Least crowded time to see DL decorated for Christmas

[Aust]

I am planning ahead here - not planning on another trip to DL for anther 3 years (we are in Australia so it requires a lot of saving!) Our first trip 2 years ago was in early October so we saw the Halloween decorations which were great. Now I'd love to see all the Christmas stuff. But seeing as we have to spend so much money and time getting there I don't want to plan the trip for a peak time. So what is usually the quietest time to see the Christmas decorations? Thanks!

 

[QueenDoOver]

If I was going to be there for a week, my strategy would be to arrive around the 15th, which would give you plenty of time to experience the decorations, and attractions with less crowds, and yet you will still be there when the Electric Parade starts running and have full access to a great entertainment schedule the last few days although the crowds will build at that time.

 

[PoohBear1988]

On the Christmas tour just recently, we asked our guide about quiet times ( as the whole year had been unpredictable) and she said she thought the quietest time was between Halloween and Thanksgiving, but i've read guidebooks that recommend between thanksgiving and christmas as being quiet.

We were at Disneyland from 29th Nov until 9th Dec this year, and the weekends were very busy, but we still got alot done with the use of fastpass, and planned to see things such as Aladdin etc and the week days weren't too bad, again, we used fastpasses, got to the parks early, and had a rough plan of what we wanted to do each day and tried to avoid crowds (ie avoid trying to exit through Main Street around parade times etc)

But in 3 years time, who knows what the crowds will be like!!

 

[CrazyDuck]

After thanksgiving before Christmas week. But watch out for candlelight processional weekend. It draws huge crowds!

 

[Disney Dreams]

After thanksgiving before Christmas week. But watch out for candlelight processional weekend. It draws huge crowds!

Let me just emphasize the key word in CrazyDuck's very accurate reply: HUGE.

 

[bumbershoot]

Good point Tracey, mentioning the Electrical Parade.

I was going to suggest the first week of Dec, and to just avoid the front of DL on the CP evenings (either be in back of the park or over in DCA) b/c that served us well in '07 and '08. But yep, we missed the DEP, and since hubby and son have never seen that, it's sad!

 

[ukstitch]

I was there this year from 11th - 19th December.

The weekends were reasonably busy (especially the 19th), but the weekdays were nice and quiet. I also got 1 day on the 18th to see the electrical parade

 

[Eeee-va]

I heard great things about the week before Thanskgiving. (I would try to avoid the whole week of Thanksgiving though, including the weekend before it!)

Overall, almost every weekend, including Friday nights, has been very crowded at Disneyland lately. Three years from now, that MIGHT be a bit different (one plausible prediction are that there will be fewer AP-holders a year from now than there are now, which may mean fewer people coming to Disneyland for a few hours after work/etc.).

Weekdays when kids are in school are much less crowded. The park was magically un-crowded this year on Wednesday - Friday morning in the second week of December (12/9 - 12/11). Weekends were predicted to be awful, but Friday evening it was drizzling so it wasn't bad as far as crowds. Saturday it was cold and raining pretty much all day so it wasn't bad for crowds either. I don't know about Sunday; the weather was wonderful but we left about 2 PM so the park hadn't gotten too busy.

We were VERY lucky because we went on days right after the cast member parties (when the park closes early). A DISer theorized (I think correctly) that offering Fantasmic and keeping Disneyland open until 11 PM on Wednesday and Thursday were a way of compensating for the park closing early on Monday and Tuesday, rather than a prediction of large crowds on Wednesday and Thursday (the crowds were very light).

As I understand it, there were weekdays AFTER ours that Fantasmic did NOT run--and if it would've only run on weekends during our trip, we may not have managed to see it , since it only ran one show out of 4 on the Friday and Saturday night we were there.

I believe the week after we went started to pick up as kids started going on winter/Christmas break, but I think weekdays were still probably fine. I understand that last weekend was extremely busy.

The Electrical Parade wasn't running during our trip, so that is definitely something to consider. That said, I'm not sure what will be going on three years from now--the parade may not be seasonal for just the busiest times of Christmas, or alternately it might not be running for Christmas at all!

Anyway, assuming things are the same 3 years from now as they are now, I think I would personally go earlier to avoid crowds (some schools end the semester by the end of the second week of December), rather than later to see the Electrical Parade. Obviously different people have different priorities, though. For me, if it were likely that Fantasmic would only be running later in the season, then I'd strongly consider going later versus earlier, but I wouldn't personally brave bigger crowds for the Electrical Parade. If that parade is important to you and/or your family, then that's the choice you can make.

I hope you enjoy planning! (I know I always do. )

 

[Leofoenget]

I was there this year from 11th - 19th December.

The weekends were reasonably busy (especially the 19th), but the weekdays were nice and quiet. I also got 1 day on the 18th to see the electrical parade

I was there 11th 12th of this year and it was very nice. Fantasmic ran 2x during the week and the second show was dead. Primo viewing no crowds. We closed down the park both nights. They were still giving out Fastpasses at 9pm for Space. I have gone that week 2x now and I think it's gonig to be my week of choice. After CP but before crowds. Remember that was mid week not weekends.

 

[Aust]

Thanks for all the advice - what about after Christmas? How long do the decorations stay up for and how are the crowds?

 

[Leofoenget]

Thanks for all the advice - what about after Christmas? How long do the decorations stay up for and how are the crowds?

You mean in January? Not long. Pretty soon after new year they start coming down. For example. This year NY is Friday. They will start taking them down by the following Monday