Just How Bad Is the Week Of Christmas ?

I also asked this question on another thread. The majority of people I've talked to in person and feedback from people on the boards say:

-is it crowded? Yes. But Disney world is always crowded. If you plan ahead with TS meals and FP and also try and arrive to the parks early you will enjoy your trip.
 
I also asked this question on another thread. The majority of people I've talked to in person and feedback from people on the boards say:

-is it crowded? Yes. But Disney world is always crowded. If you plan ahead with TS meals and FP and also try and arrive to the parks early you will enjoy your trip.
I am trying to compare it to late June and Mid July when we normally go.
 


I am trying to compare it to late June and Mid July when we normally go.


Look on the touring plans crowd calendar for last years week of Christmas. This helped settle my nerves for our upcoming trip. You can view the actual touring plans park crowd calendar if you google each individual date. It will tell you each ride's actual wait times throughout the day and the observed crowd levels. It seems that the levels in the last few years for Christmas has been less because of rising ticket and hotel prices.
 
I'm at work and don't have a picture on this computer, but at home I have some that show the crowds. In one from DHS, it really IS literally shoulder to shoulder front to back. Now granted, that it was taken close to the Theatre or Sunset Blvd, can't remember which, but I took the shot just to show how crowded it was.

We went down on Christmas afternoon, and we knew what we were getting, so just be prepared, use FP, make a list of must-do's and the rest is just bonus.
 


Yes, if you plan your FP+ and ADRs well you can still do some things and enjoy yourself. But it is so packed that there is no way you can get as much accomplished as you can in the summer. Just the sheer volume of people crammed in the parks slows everything down, even with the parks and resorts running at peak efficiency. Take crowds you've seen on the busiest summer day and multiply that times 3 (and maybe a little more than that for NYE) and you might start getting an idea of how intense the crowds can be, even with lower attendance the past few years.
 
Magic kingdom will be at capacity by 11am.
I have never experienced anything like it before.
 
I think by being there for rope drop, FP+ and mid day ADR's it's totally doable.

Last Christmas we went to MK on 12/28. We stayed at SOG. We were up and at the monorail by 6am (walked to the Poly). It had just started to run and we were the only people on it. We were through bag check and waiting a few min after 6am (opening time was 7am).

While standing at bag check we were asked to be the family of the day. Of course we said yes. It was incredible.

We spent a lot of time on Main Street taking pics so it set us behind. The park was not that busy until around 10am, so we still got a lot done.

My kids did not want to sit and wait for the parade.

I kept track of our day. We started at Buzz since there was a long wait for 7DMT.

Buzz x2
Space x2
Barnstormer x2
Ariel Ride
Pictures W/Step Sisters in FL
Small world x2
Bfast @ BOG (pre ordered)
7DMT (FP+)
Tree house
Jungle cruise
Pirates of the Caribbean
Big thunder
Haunted Mansion
Peter Pan (Fp+)
Lunch @crt 2:40pm
Carousel
Splash (FP+)
Big thunder (extra FP+ from opening)
Pooh (4th FP+)
Train loop
Photo Pass Pics on the way out and shopping.
Left around 7pm to swim

Overall I think we did pretty good with our plan.
 
Google "Disney World Christmas crowd pictures". Lots of pictures of crowds. Pretty rough.
 
Literally the busiest week of the year.
 
PACKED. Shoulder to shoulder people.

Not true...at all. The only exception to that is MK on Christmas Day itself. MK reaches capacity that day, and it's very, very busy.

Beyond that, none of the parks are literally shoulder to shoulder...maybe in isolated spots, but that happens everyday anyway (think the narrow walkway where PP and Small World are). It's busier than your average summer week, but not at all hard to manage. We did it in 2015 and will be doing it again this year, and are super excited. We stay offsite, so we don't even get the benefit of 60 day FP+ windows, and we still get to ride everything we want.

If you want to go, I say go for it!! MK on Xmas itself is crazy busy...but fun IMO...but outside of that, nowhere near as bad as many make it out to be.
 
MK reaches capacity that day, and it's very, very busy.

Magic kingdom will be at capacity by 11am.

If by "capacity" you mean that no one else is allowed in, then no, MK will not reach capacity; it hasn't reached capacity since March 7, 2009. There are 4 levels of closure, and it's only at the 4th level that no one is allowed in. I've heard of MK reaching 1st or 2nd level closures on Christmas, but the chance of it reaching 4th level are very slim.
 
We've done several Christmases at Disney, including last year, and we will do it again this year. Yes, it is very busy. If this was my only trip to the World ever 10 years or so, I'd probably be disappointed at not being able to do what I wanted, but since we go fairly regularly, there isn't the pressure to see and do everything, which just isn't realistic that time of year. We get our FPs, make ADRs, get there a good half hour before rope drop, and, most importantly, go with a good attitude. I'm at Disney, at Christmas, with my daughter. What's not to love?
 
I am trying to compare it to late June and Mid July when we normally go.

Nothing compares. If you can go ANY other week of the year, go then. Over the past 10 years, I have gone to WDW every month of the year. Spring break, holiday weekends (Veteran's Day, MLK, President's Day), summer break, etc. NOTHING compares! Can you plan around the crowds? Kind of. But MK, specifically, will be absolutely jam packed. Even DS is packed to the gills. We went during Christmas week of 2015 and will never do it again. We went the week before Christmas last year and it was a completely different, much better experience. We are going that week again this year.
 
I am trying to compare it to late June and Mid July when we normally go.

We've done both July and Christmas. Yes, Christmas is busier (at least compared to the 2 Julys we were there) It is not impossible though. It has a different feel to the parks. Maybe it's the holiday spirit. Maybe it is the cooler temperatures! We truly enjoyed our trips over the Christmas holiday and wouldn't hesitate to go during that time again. Late park hours, decorations, special shows/fireworks all make it a unique experience in my opinion. We found we did more of the 2nd tier rides/shows that we tend not to do on a summer trip. We were still able to do our favorites and sometime it comes down to your tolerance for waiting in a longer line.
 
Christmas is my favorite time to go, and we are not rope drop people, but we are late night people. Magic Kindom is nearly empty after midnight.
Disney Springs, on the other hand, is miserable at night if you actually want to shop.
 
If you plan and pack your patience then you will be good. Just know you won't be able to accomplish everything. We go every year for either Christmas or thanksgiving. I try to focus more on the holiday specific entertainment. Epcot is a great park to enjoy all the holiday storytellers and candlelight processional. I highly recommend seeing the holiday version of illuminations. I would advise to not go to MK on Christmas Day.
 
We've been to DW Christmas week for the past 3 years.

People love to post pictures of gridlock, wall to wall people, chaotic lines, etc.... so when you google images of Christmas week, that's probably what you'll see. Sure, there are pockets of the parks that can jam up, especially mid day, but you can avoid most of that by going early in the day or later in the evening.

If you are used to summer trips, the weather in December makes lines, crowds, etc....much more tolerable as well. Overall, guests seem to be in a better mood.
 

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