Conflicting reports about December

[Kanga1]

I keep reading about how NOT to go to WDW during Pop Warner week, that the following week would be a better time to go. But then I also keep reading about how the crowds continue to grow as the days progress in December. So which is it? Wouldn't the parks be more crowded mid-December than the first of December?

We are currently booked for 12/1-12/7 at WL. We're in a deluxe, so Pop Warner groups shouldn't be a problem at the resort, but will the parks be crowded? Will we be missing out on discounts because we're there that week? (We have an AP, if that helps.)

I just can't decide between the first or second week. The first week fits better with our schedule, but I'd kind of like a discount of some kind and I want the lower crowds.

Any thoughts to help me decide?

 

[tiger4me2]

I was there this past Nov (after Thanksgiving) up to Dec 9th & all the parks were busy. I think it the luck of the draw. The last few years it has been busy. Not that it impossible to ride the rides but at times it was a pain. MHO

 

[Hitchhiking Ghost]

Discounting can/will have a big impact. For the past couple of years Disney has offered free Dining in what has traditionally been the low periods after Thanksgiving and up to Christmas (about 12/17 or 18). So its kind of hard to say if one week is better than the next for crowds. If Disney doesn't announce free dining or deep room discounts, then I would assume that post Thanksgiving up to Christmas week will be on the "low" side.

Then again, if they offer free dining and with parts of the Fantasy Land expansion opening, the norms may go out the window.

 

[Seahunt]

Free Dining during that period might be iffy. Last year Pop Warner ran December 3 - 10, 2011, and WDW got around Free Dining during the period by splitting the FD dates this way:

November 26 – December 1, 2011 (originally offered as Dec 2 but later reissued w/diff dates)
December 10 – December 15, 2011 (originally Dec. 17 but reissued as above)

If you checked in on/by December 1 you received FD the entire period, otherwise you had to wait until check ins of December 10 to get FD.

This year Pop Warner runs November 30 -December 8, 2012, so IF they offer FD again for December dates, based on last year, they might cut it off a couple days before Nov. 30 then start it up again after the Pop W people leave...

http://espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/football/pop-warner-super-bowl/

However AP rates didn't have any blackout dates around Pop Warner.

Last year's discounts were:

***THESE HAVE EXPIRED*** for FYI only

Passholders! Save up to 40% at Select Walt Disney World Resort Hotels!

Enjoy a festive fall getaway or exciting end-of-year vacation! Passholders save up to 40% at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels when you book by September 4, 2011 for stays most nights October 3 - November 22, 2011 and November 26 - December 24, 2011.

Discover great rates at a variety of Resort types:

Hotel Category Savings
Disney Deluxe Villa Resort Hotels 40%

Disney Deluxe Resort Hotels 40%

Disney Moderate Resort Hotels 30%

Disney Value Resort Hotels 30%

The number of rooms available at this rate is limited. Minimum stay requirements may apply for Friday or Saturday arrivals.See Important Details.

JMO, but I think either week will be fine. Remember that the first week you'll also have to work around the parade taping too, if that makes a difference to you.

 

[VikingInMouseEars]

Since you are staying deluxe, the Pop warner people will be a non-issue. Reports of Pop Warner effecting park crowd levels are blown way out of purportion. In the past 3 years I have been twice during PW week and i wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

 

[nd9979]

I don't think you'll have any problems. The crowd levels seem to be dictated by discounts much more so than the Pop Warner crowds. During our Dec '10 trip, some days overlapped with Pop dates. I don't remember anyhing out of the ordinary.

 

[lovesLilo]

Thanks for posting this. We are going Dec 3-13 2012, and staying at POP. Does Pop Warner week make ADRs tougher to get? Hoping for CRT, Ohana Best Friends Breakfast and Tusker House breakfast among others. Will it impact MVMCP?
Thanks for posting this, OP!

 

[abowman02]

Just do the MVMCP the week after POP Warner leaves. Then you should not have an issue with the crowds at the party.

 

[mom2rtk]

Actually MOST of the parties in December are pretty crowded. That whole "limited attendance" thing is really quite a misnomer.

Daytime crowds in December aren't too bad and really don't vary much up until the point where the first schools start dismissing for the holidays. Last year it was around the 16th. We go that whole next week this year, so it's hard to say when the real crowds will start to build. We were there through the 18th last year and had great low crowds up through the 16th.

Just know that by "low" crowds, I really mean low-ish crowds. There really are no "low" crowd times any more.

2008 we were there the same week and crowds were about the same. That same week in 2010 was a LOT busier I thought. Then last year they dropped again. I think the bitter cold weather of 2010 really put a lot of people off.
Pop Warner is really only an issue if you end up in the same resort. My understanding is that they stay at the All-Stars with overflow at one of the mods.

Also be aware if you go the 1st weekend in December, the parade taping in the MK will affect traffic patterns.

 

[moonpie85]

We have gone during Pop Warner twice and neither time was an issue for us because we stayed at CSR and GF. I believe it's the values you want to avoid during that week and I have heard they also go moderates sometimes. I want to say, POR and CBR, but I'm unsure.

 

[moonpie85]

Oh and I wanna say something about the sold out parties...we went last year to the Halloween night MNSSHP so you know it was sold out. We were able to do everything we wanted to do and rode several rides. I was expecting it to be absolutely horrible and it wasn't.

 

[kellyg403]

We have gone a few times during Pop Warner days and we have gone the next week. It just depends on what week works best in our schedule. To me, I did see a bit of difference in the parks, but the waits were still very minimal. Others have reported cheerleaders and loud cheering but we never ecountered that. We did see large groups in Epcot and MK one year, but other than that I can't really say the whole Pop Warner thing made a difference for us. And we traditionally stay at CBR.

Having a plan, some ADR's and the knowledge that you will have to utilize fast pass sometimes and sometimes you might get lucky and not have to. They usually play their games first part of the day, so utilizing morning EMH will help if you are weary of the crowds.

As another said, the Christmas taping at MK tends to build up crowds there for a few days. We avoid the area like the plague if we end up visiting during that time. My dh hates crowds, and these two weeks are his favortie. He will do either. So that really tells you something.

Last year we went 12/10 to 12/15. We weren't alone in the parks, but it was a great time nonetheless.

Kelly