December Trip?

[abby]

Ok, I love Disney and I love christmas, so I am thinking our next trip will be December this year. My hope is to go around the 8th for 4 or so days. My questions:

1. is it worth going to see the holiday stuff?
2. what's the weather usually like?
3. Is this a good time in December to go? I DO NOT LIKE CROWDS. (I am willing to take the kid out of school for 3 days...)
4. do they have parades/fireworks during the week this time of year?
5. when do they usually do the candle light thing? (I have been told we may want to miss that, but I don't know what it is)

This is only a start, I am sure I will have lots more questions.

 

[ScooterL]

Ok, I love Disney and I love christmas, so I am thinking our next trip will be December this year. My hope is to go around the 8th for 4 or so days. My questions:

1. is it worth going to see the holiday stuff?

I think so - it's all very festive, especially New Orleans Square and Toontown. And you'll get to see Haunted Mansion and it's a small world all decorated for the holidays!

2. what's the weather usually like?

It's southern California, so it has the potential to be in the 80s ANY time of year...but most likely it'll be in the 60s during the day and 40s-50s at night.
We usually don't get much rain in December.

3. Is this a good time in December to go? I DO NOT LIKE CROWDS. (I am willing to take the kid out of school for 3 days...)

The 8th and 9th are weekend days, so yes, it will be crowded on those days, but the weekdays should be very quiet during the day - the crowds will probably pick up considerably after about 5:00, though, since locals will come to see the nighttime parade and fireworks.

4. do they have parades/fireworks during the week this time of year?

Last year they did the Christmas parade and the holiday fireworks every day from about mid-November through January 7. So you should be able to see both.

5. when do they usually do the candle light thing? (I have been told we may want to miss that, but I don't know what it is)

Candlelight Processional seems to move around a bit - some years it's the first Saturday and Sunday in December and other years it's the second. Since December 1 is a Saturday this year, I'm guessing it'll be on December 8-9 instead. They do NOT publicize this at all well, and it's hard to get information on it until pretty close to the date.

 

[MATTERHORN]

Hey!! It is absolutely worth going for the holidays, it's just a different experince entirely plus fireworks every night is a HUGE bonus for me!!!

Candlelight and cast memeber parties are almost always that first week and weekend so you should miss it!! I agree with the above though that perhaps it may be the weekend you are thinking of since Decemebr falls on the 1st this year and that seems too soon! Hard to know till later!!

Both times in December, we went during the weekdays (in 2004 a Tue-Thurs) and last year from Sun-Wed and it was perfect!!! Low crowds especially on Tuesday and Wednesday!!

This past year it rained on night but after that the weather was about 60's. In 2004 when we went, it was low 90's every day~! I had packed all long sleeves and sweatshirts and had to buy a short sleeve shirt for each day (darn) because we were sweating. So just that goes to show that you can never really tell what winter will be like in CA!!!

If you do decide to go, you will not regret it!!

Andrea

 

[abby]

What is the candlelight processional? Do they usually do that on weekend nights? Will the weekday hours be long that time of year?

thanks for the help.

 

[MATTERHORN]

What is the candlelight processional? Do they usually do that on weekend nights? Will the weekday hours be long that time of year?

thanks for the help.

Weekday hours for us both trips were 10-6 DCA and 10-8 DL. The candlelight is always on a Saturday (guessing the 8th) and it completely mobs the park!! The weekdays before DL closes early for cast member parties so that is why we like to go the second week and miss all that, but it's still before schools get out!

Andrea

 

[abby]

Thanks so much, you give great info.

 

[MATTERHORN]

Thanks!! Maybe we'll be there at the same time as you again like we were in October!!!

Andrea