How bad will crowds be December 12th-16th?

[PrincessWhite]

My family has always traveled to Disney World during the summer months. This year we will be going in December and I was wondering what to expect crowd wise? Will the crowds be better, worse, or about the same during the time frame we are traveling?

 

[Robo]

My family has always traveled to Disney World during the summer months. This year we will be going in December and I was wondering what to expect crowd wise? Will the crowds be better, worse, or about the same during the time frame we are traveling?

Estimates for December 12th-16th would be:

Somewhat higher than "average" summer crowds.

LOWER crowds the week PREVIOUS to your dates.
HIGHER crowds the week AFTER your dates.
MUCH HIGHER crowds two weeks AFTER your dates.

 

[siskaren]

http://www.easywdw.com/category/calendar/12-december-2014-crowd-calendar/

 

[pmaurer74]

we went that week last year and will again this year and had low crowds. It was great. The crowds were much higher the previous two weeks. I am a little concerned this year because of lack of flight options but I still think it is a good week to go.

 

[MikeP22]

Last time we went around that time (arrived 12/14) was on our honeymoon in 2003, and the crowds were pretty much the mildest I've ever seen, up until about the Friday or Saturday.
We went for the first week and a half of September (which is supposed to be better crowds-wise from what I understand, correct me if I'm wrong) in 2010 but crowds were way worse.

 

[dzneelvr]

We did the summer to Christmas switch a few years ago as well and have gone anywhere from Dec. 5 - 23. Being used to summer crowds, you won't have any trouble adapting to the throngs at this time of year. Here are some tips that make the best use of time: make all ADRs at 180 day. you will not be able to walk into TS. Utilize packages when possible to combine a meal with an event. I'd recommend the WISHES dessert party, the Candlelight Processional, and Fantasmic package. Plan on more time in EPCOT than a normal trip, as their holiday celebrations are very unique and you'll spend more time at each country. Use the extra magic hours if you are staying at a Disney resort. and finally, make some dining plans at the deluxe resorts or at the very least, schedule in time to do a monorail field trip to see the decorations at every deluxe including the Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge (those by bus). Ask a CM for the entertainment schedule--we've listened to carolers at Wilderness and an orchestra at the Grand Floridian--and hang around to enjoy. with temps in the 70-80 range we truly have the best of both worlds

 

[bizziemom]

My family has always traveled to Disney World during the summer months. This year we will be going in December and I was wondering what to expect crowd wise? Will the crowds be better, worse, or about the same during the time frame we are traveling?

We were there Dec. 9-16 2012. I found the crowds to be low/reasonable, despite not following touringplans or easyWDW recommendations for our MK days. We always went in the summer when I was a kid and December is my new favorite time to visit! The weather is very mild, and the crowds before Christmas are definitely lower than in the summer, imo.

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

That is generally the period I go (though this year due to health issues I am going in July). Normally it is quiet (Disney standards) that time.

 

[serene56]

We were there Dec. 9-16 2012. I found the crowds to be low/reasonable, despite not following touringplans or easyWDW recommendations for our MK days. We always went in the summer when I was a kid and December is my new favorite time to visit! The weather is very mild, and the crowds before Christmas are definitely lower than in the summer, imo.

we went the same week last year. The weather was warm all days but Wednesday and it was very cool. (long pants weather)
it was the only day that was cool.
shorts tee shirts no jacket during the day

(but the same week the year before was VERY COLD. Cousin was there and froze himself..lol was not prepared.

I thought the crowds were very light-- compared to reading reports of the week before when people said it was crowded.

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

Weather in December can be all over the place. 2011 I remember it was warmer than usual, low 80's each day for the week I was there. That made up for the year before in December as one day it reached 70 but other than that it was 50's and 60's which means at sunrise, temperatures were hovering around the freezing mark. I remember that year I was the only one on Splash Mountain.

 

[Disneylover99]

Last year we were at DW Dec. 13-16. I found the crowd levels to be average.

 

[ktlm]

We've been that week and it was the lowest crowds we have ever experienced at WDW. It was my absolute favorite ever week to go. The POP warner kids are leaving and the Christmas rush hasn't hit yet. We have been the week after Thanksgiving multiple times and it is a more crowded week than the week you are looking at (plus we have to deal with the parade taping). The only reason we do the earlier week instead is my DD usually has programs, performances, and activities that later week in December.

 

[wareagle57]

Estimates for December 12th-16th would be:

Somewhat higher than "average" summer crowds.

LOWER crowds the week PREVIOUS to your dates.
HIGHER crowds the week AFTER your dates.
MUCH HIGHER crowds two weeks AFTER your dates.

The "average" summer crowd is an 8. None of the crowd prediction sites have that week anywhere near an 8. 4-6's on EWDW, and even lower on Touring Plans.

This is when I went two years ago and plan to go this year. I don't remember waiting for anything more than 10-20 minutes and we had virtually no plan. I really hope you are wrong about your projection.

 

[PrincessWhite]

Thank you all for the helpful advice! We are staying at the Grand Floridian and already have all of our dining book, so now just waiting to make fast pass plus!

 

[ktlm]

Thank you all for the helpful advice! We are staying at the Grand Floridian and already have all of our dining book, so now just waiting to make fast pass plus!

You will LOVE the GF during the Christmas season. It is beautiful! I love being in the lobby in the evenings and hearing the live band play Christmas songs. Also, photopass has a formal photo shoot set up by the Christmas tree to take Christmas portraits. (The first year we were there, I didn't even realize that it was regular photopass that anyone could do, not paid sessions). Our Christmas portraits came out great there. We didn't dress up, but I have seen families totally dressed up getting their picture taken, and I've also seen families come from their rooms in their pajamas to get Christmas pictures taken in front of the tree.

 

[PrincessWhite]

Oh wow I didn't know that! We will definitely have to do that while we are there!

 

[cubuffalo36]

Sounds like a good week to be there! We will be there the 14th -22nd, attending MVMCP on the 16th!

 

[disneyerin]

We were there December 16th through the 21st 2013. The crowds were surprisingly low. I think it's hard to predict, it seems every December is a bit different. It used to be that the first two weeks were guaranteed to be super low crowds, but it's not that way anymore (see posts from last December).

Either way, IMOP it's the best time to go!

 

[Allison]

The "average" summer crowd is an 8. None of the crowd prediction sites have that week anywhere near an 8. 4-6's on EWDW, and even lower on Touring Plans.

This is when I went two years ago and plan to go this year. I don't remember waiting for anything more than 10-20 minutes and we had virtually no plan. I really hope you are wrong about your projection.

I agree that it will not be close to summer crowd levels.

 

[mom2rtk]

Don't go to the MK on a non-party day and you will experience low crowds. Go to the MK on non-party days and you will experience high crowds. And above all, avoid MK on that Saturday.

Since some schools will start dismissing for the year that Friday, expect crowds to get crazy on the 20th. Doesn't mean the days before that will be dead, but probably not bad.