Just how bad is Christmas week?

[tyandskyesmom]

We're planning 14 nights in 45 days! Our general outline is morning rope drop/EMH with either early prior to opening or around 10-11am...fastpasses revolve around lunch which is usually in the same park. We have open time between out lunch/fastpasses and dinnet which is usually at a resort on most days. During this time I expect to be heading back to the room for naps and relaxing...until we head back out for dinner and possible late night park fun if we feel up to it.

We decided to revolve our fast passes at MK so that we ride/see as much as possible rather than fastpassing the same popular rides all the time...as such we never repeat fastpasses. But we figured at least that way we'd ride/see the majority, if not all of, the attractions at least once. One of us has never been before and the rest of us have been a lot.

We also have the deluxe dining plan. And while we love it, we tried to contemplate leaving it at the free regular dining plan but when I thought about wasted time in line with other people all over the place then wandering to find a place to eat, we decided sit down dining was the way to go for maximum enjoyment.

We are upgrading to Annual Passes when we get there too so we can feel free to come and go as much or as little as we feel like.

We are expecting crazy busy but for us this is the best time right now for out family to get as much of a vacation as possible without someone having to miss out on something at home so there was no choice. We have been before Christmas and after New Years before but never over the holidays. So while we love to do it all, we know we might have a much more resort friendly trip than we usually do. We're planning to go with the flow except for our ADRs and FP+ and see what comes of it.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I love Disney World between October and December. We always go for Christmas and NYE. At EPCOT we saw a 4.5 hour wait for Soarin. However, go in with the right expectations, and it is truely the most magical time of the year.

If it is the magic of the holidays one wants, I would highly recommend going in mid December. Crowds are much much less, but all the decor is up and it really is magical.

 

[peanut520]

It is insane if you don't like wall to wall people. Last year MK was closed due to capacity around 11am but that is usually when we are leaving most days we went between 12/19-12/27. Just like previous posters RD is a must for us to hit the major rides, early lunch, back to the resort (or FP+s then leave for the day) return after dinner adr to use our FP. Dh hates crowds and was willing to return this year.

I personally think 2 types of people will be fine in this type of crowds.
1. Planners / WDW veterans with an agenda
2. Everything will be just fine because we are at WDW and don't have any expectations.

 

[sbeets]

I have Christmas Day carefully planned at MK. My only unknown is the stroller. Is it worth it? DD3 will definitely ride in it, but I can also carry her around the park. We're planning on the stroller for our other park days, but thinking on Christmas Day we may be more agile without it. Any Christmas Day veterans have an opinion?

 

[AngiTN]

If you can go without a stroller I would do so. But, I would also never be able to carry a 3yo all day in the parks. That's like 12 miles of walking carrying a 30 lbs. But not sure I'd want them walking in those crowds, even holding hands. If I had to pick one or the other I'd opt to walk and hold her hand over moving a stroller in all those people, or parking it and finding it in all those strollers. And with so many people I'd worry about it being picked up in error, unless there was something VERY unique about it

 

[SparklePixie]

I have Christmas Day carefully planned at MK. My only unknown is the stroller. Is it worth it? DD3 will definitely ride in it, but I can also carry her around the park. We're planning on the stroller for our other park days, but thinking on Christmas Day we may be more agile without it. Any Christmas Day veterans have an opinion?

If you're able to push a stroller in crowds like this, go for it.

 

[Disneylover99]

I have Christmas Day carefully planned at MK. My only unknown is the stroller. Is it worth it? DD3 will definitely ride in it, but I can also carry her around the park. We're planning on the stroller for our other park days, but thinking on Christmas Day we may be more agile without it. Any Christmas Day veterans have an opinion?

I would say yes, bring the stroller. It's safer to be in the stroller then being three and walking through the crowds.

 

[kandb]

I would say yes, bring the stroller. It's safer to be in the stroller then being three and walking through the crowds.

Check out the post before yours, I think leaving the stroller home is a better idea!

 

[sbeets]

I think we'll leave the stroller. We really don't have much THAT much walking. We've booked long events for the day (BOG, Pirates League, CRT, Parade FP) and we're going to leave right after the parade.

 

[Disneylover99]

Check out the post before yours, I think leaving the stroller home is a better idea!

I've been to the MK Christmas Day. It does get crowded like this in certain pockets of the park in the afternoon. But it's not like this everywhere. Most of the time, they have tons of CM's out directing the flow of traffic, so it's easier to move around. Personally? I would still bring a stroller for a three year old. It would be too easy to lose someone in heavy crowds.

 

[LauraLap]

Our Christmas trip was one of my most memorable ever! If you plan and get there super early you will be able to do a lot. On Christmas morning we were able to do all the Mountains, Pirates, It's a Small World, take great family photos in front of the castle and leave for our Ohana Brunch all before 10am! As for the rest of the week - it was super magical. I would do it again, but hubby would not.

 

[5Hfan]

I've been to the MK Christmas Day. It does get crowded like this in certain pockets of the park in the afternoon. But it's not like this everywhere. Most of the time, they have tons of CM's out directing the flow of traffic, so it's easier to move around. Personally? I would still bring a stroller for a three year old. It would be too easy to lose someone in heavy crowds.

in addition to that picture of Frontierland, remember there is a dedicated pathway over and off to the side by the water. A small umbrella type stroller, probablly fine, and you can fold it up and carry if you need to. Now a big side by side double stroller, no way!

 

[sbeets]

in addition to that picture of Frontierland, remember there is a dedicated pathway over and off to the side by the water. A small umbrella type stroller, probablly fine, and you can fold it up and carry if you need to. Now a big side by side double stroller, no way!

My stroller is less than 10 lbs and can be carried with a back strap. Now I'm back on the fence. We have FP for the parade, and I'm hoping my 3YO can make it until 3:30 without a nap. Maybe the stroller will be worth it just in case she falls asleep or takes a power nap.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I would personally probably feel safer with a stroller in those crowds. I'd have to accept we'd be moving even slower than normally, but I'd take that over DD walking in those crowds. Those crowds make me feel all claustrophobic just seeing the pictures!

 

[peanut520]

My stroller is less than 10 lbs and can be carried with a back strap. Now I'm back on the fence. We have FP for the parade, and I'm hoping my 3YO can make it until 3:30 without a nap. Maybe the stroller will be worth it just in case she falls asleep or takes a power nap.

I will be bringing a stroller for my 6 year old. I think she is safer in there with the crowd (the Mickey light sword at night was helpful too) plus it provides some seating for her to eat or drink so we didn't need to stop. I also like it for storage for ponchos or what not.

 

[peanut520]

in addition to that picture of Frontierland, remember there is a dedicated pathway over and off to the side by the water. A small umbrella type stroller, probablly fine, and you can fold it up and carry if you need to. Now a big side by side double stroller, no way!

Absolutely agree that size matters in Disney! Small foldable umbrella strollers are so much easier to deal with especially on Disney transportation. We bought a Mac quest (10lbs and a small folded foot print) 4 years ago for our first trip because dh was worried that something would happen to our bugaboo. We have brought it back the last 6 times and it is one of the best baby/toddler purchases we've made. Plus a child in a stroller under a rain cover is much happier than one walking in a poncho through insane crowds trying to leave fantasmic because of a huge thunderstorm.

 

[Angel Ariel]

The week between Christmas and New Years? Really, truly - how bad is it? How does it compare to say the week before 4th of July?

In all seriousness, OP, here is a report that Josh at EasyWDW did on Christmas Day in 2014.

AK was the most recommended park, and the wait times reflect that (click on his links for larger pictures).

At Epcot, Soarin' was at 80 mins about 1 hr 15 mins after park open. By 11:30am Soarin' was at a 105 min wait, and it varied within a range from 105-160 mins until about 9pm (with occasional brief moments of 90 or 95 min waits mixed in).

re: the other attractions at Epcot, Josh said:

Still, it’s hard to imagine waiting 30 to 50 minutes for Journey into Imagination, Living with the Land, and The Seas with Nemo, in addition to 75-minute waits at Spaceship Earth for about five hours in the afternoon

.

And re: MK

Magic Kingdom closed to a “Phase A” capacity closure at 10:30am and reopened at 4pm. A “Phase A” closure means just those staying off-site with 1-day Magic Kingdom tickets are asked to visit another Park. One only needs to look at the 50-minute wait at Mickey’s PhilharMagic to ascertain it’s “crowded,” in addition to 90 minutes at Buzz, 135 at Big Thunder, 70 at it’s a small world, 120 at Peter Pan’s Flight, 145 at Space Mountain, 45 at Stitch, 70 at Under the Sea, etc. Magic Kingdom was recommended today (December 26th) and still closed to a Phase A capacity closure, though “just” from 11:40am to 1pm. Here on Christmas Day, wait times rise faster and peak higher than recommended days. Again, we can look at the big picture once the holidays pass to get a better idea about how wait times fluctuate with near-daily capacity closures of some variety.

It’s only going to get worse the next few days as even more people descend on the Parks. December 28th and 31st are typically the two days that see the highest overall attendance of the year.

 

[AngiTN]

Great info. And a great example of how, while crowded and will have closures, most readers here would still get in to the park (should they have a crazy wish to join the most crowded place on earth)

 

[sbeets]

So how long does it take to get INTO the park? If we're off the monorail at 8:30, how long will we wait in line to get into the park? Any ideas?

 

[AngiTN]

So how long does it take to get INTO the park? If we're off the monorail at 8:30, how long will we wait in line to get into the park? Any ideas?

And the park has opened at 7:00? Good question.

We will be at MK on 12/20, so before the massive Christmas week crowds but more crowded than our typical summer trip. I plan to be at the park 1 hour BEFORE it opens.