Crowd Levels and weather 2nd week of December?

[disneygal33]

We are going to be in WDW December 9th - 18th. Has anyone been that time of year. I am wondering what weather and crowd levels are like?

 

[Robo]

We are going to be in WDW December 9th - 18th. Has anyone been that time of year. I am wondering what weather and crowd levels are like?

We're from the midwest and have learned to EXPECT ANYTHING as the weather goes in off-season Orlando.
We always pack winter and summer-wear.
In Dec/Jan/Feb we have even worn LONG THERMAL UNDERWEAR (after sundown)... we now pack it for any off-season trip.

Typical day:

Cool outside at 7am.
Wear shorts and Tee's.
Over that add a thin nylon wind-breaker
We put our "chilly-wear" and RAIN ponchos in a back-pack.
(Rain ponchos are REALLY cheap in hunting section of discount retailers.
You can buy BIG THICK ones to allow covering large jackets... more later.)

"Chilly-wear" is a nylon cotton-lined warm-up suit with zipper legs and a cotton-lined windbreaker.
We buy OVER-sized in these so they can easily be put on OVER other clothing.
After standing in the sometimes chilly "early-entry" lines we can usually take off the wind-breakers.
We always rent a locker at the park(s) and leave our "chilly-wear" in the locker 'til sun-down.
If it looks like rain (in Florida? Who'da thunk?) we take the Ponchos.

Much later, if its a warm night, we're just fine in the shorts.
If it turns windy/cool... we can visit the locker and choose which level of "chilly" OVER-WEAR to add to our clothing.

If it turns really COLD (windy 30's-40's not unheard-of at certain times of the year) we can make a restroom trip and slide-on the long underwear... OR... we can even add the final outer-layer of the RAIN ponchos (with their HOODS)... OVER everything else.
That trick (along with ear-muffs and gloves) has allowed us to "comfortably" stay and enjoy Fantasmic! or IllumiNations when others (less-prepared) have been "frozen-out."

 

[sarehm]

How much does it cost to rent a locker and how big are they?

 

[ont/ohana]

Thanks for all the info. We will be there 1st week and going to MVMCP on 4th.

 

[Bliss22]

We're from the midwest and have learned to EXPECT ANYTHING as the weather goes in off-season Orlando.
We always pack winter and summer-wear.
In Dec/Jan/Feb we have even worn LONG THERMAL UNDERWEAR (after sundown)... we now pack it for any off-season trip.

Typical day:

Cool outside at 7am.
Wear shorts and Tee's.
Over that add a thin nylon wind-breaker
We put our "chilly-wear" and RAIN ponchos in a back-pack.
(Rain ponchos are REALLY cheap in hunting section of discount retailers.
You can buy BIG THICK ones to allow covering large jackets... more later.)

"Chilly-wear" is a nylon cotton-lined warm-up suit with zipper legs and a cotton-lined windbreaker.
We buy OVER-sized in these so they can easily be put on OVER other clothing.
After standing in the sometimes chilly "early-entry" lines we can usually take off the wind-breakers.
We always rent a locker at the park(s) and leave our "chilly-wear" in the locker 'til sun-down.
If it looks like rain (in Florida? Who'da thunk?) we take the Ponchos.

Much later, if its a warm night, we're just fine in the shorts.
If it turns windy/cool... we can visit the locker and choose which level of "chilly" OVER-WEAR to add to our clothing.

If it turns really COLD (windy 30's-40's not unheard-of at certain times of the year) we can make a restroom trip and slide-on the long underwear... OR... we can even add the final outer-layer of the RAIN ponchos (with their HOODS)... OVER everything else.
That trick (along with ear-muffs and gloves) has allowed us to "comfortably" stay and enjoy Fantasmic! or IllumiNations when others (less-prepared) have been "frozen-out."

Great advice on what to expect on the weather. It really is a crap shoot that time of year. You can watch the weather the prior day and the next day it can be way off. As for crowd levels the begining of your stay will be light most waits should be less than 30 min at most. Now toward the end of your stay is when it picks up each day. If you can get MGM out of the way on a weekday as "The Osbourne Family Lights" draw a whopping crowd on the weekends. All in all this is a good time of year to go. If anything the last couple of days you will see the parks pick up quite a bit. I have been there 3 times during mid Dec and we love it, weather is great and crowds are very bearable. Enjoy your trip and hope everything turns out magical!

 

[jordancej]

Just as Robo said, definetly bring some winter and summer clothes, we have been 2 years in a row at this time. The first year we were there, a cold front had come through, and with the wind chill, i think it was in the 30's or 40's, this is cold for us Texans, but we luckily had packed accordinally and were prepared. We felt bad for the families who wernt prepared, cause it was so cold! Funny thing was the day before we were in shorts and t-shirts.

Normally when we go, we wear shorts, but we wore a thick sweatshirt for the early mornings, then by late morning, it warmed up and we would take it off, and tie our jacket around our waist, then by early evening after the sun went down, it would cool off again, and then we would wear our jackets again.

This is a great time of the year to go, i'm so spoiled with how there are practically no lines to the rides, and there is no way i would go during the busy times (summer). Going at this time of the year, does make you a little spoiled!!!

 

[rkmassa]

How much does it cost to rent a locker and how big are they?

Would love to know this too. Going the 9th to 14th of December. Usually have the stroller to stuff things into, but going solo this time!

 

[Robo]

How much does it cost to rent a locker and how big are they?

The lockers at all 4 theme-parks are the same price:
$7.00 a day ($5, really, as you will get a $2 "refund" when you return the key as you leave for the day).
If you park-hop in the same day, you can get another locker at the 2nd (or 3rd or 4th) park you visit without paying again (except for another $2 REFUNDABLE key deposit) if you keep your dated locker receipt and/or a little green "tag" that the locker person will give you.

All the MK lockers (new this year) are the same size (pretty large, actually).
The lockers at Epcot and MGM come in two sizes (same price) so if you want a bigger one (and they still HAVE some left that day) ASK when you rent.
As I recall, the lockers at DAK (like MK) are all the same size, but the ones at DAK ar a bit smaller than MK's.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

I'm going Dec. 8th to 16th and I heard the crowds are getting bigger every year right before christmas. I'm going to pack summer clothes but add some sweaters and pants in with it.

 

[Disney753]

we will be there Dec. 8th - the 17th staying at POP. We have been there this same week on two other occasions. In 2000 it was 22 degrees 2 nights in a row and all the pointsetties died. In 2004 it was warm in the day at high 50's at night. We really are prepared with gloves, jeans and a sweetshirt. Sneakers with sosks are a plus also.A couple skull caps work good for the kids and bring a blanket to sit on to watch the parade.

 

[Mouse511]

Subscribing - We will be at the WL December 8th - 15th.

 

[karenbaco]

We went Dec 8-18th last year and it was a great vacation. All the rides were just about a walk on with 5 min wait tops. The weather was in the upper 60's and colder at night. I did get pretty chilly at night. I remember going to MVMCP and wearing my down jacket, hat and mittens. We were still a little chilly. I was only upper 40's but with a breeze it felt colder. Especially sitting on metal benches during shows. On the other hand, the first night we arrived it was 70's and humid, so it can change drastically that time of year.
We just got back this past Sunday from yet another Disney vacation to see MNSSHP and the weather this time of year was HOT!!! If I had to pick which week I would do again I would choose December over September. Your gonna have a great time!!