Is December as crazy as they say?????

[RCMommy]

Hi, we are regular Disney vacationers but never at Christmas. We actually just returned yesterday from a 6 night stay in CBR. We have been planning on staying over Christmas 2008. however, I was literally talked out of it by the cast members. They were telling us how busy it is, beyone busy actually. My dream has always been to spend xmas morning at the MK but not if you cannot even walk due to the crowds. I was told the average wait time is 120min for rides and the shops and resteraunts are overly crazy busy as well. I need advice PLEASE! Has anyone been there recetnly that can tell me just how insane it is over Christmas. This trip I was grumbling over 30 minute waits for Small World LOL We are now thinking of travelling the week before xmas (last week before schools let out) Is it really crazy there or what?? Please share your experiences......

Also thinking the Contemp.or Poly and would appreciate any advic on the two!!!

 

[Catrinabeach]

We just did it this year. Yes it's busy but it's manageable if you go knowing it and make your plans accordingly.

We found that going for rope drop until about 10:30 made for little to no wait for rides. We were able to do alot of rides between 7 -10:30.

Then head back to the resort for a rest and some pool time eating at the resort.

Then we would go have dinner (where we had our ADR) and then heading to a park for the evening and usually staying for the EMH. After 8pm or when the parade ended (which ever time that was) it became alot better crowd wise. Then we could do alot more rides with reasonable wait times.

The days we slept in and arrived around 9 we didn't get to do much at all. We really used the EMH. That helped alot. MK had EMH every morning Christmas week so it was open at 7 am each day. And one night they were open until 3 am with EMH. We were able to do so much during that. But we also had older kids. Younger kids I suspect would be tired. But we did see alot of younger kids too.

We were supposed to go to MK Christmas day but after seeing how big the crowds were the few days before Christmas we decided there was no way we were doing that. It was literly wall to wall people during mid day at the parks. I heard MK reached capacity around 10 or 11 am on Christmas. We decided to sleep in, have breakfast at our resort, go to DTD and then back to the resort for lunch and a swim and nap before our Dinner at CP. We spent the rest of the evening at MK doing alot of rides since it was quiet by then. The longer wait was about 20 mins by that time of night. Which was about 10pm.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

My family and I did not go to any of the parks on Christmas Day since we were checking out. However around 11:00 AM when were stopped at the Hess station by the Magic Kingdom toll gates and I saw WDW security turning all the cars away from parking at the TTC and the line up to just drive past the gates was almost up to where you would see the Swan & Dolphin. So if it was that bad on the WDW roads imagine how bad the Magic Kingdom was around that time?

 

[Allison]

I copied this from another post of mine regarding Christmas week:We were there from December 25-January 3 and had a great time. We got to do everything we wanted to do at the parks and that was plenty of things. We didn't wait in any long lines and used FP as much as possible. We got there early in the morning and got our touring done and then relaxed by the pool at the resort in the afternoons. I would go again this time of year without hesitation.We didn't feel exhausted or wiped out at the end of the day and it was great to not deal with the heat and humidity we have had on our June trips. The weather was beautiful.

We did have one 30 minute wait. After Wishes, the kids wanted to do Splash Mountain so we waited 30 minutes for that. Otherwise, we used fastpass or did the attractions in the morning and walked on or just waited for the next show to start or were in a short line that was constantly moving along.


Here are some of the things we did. We had seven days in the parks(not long days) and one day we didn't go to a park.

Epcot:
Soarin' (3 times)
saw the World Showcase Players (walked up as they started and got a seat on the sidewalk to watch them)
Canada Santa storyteller(sat down front row about 2 minutes before it started)
Miyuki
walked around several countries
tree lighting ceremony
Figment-3 times
Nemo-twice
Mexico boat ride
Illuminations-twice
Test Track-twice
Character Connection-Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Chip & Dale, Goofy, Pluto-without a line
Spaceship Earth-twice
LeCellier
Teppan Edo
Tutto Italia
Imagination Station at Figment ride
sitting and enjoying the atmosphere

MGM (this is our least favorite park so we didn't have a lot we wanted to do here and we took it very easy):
Beauty and the Beast
Tower of Terror
Indiana Jones
MuppetVision 3D
Parade (had a wonderful seat to watch this)
shopping
face painting
Hollywood & Vine
Narnia
Walt Disney One Man's Dream
Fantasmic
Osborne Lights

Animal Kingdom:
Safari Breakfast
Kilimanjaro Safari (3 times)
Kali River Rapids (twice)
Primeval Whirl
TriceraTop Spin
Bugs Life
Nemo the Musical
Festival of the Lion King
character meeting for Donald
character meeting for Goofy
Pangani Trail
Birds of Wonder
Maharajah Jungle Trek
Jingle Jungle Parade
shopped

Magic Kingdom:
Buzz Lightyear (3 times)
TTA
Laugh Factory
Pooh (twice)
Peter Pan (twice)
It's a Small World
Haunted Mansion
Splash Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (twice)
Mickey's Philharmagic
Goofy's Barnstormer (4 times)
WDW railroad
Magic Carpets of Aladdin (twice)
Pirates of the Caribbean (3 times)
Enchanted Tiki Room
Christmas parade
Holiday Wishes
Spectromagic
shopping
Indy Speedway

Other things:
Chef Mickey
'Ohana
sleigh ride at Wilderness Lodge
Whispering Canyon
lots of swimming at the resort
shopping at Downtown Disney
explored other resorts Christmas decorations-Boardwalk, Beach Club, Wilderness Lodge, Contemporary, POR, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian
rode the monorail
kids spent time in the arcade

 

[disneynutz]

We were there over Christmas last year. We stayed away from the parks Christmas day. On the 24th we got stuck in the line of cars entering the MK. It took over a hour to get to the toll plaza. As we pulled up to the booth they had posted a sign that the park was closed. We were turned away and that was at 11:00 AM. We don't feel that the crowds are worth it. We want to enjoy WDW, not fight the crowds.

 

[Kimmielee]

We just did it this year. Yes it's busy but it's manageable if you go knowing it and make your plans accordingly.

We found that going for rope drop until about 10:30 made for little to no wait for rides. We were able to do alot of rides between 7 -10:30.

Then head back to the resort for a rest and some pool time eating at the resort.

Then we would go have dinner (where we had our ADR) and then heading to a park for the evening and usually staying for the EMH. After 8pm or when the parade ended (which ever time that was) it became alot better crowd wise. Then we could do alot more rides with reasonable wait times.

The days we slept in and arrived around 9 we didn't get to do much at all. We really used the EMH. That helped alot. MK had EMH every morning Christmas week so it was open at 7 am each day. And one night they were open until 3 am with EMH. We were able to do so much during that. But we also had older kids. Younger kids I suspect would be tired. But we did see alot of younger kids too.

We were supposed to go to MK Christmas day but after seeing how big the crowds were the few days before Christmas we decided there was no way we were doing that. It was literly wall to wall people during mid day at the parks. I heard MK reached capacity around 10 or 11 am on Christmas. We decided to sleep in, have breakfast at our resort, go to DTD and then back to the resort for lunch and a swim and nap before our Dinner at CP. We spent the rest of the evening at MK doing alot of rides since it was quiet by then. The longer wait was about 20 mins by that time of night. Which was about 10pm.

I'm taking my DS (9 - then) from 12/21 to 1/3 and I can't wait! This advice is very helpful. He lives for the pool and doing the EMH in the am is perfect for us! Thanks for sharing your experience!

 

[MomofCKJ]

We went the week BEFORE Christmas in 2006, Dec 15-22. It was great! We had the decorations and anticipation of Christmas without the heavy crowds. They were arriving as we were leaving. I'd do that week again in a heartbeat. I don't think I would ever do the Christmas-New Years week. Too crowded for me. I remember reading some Live reports this year and at one point the line for Soarin was over 3 hours, that is insane.

Allyson

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

We've done Christmas at Disney (and yes, Christmas Day at the MK) for 3 years and yes it is crazy! LOL! But we also stay on-site usually at the Polynesian and plan our days around the Evening EHM hours. And when we do go to the parks during the day we focus on shows, parades and other little attractions and save the rides for EMH nights.

The key to surviving Christmas Day at the MK is to go EARLY and leave around noon. By the time we left the crowds were absolutely crazy but we retreated to the serenity of our resort to rest until EMH night hours at EPCOT.

 

[RCMommy]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I think we have decided to go the week before Christmas. I don't want to have to leave the parks at lunch, unless I want to. We will avoid the major crowds and save ourselves the headaches.