Crowds in Dec.

[texnmickey]

I've a stay booked the first week of Dec. There is now little to no availability at Disney Properties. All of the Mod, and Deluxe are gone and most of the value resorts. Is this just the Disney website only booking for the discount or is this a indication of crowds in what has historically been the best time of year to go? Thoughts? Also I had some trouble getting the ADR's we wanted for that week. We were able to get them (we just booked labor day weekend, I know it's late) so hoping that FP+ is more kind.

 

[saskdw]

The POP Warner competition is on that week. They stay at Mod and Value resorts. Also CSR is under going a refurb so they will have one building out of service. The good news is that although POP Warner fills the resorts it does not fill the parks.

 

[SueDonym3]

I went that week in 2008 and again in 2014. I noticed a significant crowd increase last year. Still got the dining and fast passes I wanted but I remember saying slow season my foot...

 

[Tonberry]

Well, it still is one of the better times to go. It's just not as quiet as it use to be. It could be several reasons.

1. Park attendance is up every year in general.
2. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party has gotten very popular. Last year sold out on several nights.
3. The secret of this being the best time of year to go has gotten out and people are taking advantage of it.

 

[goofy4prez]

We were in Disney the first week of December in 2013 and were very surprised in how busy the place was. Thanksgiving fell later in November with a later date and because of this Pop Warner was not there that first week but the following instead. All I read in my research and planning was this was a great and "reasonable" quite time to visit WDW. Yea, right. We still had a great time, but slow was not the word I would use. It was not as crowded as our visit this past June, but it was very crowded. Would I go again in December? Absolutely. Disney at Christmas time is just breathtaking. But I've learned that even "slower" times at Disney are very busy.

 

[JennyDrake]

Having been during that week for 7 of the last 10 years I can tell you that each year it is more crowded. It is no longer the LOW crowd time that it used to be Pop Warner is there, but IMHO it is far from "filling the resorts." Tonberry sums it up nicely!

Well, it still is one of the better times to go. It's just not as quiet as it use to be. It could be several reasons.

1. Park attendance is up every year in general.
2. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party has gotten very popular. Last year sold out on several nights.
3. The secret of this being the best time of year to go has gotten out and people are taking advantage of it.

Rope drop is still your best friend and it IS a great time to go!