Is Christmas worse than July 4th?

[Sacha_L]

I ask because we did July 4th in 2007 and survived heck we had an amazing time! I have something up my sleeve and am considering going 12/26-29th as a Christmas surprise I know it will be very busy but how much worse is it? We do prefer California Adventure so I am thinking we would spend more time there. Would that help? We are a family of 4 with two boys ages 10 and 7 at that time. Thanks for any info or tips!

 

[sonnyjane]

The week between Christmas and New Year's is the most busy of the year - yes, more than 4th of July. Just to give you an idea, this past year during that week, the park sold out several of those days and stopped selling tickets or admitting guests. One of those days they closed the park to new guests after just two hours! If you want to see the park at Christmastime, I'd strongly suggest going in early December when the parks are still decorated, but not as crowded. If, however, you really are set on a Christmas surprise during those dates, as they said in Devil Wears Prada, "Gird your loins!" lol!

ETA: I found this thread about 12/27 and 12/28 of last year and how they sold out in record time... http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2620885&highlight=christmas+sold+out

 

[Sacha_L]

I so wish we could go in early December but I work in the video game industry and have a black out from Thanksgiving to Christmas eve, when the company then gives me an extra week paid time off that I dont have to take vacation days for so if I ever want to see Disney at Christmas that's my only choice I was afraid you guys were going to tell me that it was insane though oh well I could deal with it but I'd probably have to drug DH to get him to agree to anything much worse than 4th of July....hmmm how could I bribe him.....

 

[Sherry E]

I totally agree with sonnyjane - it is super crowded!

The last couple of years, folks have reported that 4th of July (the actual holiday, not necessarily the days surrounding it) was not that crowded. But the week between Christmas and New Year's is famously, notoriously crowded, and always has been. Too many people are off of work and school and free from family obligations, armed with money or gift cards they got for holiday presents! So where do they go? Disneyland!

As sonnyjane said, DL reached capacity very early on for a few days in that week in 2010 (which broke records, by the way), and DCA even stopped admitting people at a certain point, which was almost unheard of up until then. Of course, there were people who went during that week and reported back to the DIS, saying that it wasn't bad at all and there were no lines. But others said it was too much to deal with. I think it has a lot to do with how mentally prepared you are - if you expect the worst, then anything less than what you imagine will seem like a breeze! It's when people go in, not expecting huge crowds, that they are in for a shock.

So it's not that it's impossible to have fun in that week - you can, of course. Many people go during that time because that's the only time available for them. Just make lists of priorities, prepare, plan - all of that.

In this post from the Christmas Superthread, there is a Q&A section with a question that addresses crowds for the season, and there's lots of other good info/photos in the whole thread.

 

[Kittyskyfish]

If, however, you really are set on a Christmas surprise during those dates, as they said in Devil Wears Prada, "Gird your loins!" lol!

/QUOTE]



Ain't that the truth! I would still do that week if I had no other options, but I would make sure I spent at least 6 park days there to see everything. It's a jolly holiday JAM(med)boree!

 

[Funball]

BUT DLR at christmas is awesome. the park is pretty, the lights are awesome!! it just feels like what christmas should be!

 

[grandpa6]

I so wish we could go in early December but I work in the video game industry and have a black out from Thanksgiving to Christmas eve, when the company then gives me an extra week paid time off that I dont have to take vacation days for so if I ever want to see Disney at Christmas that's my only choice I was afraid you guys were going to tell me that it was insane though oh well I could deal with it but I'd probably have to drug DH to get him to agree to anything much worse than 4th of July....hmmm how could I bribe him.....

This is the week we went Dec. 25th-Dec. 31st, 2010, the only time we could go too. We flew in Christmas morning to LA and we were in the park before noon, we were really surprised it wasn't wall to wall, Sunday was even better, Monday, the 27th was awful, the other days to us didn't seem as bad as Monday. We also scheduled one of the tours on Monday, giving us front row seats (in chairs) for the 2:30 parade, also walk ups to 2 of the most popular rides. But we went armed with Ride-Max, and at the gates every morning before they opened, used our magic morning in Fantasyland and had been on every ride in an hour's time(in Fantasyland). We scheduled two character breakfast late morning's and used early mornings when the park was less crowded to ride our rides, using the breakfast as brunch. We went knowing it would be bad, expecting the worse, but excited to be at Disneyland at Christmas. Ride-Max was awesome, I suggest if you go Christmas, you look into it.

 

[disneychrista]

BUT DLR at christmas is awesome.

I have to agree. I have done Christmas once and New Years twice. I would do it again.

This is not a trip that you take as a once in a life time, it is a trip you take because you want to be at Disneyland on the holiday, just because that is what you want.

 

[Sacha_L]

I have to agree. I have done Christmas once and New Years twice. I would do it again.

This is not a trip that you take as a once in a life time, it is a trip you take because you want to be at Disneyland on the holiday, just because that is what you want.

This is what I am thinking..we did DL in 2007, and have a 8 night DW trip planned this August so it's not a one time thing for us. I just thought it would be a fun few days. But I do like to be able to walk and ride some of the rides Thanks for the links to the Christmas thread (enough there to keep me busy for days!) and TR. I appreciate all your input and I'm sure I'll be back to bug you all soon as I work on my plan of attack to propose this to DH

 

[TheColtonsMom]

We took our 6 year old son on his first trip to DL the 25th to the 30th 2010. It was crowded no doubt, records were broken & frustrations happened. Still we managed to have fun make lasting memories and do most of what we wanted to do (some of that thanks to a blissful pixie dust filled rainy day) So if that is when you can go..then go... Christmas at DLR is magical! Don't miss it just be prepared for a lot of people and some frustration you will be fine. Want details my TR link is in my siggy...As an old Nike ad said "Just do IT"

 

[Sherry E]

...Thanks for the links to the Christmas thread (enough there to keep me busy for days!) and TR.

You'll have a great time! It's a magical time to be in the parks, crowds or no crowds.

You're right -the Christmas Superthread (Part 2) will keep you busy for days and days! There's a lot of reading to be done! The particular post from that thread that I linked you to (Post #3) has lots of links in and of itself, as you saw. And then the whole Superthread in general has lots of great info from Disneyland holiday veterans and a Table of Contents for photos and all kinds of good stuff.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

We visited the parks last July 4th weekend ~ our park days were 7/3-7/6 and other than the evening of the 4th crowds were low to moderate! We had a fabulous time and plan to visit again this year *DD's B-day is 7/3* If you do visit over the C-mas holiday at least you have the DIS and all the knowledge available here.

 

[Karpkg]

My solution? I would look at all the DLR Christmas crowd pics between now and then and get used to the shock of seeing those. Then by Christmas you'll be used to seeing that and just concentrate on it being Christmas time.

 

[jdb in AZ]

You asked if doing California Adventure would help with the crowd situation. Probubbly not. Since they opened the World of Color, DCA is much busier that ever. And they'll be opening the Little Mermaid ride soon, which will attract more people too. Disney veterans HAVE to check out what's new. after all. But I'll avoid the "peak" season cuz I'm allergic to crowds.

Let us know what strategies work best for you.

 

[Funball]

You asked if doing California Adventure would help with the crowd situation. Probubbly not. Since they opened the World of Color, DCA is much busier that ever. And they'll be opening the Little Mermaid ride soon, which will attract more people too. Disney veterans HAVE to check out what's new. after all. But I'll avoid the "peak" season cuz I'm allergic to crowds.

Let us know what strategies work best for you.

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Umm but by the time christmas rolls around the times will change for WOC and the crowds will be more focused on christmas AT DL, if they spruce up the park more this year at DCA then yeah it might be slight increase of park guests for DCA, but chances are it's DL that will get most park guests, and DCA is not as crowded as it was when WOC first opened I just want to clarify that.[/FONT]

 

[jimreuter]

4th of July is insanely busy. I've been there many times as a guest on the 4th - I remember one time I managed to back out of my parking place on the 5th floor of M&F - and then did not move an inch for an hour.

Christmas Day has been busy, but nothing like 4th of July, but for day after day crowds, the week between Christmas and New Years Day is the busiest.

 

[algae]

Don't go between Christmas and New Year's. Made that mistake once. Got in 3 rides all day and one was the Disneyland rail road. Never again. Elbow to elbow literally everywhere. Most unpleasant since it was unseasonably warm also--and you know what humans do when it gets warm. Ack. We complained that night and they gave us complimentary tickets to go back anytime. They told us to not go on major US holidays. Hm... gotta go find those tickets. We were told they never expire.

The best time to go is right after Thanksgiving. The parks are in full Holiday decor. Very, very few people in both parks.

 

[spiderdust]

The best time to go is right after Thanksgiving. The parks are in full Holiday decor. Very, very few people in both parks.

This has not been my experience. The year we went to Disneyland for Thanksgiving, it was MOBBED. They reached max capacity on Thanksgiving and the day after, and stopped admitting people to the park for a while.

It's a lovely time to go, though!

I'm also going to be in the parks on Christmas Day this year; taking notes as I read.