How are the crowds NOW!

[rkmassa]

Tried to talk my DH into Dec. 16-23 for next year, but it isn't working. We always do take advantage of EE and get there at opening time for regular days. Maybe this will work for us next year. Is it staying crowded into the evening and night?

Does it thin out at all after the 1st? Trying to decide if it is worth it to even go. Staying at the Poly at the most expensive time of all, but maybe we should just go and enjoy the parks in the morning and the resort in the afternoon and evening. Keep the reports coming!!!

We just returned from our trip the 17th to 27th. We found the crowds pretty light for the early days. MK had lines of less than 20 minutes for almost everything with the exception of Peter Pan--what's with that? Anyway, the crowds started to show up on the 24th. Might have been how the Holiday fell this year on a weekend. We have been at the same time 2 years ago with Christmas not on a weekend. Made the 24th light crowds. We did one thing that I would highly recommend to anyone at any time of the year, but especially Christmas time--subscribe to TourGuide Mike. I can't tell you how much time he saved us. He knew exactly which park to be at for each day of our trip. We found his information extremely accurate and well worth the money spent. For example, on days he said be at Disney MGM we saw lines of less than 10 minutes on RnRRC and ToT. Amazed even my DH who was very skeptical when I subscribed to TGM. We won't take another trip without a subscription to his site. We did get to the parks when they opened--actually 15 minutes before. We took advantage of EMH for a late night at the MK. Most rides were walk ons with the exception again of Peter Pan. The only ride that we needed a FP for. We stayed out of the parks on the 25th to 27th. Just relaxed at the resort for a few days before our return home. I would highly recommend the days before Christmas, but never after the 25th, unless you just hang out those days and enjoy the resorts and other recreational activities like boating, bike riding, etc.

Also with a check in date of the 16th, you should get the value rate for your entire stay. We checked in on the 17th and got value rate for our stay.

 

[cesarcabrera]

Samsma - I usually travel up to Orlando on Christmas, and this is what we do... We spend the week leading to New Years eve doing most of out "out of the parks" things... We also visit Universal, Sea World and IOA during these days, cause we buy the 14 days/5 park tickets for those... We may also visit one Disney park, but if we do, here is what we do:

1. If we are on a Disney resort, we take advantage of the early magic hours. You will notice that the evening magic hours are not as great, since the parks seem to remain quite crowded. You will also be tired enough to want to go home..

2. If we are off Disney resort, we then avoid visiting the park where they have the early magic hours... So we go to any other park, right at the opening, and visit the rides we really want to do first. Then we go to the other things...

Once you hit January 2, the lines start to go down, as people start flying back... I remember last year (since we stayed until the 8th), we really took advantage of the last 6 days, cause there were no crowds...

Cesar

 

[GillieRose]

We also may try to go next Dec. the 16th- 23rd. My daughter will have to miss 2 days of school but they really don't do anything the last days before break anyways.

 

[Samsma]

GillieRose- I was thinking the same thing, and it would give them all Christmas break to make up work.

 

[ctrabada]

Crowded, crowded, crowded!

Today, we went to Animal Kingdom and it was packed. Wall to wall people...

 

[Samsma]

Bumping up! Would really like a day by day until Jan 4! Thank you!