Dec. 1 - 4 crowds

[1nonly]

Does anyone know what type of crowds are to be expected in both parks this upcoming weekend of December 1st and 2nd? We will be going to the parks on Sat. Sun, and Monday.

First time for our 2 year old, 2nd for our 12 year old. Never gone in Christmas time and never gone to Cali. Adv.

 

[*Susan*]

We leave today - my guess is that Saturday will be your most crowded (because it's a Saturday & became of the Candlelight Processional Sat night), Sunday will be your next busiest and then Monday will be your best day in terms of crowds. We are planning to do DCA Saturday morning, then hop over to Disneyland at night.

They are predicting rain on Saturday so that may thin the crowds if it does in fact rain.

Have a great time!

 

[1nonly]

Thank you for that reply!

 

[kelmac284]

Ditto to what Susan said. We too plan to go to DCA all of Saturday and we weren't planning on going to DL at all on Saturday but we are just going to see how the weather forecast holds up. Our plan is not to try and see Candlelight until Sunday. We usually try to stay far away from DL on Saturdays as that is usually the worst possible day. Of course any weekend day is bad but Saturday I think is the worst. We plan to go to DL on Sunday and Monday. Hopefully Monday won't be as bad although we were there on Monday in October and it was pretty packed so you just never know.

My advice is to get there at opening and go on all the big rides first and use fast pass.

Good luck and we will be there the same days as you.

See you there!

 

[biolabetty]

I would avoid the Main Street area both Saturday and Sunday, since that's where Candlelight is being held. I'm going Sunday, Monday and I'm thinking that Monday will be fairly light since the park closes at 6:00 that night for the cast member holiday party.

 

[Hound 109]

I wanted to add a wrinkle (& question) to the original OP. How would Annual Passporter's Calenders affect the next two weekend's crowds?

I believe (APers correct me if I'm wrong) that each of the next 3 Saturdays are blacked out for (most) AP, but.....each of the next 2 Sundays are NOT blacked out.

Will weekend SoCal APers flock to the park (DL) to enjoy the Holiday on the next 2 Sundays? (making Sat. less crowded)

I'm visiting Sun - Tues (12/9 - 12/12) & am thinking that Sunday will be jammed with APers.

Thanks.

 

[biolabetty]

The Southern California Select APs are blocked out both Saturdays and Sundays and all of the Christmas week starting Dec.21. The Southern California APs are blocked out only Saturdays and the same time of the Christmas week that SoCal Select are. Deluxe APs are only blocked out during the Christmas week, starting Dec. 22. I still think Saturday will end up being the heaviest day. I go a lot during the year, and Saturdays tend to be heaviest all year round. We usually go from Sundays to Mondays when we spend the night, as they are lighter attendance-wise. If I am going on a weekday, I prefer Wednesdays.

 

[Hound 109]

The Southern California Select APs are blocked out both Saturdays and Sundays and all of the Christmas week starting Dec.21. The Southern California APs are blocked out only Saturdays and the same time of the Christmas week that SoCal Select are. Deluxe APs are only blocked out during the Christmas week, starting Dec. 22. I still think Saturday will end up being the heaviest day. I go a lot during the year, and Saturdays tend to be heaviest all year round. We usually go from Sundays to Mondays when we spend the night, as they are lighter attendance-wise. If I am going on a weekday, I prefer Wednesdays.

Thanks for this info, (& your opinion) biolabetty.

So it sounds like the traditional strategy of DL early, DCA when it gets crowded & back to DL (preferably with FPs in pocket) to enjoy the evening DL events.... will especially apply on weekends for the next 6 weeks.

(& it also sounds like my original 3 day trip plan of Sun - Tues. wasn't a bad one.)

 

[kelmac284]

Yes we are Deluxe AP holders and we are not blacked out this weekend. Obviously if I had my choice I would go on a Wed in Feb or (used to be Oct, March or some other off month) although those old rules no longer seem to apply. But since we now have to go when the kids have off school our general rule is we try to stay away from DL on Saturdays no matter what. We usually go to DCA on Saturdays and DL on Sundays. If we were there for an entire week we would go to DL on say a Tues, Wed, or Thurs and possibly a Fri and leave DCA for Sat, Fri or Mondays. But actually we can usually do DCA in one or two days at most. We like to leave the mid week days for DL if we are there for a M-F if we can but if we are there on a weekend we like to stay away from DL on a Sat if we can. BUT if we HAVE to go on a Sat we just get to either of the parks at opening or should I say an hour before and hit all the big stuff first and just use those fast passes.

We have been on some of the busiest days including days when the parks were "full" with signs on Harbor saying Disneyland is Full and we still were able to do pretty much everything but in that case you pretty much have to get there at opening and have all fast passes in hand by noon.

Obviously I prefer the less crowded days but you can still tour on busy days and do what you want to do.

We were just there in Oct so for us it is more about seeing CP and the fireworks so I am not worried about rides and such. I just hope that it is not shoulder to shoulder and that people aren't rude. It makes it hard to enjoy yourself when it is like that.

 

[Random Villains]

I go Dec 1 - 4 every single year, since the 4th is my birthday. And every year that I go, the crowds are moderatly low. I think the longest I ever stood in line for anything is 15 minutes. Just gotta use those fast passes and know your way around.

This year though I dont get to go until Dec 7th - 10th. Ugh.

 

[1nonly]

I go Dec 1 - 4 every single year, since the 4th is my birthday. And every year that I go, the crowds are moderatly low. I think the longest I ever stood in line for anything is 15 minutes. Just gotta use those fast passes and know your way around.

This year though I dont get to go until Dec 7th - 10th. Ugh.

Thanks for that input very much. I hope to have similar crowds when I go there tomorrow. Leaving this afternoon for the hojo and going to the parks tomorrow, sunday and monday!!!! YAY

 

[disney-super-mom]

I would avoid the Main Street area both Saturday and Sunday, since that's where Candlelight is being held.

I second this piece of advice. It's a nightmare to get through there! I wish they could find a different area of the park for the CP that's not located smack dab in the middle of the only entrance/exit to DL. It creates a crush of people either trying to see/hear the CP, trying to get in the park, or trying to get out of the park. Add in the many strollers and ECVs to the scenerio as well.

We went at this time three years ago, so maybe they have a better system to get people through the area now. I hope so!