DVC lows vs Park Crowds highs

[jbhaupt]

Would it be wiser to plan BWV for early Jan (low points) or between Xmas and New Years (crazy high points). I do not mind spending the points (renting/cash if I have to) in order to avoid the crowds.

What are your experiences with Christmas/New Years and 1st-2nd week in Jan in terms of park crowds. I am sure it won't be my usual 2nd week in Nov vacation. Should we just hit DL instead??

Thanks,
Bonnie

 

[drusba]

Christmas to New Years: Huge crowds. One of the three most crowded weeks of the year (the other two are the week leading up to Easter and the one that starts with Easter). MK often closes to new entries because crowd is at capacity. Stand-by lines for popular rides run 2 hours and can get to three for Test Track and Soarin and that is all day except first thing in the morning. Fast passes for entire day run out for popular rides by 11:30. If you do not make restaurant ressies well in advance, you don't eat. Those high points reflect huge demand and huge crowds.

Early January: it depends on when Jan 1 falls. For 2008 it is likely, since it is on a Tuesday, that the entire week until the 6th will be almost as crowded as Christmas week because many, many schools will still be on break that week. When it falls on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, the crowds start diminishing Monday after (because most schools go back in session on Monday or Tuesday) and are essentially gone by Tuesday.

After that initial few to more days in January, crowds are very manageable (think less than that November trip) except it gets crowded around the Martin Luther King holiday and somewhat crowded, but not really bad in the parks, during the Marathon weekend (usually the second weekend in January).

 

[Deb & Bill]

The WDW Marathon usually falls at the end of the first full week of Jan. This year it's Jan 11-13. The parks don't get that crowded, but the resorts do.

We've done Christmas week a few times. We probably won't do it again. Just too crowded. We'll stick to early June until our son heads off to college. Then Bill & I will go in Sept or early May. Maybe even October.

 

[winjos]

I haven't been during Christmas, so I can't comment on the crowds (but my guess is that it is super crowded).

I have gone the first week, over MLK weekend, the third week and the forth week of January. It is my favorite time to go! The crowds are minimal. You do get a lot of folks from South of the Equator (it's summer time there). The parks have shorter hours, but I have never had difficulties getting all the rides/activities in during the day. January is my number one time to go to WDW.

One warning: the weather is a cra* shoot. We've had 40 degree days and 80+ degree days. You just never know. I'd still take unpredictable weather and small crowds over nice weather and large crowds!

Good Luck!

 

[jbhaupt]

Yeah, I am concerned about the weather too. One year we went early December and were delayed 3 days by weather. At that time we were $$$ paying and WDW did not charge us for the nights. What happens if you do not take insurance on the trip, do you lose those points??

Bonnie

 

[drusba]

All points for entire trip are deemed used on date of arrival even if you do not show up. Thus, if you do not cancel before date of arrival, you lose your points for all reserved days you are not there.