand out hats and noise makers. My son and his family along with my mother-in-law wanted to stay instead of coming back and meeting the rest of us for dinner!

New Year's Day (we've been to the parks twice) is absolutely dead. My daughter-in-law wanted to know where all the people went. It's like everyone has a massive hangover or something.

I highly doubt any codes will be available until after January 1. But you never know.

 

[MsMulan]

As usual, you guys always have the best advice. Thanks. I am going to try and make a ressie for Jan 1-4 onsite and see what available near DTD for the first leg of our trip.