Enlighten Me about November/December

[mystic_path]

Hi All!

Did I hear correctly at some point that November at Disneyland can bring lesser crowds? I really want to see Disneyland for Christmas next year, but without the massive crowds. Ive never seen it decorated for Christmas, and I really want to catch the Xmas fireworks, parades etc next year. Can you tell me when a good time to go would be in November or early December?

I understand that I should avoid Thanksgiving, but dont they usually have the taping of the Xmas day parade during November too?

 

[Funball]

Christmas at DLR is the busiest time for disneyland.

 

[mystic_path]

Yep I would agree with that statement. But I have heard many times that some weeks are way better then others. So I thought Id ask.

 

[Sherry E]

I think it's getting too hard to predict now. I know everyone wants to find that magic time frame in which there won't be massive crowds, but those windows of opportunity are getting more narrow and elusive as time wears on.

First of all, we don't know when the holiday season will start in 2011. This year and last year it had an earlier start date (two weeks before Thanksgiving), but looking at the calendar for 2011, I have a hunch that the season may begin a bit later in November, closer to Thanksgiving. I could be wrong on that, but I have a feeling that HalloweenTime will begin and end a bit later than usual, so that would automatically affect when the holiday season begins. The closer it is to Thanksgiving, the more folks will be off of work and school.

Some people have said that as soon as Thanksgiving weekend ends (not the holiday itself, but the whole holiday weekend), things lighten up a bit for a week or two. Around mid-December it begins to get really busy. I purposely chose mostly weekdays for my trip this year in December (I was there 12/12 - 12/15), hoping it would be less crowded, and I went earlier in the month than I normally go, and it was still very, very busy. I was surprised. And when I was there in November, it looked like it may as well have been the weekend right before Christmas, it was so crowded.

Some CM's have said that this whole holiday season has been super-busy and there have been no slow periods at all. Last year was the busiest holiday season (as a whole - not just December) in 10 years, so it doesn't shock me if this year equals or surpasses that.

Next year there is also the possibility of the Candlelight Processional moving out of Disneyland and into DCA. The CP usually brings big crowds in early December to DL itself. I'm not sure what will happen if it moves to DCA or if it will happen yet, but it has been talked about. There has also been talk about a Very Merry Christmas party (like the Halloween party) coming to Disneyland...possibly in 2011. If that happens, things like the parade and the snow on Main Street may become exclusive to the party - a separate ticketed event - and only shown on certain nights.

I think there will be many changes coming to DLR for the holiday season - it's just a matter of if they will begin to happen in 2011, or possibly hold off until 2012, when all of the work in DCA is finished. In any case, these changes will certainly increase crowds levels in boths parks and perhaps shift around the times in which it is busier or less busy (if there is even such a thing as "less busy" now!!). Stay tuned to the Christmas superthread for info and breaking news!

 

[GrandBob]

I agree with everything Sherry has to say. Particularly, that it's becoming harder and harder to predict the crowds; and that ALL the holiday period is becoming crowded.

Having said that, I still think that your best bet is the Sun-Thurs immediately following Thanksgiving. It may not be "walk-on" uncrowded, like it was for us in 2009. But that will will probably be less crowded than the rest of the season. But that changes in a big hurry for the CP weekend, which starts that following Friday (presumably Dec 2 for 2011).

JMHO,
Bob

 

[SuzanneSLO]

I agree with everything Sherry has to say. Particularly, that it's becoming harder and harder to predict the crowds; and that ALL the holiday period is becoming crowded.

Having said that, I still think that your best bet is the Sun-Thurs immediately following Thanksgiving. It may not be "walk-on" uncrowded, like it was for us in 2009. But that will will probably be less crowded than the rest of the season. But that changes in a big hurry for the CP weekend, which starts that following Friday (presumably Dec 2 for 2011).

JMHO,
Bob

Assuming that the Holiday season starts about when it did in 2010, the other time that would be good is the weekdays before the weekend prior to Thanksgiving. However, if DL introduces a hard ticketed Christmas party event, you may not get to experience either the holiday parade or fireworks if you visit that early in the season. -- Suzanne

 

[mystic_path]

OK I am really glad to get all your opinions and I learned a few things that I should be watching out for as well. We were thinking mid November or in the first week or so of December, so this might work out to my advantage. I will keep an eye on scheduals, dates, and events and make my decision closer to the date. But I am sure I will have other endless questions to come on the Dis. Thanks so much everyone.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I would say the second week of December is your best bet. The first week they tend to do the employee Christmas parties so the parks close early and the closer to Christmas Vacation you get the more crowds you will see.

I have done the second week before and other than the headliners and Fantasyland the rides were walk-on. we just made sure we did Fantasyland first thing in the morning at rope drop and then used FPs on the headliners.

 

[Sherry E]

I would say the second week of December is your best bet. The first week they tend to do the employee Christmas parties so the parks close early and the closer to Christmas Vacation you get the more crowds you will see.

I have done the second week before and other than the headliners and Fantasyland the rides were walk-on. we just made sure we did Fantasyland first thing in the morning at rope drop and then used FPs on the headliners.

This year, the CM parties were moved to one week later than normal - over my trip - and I expected light crowds on those weekdays (because that's what's happened in the past on CM party days, according to reports). No such luck. Monday and Tuesday were packed. I was there 12/12 - 12/15 (Sun. - Wed.) and the only time I even started to see a little bit of a break in crowds was on Wednesday, but I bet that didn't last long with the weekend fast approaching. I think those periods in the past of lower crowds are getting more rare, and with the coming changes to both DCA and the holiday season in general, they may be non-existent.

 

[mvf-m11c]

I completely agree with Sherry. In the past when I went to DL during the Holiday season on the 2nd weekend of December (except for last year 2009 when it was raining which means less crowds) it has been just average. But now it is started to get more crowded during the days which we think are not that crowded. When I went to DL in November during the 2nd week of the Holiday season last month, I thought it was a nice average day at the parks with not too many long lines and I don't have to wait a long time for the parades and fireworks. Now the parks are now starting to get busier and busier during the days that we see in the past that are slow during the Holiday season.