Is the first weekend in Dec a good one?

[rlp]

I am trying to figure out the least crowded/most affordable weekend to visit Disneyland during the Christmas season. I have a deluxe pass so am blocked out much of December unless I upgrade mine and my kids' passes. So far the weekend of Dec 1 and 2 looks to moderate crowds predicted. Would there be something going on then that the crowd calendars didn't take into account? The other good weekend as far as crowds go, seems to be the first weekend of the Thanksgiving break but it is so expensive to fly then. Nov. 11 and 12 there is a marathon and a convention (and hotels are really expensive) and lastly Jan 6 and 7 look to have high crowds too because it is the tail end of Christmas vacation for many kids.

Edit: meant Dec 2 and 3 though would be at DL part of Friday too.

 

[NewbieMouse]

December 3rd is likely the Candlelight Processional, I think.

 

[Nonsuch]

...meant Dec 2 and 3 though would be at DL part of Friday too.

The Candlelight Processional will be twice nightly on Dec 2-3.
We often visit during the Candlelight weekend, and it's a great time in be in the parks
Candlelight does create a traffic jam a the front of DL, but generally easy to avoid (read a few threads about Candlelight for more precise details).

 

[Tinkerbell19672]

We went last year at the beginning of December. It was a few days after the processional. Crowds weren't bad during the week but weekend was packed. I should say, during the week was crowded too but not like the weekend.

 

[rlp]

December 3rd is likely the Candlelight Processional, I think.

The Candlelight Processional will be twice nightly on Dec 2-3.
We often visit during the Candlelight weekend, and it's a great time in be in the parks
Candlelight does create a traffic jam a the front of DL, but generally easy to avoid (read a few threads about Candlelight for more precise details).

The Candlenight Processional sounds like a lovely thing to see. Thanks for letting me know about that!

For anyone flying out of Denver, American Airlines just posted 80 dollar round trip tickets for Nov 15h/16th to Nov 20/21st (maybe other dates too) to LAX! So now that weekend is looking much better for me. I was scouring flights all this weekend and was looking at around 300 per RT ticket. I did book the 80 RT tickets but have 24 hours to cancel in case I change my mind. I can only travel on very late Thursday nights to Monday so I expect that all those weekends during Christmas time will be really busy in the parks, just glad there are some affordable ways to do it.

 

[rlp]

We went last year at the beginning of December. It was a few days after the processional. Crowds weren't bad during the week but weekend was packed. I should say, during the week was crowded too but not like the weekend.

Did they have the parade and fireworks during the week you went? I suppose it will be busy every weekend but that is the only time I can go. Thanks for the reply!

 

[Tinkerbell19672]

Did they have the parade and fireworks during the week you went? I suppose it will be busy every weekend but that is the only time I can go. Thanks for the reply!

I think the fireworks were only on the weekend and I can't remember about the parade, sorry. I do remember Main Street was slammed with people for the parade on Saturday. We could barely move. We ended up leaving.

 

[SteveMP]

Have been going the last few years the first week or two of December but never on weekends (So Cal select AP)