Christmastime & July 4th Week-LOW CROWDS?

[Robo]

There are constantly threads with folks asking about the parks being busy or not during either the Christmas Holidays or July 4th Week.

There are MANY posters who respond that "the parks were empty" or "we had no lines" during these dates.

With the Holiday attendance statistics traditionally skewed towards VERY HEAVY... what am I to make of these claims?

Typical web info:

Highest Attendance:
Presidents' week in February
Mid-March through Late April (Spring Break)
Memorial Day weekend
Mid-June through Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day and weekend
Christmas week through New Year's Day
(quoted from http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/disney/disney.html)

 

[Bob P]

Robo, let's point out that the list you have in your post is in CHRONOLOGICAL order, not in order of heaviest attendance, correct?

 

[MiamiBeach]

I think some posters may refer to trips in early December as "Christmastime". I know I do, I think of it as a holiday trip, I go then to see the decorations and special shows, etc. Early to mid December has very low crowds. The crowd level picks up intensely as soon as kids get out of school, probably a week or 10 days before December 25.

Can't speak for July 4th...

 

[Robo]

Robo, let's point out that the list you have in your post is in CHRONOLOGICAL order, not in order of heaviest attendance, correct?

Yes. I'd say that the list is not intended as "MOST-TO-LEAST CROWDED".
But that's not why I quoted it.

I was just reinforcing with a reference that the big US holidays are considered the HIGHEST attendance of any times at WDW.

 

[DemonLlama]

Park attendance is in fact very low in early December, although all the park decorations are up for Christmas.

The week from Dec. 25-January 1, however, is the single most busy, packed week there is.

Anyone at the Magic Kingdom on Christmas day will have to to hit the wassail and egg nog mighty heavy to say otherwise.

We had a moment 12/25/02 where it felt as though all humanity was packed into the space between the castle and Cinderella's carrousel and there was no escape.

However, we had been in Toontown at rope drop that morning and ridden Goofy's Barnstormer some five times in a row with no wait. So part of it depends on the time of day and the part of the park that you are getting these conflicting reports.

 

[Robo]

I think some posters may refer to trips in early December as "Christmastime".

Oh, I'm not confusing early Dec. (my favorite time to visit WDW) with near Christmas...

Check THIS current thread:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1171533

I just can't reconcile the answers.

 

[DemonLlama]

Oh, I'm not confusing early Dec. (my favorite time to visit WDW) with near Christmas...

Check THIS current thread:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1171533

I just can't reconcile the answers.

The only post I see that talks about empty parks is the one from 4:00 a.m. on a freezing night. Ok, yeah, I could see that. Pneumonia for new years!

 

[badblackpug]

We have been in the MK for July 4th on 2 occasions and on both it was madness!!! The park was filled to capacity and the gates were closed by noon!!!
I have never been for Christmas.

 

[Robo]

I'm still seeing posts that say "no problem" with crowds around Christmas.

Like THIS (again from this link)

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1171533

QUOTE: ------------------------------------
kaelarad
Earning My Ears
Posts: 66

We have been at WDW at Christmas for the last several years and found that the crowds are quite manageable until the day after Christmas. We have never run into huge crowds and have been able to do everything we want in all the parks. We are morning people so we always do am EMH. This year we are going from 12/20-12/28.
UNQUOTE------------------------------------


I can't figure this OUT!

 

[DemonLlama]

Everyone says "until Christmas" crowds aren't a problem. That's in line with the idea that that one week gets absolutely crazy (comparitively).

We've been there the week before Christmas three times and while we encounter crowds occasionally, with good planning, they've never been an issue. . .

EXCEPT the time we stayed through to Dec. 26. Christmas Day and the day after were packed. Christmas Eve wasn't that bad, although the crowds had grown throughout the week.

 

[laceemouse]

Agree with the PP. We were there the week prior to Christmas last year and it was crowded but manageable (NOT crazy!) We did not go into the parks on Christmas Day and checked out the next day. From the 25th until New Years is the most busy week all year I've heard!

 

[laceemouse]

There are constantly threads with folks asking about the parks being busy or not during either the Christmas Holidays or July 4th Week.

There are MANY posters who respond that "the parks were empty" or "we had no lines" during these dates.

With the Holiday attendance statistics traditionally skewed towards VERY HEAVY... what am I to make of these claims?

Typical web info:

Highest Attendance:
Presidents' week in February
Mid-March through Late April (Spring Break)
Memorial Day weekend
Mid-June through Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day and weekend
Christmas week through New Year's Day
(quoted from http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/syws/disney/disney.html)

We have also been during Spring Break, but a couple of weeks away from Easter and found it not too bad. The week before and the week after Easter are always the most crowded of the Spring Break weeks. I have to say, though, we never expect NO crowds. We always have a plan, ADRs, use FP, ect. and have never had an awful time due to crowds. Heat I can do without though!
ADDING: mid-June through Labor Day is a LONG time! Certainly crowds would vary during that time based on the economy, weather, hurricanes, time of day and day of week, ect.....

 

[laceemouse]

Another thing to consider is how differently people will see the same thing. Like when people say "we went in Janurary and it was HOT!" Well, I have looked at weather patterns including RECORD highs for that time, and I would not call those temps HOT, but I am a southerner so there you go!