Has anyone gone in December?

[materialgirl8558]

Hi, I'm planning a trip to Disney for Nov. 29th -Dec 6th 2002.
We have been to disney many times but have never gone at this time so i have a few questions. We will be staying at the Yaght Club (our favorite!!)

1. How is the weather? is it still relatively warm? I would like anywhere from 75-85.

2. The 29th is the day after thanksgiving, will the parks be very crowded that weekend or not too bad?

3. In general how are the crowds that time of year (early december)

4. Are the hotels decorated for Christmas?

THANKS.

 

[sandy3550]

I'm wondering alot of the same questions! (and a few more) I'm hoping to go from November 23 (Sat b/4 Tgiving) - December 2. I'm tying to patiently wait to see if there are A/P discounts for this time. Any idea when they will be released? & how much the discount could be? One other question, If I go ahead & book our vacation, how hard is it to cancel if we can't go? (I'm still trying to talk DH into it at this time, but I don't want to miss out on getting a room at ASMo). I know that CRO & the other reservation desks have different cancellation policies, which one is which? TIA for your help. Sandy

 

[Janet2k]

I did WDW just this last Christmas. It was lovely. For your time-frame, the hotels will be decorated, as will the theme parks. Here is the link to Historic Weather Patterns For Orlando. I hope you have a wonderful vacation.

 

[Eileen226]

We have gone twice in December and once in November. The two trips in December where immediately following the Thanksgiving Holiday. We left the Wednesday after Thanksgiving and stayed until Sunday. Both trips were great. Usually the weather was to cold to go swimming. At night we found jeans and a sweatshirt were the most comfortable. During the day swimming was appetizing, but not water parks. The crowds were very minimal, the decorations are gorgeous. Be sure to get tickets for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and go to The Candlelight Processional at Epcot. This is our favorite time to go!

 

[materialgirl8558]

Oh that sounds good but
what do you think the temperature was? like 75?

 

[Eileen226]

Just asked my husband about the weather. Definitely 75 but no higher than 79. Just bring a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt and then it will probably be really hot LOL!

 

[cdrn1]

I've gone the first week in December for the last four or five years. We have always had good weather and nearly non-existant crowds. I can only remember rain once or twice, and we always do a day at Blizzard Beach and only once was it too chilly to stay all day (but we did anyway!). By chilly I mean in the 60's. Most of the time it has been in the upper 70's-low 80's and lots of sunshine, and light jacket weather at night. Many of the attractions are walk-ons and the parks and resorts are decorated, and we get to see the Osbourne lights too. I love that time of year. Unfortunately, I took a new job this year and probably won't get to go this year unless I go in August, and it's KILLING me!!!

 

[bethie]

That is the best time of year. We went in 2000, the day after Thanksgiving for a week. We have been other times of the year, but swore that we would only go during that time from that point forward. I will tell you why. The weather, crowds, and decorations were fabulous. We attended MVMCP and loved it. It is warm enough for shorts during the day(and swimming), but you will need a jacket at night. We got every PS we wanted including Cindy's. I will tell you that we booked EVERYTHING through Dreams Unlimited and they were great. We walked onto rides. It was just so nice to take your time and really enjoy everything that Disney offers. Go and enjoy yourself. If all goes as planned I might just see you down there.

 

[Jeepers Lady]

My DH and I have been to WDW in December and find it really comfortable -- much more so than in Illinois (by a lot of degrees) -- always a jacket or sweatshirt just in case - - we had no problems with ressies -- and reallly enjoyed Mickey's VMCP -- snow on mainstreet is a riot -- try Wilderness Lodge for impressive decorating -- as well as the whole resort -- enjoy

 

[bethie]

Absolutely, thumbs up for the Wilderness Lodge! We stayed there and was spoiled.

 

[kel3420]

Our family goes every other year the first week of December. We were in Vero Last Thanksgiving and POLY the December before that. That December trip was our first really cold one. We had to wear sweatshirts and jackets at night, and ended up having to actually do laundry for the first time, heaven forbid, lol, since we ran out of our "warm" clothes. The air was cold, but the pool water was heated, so the kids still went swimming, but you should have heard the screams and yells when people got out of the pool and ran to their rooms It did warm up towards the end of our trip and we were able to spend a great day at Blizzard Beach.

Every other December before that, we have had great warm weather, this was really the first cold trip, but it did not hamper us or slow us down at all. The odds are good that it will be warm, but it is a gamble. You get less crowds for sure but the weather is a crap shoot. I agree with a previous poster that anything is better than Illinois weather at that time of year, lol.

We are going to Disney this Thanksgiving, and I have been researching the crowds and decorations. The concensus is that although "officially" the XMas decorations are not up until after Thanksgiving, most people who have stayed during Thanksgiving week report that either the decorations are already up or they do it during this week, and it is fun watching the progress every day when returning from the parks.

As for the crowds, everything I have read says that the crowds are minimal before Thanksgiving, but on Thanksgiving day and on the Friday after, beware, they are horrendous, especially at MK. We just changed out ressies and now have four nights at the new BCV's and four nights at Disney's Vero Beach, so we get the best of both worlds.

It is looking like Thanksgiving is a very popular time to head to Disney.

 

[Talky_Tina]

Lots of great information here.
We will be going the first week of December and it's nice to know we will probably be able to go to Blizzard Beach. It's a tradition.
Plus my other Blizzard Beach key chain broke and I need a new one.

 

[disneyfan551]

We just came back from WDW last week, and I'm now planning my next trip! I've never been in Dec. Do you think it would be better to go the week of/after Thanksgiving, or to go the week of/after Christmas???

ANY help is greatly appreciated!!

 

[bethie]

I would say the week after Thanksgiving. Everything that I have read says that the week of is one of the busiest of the year. We went the week after in 2000 and it was dead! We loved it! Plus, if you wait everything will be decorated!!!!!!

 

[MJames41]

Definately the week after. It is our favorite time to go. When we were there last, we walked on to almost every ride (except Test Track, and some of the rides at MK the 2nd Friday after Thanksgiving). When we were at MGM on the Wednesday after, the CM looked at me funny when I asked how long the wait was for Tower of Terror. He said "no wait at all - walk right on" and we did - right to the elevator. The weather can be a little cool, but it's (usually) a lot warmer than Chicago. We actually swam more in 2000 (November/December) than in 2001 (August). Enjoy!