go 12/18 -noon 12/25 or 12/20-late night 12/28?

[FINFAN]

O.K. 2 kids 14 and 10, DH and myself.
Not exactly early risers but will for several days out of sheer fast-pass necessity.
Staying at the Dolphin
planning on 7/4 HP tix
MK is our biggest stress...would like to actually get on the rides.
TIME FRAME: 12-25--6 1/2 PARK DAYS (LESS CROWDS?)
20-28 8 PARK DAYS...BIG CROWDS?


OR JUST FORGET IT ALTOGETHER AND GO IN THE SUMMER AS IN THE PAST?

We spent 3 days at the Dolphin last Dec., and now REALLy wish to see the parks over the holidays...but this is getting too stressful!

 

[swilphil]

I would go 12/18 to 12/25 for lighter crowds. It will still be REALLY crowded but not too much worse than summer. You will also love the weather in December. The only drawback to it is you have to spend Christmas Day traveling, but you aren't going to want to be in MK on 12/25 anyway. The week between Christmas and New Year's is the most crowded the entire year. In that respect you will be glad you left on Christmas Day.

I'd go to the parks early! Do MK's EE on Sunday and Thursday, then head to another park after lunch, if not sooner. Enjoy MGM and Epcot on the last few days of your trip when MK will be a mad house.

We love the Dolphin! If your family won't get up early, you could take everyone's tickets, stroll over to Epcot or MGM right at opening, get some fast passes, stop at Starring Rolls or the French bakery for some breakfast, and be back in the room before they get up. When we were at the Swan last month, we did MK's EE but for all the other parks we went the day after they had EE. The crowds weren't bad at all.

 

[FINFAN]

Thanks swilphil...anyone else?

 

[ugadog99]

I vote for the 20-28. I wouldn't want to travel on Christmas Day. There is just something so magical about spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at WDW. We aren't planning on being in a park on Christmas Day, but just being at the World is special on that day. Either way you will have a great time. We will arrive on the 16th and leave on the 27th.

 

[WDSearcher]

The week between Christmas and New Year's is the most crowded week of the year. If you want the less-crowded option, go with door #1. The parks will be fully decorated, all the holiday shows will be in full force, and you can be out before the massive onslaught of crowds begins on Christmas Day!

And I actually like traveling on Christmas, as everyone is so NICE!

 

[FINFAN]

Thanks for the replies, just stressing out over the actual amount of time we will have for the parks...6 1/2 days, and from what I am reading/hearing...w/the holiday crowds it is too short of a trip to really do much other than enjoy decorations etc., maybe a few rides but not to count on much. We are not that big into the parades, so maybe we will luck out during those times, but not if FP are already sold out for the day. One of the plusses about the later dates is the fact that the parks are open 'till 1 a.m., and we are night-owls. Not sure if that makes up for the larger crowds tho. This is SO hard!