Never, never go at Christmas?

[MikeBW]

This weekend my sister-in-law passed along a comment from a friend of hers. This person said to never, never, never go to WDW at Christmas time. It was too crowded. The parks were closed, fast passes all used up and 2 hour lines for rides at MK.
I have a feeling that this person was a Disney neophyte and doesn't know how to plan a trip and manage the crowds. For example, she went to MK at 10:30 AM and expected the park to be hers. Anyone care to share experiences from this past Christmas at WDW?

 

[dcfromva]

MikeBW,
We were there 29 Dec through 2 jan. Here's a link to my report:
link to trip report

I don't know if your sister-in-law was there any of those dates. Yes, it was plenty crowded, but we still managed to have a good time.

(Maybe your sister-in-law was in one of those 260 min standby lines?)

-DC

 

[zurgswife]

We did 2 weeks this pasts year arriving on Dec 20th and leaving Jan 4....I'm glad we did 2 weeks as this year between christmas and new years it was the busiest the parks have ever been in 10 years. While historically I have heard MK closing on Christmas day and New years eve day ..this year MK was closed by 12pm on every day from Christmas to New Years eve and a few days a second park closed soon after....Though the days before Christmas while it was crowded it wasn't as bad as after....Christmas Eve was abosultely empty at MK until about 11:30...no fast passes needed...walked on to all rides..

That being said on MK days wheather early entry or regular entry we were at the park at opening and did rides until about 12pm...while we didn't do the amount of rides that we do during a different time of year...we did alot...we were always caring at least one fast pass...sometimes we had two......we did the short wait lines in between...one day we did 13 rides or shows from 8am until 12pm ( and this wasn't even Christmas eve)...quite a feat seeing the crowds...

I loved the Christmas/New Years trip....glad I experienced it but I think we will go at the beginning of Dec next year to avoid the heavier crowds...

But you need to be extremely flexible and plan your fast passes...

 

[gopherit]

We've done the week prior to and including xmas, then another year we tried New year's and the week after.

The week prior to xmas was really nice -- no real crowds (people, yes, but no pressing the flesh, so to speak!) And then xmas day came and OMG -- wall to wall humanity. As if Santa dropped 'em right off his sleigh, they came out of nowhere! Ugh. We didn't stay in the park too much that day.

So we tried the week after...at the beginning, ugh again -- pretty tough manuevering. We had rather small kids with us too, so waits were a bigger problem than they might be if it were just me and dh. HOWEVER -- once Jan 2nd came, heaven again.

We are actually thinking of another "holiday season" trip in a few yrs. For now, the kids just love summer trips (they are water park freaks), but the holidays are just too big a lure in terms of the festive atmosphere! We will most likely do the week right after Turkey Day, however -- something to put us into the xmas spirit. If we DO go again on xmas, note to self -- find something ELSE to do that day but NOT MK! Not our cup of tea!

 

[MiaSRN62]

We are actually thinking of another "holiday season" trip in a few yrs. For now, the kids just love summer trips (they are water park freaks), but the holidays are just too big a lure in terms of the festive atmosphere! We will most likely do the week right after Turkey Day, however -- something to put us into the xmas spirit.

Don't totally rule-out water parks in December. We've been able to swim during this month the two times we visited during this general time period. In particular, 1998 was very warm. I think it was 83 the day were were at BB and this was early Dec.

 

[Poohs Pal]

My DSIS and DBIL arrived Dec. 26th for a week. I tried to warn her but she didn't beleive me( DSIS and I went this year 1st week of December and no crowds, this was a 1st trip for DSIS). They enjoyed the weather but nothing else. They were pretty good sports about it and plan on returning with us in Dec. 2005 for a family gathering, we all hope to stay at SSR with points i'm banking and borrowing. Of course we will go the first of December. Susan

 

[dtheboys]

OK.......
I hate Disney at EASTER time!!!!!
Ok, OK, I have no choice.....
I alway's took the kids out of school to avoid Easter, but now that the kids are in High School it is too hard for them to miss school...........
Did I mention, I HATE EASTER AT DISNEY!!
You almost get in a fist fight to get a chair near the pool.....
It is crowded, the parks close because they are at capacity, etc!!!

WOW!!! That felt good to get that off my chest!!!
WOW!!! I can breath again!!
Oh ya, and the points at Easter is a killer!!!

Oh! Have a nice Day!!!!
Doug

 

[Jimbo]

Originally posted by MiaSRN62
Don't totally rule-out water parks in December. We've been able to swim during this month the two times we visited during this general time period. In particular, 1998 was very warm. I think it was 83 the day were were at BB and this was early Dec.

We went the next week in December of 1998, and it never got much above 50 the entire week. And it was real windy, too. It was far to cold to go swimming, and too cold to even go on Splash Mountain. We were unprepared and all bought sweatshirts at DTD after the first day.

I remember watching the temps as our trip day approached, and it was in the 80s for quite some time (while you were there), and then dropped 30 degress almost overnight (while we were there).

 

[zurgswife]

I hate Disney at EASTER time!!!!!

LOL!!!

We have never done Easter because our kids spring break is typically during the first week of March.....

Well in 2005 for 1 year it will be at Easter...Crazy us are actually thinking about doing it.....just once...we survived Christmas and New years...so i'm sure we can survive one Easter....but ya never know..

 

[RCM]

We went Dec 26 to Jan 2nd. Christmas time was really special. It snows on Main Street! We really had no problems but this time we only had my 13 yr old. We got out early and got the fast passes when we could. We never waited beyond 45 min. on the other rides. The park was open until Midnight the park was pretty empty after the 9pm parade. You have to learn to manage the the crowds and work around the peak times. If the weather was so nice maybe the night trips wouldn't have been so nice.

 

[SamS]

My wife and I were there from Xmas day until the day after New Years. It was very crowded when we went to the parks. Since we are returning in June and didn't feel pressured to "commando tour", we tried to be in the parks when they opened, and left about 11:00 or noon. The one exception was when we went into the Magic Kingdom about 1:00 for the afternoon Xmas parade. The park had been closed, but as people left they apparently allowed replacements in. While waiting in Liberty Square for the parade, I decided to get Fast Passes for Philharmagic in Fantasyland. It was gridlock. I felt really bad for the children. We are returning with our grandchildren in '05, and have decided to arrive on Sunday, the 18th and leave for home on Friday, the 23rd. I think we'll all enjoy ourselves more.

 

[FriendsOfEeyore]

We are considering going this year (Dec 19-25). Sounds like we will get out of there, just before the real crowds hit.

But here is how we are justifying it...

Our two families do not get along all that well. We (dw, ds and myself) usually end up hosting my in-laws. Then on either x-mas or x-mas eve, my dw, ds & I go to my family's house, while her family stays at our house.

THIS YEAR IT WILL BE DIFFERENT!!!! No x-mas family fights. We will be alone for x-mas, and I think that we may enjoy the holiday a little more.

Edward

 

[MAC3]

Originally posted by dtheboys
OK.......
I hate Disney at EASTER time!!!!!
Ok, OK, I have no choice.....
I alway's took the kids out of school to avoid Easter, but now that the kids are in High School it is too hard for them to miss school...........
Did I mention, I HATE EASTER AT DISNEY!!
You almost get in a fist fight to get a chair near the pool.....
It is crowded, the parks close because they are at capacity, etc!!!

WOW!!! That felt good to get that off my chest!!!
WOW!!! I can breath again!!
Oh ya, and the points at Easter is a killer!!!

Oh! Have a nice Day!!!!
Doug

OMG Doug , Guess when we're going.... We usually go during 4th of July... Help!

 

[Deemarch]

Thanks RCM! We are planning Dec. 25th - Jan. 1st this year. Just the two of us 50 year-olds. I don't think we will have much trouble finding stuff to do...Just people watching with all those people! Wow!

 

[mouseclick1]

We were at WDW from 12/25 - 12/31. This was our first trip over Christmas, which is something that I have always wanted to do. Now that we're back, I have that "been there, done that" feeling; glad to have gone once, but probably won't go at this time frame again. Though I went down with a Master Plan knowing how busy it would be, I found that my boys (that includes DH!) enjoyed sleeping in much more that hitting the parks first thing in the morning. By the time we did arrive at the parks, lines were 90 - 120 minutes long, so we didn't go on too many rides. I will not wait in a line that long! We were able to use Fast Pass at times, but they were often gone early in the day, or scheduled for many hours later. We still had a great time and felt the trip was worth it. In addition to people watching, going on a few rides, and playing around in the stores (just how many hats can you try on in a day?), we saw Cirque du Soleil & the Candlelight Processional, celebrated DS's 14th birthday, DH did the Richard Petty Driving Experience, and we ate a lot of really good food! I guess that's the beauty of DVC, you don't feel disappointed if you don't do everything on your list because you know there will always be another trip just around the corner.

 

[antnee]

Early December is always best, kids are still in school and crowds are low

 

[westjones]

We went the week before Christmas (leaving on Christmas morning). We enjoyed our trip, but it was crowded (at least it seemed like it to us, but we are use to going in September when the crowds are low).

I would have hated to have gone at this time if this was one of few times we would ever be there, but it was our third time in 2003 and we plan to go at least once a year for now on. Since we knew we would be back we focused on the special holiday offerings and did a few chosen rides (with fast passes). We also loved checking out Pop Century (we ran out of points by this time).

ANYWAY.....I wanted to ask, is there anything 'special' about Easter time (besides crowds). Do they have a "Mickey's Very Hoppy Easter Party" or anything like that .

DJ

 

[Northwoods]

We went Easter week two years ago and said we would never do it again. Now we are thinking about going Dec 18-25 - Are we crazy?

I'm hoping the special events and decorations of Christmas will make it worth it.

 

[lenshanem]

We were there thsi past Christmas week. I had planned to make ressies again for next year, but I'm now having serious doubts. (unfortunately I ahve to go by the kids school calender.)
It was so packed, really i think the busiest I've personally ever seen it at WDW.
I had been with my parenst and my kids, but it was just too much for anyoen of us to truely enjoy it. I think it was overwhelming for my little one, too.
The next trip I was planning woudl be just my immediate family. I'm thinking my hubby might freak out. He has a short fuse and stresses easy. So I might start reworking our plans for next use year.
yes, the decoratiosn are lovely, but it was too packed to really apprecaite them. If I could, we'd go earlier to see the decorations and avoid the crowds.
The weather is unpreditable, too. My odlest wasn't abel to swim and that was diappointing to her.

I think even with the heat summer is still our best bet.
JMHO, good luck!

 

[skorpie]

We were in WDW from Dec.28-Jan 2. Yes it was crowded but we were at the parks before the scheduled opening time and we found thme to be open a bit earlier that the official time. We were able to ride quite a few things and be out of the parks by 10:30 to watch all the people just GETTING to the parks. If you want to go on the attractions you HAVE to get to the parks early! Luckily, the weather that week averaged in the 70's so we enjoyed the pools at great deal. This was our second trip during New Years week. I'd go again because DH likes the weather at that time of year and I don't have to pull DD put of school.