Going the week after Christmas?

[TeacherDL]

We have gone many times to Disney, but it has always been around spring break or June. We are considering going the week after Christmas this year. I know that's an extremely busy time to go, but how is it in comparison to Spring Break and June? Also, how early should I book rooms? We usually stay Deluxe and we prefer the Beach Club if possible.

 

[NJ Goofy]

It is absolutely, without question, the busiest week of the year. If you want to go, I would book ASAP. If you can't get in BC, try YC or BWI, they are much larger resorts. As long as you go in knowing it's going to be crowded and you may not get on every attraction, you'll still have a great time.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Busier than spring break. Think of.it this way: schools have different break weeks in spring, which spreads crowd a bit. That week is a break for everyone.

 

[izzylovesmickey]

We've done it twice and would do it again. BC is our favored resort also and it makes it really nice to go between HS & Epcot especially when the crowds are large. Just pack your patience and be prepared to change plans on the fly if you need a break from the crowds and you will have a great time!

 

[DisBuckMan]

Busiest week of the year, hands down.

Different people will have different opinions.

Disney would have to pay us to go that week.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

Surprisingly, we felt that the week after was/was going to be busier than Xmas.

We were checking out on 1/1. We couldn't believe how packed the lobby was. We did EPCOT that day and it felt pretty crowded—obviously far less crowded than the night before.

We stayed Beach Club. It was a little busy when we checked in 12/24, but the lobby was empty most days. 1/1 it was packed with people checking in. I can't recommend BC enough. It's more expensive, but it's our go-to now. You can't beat its close proximity to the parks when it's crowded.

 

[Lynne M]

In terms of crowds, it's a whole other realm than Spring Break or June. Those are just "busy." Christmas week is "the busiest." So crowded that parks sometimes hit capacity and close by mid-morning.

I usually tell people that it's a good week to go if you're mostly going for atmosphere - to enjoy the decorations and special entertainment in the parks, visit the resorts and see them done up for Christmas, etc. If you're looking for a typical theme-park experience like you'd have at other times of the year, riding all the rides and eating in the parks...it's probably the worst week of the year to go.

 

[Marthasor]

I agree with Lynne M. It's a great week to go if you want to soak up general atmosphere, enjoy the resort and do some off-the-beaten path types of things. We've done both Dec. 25 - Dec. 30 and Dec. 16 - Dec. 21 and the difference in crowds in just those few days was unbelievable. If we ever went during Christmas week, again (and I don't think we will), I wouldn't even set foot in MK. It was INSANE wall-to-wall people. I took DS to get his face painted in Tomorrowland at one point because it was literally the only spot that wasn't crowded. We could barely move to exit the park. If you do go, yes, stay at an EP resort. Being able to walk to two parks was the saving grace of the trip. The buses and boats were unbelievably crowded and the BWI bus (where we were staying) was re-routed from its normal route because there was so much traffic. It took twice as long to get to MK than it normally does.

 

[izzylovesmickey]

In terms of crowds, it's a whole other realm than Spring Break or June. Those are just "busy." Christmas week is "the busiest." So crowded that parks sometimes hit capacity and close by mid-morning.

I usually tell people that it's a good week to go if you're mostly going for atmosphere - to enjoy the decorations and special entertainment in the parks, visit the resorts and see them done up for Christmas, etc. If you're looking for a typical theme-park experience like you'd have at other times of the year, riding all the rides and eating in the parks...it's probably the worst week of the year to go.

I especially agree with the last part. The first year we went we did all the things we hadn't had the time to do on our previous trip. We did Thomas Sawyer island, rode People Mover (which had been down when we had been over the summer and is currently a multiple must do), Enchanted Tiki room, etc because the lines for everything else were so long. But, it did make for a great trip that we still laugh about because we did do those rides/shows we normally don't take the time to do. We took the time to resort hop and take in the decorations in the parks and at the resorts. If we had wanted a heavy ride oriented trip we would have been disappointed. We stayed at CSR for the first time and found a moderate that we would like to stay at again. People watching is awesome that time of year and many of the other guests are in a great frame of mind so it can have a nice vibe. If you go, have fun!

 

[kandb]

I know people say go and just realize you are not going to be able to ride much but take in the parks and resort hop, which is fine but when I am paying almost $2K for a week for park tickets for my family of 5, resort hoping and walking around extremely crowded parks would be such a waste of money to me.

 

[marchingstar]

My first trip we flew out my hometown on Dec 25th at 11:30PM, arrived in the morning of the 26th and went back home on January 5th. It was busy. Like, parks hitting capacity before noon kind of busy. Lines for everything. But it was also magical. I remember the weather being great. Some days I wore a light sweater, most days I wore capris or pants, but overall it was very comfortable. Rain a couple afternoons, but the storms just helped clear out the park.Like others have said, the decorations are beautiful and there's tons of atmosphere to take in. I think if you've been often in the spring you've probably done lots of the e-ticket attractions. This trip could be a chance to try new things you don't usually make time for and holiday-specific events that you miss if you aren't there during the holidays. You can still do the e-ticket stuff, just make sure to prioritize them in the early and late hours. If you're there for New Years, make sure to rope drop the morning of Jan 1st--we have the greatest picture of the two of us alone in a Jurassic Park vehicle, and we basically had the park to ourselves until around noon.

General tips: Take advantage of FP+, and book resort and dining reservations as soon as possible. Also remember that everything is priced to match the crowd level--it isn't just the busiest time of year but the most expensive. Your resort and meals will without question cost more than you're used to. It'll be different than you're used to, but different =/= bad.

 

[hakepb]

I know people say go and just realize you are not going to be able to ride much but take in the parks and resort hop, which is fine but when I am paying almost $2K for a week for park tickets for my family of 5, resort hoping and walking around extremely crowded parks would be such a waste of money to me.

For our 2 times, it's been a big part of everyone's Christmas gift...and everyone seems to prefer exepeiencing Disney as a family vs staying home with more objects under the tree. (especially when getting gift ideas is harder than pulling teeth)

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I know people say go and just realize you are not going to be able to ride much but take in the parks and resort hop, which is fine but when I am paying almost $2K for a week for park tickets for my family of 5, resort hoping and walking around extremely crowded parks would be such a waste of money to me.

Yes, I agree with this. Add park ticket cost to the premium cost for hotels and it makes for a very expensive week to not really, optimally, experience the parks, IMHO. We did it once and never again. I would go any other week of the year over Christmas week.