Crowds on Dec. 11 midday?

[wrldpossibility]

I'm fine tuning our Dec. touring plans, and the only day I'm not sure how best to plan is our first full day. We'll be sleeping in (to adjust to Eastern time), have a late breakfast at CM at 10:30, then will take the monorail to Epcot. I imagine we'll be there around 1:30. We have 6:10 ADRs at Coral Reef.

I hate that we're starting our theme park experience (NEVER been to WDW)so late in the day (we're early risers usually and take advantage of park openings at DL). So when we walk into Epcot at 1:30, we will have about 4+ hours before dinner. What can we expect the crowds to be like (Dec. 11)? I am worried about getting there so late in the day (can't be fixed...the kids want CM to start off the trip, and we need to sleep in...we won't make rope drop on Pacific time). All we really want to accomplish is the new Nemo ride. Icing on the cake would be Turtle Talk, Soarin' and TT. My plan is to check the wait at Nemo, see if there are FPs for Soarin, then relax and check out the innovations buildings and the rest of Living Seas? I'm not sure how to make a touring plan for this late in the day.

We have another whole day planned for Epcot starting from rope drop, and another whole afternoon for WS. So I'm not too worried about getting things done. I just really want the first afternoon to start us off right! Relaxed, happy, and not overwhelmed. I'm terrified that we'll get off the monorail for our first Disney experience and have a mob of crowds too thick to do anything. Tell me that's unlikely on that date!

I feel confident about my other days' plans, but not this one! I hate that my first day is my least planned! Help!

 

[Northstar]

Hi. I looked at your post because I'll be at Epcot the next day... when you arrive at Epcot the 11th, we'll still be en route.

That sounds like a good plan, except maybe grab a Fastpass at Soarin first? To avoid starting off by waiting in a line. I don't think they'll be out of Fastpasses based on last year... we strolled into Epcot at about 5:30 and got Fastpasses for an hour later... I think this was maybe the Wednesday of that same mid December week, and it was on a Candlelight Processional night. Not crowded at all.

I think Epcot is a good park to start in given your arrival time. Jetlag is a pain. We have a small (one hour) shift the other direction... makes it so much easier to roust my family out for park openings!

 

[OHIODISNEYFAMILY]

We are doing the same after our Dec 9th arrival....a half day at Epcot. I think that taking it nice and easy at that park is a great way to start a trip! Just walking around and enjoying the holiday decor is wonderful and a good way to unwind after traveling.

There is a touring plans website that I've looked at, and it is showing Dec. 11th to be rather uncrowded at WDW overall, and it's recommending Epcot as the best park to visit that day....so it sounds to me like you've made a good choice.

 

[mrsltg]

We are doing the same after our Dec 9th arrival....a half day at Epcot. I think that taking it nice and easy at that park is a great way to start a trip! Just walking around and enjoying the holiday decor is wonderful and a good way to unwind after traveling.

There is a touring plans website that I've looked at, and it is showing Dec. 11th to be rather uncrowded at WDW overall, and it's recommending Epcot as the best park to visit that day....so it sounds to me like you've made a good choice.

See you there! We arrive on the 9th and are heading to Epcot for 1/2 a day. My plan is to ride Soarin' and see the Santas of the World.

Have a great trip!