December crowds?

[Mary2816]

I booked our first ever December trip! Can't wait !! We will be at the BCV from Dec. 3 - 10. What are the crowds like? I know it's a popular time with dvc, but is it an overall popular time? I was looking forward to low volumn....was I wrong?

 

[mowog]

We're booked at BCV Dec 4-8 and expect everything to be pretty slow. We've gone several times (pre-DVC) early December and it's probably our favorite time of year. Everything is decorated for Christmas, weather is usually nice, and crowds are almost nill. Only winter downside we've found is that maintanence is done on some attractions during slow periods- so less will be open then during peak periods. Park hours are also shorter but since you don't wait in lines you can get everything done even with the shorter hours. As your trip gets closer check into the extra hours for park guest and see which parks are open 3 hours later. I think you'll love early December!

Jean and Bob

 

[goofyforlife]

It should be nice except that that probably will be pop warner week.....

 

[tjkraz]

Having heard all of the stories about how slow December is, we were a little surprised at the crowd levels when we visited. We arrived on Dec 10th and spent part of our first evening at MGM. The line for the Osborne Lights was HUGE (fortunately we weren't there for the lights), and we later found out that MGM had actually closed earlier in the day as the park reached capacity.

Our previous trip was mid-May '04, and we thought the crowds were heavier in December. But, using FastPass I don't recall waiting more than 15 minutes for any ride / attraction. And we were able to get front-row for the parades lining up just 15-20 minutes ahead of time.

Perhaps the crowds were heavier due to re-schedules from the hurricanes earlier in the year. Or perhaps December isn't the big secret it once was. Either way, we found the ride wait times to be very reasonable, despite the fact that there seemed to be an awful lot of people walking the streets.

 

[DebbieB]

Having heard all of the stories about how slow December is, we were a little surprised at the crowd levels when we visited. We arrived on Dec 10th and spent part of our first evening at MGM. The line for the Osborne Lights was HUGE (fortunately we weren't there for the lights), and we later found out that MGM had actually closed earlier in the day as the park reached capacity.

Was that last year? I know Pop Warner had their private party at MGM after closing on 12/10. They probably started arriving earlier in the day. I think the park may have closed a little early also, so Osborne Lights had to be seen early. We were there in the early afternoon, it was raining and lines were not bad.

I was there Dec 4 to 10 last year, crowds were not bad, especially during the week. Staying at BCV, you don't have to worry about Pop Warner kids at the resort. You see them around the parks and can be a little annoying when they break out into spontaneous group cheers but it's not that bad, they don't affect overall attendance.

 

[tjkraz]

Was that last year? I know Pop Warner had their private party at MGM after closing on 12/10.

Actually I take that back, it was Saturday the 11th. Sorry. But the 11th was the day that the park reached capacity. We didn't have any problems getting into the park late in the day, but I remember reading about the closure on one of the WDW web sites a few days later.

If memory serves, the posted closing time was 8pm. We were walking over from BCV at 7pm as Fantasmic was showing. DS just wanted to ride Star Tours, and that's really all we were able to accomplish. By the time we got out it was wall-to-wall people. The line to see the lights ran all the way up Commissary Lane, looped around by the hat, and extended up the Echo Lake area past Star Tours.

Not sure what drove people to the park that day, but that experience really wasn't representative of the rest of our week.

 

[tinkgrl]

Hi,

I went to BCV last December 2004, 17th to 20th. The crowds were pretty good. Our weather was chilly but it was still nice. The decorations were great! Have fun

Allison

 

[NewJerseyDVCMembers]

We have gone the first week of December for 8 years now. It has been getting worse and worse as far as the crowds. We love WDW at Christmas time, but next year we have decided to go for only 2-3 nights as opposed to the 6-7 nights we usually go for. We will book around the MVMCP schedule.
Someone, either Disney or Pop-Warner, moved the Pop-Warner football and cheerleader schedule to the first week of December. It will be December 4 - 10, this year (2005).
It still is beautiful and worth the trip if you've never been there at the holidays. But if your expecting less crowds... your going to be disappointed.
Hope this helps.

 

[rinkwide]

...we were a little surprised at the crowd levels when we visited...

As were we. This was the first week of December '04 and crowd levels weren't horrible but certainly not as light as some posters here had predicted they'd be. As a result, we won't be using our points again in December anytime soon (unless we just have to see the Illuminations holiday tag ).

 

[nowellsl]

I'll agree with NewJerseyDVCMembers, it was more crowded this past December than in the previous 7 or so since we've been going. It has been a gradual thing, more crowded each year. It's still a beautiful time to go!

 

[QuiltTeddy]

Anyone been there around the 18-23? That's when we are going this year and, perhaps naively were thinking it wouldn't be too bad insofar as crowds are concerned. But now it's looking like we should expect crowds?

 

[DebbieB]

Actually I take that back, it was Saturday the 11th. Sorry. But the 11th was the day that the park reached capacity. We didn't have any problems getting into the park late in the day, but I remember reading about the closure on one of the WDW web sites a few days later.

If memory serves, the posted closing time was 8pm. We were walking over from BCV at 7pm as Fantasmic was showing. DS just wanted to ride Star Tours, and that's really all we were able to accomplish. By the time we got out it was wall-to-wall people. The line to see the lights ran all the way up Commissary Lane, looped around by the hat, and extended up the Echo Lake area past Star Tours.

Not sure what drove people to the park that day, but that experience really wasn't representative of the rest of our week.

They closed at 6:00 on Friday the 10th and no Fantasmic because of the Pop Warner party. Not sure if they even opened the Osborne Lights that night. So maybe people went Saturday night instead.

 

[Doctor P]

Quilt Teddy,

We have been those dates in the past and it has been quite crowded, though nothing compared to Xmas day or NYE.

 

[QuiltTeddy]

Thanks Doctor P. We've been 12/26-12/30 and it was extremly crowded. I guess we were just thinking people probably didn't really want to be there right before the holiday.

 

[Mary2816]

What exactly is Pop Warner football/cheerleading? Never heard of it before.

 

[Al D]

Anyone been there around the 18-23? That's when we are going this year and, perhaps naively were thinking it wouldn't be too bad insofar as crowds are concerned. But now it's looking like we should expect crowds?

I'm planning on the same week. I was thinking the same as you about the crowds. Also I'm taking a freind and his family with a daughter that cant be out of school. I have my fingers crossed for low crowds. Hopefully I can get resv at BWV for that week when the points I bought last week finally kick in.

Maybe I'll see you.
Al

 

[VMS]

We were there this year Dec. 5 - 10. We went to MGM on the 5th, and I thought that was pretty crowded. We also thought the MVMCP on Dec. 7 was very, very crowded, and that was not even a sold out one. We had no problem with the Pop Warner crowds. The rest of the time was fine, but we definitely thought it was more crowded than we had read of on these boards. It was a wonderful trip.

 

[bears163]

we are going dec 10-15. i am just hoping for light to moderate crowds. probaly won't go at x-mas time again but i really want to see the decorations.

 

[NMW]

We love early Dec and have never had crowd problems. Of course, the only other time we have to compare to is late March/early April which was HORRIBLE with crowds. We are going Dec 1-9 this year so, I hope it's not too bad. In 2006 we are going to try the first 2 weeks of Nov, so I'll probably be asking you guys about the crowds in early Nov next year!

I believe the Pop Warner/cheerleaders stay at the value resorts, so they probably won't affect your buses, just the attractions! Oh well, there's always fastpass.

 

[QuiltTeddy]

I'm planning on the same week. I was thinking the same as you about the crowds. Also I'm taking a freind and his family with a daughter that cant be out of school. I have my fingers crossed for low crowds. Hopefully I can get resv at BWV for that week when the points I bought last week finally kick in.

Maybe I'll see you.
Al

We already have our reservations - Boardwalk view (requested) - 1 bedroom.