Help !!!

[wazowskiLOVER:)]

We are thinking about taking a trip the first weekend of January. When we went last year it was perfect because the longest we had to wait in line for a ride was 30 minutes and all the decorations were still up.

With that being said, I'm a little worried about the crowds because it is so close to New Years (2nd - 4th). Do you think it is a bad idea crowd-wise?

 

[Sherry E]

We are thinking about taking a trip the first weekend of January. When we went last year it was perfect because the longest we had to wait in line for a ride was 30 minutes and all the decorations were still up.

With that being said, I'm a little worried about the crowds because it is so close to New Years (2nd - 4th). Do you think it is a bad idea crowd-wise?

There has been some debate on that very issue in other threads here. In my mind, when I hear the words "after New Year's," I automatically assume it equals lighter crowds. Logically, many people have to head home right after the New Year to get back to school and work, because they only have time off up until New Year's Day. So my guess is that, yes, the crowds will have thinned out substantially. However, others have said in different threads that there are lots of kids out of school until the end of that first week in January, so it will be jam-packed until then, basically after the decorations have been taken down! I think that the crowds will thin out a lot, though, because even if many kids are still out of school, their parents who take them to DLR have to get back to work!

Also, I still wonder if the December/early January part of the holiday season is going to be as busy this year as it has been in other years. I tend to think that the massive October crowds this year were fueled by the off-peak lower rates, and that the horrible economy will keep some folks away during the much more expensive Christmas merriment at DLR. Just something to ponder....

 

[wazowskiLOVER:)]

There has been some debate on that very issue in other threads here. In my mind, when I hear the words "after New Year's," I automatically assume it equals lighter crowds. Logically, many people have to head home right after the New Year to get back to school and work, because they only have time off up until New Year's Day. So my guess is that, yes, the crowds will have thinned out substantially. However, others have said in different threads that there are still lots of kids out of school until the end of that first week in January, so it will be jam-packed until then, basically after the decorations have been taken down! I stil think that the crowds will thin out a lot, though, because even if many kids are still out of school, their parents who take them to DLR still have to get back to work!

Also, I still wonder if the December/early January part of the holiday season is going to be as busy this year as it has been in other years. I tend to think that the massive October crowds this year were fueled by the off-peak lower rates, and that the horrible economy will keep some folks away during the much more expensive Christmas merriment at DLR. Just something to ponder....

You have some really great points Sherry. I'm hoping for the sake of me not wanting to be around crazy crowds (because we dealt with that a couple of weeks ago) that people will head back to work by that weekend. what worries me though, is the fact that it will be weekend. Who knows though !!

I do want to see the holiday decor before they start taking it down so I don't want to wait to go until the following weekend because there will be less people. The main reason for that, is I'm planning on taking another cousin who said that he's lost the disney magic. I was sad for him when I heard this because my WHOLE family has been Disney oriented with us since we were kids (and when I say we, the cousins total are around 11). I want him to feel like we did when we were little.

 

[evilprncess96]

If your cousin is loosing the magic, I would definatly go! I am betting that the crowds will be larger than last year, however, Sunday will probably settle back down because of school starting the day after a break.

 

[Sherry E]

You have some really great points Sherry. I'm hoping for the sake of me not wanting to be around crazy crowds (because we dealt with that a couple of weeks ago) that people will head back to work by that weekend. what worries me though, is the fact that it will be weekend. Who knows though !!

I do want to see the holiday decor before they start taking it down so I don't want to wait to go until the following weekend because there will be less people. The main reason for that, is I'm planning on taking another cousin who said that he's lost the disney magic. I was sad for him when I heard this because my WHOLE family has been Disney oriented with us since we were kids (and when I say we, the cousins total are around 11). I want him to feel like we did when we were little.

If your cousin has lost the magic, I think Christmas-ish time at DLR is definitely the right time to get the magic back!

You are right - because New Year's Day IS on a stupid Thursday, that means that, inevitably, a lot of folks/parents who would normally be forced back to work the day after New Year's will probably NOT have to go into their offices on January 2 because it is a Friday, and may then hang around DLR at least through Saturday. I had forgotten what days we were talking about. For some reason, I was thinking that the holiday was early in the week like it was last year, but 2008 is a leap year so MAY mess up my theory of everyone heading back to the office the next day. In fact, I don't know how I blanked out on that because I was just discussing with my friends the prospect of going back to DLR on December 26 - 29 (not my first choice because of the terrible crowds, but that was the one weekend that people seem to be available), and my friend was saying she didn't think she would be able to take the day off work on the 26th. I reminded her that many offices won't even be open on the 26th because it is sandwiched right between Christmas and the weekend! So I guess the same would apply for the Friday after New Year's too!?!

Anyway, as the PP said, it COULD be crazy busy this holiday season - maybe worse than before - but I still have a hunch that the economy is going to keep a lot of folks away who may have already visited DLR in October. Still, even if it is slightly less crazy than last year, crowds are crowds and you don't want to get stuck in horrible ones!

 

[wazowskiLOVER:)]

If your cousin has lost the magic, I think Christmas-ish time at DLR is definitely the right time to get the magic back!

You are right - because New Year's Day IS on a stupid Thursday, that means that, inevitably, a lot of folks/parents who would normally be forced back to work the day after New Year's will probably NOT have to go into their offices on January 2 because it is a Friday, and may then hang around DLR at least through Saturday. I had forgotten what days we were talking about. For some reason, I was thinking that the holiday was early in the week like it was last year, but 2008 is a leap year so MAY mess up my theory of everyone heading back to the office the next day. In fact, I don't know how I blanked out on that because I was just discussing with my friends the prospect of going back to DLR on December 26 - 29 (not my first choice because of the terrible crowds, but that was the one weekend that people seem to be available), and my friend was saying she didn't think she would be able to take the day off work on the 26th. I reminded her that many offices won't even be open on the 26th because it is sandwiched right between Christmas and the weekend! So I guess the same would apply for the Friday after New Year's too!?!

Anyway, as the PP said, it COULD be crazy busy this holiday season - maybe worse than before - but I still have a hunch that the economy is going to keep a lot of folks away who may have already visited DLR in October. Still, even if it is slightly less crazy than last year, crowds are crowds and you don't want to get stuck in horrible ones!

What do you think about us going from Sunday the 4th - Tuesday the 6th ? I know we'll DEFINITELY have less crowds, but do you think that the decorations will be down ?

 

[pixiewings71]

JAZZ!!! OMG, I'm planning a surprise trip for my sweetie that same weekend!!!! I really want to go on the 2nd and be there thru his b-day, which is the 7th...OMG, if we are both there we HAVE to say hi!!!! How funny would that be!! BTW, we have pics from Saturday but my friend hasn't had time to get them off her camera yet.

Last year we went the first weekend, the crowds were nil because it was pouring rain. Of course the following week I was sick w/pnuemonia because I was out in the rain so this year I'm taking my DL poncho and using it! LOL

 

[Sherry E]

What do you think about us going from Sunday the 4th - Tuesday the 6th ? I know we'll DEFINITELY have less crowds, but do you think that the decorations will be down ?

Hmmmm.....It seems to me that the holiday stuff was taken down on the 6th of January this year, and supposedly it is coming down on the 4th in 2009. So the 4th may be the very last day to see the HMH and IASWH and the rest of the holiday stuff. Some things - like the Carolers - are in danger of leaving the day after Christmas. They don't even hang around until New Year's! That is another reason I didn't want to go on the 26th-29th, in addition to the hideous crowds. I didn't want to miss the carolers singing in the GCH lobby and Santa and all that holiday cheer and splendor. The last CM I asked in Guest Services said that they will not know the carolers' schedule until the second week in November, but there is a small chance they will still sing on the 26th, though Santa is hittin' the road back to the North Pole.

But as far as crowds, I STILL want to believe that many people will be gone from DLR by the 4th because they will be traveling home to get back and rested for work for the next day...especially in these tough times, when everyone NEEDS to work and NEEDS the money badly! Thay can't just hang out at DLR non-stop, can they? They have to leave sooner or later!

 

[Lights_Out]

I know that most (if not all) students in Southern California go back to school the 5th of Janurary...

Maybe you can go 4~6 because the website says

Enjoy the Holidays at the Disneyland® Resort from November 21, 2008, to January 4, 2009.

So you could enjoy the holiday decorations on the 4th and enjoy the less/no crowds on the 5th and 6th

 

[pixiewings71]

I was checking the schedule yesterday and HMH and IASW are both on the down schedule for the 5th. That's why I'm thinking of heading down on the 2nd and being there the 3rd & 4th. I really want to see HMH if I can swing it.

 

[wazowskiLOVER:)]

I was checking the schedule yesterday and HMH and IASW are both on the down schedule for the 5th. That's why I'm thinking of heading down on the 2nd and being there the 3rd & 4th. I really want to see HMH if I can swing it.

MEEE TOOO. Hrm... I'll have to talk it over with the FAM and see what they think I hope we do go around the same time so we can see you!!

 

[pixiewings71]

Let me know!! I'm all excited now!! More than I was before.

 

[prncesaurora21]

i don't really have anything insightful to add other than i will be there the 3-6 as well and am also hoping the crowds will have thinned a bit. my sister has never been during the holidays so this trip is my Christmas gift to her perhaps i will see you there...i am planning on having some kind of LGMH by then...happy planning!

 

[fairycat]

I will say usually the last Day of decorations shows the end of the major crowds. Disney usually pushes the dates as long as they can to deal with crowds and if it was going to be crazy busy they would push back closing the two rides.

But this is all theory as the crowds at NYE seem to only get crazier and crazier every year! And comparing year to year is harder and harder!

 

[disney-inspired]

I think those certain dates are a bad choice. I went January 2nd before and it is a MADHOUSE.

 

[wazowskiLOVER:)]

Do you think it will be better to do Saturday - Monday ?

I know for sure I NEED to be there before they take down the decor for my cousin. He is in DESPERATE need of spirit. Any thoughts?

 

[disney-inspired]

Do you think it will be better to do Saturday - Monday ?

I know for sure I NEED to be there before they take down the decor for my cousin. He is in DESPERATE need of spirit. Any thoughts?

There's no possible way of going in December?

 

[wazowskiLOVER:)]

There's no possible way of going in December?

No

It is a bit too soon for him to gather enough money and my fiancee can't get the day off by then. It all kind of works out for us in January because of winter break and money constraints.

 

[Krissy Marissy]

No

It is a bit too soon for him to gather enough money and my fiancee can't get the day off by then. It all kind of works out for us in January because of winter break and money constraints.

I think you guys will be fine! Crowds were pretty intense on your last trip and you all had a great time right?? Plus this time there will be christmas decorations! Does it get much better? Family, christmas decorations and DL?? I think not! Also I would guess that people will leave saturday or sunday morning back to their reality for hopefully monday would be slow for you. If I were in your shoes I would stll go. But I am also of the opinion that DL at a busy time is better than no DL at all

 

[Sherry E]

I agree with Krissy! I think as long as you expect lots of people, then you will be okay with some planning and realistic expectations about what you will have time for and not have time for, and what the most important things to see and do are. It's when we DON'T expect there to be huge crowds that it seems so daunting to find them at DLR (like in October). But everyone pretty much knows that the holiday season attracts lots of people. I still think you will benefit from many of those people going back home to reality, as Krissy said. Not everyone can stay to the end of that weekend. Many folks have to fly back home and get back to life before Sunday. And that will come in handy for you. And I truly THINK some folks will stay home because it is just too expensive to do a DLR trip in these tough financial times this year. Plus, if there is even a chance of rain at all -which there often is between Christmas and New Year's and right after New Year's Day - that will scare many people away! So I say, just tell yourself there will be big crowds so you brace yourself for it, and then you won't be shocked. If anything, you might be delighted to find that it is not any worse than October was!