Here now...

[FastPasser.]

I have been to WDW 25+ times and I have never ever seen a fist fight.

It's the tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, thing. My number is much, much higher than 25 and I have yet to see a fist fight as well, but I'm sure it's happened.

 

[KEW]

We were there Sun - Thurs and I agree the weather was perfect. We did FOP on Monday morning EMH, got to the park around 7:30 and were off the ride by somewhere between 8:30 and 8:45 so not a horrible wait for us.

I'm assuming it was an 8 a.m. EMH...so you got there only 30 minutes prior. Good to know. Hope this trend stays (reasonable wait)...especially for next week when EMH is 7 a.m.

 

[MamaBear12]

Any favorite “off the beaten path” things you would recommend doing at MK and EP during this busy time of year? Trying to have some ideas of things to check out that we haven’t done before that might be less busy...

 

[fbarker]

It's the tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, thing. My number is much, much higher than 25 and I have yet to see a fist fight as well, but I'm sure it's happened.

and you conveniently parsed my comments. My implication was it takes two for a fight and it would be hard for me to believe " bumped someone who went on an expletive explosion" I am sure there was an assertive response which lead to the "fight"

 

[fbarker]

It's the tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, thing. My number is much, much higher than 25 and I have yet to see a fist fight as well, but I'm sure it's happened.

and you conveniently parsed my comments. My implication was it takes two for a fight and it would be hard for me to be believe that the fight started because the individual

 

[shanew21]

Not my experience this past week. At all. I was honestly shocked. Maybe just bad luck.

We were able to ride Flight of Passage 3 times yesterday using that method. One was a pre-booked fast pass but we got two other same day passes later in the day around 4. We actually found the third while we were in line (the pre show is just atrocious) for the second.

 

[mom22boys]

We were able to ride Flight of Passage 3 times yesterday using that method. One was a pre-booked fast pass but we got two other same day passes later in the day around 4. We actually found the third while we were in line (the pre show is just atrocious) for the second.

I am really hoping that luck continues!

 

[FastPasser.]

and you conveniently parsed my comments.

Never let it be said that I conveniently parsed comments. Let's try that again.

Wow amazing!! I have been to WDW 25+ times and I have never ever seen a fist fight. I can only assume it was the cause of two people looking for a confrontation

It's the tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, thing. My number is much, much higher than 25 and I have yet to see a fist fight as well, but I'm sure it's happened.

 

[Gehrig1B]

We have been New Years' Eve last few years and have never experienced anything remotely unsafe. Will be interested to see what it is like this year. Crowds always manageable and we enjoy ourselves. Really can't wait to see if the sky really is falling!

 

[Klayfish]

Oh, yes it was a lot of the time. We just got back and have no plans to go in Dec. again. The last time we went it was not near as crowded. This is the first trip ever that Dh & I had to seriously adjust our expectations of what we could do. Trust me, we go regularly, and this is 'no' exaggeration meant to scare anyone. All are welcome to it!!! LOL

We've always said we'd never go at any of the major holiday times, but thought we were 'safe' that early as we've gone before. Times - they have changed!!

As for watching HEA from the HUB - that's the 'only' way that we'll watch, especially with the projections on the castle. Yes, the crowds are heavy, but I do not feel unsafe as others mentioned. We wait until the next show (Storytime) - 30 min. (?) and it is just as good as the HEA.

I hear ya...I wouldn't say you're wrong in that it's very crowded, but all I'm saying is that I don't want people getting the impression that all the parks in all spots are wall to wall people and that it's unsafe. We're here now, and sure, it's very busy. You're totally right, you have to adjust expectations. I also agree that I've never felt unsafe anywhere. We just finished our third day in the parks and have gotten a decent amount done. Not as much as we would in summer, but we don't expect to. We just want to have fun and enjoy time as a family, which we're doing.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I’d never ever go during Christmas time, but for those who do you are saints. Don’t let anyone / anything ruin your vacation!

 

[North of Mouse]

I hear ya...I wouldn't say you're wrong in that it's very crowded, but all I'm saying is that I don't want people getting the impression that all the parks in all spots are wall to wall people and that it's unsafe. We're here now, and sure, it's very busy. You're totally right, you have to adjust expectations. I also agree that I've never felt unsafe anywhere. We just finished our third day in the parks and have gotten a decent amount done. Not as much as we would in summer, but we don't expect to. We just want to have fun and enjoy time as a family, which we're doing.

I never said I felt unsafe - must have been another poster. I specifically said I did not feel unsafe even watching HEA from the Hub, and yes, as usual, that was very crowded, but nearly always is at that spot. That is the only place we will watch the fireworks, as that is where you can get the full effect - projections on castle as well as the placement of the fireworks.

Everyone else is welcome to go - we just do not enjoy the wall to wall people when we have opportunity to go other times. Was not near as bad the last time we went early Dec. but it has been a few years. Yes, there was some areas not as crowded, but not where we wanted to go!!
Zig zagging and shuffling our way around is just not enjoyable to us - we'd rather be home.

 

[bizeemom4]

Not my experience this past week. At all. I was honestly shocked. Maybe just bad luck.

I got s FOP FP this morning by refreshing about 30 minutes. Patience wins this battle as does searching for parties of just 1. I think the parks are busy (of course) but it’s definitely fine with an early start and FPS.

 

[shanew21]

I got s FOP FP this morning by refreshing about 30 minutes. Patience wins this battle as does searching for parties of just 1. I think the parks are busy (of course) but it’s definitely fine with an early start and FPS.

Yep, we got two this way. Early fastpass and refreshing is the way to go.

 

[Eastern]

... Looks like our next trip will be a summer one.. surely the parks aren't as crowded in late July/early Aug as they are in Late Dec... ?

I've gotten some good prices on BWI and POFQ the last two July/August times periods.

 

[WEDWDW]

honestly, the best way to deal with HEA crowds is NOT to try to leave or go anywhere else right after HEA. We were fortunate to have a reserved viewing area in the hub because of the the plaza dessert party a week ago on a non-party day at MK, and the crowds were packed in tight in every available space. When HEA is over, most of them will opt to leave the park. We just stayed in our reserved area until the tidal wave of people was reduced to a slower trickle, and then we ventured out. If you aren't in a reserved viewing area like that, try to watch HEA from a spot that you could stay in while the crowds leave - near a building or something like that - and just let them go, rather than fight through it.

The Plaza Dessert Party is the only way we will view HEA for the foreseeable future-makes it SUCH a pleasant experience compared to not doing it.

When we are escorted from the Terrace to the Plaza we feel like we are going through a War Zone and being taken into a DMZ!!!!lol

 

[Klayfish]

I never said I felt unsafe - must have been another poster. I specifically said I did not feel unsafe even watching HEA from the Hub,

Yes, I know...I was agreeing with you.

 

[Sparkly]

We were there last week, and hearing your report, I am so thankful. The first few days were COLD - like 50 degrees that felt like 40. Winter parka weather, but better that than crazy crowds you are describing.

Good thing you have MVMCP tickets. We did not and were disappointed in how non-Christmasy everything was. Just a little bit of non-eventful Christmas stuff around. Then one night, a wonderful CM at the Crystal Palace gave us some bracelets that allowed us to shop in the MK till 8pm on a party night after our discovery during that dinner that we had 82 snack credits to spend and the park was about closing, and the next day was our last one! Because of that, we accidently got to see the park during the party, and we realized Disney saved almost everything Christmas for the party. We had no idea how all those decorations instantly appeared without us even noticing, but the difference in the look and atmosphere of the park was night and day. It was astonishing almost. Standing on main street with the snow falling, the carols playing, the huge holly wreaths, the lights, the CMs dressed in Christmas attire, the characters in winter scarves really was one of the highlites of our trip. It was a wonderfully serendipitous moment all thanks to our crazy snack credit snafu! We all just stood there in amazement and pure joy, taking it all in for a good 20 minutes. It was bliss, and everything we hoped for in a Disney World at Christmas trip.

I felt so sorry for the people who go during Christmas and don't get party tickets because the trip alone breaks the bank. (It would have been almost another $1000 for our group to attend the party). Non-party goers don't really get to experience a real WDW at Christmas, and they don't even realize they are missing out!

Really? We went to WDW in November 2015, and I definitely remember decorations in all the parks outside of the xmas party. I loved seeing MK all lit up and indeed decorated, including a nice big tree and even DHS's decorations at night time.

 

[Dakota731]

My dream was to do Christmas and now that I've done it, never again.

Rudeness level was off the charts, IMO, and I'vebeen before at very busy times.

Wow we just got back after a week, and our group of seven all made the comment that people are so much nicer at Christmas time than in the summer when they are hot and sweaty. We only saw one rude man in seven days and thought everyone was super friendly and in a great mood. I sometimes wonder how you can have two totally different experiences at the same time at the same place!

 

[Sepo]

We too had a mostly good experience last week. A lot of kindness.

There was the one incident though...

A crazy rude frankly psychotic scooter wielder during the Christmas party tested my humanity, but I put that in the category of fluke. I think she’d modified her wheelz to not-street-legal-anywhere, bowled through the Star Traders at light speed with her free slushie- “Git out the waay” was her battlecry. I all but dove into the Porg display. If she’d have struck my kid I would’ve been on the news.