Crowds on NY Eve/Day

[Samsma]

Hi! We are planning a trip for December 2006 probably from Dec. 28- Jan 3. Are the crowds just horrible? We have really only been 4th of July and Pres. Day weekend, so we are used to crowds, but I really wanted to maybe avoid those kinds of pressing crowds. Will people be leaving by then or just getting there? Will all the Christmas activities still be going on - parades etc.?

 

[kilee]

The week between Christmas and New Year's is the busiest week of the year. So from your arrival day through NYE it will be packed. However, everyday starting w/ 1/1 you'll notice a decline in the crowds, which is great.
The holiday decorations will still be up and for the first few days of your trip at least you'll still be able to catch the holiday parade

 

[msfredna]

We stayed at AKL last New Year's. Mickey, Minnie, Timon, and Goofy visited AKL on New Year's Eve. It was great to visit with the characters at the resort. They were all dressed in holiday attire. Everything was still decorated for Christmas and we saw the Christmas parade at MK. It was a spur of the moment trip so we didn't have any ADR for New Year's Eve and everything, I mean everything was booked. We ended up having to go off park for dinner. So, make ADR for that night. We didn't go to any of the parks on Dec. 31st because it is so packed. I've heard that you should be at the parks before 12:00 on New Year's Eve because they reach capacity very early and you won't be able to get in. We are not big party animals so we went to bed early on Dec 31st and went to MK early on Jan 1st. We virtually had the park to ourselves during the morning because many people had such a late night and were sleeping in. They rest of the week had very low crowds. It is a great time to visit. It does get cool at night so pack a jacket and maybe a hat and gloves. My daughter was able to swim because the pools are heated.
Hope this helps-
Melanie

 

[solferino]

It does get cool at night so pack a jacket and maybe a hat and gloves. My daughter was able to swim because the pools are heated.
Hope this helps-
Melanie

We'll be down there then, too. My question is= what kind of jacket? We're coming from the Northeast so a 40deg night will practically be tshirt weather

I'm thinking something along the lines of a polarfleece rather than a regular winter parka, right?

 

[AStamm]

We spent New Year's Eve 2005 at MK...it was PACKED from about noon on and a CM told my husband they closed the front gates sometime that afternoon. Waits for most rides were terrible...120 minutes for Peter Pan...and fastpasses were gone very early on.

New Year's Day 2005 we spent at AK. It was like having the park to ourselves. Guess too many people continued to celebrate well past midnight. We got on and off rides in over and over, to the point where my husband was saying he didn't want to do that ride again.

Spent the 4th of July at DS this summer...again packed. The major difference between New Year's Eve and 4th of July was that temperatures were bareable in December/January. I'd much rather be packed into a park with 75,000 people in comfortable weather!

As for clothing, I grew up in Syracuse, NY and now live in central PA...don't be fooled into thinking that you'll be fine in a t-shirt in FL in December. On Christmas Day and the day after, I had a t-shirt, sweatshirt, coat, and gloves on and was still freezing. Christmas Day it poured from noon on and the day after there were 15-20 mph winds all day. Both days the high was around 45. VERY CHILLY!!!!

I say go for the trip during Christmas. Although it seemed to get more crowded at the parks as we got closer to New Year's, everyone was in the holiday spirit, the parks were gorgeous, and I couldn't help but have a great time. You will, too!

 

[snowwhitemom]

We always arrive at MK at opening on NYE...so we are normally leaving before noon, this past year a cm stopped us to make sure we understood that they had just closed the parking lots and were expecteed to be filled to capcity by noon and turning people away. We assured him we knew and had a night planned at BWV, on the bus ride back we saw them getting cars to make a turn aroung that were attempting to go to MK parking. I have been at each holiday, there is nothing like the week between hristmas and New Years, packed is an understatement.....lucky for me my family and I enjoy the parks really early and the resorts the resorts the reat of the time. Tis has been our experience for the last 6 years. Hope the info helps.

 

[rkmassa]

Hi! We are planning a trip for December 2006 probably from Dec. 28- Jan 3. Are the crowds just horrible? We have really only been 4th of July and Pres. Day weekend, so we are used to crowds, but I really wanted to maybe avoid those kinds of pressing crowds. Will people be leaving by then or just getting there? Will all the Christmas activities still be going on - parades etc.?

In a word...Yes. Crowds start the 25th and run through New Years. Unbelievable crowds. Wall to wall, elbow to elbow, sea of people. MK is really bad. EPCOT and DS didn't seem quite as bad, maybe more open spaces there. We are going again this year from the 17th to 27th, staying out of the parks after the 24th. We learned our lesson. All the activities will still be going on - parades, etc. You will need to pick a park and get there early-before opening or right at opening.

 

[picantel]

We stayed up until 1/6 this year and it was horrible every day until we left. I thought for sure things would die down alot after new years day but I was dead wrong. If you can stay away and do another time I would definately do it.

 

[Luvmyfam3]

We went to WDW Dec. 26th - Jan. 3rd this past year. It was awesome!! Yes, there are crowds, but if you plans accordingly, you should be fine! I used UG, TMG and these boards and we had very short waits the whole time! We went to MGM on NYE and had a blast!!! They had a really fun show with music, dancing, fireworks, etc. It was crowded, but not near as bad as I would imagine MK being.

Yes, it was quite cold, but we're wimpy southerners and can't take it. Jackets, gloves, the works!

Have fun!

 

[castleri]

Yes there are crowds - yes it is a wonderful time of year to go - just be prepared for it. We have been two years from just before Christmas to Jan 1 or 2. One year I had on a tank top, tee shirt, long sleeved sweater and my lined suede Mickey jacket,, gloves and my Christmas hat with ears for New Year Eve Day- The second time a light long sleeve shirt over a tank top was sufficient. --plan so you can layer if you need to and peel off the layers as the weather permits. It is truly magical to watch the fireworks on NYE from Main Street in the Magic Kingdom.