Is week before Christmas an ok time to go?

[kerickson]

My DD starts Kindergarten next year so I'm thinking of going to DL the week before Christmas so we don't have to take her out of school. What are the crowds like? We've been a few times the 1st or 2nd week of Dec, is it about the same or is it crazy? Have any tips for traveling at that time?

 

[Dis-Ted]

The week before Christmas is pretty nuts... not as nuts as Christmas week but nuts none the less. Most of the US lets kids out of school that week so locals swarm and people travel from all over the country for a Christmas holiday at the park as you know. Throw in the international visitors and there's a lot of people showing up (and the hotel prices show it).

If you do plan to come at that time of year look hard for a good hotel deal and book your flights well in advance if you need to fly. Beyond that just relax, take a deep breath and realize that while there will be a lot of people around it's still Disneyland and still a lot of fun, just with more lines everywhere.

 

[Dizneydaz]

It will definitely be more crowded the closer you get to Christmas. This Christmas season DLR was definitely busy. Once the fireworks and the snow starts, the crowds pour in. The earlier in the month you can go though, the better. The most crowded days we had this year, for us, was the first day the Christmas festivites started (Friday before T Giving) and the last Friday that most AP holders could go (in 2008 it was Dec. 12th) in 2009 that would be Friday, Dec. 11th. Also busy will be Thursday the 17th (last day for SoCal Select AP) as well as Friday the 18th (last day for SoCal AP)

 

[21yankees]

My family (of 5) went to DL 19 - 12 Dec of 2007. It really wasn't as bad as we expected. Mind you we've been there during spring break time frame and that was crazy. We went with a plan and were able to everything we wanted and a whole lot more. The key would be to go with a plan.

steph

 

[DLR29]

This year (09) will be a year where the crowds will be very small the week before Christmas because Christmas falls on a Friday. That means most school breaks will start the Monday of the same week as Christmas and the week before should be fine.

However, if you're referring to the same week as Christmas (just before it), the crowds will be there, but not too bad. I went in 06 and this past December, both times the just a few days before Christmas and while it was kinda crowded, we got a TON done.

 

[kerickson]

Thanks for the tips! Forgot about the AP blackout dates. My husband and I will have Premium APs, but my kids will have Deluxe, so I'll have to check out the specifics.

 

[2ndStar]

I agree with DLR's comments. Avoid the week Christmas falls in entirely. The week before that week is a good one though. We've gone a couple of times then and had good crowd levels during the weekdays.

 

[Teki]

I went last year it was really fantastic, the only day the crowds gave us any trouble was Saturday.