Dec 4 - 7 vs. Dec 11 - 13?

[PineapplePrincessCA]

I've been calling around for hotel rates for hotels on S. Harbor. We want to go in December, but stay as far away from crowds as we can. (So obviously avoiding Christmas week and New Years).

I thought Dec 4th would be good, but OMG the hotels are expensive! One that I called was even sold out already.

So now I'm thinking about maybe Dec 11 - 13th??


Has anybody been the first couple of weeks of December? Just wondering if one week would be better than the other (as far as crowds are concerned).

Thanks!

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

The Candle Light Processional is happening the first week, that is probably why the hotels are more expensive and even sold out. Might want to go for that second week.

 

[PineapplePrincessCA]

The Candle Light Processional is happening the first week, that is probably why the hotels are more expensive and even sold out. Might want to go for that second week.

Hmmmm. never heard of that. Thanks for the heads up! Do you know the dates of this?

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

Candlelight Processional – Nightly, December 1–20.

 

[PineapplePrincessCA]

Candlelight Processional – Nightly, December 1–20.

Why would it be easir to get a hotel the second week of it's happening until Dec 20th?

 

[Argento]

Why would it be easir to get a hotel the second week of it's happening until Dec 20th?

Because in previous years, it only happened on one weekend of the season. It's possible word hasn't gotten out enough just yet and folks are still shooting for the first week of December.

 

[mydisneymoney]

We looked at the week after Thanksgiving (Nov 25-Dec1) and the next week (Dec 2-8). We really wanted to be there on the 8th when Indiana Jones opened up again but when I looked at the prices for motels it was much for affordable the last week of November. Now, in the past the crowds are have been the least that week and get busier after that, the closer you get to Christmas but this year the hours will be 10-8 instead of 9-8 and we will miss Indiana Jones and will not be able to attend one of the candlelight processionals. The cost for a room and the possible lower attendance outweighed the others in the end.

 

[PineapplePrincessCA]

Now, in the past the crowds are have been the least that week and get busier after that...

Do you really think the week after Thanksgiving would be less crowded than the first week of December??

I was thinking it would be crowded with leftover Thanksgiving vacationers. Our dates are flexible. Maybe we should consider Nov 27th - 29th??


Are the Christmas decorations up then?

 

[mydisneymoney]

Do you really think the week after Thanksgiving would be less crowded than the first week of December??

I was thinking it would be crowded with leftover Thanksgiving vacationers. Our dates are flexible. Maybe we should consider Nov 27th - 29th??


Are the Christmas decorations up then?

I subscribe to TouringPlans.com and here is their historic crowds numbers for 2011:
DLS average DL DCA
Mon, November 28, 2011 3 out of 10 2.2 2.6
Tue, November 29, 2011 3 out of 10 2.0 2.8
Wed, November 30, 2011 3 out of 10 2.6 3.4
Thu, December 1, 2011 3 out of 10 2.6 3.2
Fri, December 2, 2011 7 out of 10 7.2 5.0
Sat, December 3, 2011 8 out of 10 7.3 6.9
Sun, December 4, 2011 7 out of 10 7.4 6.5
Mon, December 5, 2011 5 out of 10 4.3 4.8
Tue, December 6, 2011 5 out of 10 4.1 4.9
Wed, December 7, 2011 5 out of 10 4.6 5.1
Thu, December 8, 2011 7 out of 10 7.2 4.0
Fri, December 9, 2011 8 out of 10 8.4 6.4
Sat, December 10, 2011 8 out of 10 8.2 5.7
Sun, December 11, 2011 8 out of 10 6.8 7.2
Mon, December 12, 2011 3 out of 10 2.4 5.4
Tue, December 13, 2011 3 out of 10 2.1 5.3
Wed, December 14, 2011 7 out of 10 7.4 5.3
Thu, December 15, 2011 6 out of 10 5.5 5.3
Fri, December 16, 2011 7 out of 10 8.0 5.7


Here is what they are projecting for 2012:
Mon, November 26, 2012 3 out of 10 2.7 4.2
Tue, November 27, 2012 2 out of 10 1.5 4.3
Wed, November 28, 2012 4 out of 10 3.7 4.8
Thu, November 29, 2012 3 out of 10 2.9 4.5
Fri, November 30, 2012 8 out of 10 8.8 6.1
Sat, December 1, 2012 8 out of 10 8.5 6.3
Sun, December 2, 2012 9 out of 10 9.2 7.8
Mon, December 3, 2012 7 out of 10 7.5 6.1
Tue, December 4, 2012 7 out of 10 6.7 6.2
Wed, December 5, 2012 8 out of 10 7.9 6.5
Thu, December 6, 2012 8 out of 10 8.5 6.5
Fri, December 7, 2012 9 out of 10 9.8 6.9
Sat, December 8, 2012 9 out of 10 9.4 6.9
Sun, December 9, 2012 9 out of 10 8.7 8.0
Mon, December 10, 2012 4 out of 10 3.5 6.3
Tue, December 11, 2012 4 out of 10 2.5 6.3
Wed, December 12, 2012 9 out of 10 9.1 6.4
Thu, December 13, 2012 8 out of 10 8.9 6.6
Fri, December 14, 2012 9 out of 10 9.4 6.5
Sat, December 15, 2012 7 out of 10 7.7 6.3
Sun, December 16, 2012 8 out of 10 8.0 7.9
Mon, December 17, 2012 8 out of 10 8.5 6.5
Tue, December 18, 2012 8 out of 10 8.3 6.6
Wed, December 19, 2012 9 out of 10 9.0 6.7
Thu, December 20, 2012 8 out of 10 9.3 3.3

While they have been adjusting their predicted based on larger crowds at DCA, I think it will be busier then it has been in the past.

 

[mydisneymoney]

Are the Christmas decorations up then?

I forgot to answer this part of your question. The decorations will be up around the parks for sure since the official Holiday season starts around November 12th?? I have read that the decorations in the 3 DLR hotels do not go up until during that week after Thanksgiving.