Crowds at Christmas

[Piglet99645]

I'm sure this has been covered but my attempt to search didn't give me what I wanted.

Any thoughts on the least-crowded days between Dec 26 and January 7?

I'd love to take the kids to see Christmas at Disney, but the crowds have always scared me off.

It's been six months since our last trip ... I'm getting the itch to plan the next one!

 

[Geemo]

I'm sure this has been covered but my attempt to search didn't give me what I wanted.

Any thoughts on the least-crowded days between Dec 26 and January 7?

I'd love to take the kids to see Christmas at Disney, but the crowds have always scared me off.

It's been six months since our last trip ... I'm getting the itch to plan the next one!

My guess is closer to January 7th. Most schools will be back in session right after the New Year.
December 26th is right in the middle of Christmas crowd.

 

[smartlabelprint]

It's up in November too!

 

[Piglet99645]

It's up in November too!

Yes but I can't pull my 11th grader out for a week and I assume thanksgiving is a zoo?

 

[Geemo]

Yes but I can't pull my 11th grader out for a week and I assume thanksgiving is a zoo?

What dates are you considering for park days?

 

[Piglet99645]

What dates are you considering for park days?

I'm flexible between Dec 25-Jan 7 and would probably stay 7-8 days and get 5 day hoppers.

 

[Geemo]

I'm flexible between Dec 25-Jan 7 and would probably stay 7-8 days and get 5 day hoppers.

With those dates, I'd end the trip on January 7th.

 

[SMD]

I'd try the actual days between Christmas a NYE this year, since there won't be anymore old premium APs with access. It could still be a zoo, but last year the days when passes were unblocked were awful. On one there was a capacity closure at both parks, that's never happened between Christmas and NYE before, it's always just been DL. LAUSD doesn't go back until the 8th. I honestly don't think you're going to find any least crowded days. I think they're probably all going to be bad for their own reasons.

 

[AuntieMe3]

Yes but I can't pull my 11th grader out for a week and I assume thanksgiving is a zoo?

I would say Thanksgiving would be better than Christmas time. I went the day after Christmas once and it was awful!! Almost scary how packed it was walking around certain areas.

 

[Piglet99645]

I would say Thanksgiving would be better than Christmas time. I went the day after Christmas once and it was awful!! Almost scary how packed it was walking around certain areas.

Thanks for the reality check. I think I'm over this idea already!

 

[Elk Grove Chris]

I would rather go Thanksgiving week as well. It is very crowded up to turkey day then tapers off to crowded weekend type crowds-but manageable (like Halloween time weekends). The week between xmas and New Years can be miserable according to several regular posters here-we have never actually braved the xmas week. There can be gate closures-walking between lands is difficult. We have done the Thanksgiving week 4-5 times and tend to start the trip on either the day before or on turkey day.

 

[CateinPhoenix]

We usually go a few days after Christmas and plan to avoid Jan 3, that's the day most AP's are unblocked and last year that same day was a zoo. The other days Dec 26-Jan 2 were busy but not too bad....we go at Rope Drop and leave mid day for a rest and swim and return at night so YMMV.

 

[mpadilla89]

We are going on Dec.29-Jan.1 I have been worried about crowds because everyone and everywhere says it will be super packed.

We went during xmas in 2013 on December 20-22 it was a weekend. The crowds calendars all said it was going to be super packed.

We are rope drop people so we took advantage of that and the MM the days didn't seem that packed until about after 2 pm. After lighting on the castle it was definitely shoulder to shoulder packed and it was crazy trying to walk down main street.

But if that what it means when they refer to the park being super packed then i'm up for the challenge.

I guess it all depends on how well you can manage crowds and how you plan out your day.

 

[GenGen22]

I agree with everyone about the Xmas week. It will be super packed. And New Years will probably be at max capacity. At least this was my experience years ago.

 

[Sergio S]

I took my wife for the first time two days after Christmas in 2010...it was horribly packed! The line to get on "Its A Small World" was literally over 2 hours long! Some parts of the park (esp closer to Haunted Mansion) was shoulder to shoulder with CMs yelling at people to keep walking. That was in 2010, I can't imagine how it is now!

 

[Susie63]

We are pulling my dd (who is in grade 11 next year)out on the 20th of December. We will do the parks on the 21 & 22. We are coming back to the parks for the 29th-1st. All passes but signature will be blocked. Dining reservations, knowledge of fp's, and good planning are the key.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

We haven't done Christmas week before so I can't compare, but Thanksgiving week, while busy, is manageable. Especially early in the morning and late at night.

 

[MacMama0930]

It seemed to be busier after Christmas than before last year. Is there anyway you could it the week before Christmas? I'll show you what touring plans showed for the Christmas break...hold on.

 

[MacMama0930]

I'm taking a trip this year on Dec 16-19, and I expect crowds, but it'll help that the vast majority of pass holders are blocked.

 

[Susie63]

I'm taking a trip this year on Dec 16-19, and I expect crowds, but it'll help that the vast majority of pass holders are blocked.


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Could you post this on the official Christmas thread please. Update...I guess you already did....don't mind me