How is DW first week of Dec???

[RN01]

I just don't understand this. I did all my homework to find the perfect SLOW time to go to DW. In 2005 the Unofficial Guide to WDW rated the first week of Dec a 1 which is the slowest time to go. Now they have updated it to 4's and 5's. They're wasn't even any 2's or 3's on the updated list. Are more people traveling during the slow times now or what. I'd like to hear from people who went during the first few weeks of Dec in the past. How long were the waits for rides and what times of the days was it the slowest. Thanks!!!

 

[budbeerlady]

That is because there really isnt a "slow time" any more. It will be quieter but not empty. You can still have a great trip but there will be a bunch of other people, even brazillian tour groups then. Do your homework, make ADRS and have a good trip.

 

[mill4023]

I can't comment on how the crowds compare to previous years.
But the reason for the difference in the UG is that they changed the scale they use for crowd levels.
Former system:
1 = least crowded time of year
10 = most crowded time of year

New sytem:
1 = peak wait time of 10 minutes at headliner attractions
10 = peak wait time of 100 or more minutes at headliner attractions.

The fact that the lowest numbers you see are 4's just means that even during the slowest times of the year, you may have to wait up to 40 minutes to go on Space Mountain or Rock n roller if you ride at the busiest time of the day. So it's not as bad as it seems because that means that for most of the day, the wait times will be much less than that "peak" time.

There was quite a lot of debate on the boards when they first changed their numbering system last year. Personally, I'd rather see the numbers based on average wait times instead of peak wait times, but I guess it would be harder to collect data about averages.

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

oh great question, and great explanation. thanks!

 

[RN01]

That makes it so much easier to understand. THanks so much for the explaination!!!!

 

[disneyfreak7]

We Were There In 2002, First Week Of Dec And Loved It. All Of The Decorations Are Up And The Crowds Were Low. We Never Waited More Than 15 Minutes, Even For The Big Rides. Many Times We Would Get A Fast Pass And Not Even Have To Use It Because We Walked Right On The Ride! Other Than The Parks Closing Early, It Is One Of Our Favorite Times To Go.