Is Christmas "too crowded" to enjoy??

[Alltiggeredout]

Will the crowds be fair from 13th-21stDec.As xmas day is on a Tuesday,will most people arrive from 22nd(Sat)?

 

[micmacmissy]

According to the Unofficial guide crowd calendar, Dec. 13-21st will be very low on the crowd scale...some of the lowest crowd levels ALL YEAR. This is a great week to go.

Last time we went, it was Dec. 5-10, and it was empty...we loved it! Walked on to all rides, rode several times in a row, no wait for meals, etc.

According to the calendar, crowds will start on Dec. 23rd.

 

[LakeAriel]

where can I find this unofficial crowd calander?

 

[micmacmissy]

Go to touring plans dot com, and you must subscribe to see the crowd calendar. It's cheap, I think around $8.

It will give you a ton of planning info; the site is really worth it. You can get the same information by buying the Unofficial Guide to Disney 2008 book by Bob Sehlinger.

 

[kent285]

I do wonder about easter, I can't believe how high it is at that time. I am pretty much doomed to crowds whenever I go!!!!

So then you might as well go at Christmas because of all the decorations. We are going this year for our first Christmas trip and I've been planning my head off...Unofficial guide, Passporter, TourGuide Mike, etc. I'm nervous about the crowds, too, but we plan on going early and then going back late at night (I'll be with 3 teenagers). I think your children are at a perfect age to really enjoy all the splendor that a Disney Christmas will bring. Just thinking about the awe and wonder of the faces of children that age brings a smile to my face. And, yes, asking my family where they wanted to eat on Christmas Day back in June was kind of strange!

 

[Alltiggeredout]

According to the Unofficial guide crowd calendar, Dec. 13-21st will be very low on the crowd scale...some of the lowest crowd levels ALL YEAR. This is a great week to go.



QUOTE]


Thats what i like to hear.But i'll believe it when i see it.Thanks though for looking.

 

[WildernessBride]

The final verdict.....Christmas it is, crowds or not. Now I have a whole new question...is Tour Guide Mike worth it if you have been there several times before? I am all about finding out any info I can, it is now my new favorite pasttime !!! Tour Guide Mike is reasonably priced and all but just what do you get and is my vacation too far away for me to use his site yet?? It is Christmas of 2008.

 

[robinb]

The final verdict.....Christmas it is, crowds or not. Now I have a whole new question...is Tour Guide Mike worth it if you have been there several times before?

Yes! I am a WDW maven and I still subscribe to TGM for my Christmas/NYE trip every year.

 

[kent285]

This will be our first trip using TGM. Some of his tips really are pretty incredible and I can't help but think they will work...he is an actual tour guide at Disney, so he should know. They have a great discussion board, too. And, if you renew the price goes down-just like buying a guide book. Glad you made your decision!

 

[WildernessBride]

Yes! I am a WDW maven and I still subscribe to TGM for my Christmas/NYE trip every year.

Sounds good, I am excited to see what I can get from the site...Thanks for the advice!!!

 

[WildernessBride]

This will be our first trip using TGM. Some of his tips really are pretty incredible and I can't help but think they will work...he is an actual tour guide at Disney, so he should know. They have a great discussion board, too. And, if you renew the price goes down-just like buying a guide book. Glad you made your decision!

I am definately sold on TGM, you got me with the discussion boards !!! Plus, as I have admitted before I love to plan and this sounds like a way to get great tips. I think since I have so much time Christmas 2008 will turn out to be a great vacation and holiday for my DF!!! Thanks for all the good advice!!!!!

 

[WildernessBride]

 

[TammyAlphabet]

I have been over the week of Christmas, and it was really really crowded. That being said, we still had a good time. My daughter's birthday is the 27th of December and I remember standing outside the rock and roll coaster and my son refused to wait standby in the 2 hour wait to ride. I told him that if we didn't stand in any lines we would never ride any rides and we might as well just stand in line and enjoy it the best we can. A CM overheard this conversation, waved us over and escorted us to the front of the line!! This made our day!!

Christmas at Disney really is magical!

 

[iloveeeyore]

I know you've decided already, but for future trips, you might be able to consider August. I don't know where you're from, so I don't know when your hubby returns to school after summer. In general, the second half of August is a great time (crowd-wise) to visit WDW. It's also "value season" and typically very good discounts are offered, so it will cost you less for your "all-out" vacation and you will be able to take it sooner. Watch the Codes and Rates board for announcements about August discounts some time around March (rumors) and April (discounts released).

Footnote - hurricanes! (we've been lucky with the weather)

Aloha!

 

[canron]

yes

 

[WildernessBride]

I did suggest August to my DH, but he seemed like he wanted Christmas more, however that was before he realized Christmas is beyond crowded!!! I could run that one by him again...it would cost less and be less crowded but no holiday atmosphere, I am torn, I really am.

 

[iloveeeyore]

I have a weird perspective about the holiday atmosphere at WDW. I'm not too fond of it. I was there last year the first week of December when all the decorations were up, and to tell you the truth, I thought they sort of "got in the way" of the Disney magic for me. I don't want the lobby covered with decorations...I like the lobby the way it is...and Main Street, etc. It seems to spoil the theme for me. I may be alone in this, actually I've been in the closet about it until this moment, but it feels good to get it off my chest.

If I were you, I'd keep my ressie for December, and keep an eye out for August discounts. You, AND DH, may be surprised and seduced by how much you can save (if so, you can always switch). And you can watch UG's crowd predictor calendar.

If you do decide to go for the holidays, I'm sure it will be magical; it's Disney, after all. Just have a really good touring plan ready if it's important to see any attractions, especially in MK. And keep August open as an option in the future.

Remember, this is a GREAT dilemma to have!

ALOHA!

 

[WildernessBride]

I have a weird perspective about the holiday atmosphere at WDW. I'm not too fond of it. I was there last year the first week of December when all the decorations were up, and to tell you the truth, I thought they sort of "got in the way" of the Disney magic for me. I don't want the lobby covered with decorations...I like the lobby the way it is...and Main Street, etc. It seems to spoil the theme for me. I may be alone in this, actually I've been in the closet about it until this moment, but it feels good to get it off my chest.

If I were you, I'd keep my ressie for December, and keep an eye out for August discounts. You, AND DH, may be surprised and seduced by how much you can save (if so, you can always switch). And you can watch UG's crowd predictor calendar.

If you do decide to go for the holidays, I'm sure it will be magical; it's Disney, after all. Just have a really good touring plan ready if it's important to see any attractions, especially in MK. And keep August open as an option in the future.

Remember, this is a GREAT dilemma to have!

ALOHA!

Thanks for the input, I am sticking to December because now I really think I would like to experience what WDW is like at the holidays, craziness and all. I think I will go into it with a good perspective, thanks to all of the thoughtful comments, and a relaxed attitude. I can see what you mean about some of the deco getting in the way of the Disney feel. I love the WL lobby as it is, hopefully it will be as awesome as they say when deco is up. August is a good option finanically at least and crowd wise too, there's always 2009, my husband would fall over if he saw me write that!!! Any way I will be among the 10 million others in WDW in Christmas 2008, now I have just got to find some buddies who are going my week Dec 23 to 31, 2008 and meet up for a Dis boards celebration!!!

 

[Disneynut4ever]

Wilderness Bride: I am sure you mentioned this, but when in December did you plan to go?

We have gone several times in December -- mostly the second week of December -- and have experienced very low crowds and enjoyed the experience very much. I love all the Christmas atmosphere. We did go one year when the last day of our trip landed on the Saturday that began Christmas peak week, and I will have to say, just that one day told us we will never ever go during Christmas peak week. The crowds were absolutely ridiculous! Not a good experience. After waiting almost two hours for the Peter Pan ride, we got out of line and left the park. It was terrible. So my advice is to go earlier in the month. The other thing to keep in mind for December is that the weather can be just about anything. We've gone in December and the weather was wonderful -- sunny and warm during the day (shorts weather) and light jacket weather in the evening. On another occasion, it rained the entire week we were there. It is true that a lot still can be done while it is raining, but after several days in a row, we were tired of walking through puddles and wearing ponchos. Still another time we went in December, it was nice but we ended up buying some great sweatshirts and even mittens because it had dropped to 45 degrees. We were'nt expecting that.

 

[WildernessBride]

Wilderness Bride: I am sure you mentioned this, but when in December did you plan to go?

We have gone several times in December -- mostly the second week of December -- and have experienced very low crowds and enjoyed the experience very much. I love all the Christmas atmosphere. We did go one year when the last day of our trip landed on the Saturday that began Christmas peak week, and I will have to say, just that one day told us we will never ever go during Christmas peak week. The crowds were absolutely ridiculous! Not a good experience. After waiting almost two hours for the Peter Pan ride, we got out of line and left the park. It was terrible. So my advice is to go earlier in the month. The other thing to keep in mind for December is that the weather can be just about anything. We've gone in December and the weather was wonderful -- sunny and warm during the day (shorts weather) and light jacket weather in the evening. On another occasion, it rained the entire week we were there. It is true that a lot still can be done while it is raining, but after several days in a row, we were tired of walking through puddles and wearing ponchos. Still another time we went in December, it was nice but we ended up buying some great sweatshirts and even mittens because it had dropped to 45 degrees. We were'nt expecting that.

Our dates are December 23 to 31, 2008....the most crowded time on earth, unfortunately I am tied to school schedules DH is a high school teacher!!!! I would love to go early in December. Weather also worries me, 45 degrees sounds a might chilly for what I would expect in Florida, even in December.