Crowd Levels for December 12-18, 2009?

[Cheatham27330]

Hi All! We are tentatively planning a big extended family trip to WDW for the 2nd week of December (12th-18th). We've never made a trip this close to Christmas before and are very curious to hear from some veterans as to what we can resonably expect crowd levels to be during this time. Any reports or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks so much!

 

[jpmom97]

I was wondering about the first week of December? We went a few years ago and it was nice but I hear it's getting more crowded in December and am unsure if I should change our dates?

 

[RMulieri]

We are going these exact dates. Crowds are predicted to be moderate/average that week.

 

[mmmbop]

We went Dec 12-21, 2008. We planned for the same week, but my job offer got pushed back and the start date is Dec. 8, so I had to change the dates we're going.

I loved that timing! All the decorations were up, it was warm (well, okay... the first two days it was chilly, I admit... but some CMs were looking at me odd when I showed up in a t-shirt and it was 50º. It was WARM, I tell you! Compared to snowy NY anyway....)

And, best of all, the crowds were manageable! I don't know when you are used to going, but I would go during "spring" break at my school (didn't realize February was spring ). But comparatively? It was wonderful. As the vacation went on, more and more people started coming in. But we still had fun with it, and enjoyed every minute.

 

[MAH4546]

I was wondering about the first week of December? We went a few years ago and it was nice but I hear it's getting more crowded in December and am unsure if I should change our dates?

First week of December is arguably the emptiest week of the year at WDW.

 

[Cheatham27330]

First week of December is when we have gone our last three trips, but DD is now in college and we can't go until second week of December. Just hoping crowds are as non-existant as they have been during the 1st week of December. Last trip ('05) we never waited longer than 20 min. for anything.

 

[WelovMickey!]

Hi

I checked UTG websites for my dates awhile back and they were in the 4-6!! Mostly 4's!!I hope it stays true. That is the lowest I saw it all year. My dates are 12/5-12/13. I have read the closer you get to Christmas the busier it gets.

 

[jpmom97]

Thanks everyone. Our dates are the 4th-15th, so I guess we are technically the second week. We went 3 years ago w/ these dates and the crowds were so low. I had just read that December was getting busier and busier. thanks!

 

[BradyBz12]

We've gone the first 2-3 weeks of Dec the last 3 years. It's definitely been getting a bit busier each year, but it used to be so darned quiet, that the increase is still nowhere near what most people would consider "busy" other times of the year.

Even this past Dec we didn't wait more than 20 mins for anything. Well... except TSM, but that's a horse of a different color.

FWIW, the 2nd week of December is Pop Warner week. IMO unless you're staying at the same resort they are (typically the values and I think maybe PO?) you probably won't even realize they're there. You might bump into the occasional group of cheering girls while waiting for Spectro one night, but that's about it.

 

[aubriee]

We went Dec 12-21, 2008. We planned for the same week, but my job offer got pushed back and the start date is Dec. 8, so I had to change the dates we're going.

I loved that timing! All the decorations were up, it was warm (well, okay... the first two days it was chilly, I admit... but some CMs were looking at me odd when I showed up in a t-shirt and it was 50º. It was WARM, I tell you! Compared to snowy NY anyway....)

I'll be there the same time, Dec 12th-20th. We've been there the same week several times and crowds have never been bad, although they usually get a little worse toward the end of the week.

I've been pretty lucky as far as the weather goes also and have been able to wear shorts and t shirts, except for Dec '05. We almost froze our tushies off that year. I didn't know Florida could get that cold. Brrrr! We had looked at the accuweather.com and knew cold was predicted, so had jackets, gloves, scarves, and toboggans, but still almost froze. Of course, I'm a southerner, so 50 degrees would feel cold. It was down in the 30's though, I swear.

 

[Indychick]

I just have to laugh because it seems no matter when I choose to go SOMETHING is going on! I don't think I have seen the parks "not busy" since I used to live in Orlando in 1989 and I went in early December. THEN it was not busy, now......I don't really know!

 

[nancy21571]

The crowd levels don't get bad in December until around the 20th. On a scale of 1-10, most of those days are predicted to be a 4. After the 20th, it jumps to 10. That sounds like a great time to go for me. Too bad we've got school then!