Disney in December weather and crowds

[PlutoTheDog89]

Hey there...

I’m on my phone so i can’t type too much. If you have any questions feel free to PM me.

We’re an older family. I’m 28, sister 33, parents in 60s. We just went on our 8th Christmas trip in 9 years and absolutely love It. Highly recommend It.

We go Xmas week and it’s crowded. As for your dates? It’ll be crowded, but nothing like you hear about during Christmas week. You’re going during the last week of MVMCP and free dining (I’d assume) so people will be there. Plus you’re getting the “i wanna spend Christmas in Disney, but won’t travel during Christmas week” crowd. Still, kids are in school so only the weekends will be overwhelming. To people who ask about crowds, my answer now is “when is It not crowded”

As for weather, it’s very reminiscent of mid-October, early April in the northeast. You have a chance of getting those days in the 80s, usually in 70s, but can also drop down to 40s or 50s. We usually pack for every type of weather- as It can change literally in the time It takes you to fly down there. One lesson i learned last year: if you get a hot or beautiful day, take advantage. I recommend everyone book their FP+s early in the morning or late at night, not in the afternoon. That way if it’s 50 degrees all week and suddenly it’s 85 on Thursday, you don’t have to be in Animal Kingdom all day redeeming your FP+s. You can go in the morning or later at night and enjoy the pool in the afternoon.

 

[Abigail Broughton]

Great advice! We went in September and boy was it hot and crowded. One day at Animal Kingdom at early entrance opening we actually saw a dad get run over by a women on a skooter with her grandchild on her lap. My husband called it the running of the fools. I agree with your planning ideas. We want to enjoy all the resort fun as much as the parks but this visit more walking around and relaxing and not running from ride to ride. I guess you can never know what a vacation will bring. All the calendars said the first few weeks if September were "lite" crowds but oh no they were wrong for 2017. Disney is just busy.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Great advice! We went in September and boy was it hot and crowded. One day at Animal Kingdom at early entrance opening we actually saw a dad get run over by a women on a skooter with her grandchild on her lap. My husband called it the running of the fools. I agree with your planning ideas. We want to enjoy all the resort fun as much as the parks but this visit more walking around and relaxing and not running from ride to ride. I guess you can never know what a vacation will bring. All the calendars said the first few weeks if September were "lite" crowds but oh no they were wrong for 2017. Disney is just busy.

Wow.

Yes, it's busy, but not Christmas week busy. This past December, we stayed at WL and on our last night (Friday, Dec. 22) we went to Artist Point. I'll never forget coming back from EP in the late afternoon, going up to our room to relax and change and then coming back down to the lobby around 5:30 pm for dinner. OMG - the WL was PACKED with people arriving! People and luggage carts packed to the gills. It was as if everyone coming for Christmas week arrived all at one time! Even Artist Point was crowded that night (which I've never seen). We had SO much fun on our trip, but we were so glad we were leaving on Dec. 23!

 

[Abigail Broughton]

That's our departure date as well! Thank you.

 

[loves to dive]

We have been there in that time frame for the past two years. This past year it was shorts weather every day, the nights were cooler. I'm guessing the temps were high 70s low 80s every day and the nights were maybe 50s. I wore light weight capris at night and sweaters (we are from Georgia so for me if it's below 70 I'm cold). We swam a couple days. The year before it was cool and damp some days, some days the mornings were cooler but warmed up to about 60s in the days but windy. Every night I had to bundle up with a heavier jacket, long pants, scarf. No way would we swim in that but there were a few people at the pool. I would say prepare for everything. As far as crowds, yep, it was crowded. We go often, at least once a year, I got 4 trips on my AP last year so crowds are a non thing for us. If it gets too crowded we just go to the resort or move to another park. You have to manage your expectations, know you probably aren't going to ride as many rides, know the FWs are going to be very up close and personal with strangers, know tempers are going to flare. Our December trips are more about seeing the details of the decorations, resort hopping, food (and refreshing adult beverages) than about riding rides so it's all good for us.

 

[OneinThree]

We went in September and boy was it hot and crowded.

If you thought September was crowded, you have no idea what you're in for in December. Although Disney is always busy these days, late Aug and early Sept is probably the slowest time you'll find.

 

[Abigail Broughton]

We were there 2 other visits same Sept dates and it was very lite crowds. Walk on most rides more than once. Watching youtube Disney videos not Christmas Eve or Day but just the busy MK December crowds were the September crowds we experienced the 2nd through the 10th! I think with all the new special events and hard ticket events its busy all year round.

 

[AMK53]

December is hit or miss, have been there every year for the past 6 years, and sometimes it's glorious and a few years was cold. Coldest ever for us was December 2017 But there still were a few swim days. The pools are heated and just be ready with some towels are she exits the pool and you should be fine. We do pack a variety of cloths that we can layer as the evening gets cooler.

if you are choosing between GF and Poly, I think the pool and the atmosphere at Poly are better and more Disney to me. GF is gorgeous but not so much a Disney feel. However it's worth a trip there to see the decorations; in fact at Christmas time, seeing the decorations are amazing at all the deluxe resorts.

Using FastPass you will be able to do some rides without a wait.

I just love MVMCP. One year we didn't do it, because my friends weren't interested and I really missed it. Also Candlelight Processional is amazing; we usually do it at least twice!

For Meet and Greets if you are booking table service to facilitate meeting characters, 1900 Park Fare is a great venue at the Grand Floridian; we've only done dinner and the stepsisters and Cinderella and Prince Charming were wonderful. We also love Crystal Palace; not a fan of Chef Mickey's or Tusker House.

 

[Dizjunkieee]

I say it is absolutely a great time to go overall, but as many others have said, there will be times that crowds are quite heavy. I can also attest to the widely varying weather in December as I have been at WDW in early to mid-Dec. for the past three years. 2015 was decent with mostly highs in the 70's lows in the 50's, 2016 was shorts and tank tops weather every day, with highs hitting upper 80's. and this past year was mostly COLD with lows in the evening in the 30's. I'm from Maine so I know true cold & I think maybe it's the humidity, but 30's in Florida felt WAY colder than 30's in Maine. There were three nights of our 5 night trip that we had on multiple layers to stay warm. I'm talking two pairs of leggings with 5 layers on top - hat, gloves, scarf. So the lesson here is just pack for both extremes and you'll be fine. I am lucky enough to visit WDW about 4 times a year and Christmas time is my FAVE. I think where you plan to spend more time at the resort you'll be fine and definitely spend a little time touring some of the other Deluxe resorts as they have such beautiful displays.

 

[North of Mouse]

I have availability to stay at the Floridian and the Poly December 14th to the 23rd. My concerns are the weather and crowds. Our daughter will be 8 when we visit and her main objective other than meet and greets, a little shopping is to swim and play in the pools every day! We are from the coast of northern New England Massachusetts so our high 60's low 70's is a beach day for us. Could someone give me their advice please. Will she be able to swim everyday? Will the crowds be wall to wall? We are not parks all day family. We like to resort hop, shows, shopping and relax. I welcome your opinions.

Thank you

If swimming is high on your list, I would not count on it being very pleasant. We were there this past Dec. and there was night time freezing temps, with wind, rain, 50's during the day. This was for half of our trip. We have no more plans to go then. Yes, the weather 'can' be nice, but more likely 'not', from our experiences anyhow.

 

[BoatDriver]

I was there this past December too. There was a day that the high was in the 50s & the low was upper 30s. We were at the Christmas party Dec 10th. I was in Cuddle duds, a heavy sweatshirt, medium weight jacket & gloves. I was still cold. I’m from Buffalo, so it’s not like I’m not used to cold weather either. Even the 50s felt colder to us. I guess it is the moisture in the air that makes the cold seems worse.

A few says after we left, the temps were back in the 70s. We have been several years at that time & it was never that cold for us before. We were back again the last week in January & it was high 50s, to mid 60s. Then a few days later, in the 80s. So you really can’t predict what the weather will be until a few days before.

The parks are pretty much always moderately busy. No slow times any more.

This was our experience this year as well. We've done November, December, and January, and with one notable exception in January 2014, this last December was, by far, the coldest we've experienced. The funny thing is that we packed for cool temps on arrival day and were sweating, then we froze our New England butts off on a few subsequent nights.

The moral of the story is that you can't plan for anything in December other than a beautifully lit castle.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

It was only really cold at night, daytime temps were mostly all perfect, with highs in the 50s on two days in December, the rest were high 60s (very few) and 70s and 80s. We always pack for cool nights and warm days, dress in layers and bring jackets for the evenings.

 

[Satchmo128]

I was there this past December too. There was a day that the high was in the 50s & the low was upper 30s. We were at the Christmas party Dec 10th. I was in Cuddle duds, a heavy sweatshirt, medium weight jacket & gloves. I was still cold. I’m from Buffalo, so it’s not like I’m not used to cold weather either. Even the 50s felt colder to us. I guess it is the moisture in the air that makes the cold seems worse.

A few says after we left, the temps were back in the 70s. We have been several years at that time & it was never that cold for us before. We were back again the last week in January & it was high 50s, to mid 60s. Then a few days later, in the 80s. So you really can’t predict what the weather will be until a few days before.

The parks are pretty much always moderately busy. No slow times any more.

Yup. I was at a conference the end of November and then vacation through the 10th and it was COLD at the end of our trip.

 

[kdisser]

There really is no way to plan ahead. We have traveled more in December than any other time of year, and while some trips have been warm and sunny, pool weather daily for us, others have been windy and cold, and even for my die hards, the pools were a bust. For my family it is still worth it to travel in December and play Russian roulette with the weather than to travel in August and have me wilt like an ice cream cone. I like to read why folks choose one season over others because each anecdote just shows how different we all readily are when it comes to vacation needs.

YES!! See I will melt again to beat the crowds, we went in September of 2016 and we were not prepared for that kind of heat. But we know now what to expect and the trade off for being baked in a damp oven is seemingly low and manageable crowds. I just did not enjoy packing an array of my wardrobe. AT least I know what to pack for the heat. But yes I enjoy seeing others reasons for seasons to vacation.

 

[jerseygal]

That's the time we go every year. Weather is hit or miss. Sometimes its warm, and some years it's been too cool for swimming. It is a magical time at Disney though. Crowds are awful, but I wold put up with them just for the atmosphere.

Four years ago was our first trip to Disney to see all of the holiday decorations, WOW, so beautiful. We traveled first week of December, was such a great way to get in the Holiday spirit. It was the last year to see the Osbourne Lights at HS..AMAZING, we were so happy that we had a chance to see these incredible lights. Really wish they continued that tradition, that really was AMAZING! From the beauty of the gorgeous Christmas tree in the AK Jambo lobby to the beautiful tree at Grand Floridian, the gingerbread house, the Candlelight Processional, wow what a trip we had! December is such a beautiful month! Days were so beautiful, 70's, last day we actually were in the hot tub with the gorgeous sun at the Grand Floridan, wow!

 

[Nancyg56]

Four years ago was our first trip to Disney to see all of the holiday decorations, WOW, so beautiful. We traveled first week of December, was such a great way to get in the Holiday spirit. It was the last year to see the Osbourne Lights at HS..AMAZING, we were so happy that we had a chance to see these incredible lights. Really wish they continued that tradition, that really was AMAZING! From the beauty of the gorgeous Christmas tree in the AK Jambo lobby to the beautiful tree at Grand Floridian, the gingerbread house, the Candlelight Processional, wow what a trip we had! December is such a beautiful month! Days were so beautiful, 70's, last day we actually were in the hot tub with the gorgeous sun at the Grand Floridan, wow!

I was there for that last Osbourne Light Hurrah too! It was gorgeous weather, wasn't it? I cannot gaurantee this year will be warm though...my DH is joining us and he manages to bring the cold from CT with him every darn time. In advance to all....I am sorry! LOL!!!!

 

[Ladyandthepuppies]

We were there 2 other visits same Sept dates and it was very lite crowds. Walk on most rides more than once. Watching youtube Disney videos not Christmas Eve or Day but just the busy MK December crowds were the September crowds we experienced the 2nd through the 10th! I think with all the new special events and hard ticket events its busy all year round.

We were there last year for Irma too! How did you get out on the 10th? We ended up getting stuck so we stayed Sept 5 - 13. Starting on Thurs the 7th crowds were dissipating due to Irma, Friday was very light and Saturday the parks closed early so it was very, very light crowds. If you were in the parks from the 7th - 9th and you felt like it was crowded, I think you're going to be very unhappy with the Christmas crowds. Touring Plans is predicting a lot of 6s and 7s for the parks for that week. For reference, Sept 7-9 last year was 1s and 2s... although, Sept 3rd and 4th was a 6 and a 7, respectively. But that was Labor Day weekend, the crowds are usually higher during holidays so no surprise there.

 

[jerseygal]

I was there for that last Osbourne Light Hurrah too! It was gorgeous weather, wasn't it? I cannot gaurantee this year will be warm though...my DH is joining us and he manages to bring the cold from CT with him every darn time. In advance to all....I am sorry! LOL!!!!

I wore capris during the day, such mild weather, nights were VERY chilly though, especially during the Candlelight Processional! WOW, amazing how quickly it drops in the evening that time of year..we had the CP dinner package and waiting in line to let us in, we were SO COLD, we had to buy a blanket to put over us. Came in handy while sitting in the show also! Most memorable parts of the trip was CP and Osbourne Lights, so great!
This year we are going to a Universal only trip for a few days December also(NOT CHRISTMAS OR NEW YEARS WEEK though, too crowded not for)onth, can't wait! Will be interesting to check out the Holiday Decorations there. Hope that your DH brings great weather like Dec of '14!!!

 

[jaysmom4285]

The first week of your vacation should be fine, with only moderate crowds.Things will really start to ramp up the weekend before Christmas, when kids get out of school and people start taking vacations. As far as the weather goes, as others have noted, it's impossible to predict now. We've gone in early December for the last 12 to 14 years, and have seen everything from 80s to 40s. Your best bet is to check the Orlando weather forecast a couple days before you leave. Extended weather forecasts are not accurate in specifics, but it will give you a pretty good idea of the temperature trends for the next week or so. That will give you a much better idea of what to pack.

 

[LA Poolboy]

We have been Christmas week 4 or 5 times. Sometimes we never take out our long pants just staying with shorts, and sometimes we never take out our shorts staying with long pants. We are sure to take both kinds of clothes because it is Florida and can be chilly or hot. Don't usually get those afternoon thunderstorms like we get in the summer.
Of course regardless of weather it will snow on Main Street USA at Christmas time!