How crazy is Thanksgiving and Christmas?

[Ella's Mom]

I'm just trying to figure out months we might visit. We've always gone in slow months - February, September. Tell me about Thanksgiving and Christmas. I know it's crazy, just how crazy.

 

[bbluvsdis]

We were there last year on Dec. 15-21 and it was not too bad at all. I think there is never a time when it is empty but we didn't have to wait too long for most things. I hear that the busiest week of the year is Christmas to New Years eve. We had a great time and the decorations are fabulous. Make sure to go to the hotels and see the decorations there and do the Very Merry Christmas Party at MK. Have fun!

 

[WDWjen]

We always have gone in slower times and we are thinking of maybe going over the xmas-nye week... will it be too crowded? I would love to rent DVC points and stay at a studio somewhere - does anyone think that is impossible? I've been there the first week in Dec and it was great, but DH and the kids have off for almost 2 weeks so it would be nice to take a last minute trip..

 

[hakepb]

I've stayed the week before Thanksgiving the last 2 years, and the closer it got to Thanksgiving, the more busy the parks got. As a low crowd lover, I thought it got too busy to be worth park admission after the Monday before Thanksgiving. But that is my opinion, some still love it.
In planning, I would certainly try to make the MVMCP, wonderfully magic time!

 

[hakepb]

We always have gone in slower times and we are thinking of maybe going over the xmas-nye week... will it be too crowded? I would love to rent DVC points and stay at a studio somewhere - does anyone think that is impossible? I've been there the first week in Dec and it was great, but DH and the kids have off for almost 2 weeks so it would be nice to take a last minute trip..

I believe Christmas day and NYE day have been historically huge attendance days at WDW. I believe the MK will close to admissions mid-day due to reaching capacity.

Renting points for '08 may be near impossible, unless you are lucky enough to find an owner that already has the reservation but cannot make it due to other personal reasons. '09 may require a premium rental from an owner that is willing to call first thing in the AM at the exact 11+7 day month booking opening window

 

[CraftyMouse]

After many years of vacationing in the off season, this year we will be spending New Year's week at WDW. Our DD16 is in college and we now have to work around her schedule or vacation without her. (We homeschool and have always been able to go at the quietest times of the year.)

While I know that is going to be crazybusy I also know that, with DVC, we are able to visit often and will be able to do so for many years. We're seeing this vacation as a more relaxed, less park-centered trip. We'll hang out at the resort, do the pool thing (temps permitting, that is) and visit all of the resorts to see the holiday decorations. We still plan on plenty of park-time, but we're going to try to go early in the day and later in the evening, avoiding the mid-day crowds.

I'll make sure to post crowd details when we return!

 

[ctrabada]

We used to go every Christmas, checking in on 12/25 for about 5 days. After 3-4 years, it just got too much for us. We went more for the ambiance than the parks, as we are Florida residents who visit often and have annual passes. The crowds are soooo bad that you can barely walk around the parks... I love the decorations and the holiday atmosphere, but I just didn't "feel it" the last time; too crowded, too crazy. We didn't go last year. This year we're going the first week of December instead of Christmas week to try it out.

 

[tripletvan]

Think I was told Thansgiving was the busiest time. We did it with 13 family members which wasn't the problem it was the crowds aqnd being told we had no room at BW when we own there and had confirmation #'s

 

[DaveH]

We are going Thanksgiving week for the first time this year. I am assuming it to be crazy crowded. I figure I can get somethings done at opening and hoping to get some near park close. I expect to either more crowd watch and walk the parks or chill in the villa in the afternoons.

 

[Beavertails Queen]

I think that the busiest is Thanksgiving and New Years Eve. If you want to go to the parks on these days you must go early. Christmas day itself was busy but not as crazy as I would have expected.

 

[drusba]

Thanksgiving is very crowded particularly from Wed to Sat. Can get 90 minute and more stand-by lines lines for all popular rides most of day. Streets can be tight to move around on. Need dinner ressies well in advance. Fast passes can run out in afternoon for rest of day on some rides.

Christmas week: makes Thanksgiving feel like one of the slowest off-seasons of the year. Picture yourself after just entering MK at 11 a.m and standing at the base of Main Street looking at the castle. You don't see the street. You don't see the sidewalks. All you see is a sea of bobbing heads slowly moving en masse toward the castle.

Many years ago Disney used to publish average number of park entries into MK during the seasons. The numbers are still close to accurate. You probably really like Sep because average daily entries are about 20-30,000. Thanskgiving puts that to shame with 45,000 to 60,000. Christmas week? Well, can you imagine 100,000 to 125,000 people entering the park each day?