Ok, How crowded is crowded?

[DisneyDreamer04]

I have been reading some posts about december, and the pop warner crowds, the parade taping, and the 1st week of December being VERY CROWDED..

So.. how crowded is crowded? I know everyone has their own definition of it, but I mean like summertime crowds, or Food & Wine crowds?
Is any week comparable to September crowd levels? Do alot of people come the 1st week for the chance to see MK parade being taped?

Also, if anyone could put their two cents in on the best week in December for LEAST crowds, I would greatly appreciate it.


I know I have asked a ton of questions, but you guys have so great input, and have gone several times, so your opinions are greatly valued.
TIA!

 

[welo72]

My husband and I have been down during the week of December 7-14 over the past 12 years for our anniversary. We went in 2008 and I have to say it was the most crowded I've seen it, to the point that we turned around and walked out of the Studios because everything had such long waits. We had not expected it to be so crowded. We were used to 15 minute waits for rides in December, so 1 hour plus was too long. My friend's mother was there the week before and she didn't seem to have the same crowd issues. It may have been Pop Warner causing the crowd inflation during my trip.

 

[RMulieri]

I have gone to Disney many times during the first few weeks of December.It has gotten noticeably busier in the last few years.Not crazy crowded, but not the short walk ons and no waits of the past.Thanks to every Disney travel guide book, Travel Channel Tv show, and Disney promotions,...December has been touted as the nicest,cheapest and best time to go to Disney, so lots of people do just that. In early mornings rides can be walked onto.Mid-day sees waits for popular attractions of 60 mins or more.

 

[DebbieB]

I've gone the first week of December many times and it isn't as bad as summer. The weekend tends to be more crowded. MK is very crowded on days when there is no party and Spectro & Wishes are showing. This is the first year Fantasmic will only be on selected nights, I would avoid those days at DHS. I'm a big believer in park hopping if you want to see the evening shows.

 

[DisneyDreamer04]

I have gone to Disney many times during the first few weeks of December.It has gotten noticeably busier in the last few years.Not crazy crowded, but not the short walk ons and no waits of the past.Thanks to every Disney travel guide book, Travel Channel Tv show, and Disney promotions,...December has been touted as the nicest,cheapest and best time to go to Disney, so lots of people do just that. In early mornings rides can be walked onto.Mid-day sees waits for popular attractions of 60 mins or more.

Wow! 60 minutes or on popular attractions. I was way off then. I was thinking more than just walking on, but no more than a 20-30 minute wait.

 

[SageFemme]

Wow! 60 minutes or on popular attractions. I was way off then. I was thinking more than just walking on, but no more than a 20-30 minute wait.

Yes, that puts quite a bit of a damper on things, doesn't it!

 

[anlashokna]

We went 19-27 December 2007. And crowded mean on a 1-10 scale 10. We did our parks early but saw the backup trying to get into MK on the 25th. I've never seen anything like that. I've been in the summer and had moderate crowds, I've been a couple trips with low crowds. It was a once in a lifetime trip as far as I'm concerned. Also be aware higher crowds more chance of family illness. Dad came down with something flu like within a few days of being there. Hit mom on the way home and I got it after we made it back.

 

[BradyBz12]

We've gone during the first 2-3 weeks of December for the past 3 years, and while I agree with PP that it gets a bit busier each year, it is still nowhere near what we would consider crazy busy. DH and I aren't rope drop folks, so we're generally getting to the parks later morning/noon-ish, and we usually take advantage of PM EMH. We do most rides/attractions (although we do skip parts of Fantasyland), and with the exception of a few major attractions (TSM, Soarin, TT...), we still never wait more than 20 minutes for anything. Definitely helps to have a good touring plan, the ability to be flexible, and no fear of doing some extra walking, and no, not so many walk-ons anymore, but we still find it to be a very nice time of year to go.

Just wanted to add, that this pertains to the first 2-3 weeks. Christmas week through New Years is historically THE busiest week of the entire year at WDW, with park closures and multi-hour waits being pretty common.

 

[SageFemme]

BradyBz12, so would you agree with the 60 min. waits on Dec. 5-12?

I guess it depends on not only the year, but the day! And DisneyDreamer04? If people are willing to brave going in June/July, then I think we can handle early Dec.! LOL

 

[BradyBz12]

Definitely can depend on the day, the park, and even the time of day sometimes. One day we saw EE with a 40 minute wait the first time by, and later that day it was down to 10 mins. We even walked on a couple of times and got all the way through the "museum" part of the queue before we saw any kind of a line (total wait time, maybe 3-5 mins)

While we did see some 40-60 min waits every so often, I can say that we didn't wait 60 minutes for anything except TSM the entire first 3 weeks of December '08 in any park. And I think the only things we skipped were Stitch, Dumbo, Teacups and Pooh.

But I have to add that this is in large part because, if we did see long waits for some attractions, we'd go do something else and come back later. Hence the "as long as you don't mind some extra walking" part.

We used FP for the big attractions like Soarin' which generally did have a 60 min+ wait the entire time we were there (at least by the afternoon when we typically arrived), and we did use single rider lines when it made sense.

So yes, 60 min waits in early December aren't unheard of, but I wouldn't say they're across the norm across the boards. Yet. Now if the Travel Channel keeps playing those "everyone should go to WDW in early December" shows.... all bets are off.

 

[DebbieB]

You should never have to wait 60 minutes for a ride if you know how to work fastpass. They don't go as fast in early December, so you should be able to get them for what you want.

I was there last month when it was very crowded, 20 or 30 minutes was the longest I waited. Did fastpass for the long line rides.

 

[DisneyDreamer04]

Well, Thank you guys for the great advice. Helping plan a once in a lifetime trip is a HUGE responsibility. I was really worried about hearing how busy it has gotten, and then I know about the parade that week, and after weighing everything thought it was better to take that chance than the pop warner kids....

But, now after reading a similiar thread going on right now, I am wondering like SageFemme about that 3rd full week...

 

[RMulieri]

Let me clarify my earlier post...I did not say all rides were 60 mins.More popular ones , Yes. Things like Splash, Space mtn, Test Track ,Soarin, TSm(over 120mins) have waits in December, sometimes really long ones..I don't wait more than 20 mins , but I work the fastpass system .It is better to go prepared with the thoughts that there very well may be waits, and maybe be pleasantly surprised if there aren't , then to go expecting dead empty parks and getting the unpleasant surprise of lots of people.There truly is no DEAD empty times anymore. Disney has done an excellent job of boosting attendance with promotions .I remember when Sept at Disney was a literal ghost town.Disney instituted free dining, and brought people in, not huge crowds, but there are still waits for things at mid day.

 

[twokids0204]

Maybe this can help:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2048556

 

[innoculation]

Although we have not been to the world in the summer months, we have been there for the Food and Wine Festival.

This past year we were there for the mess of Pop Warner and the Parade taping. DW says that she will never go back in December. Not only was it crowded, people were extremely rude. This may be exaggerated, but the crowd seemed double Food and Wine to us.

 

[SageFemme]

Let me clarify my earlier post...I did not say all rides were 60 mins.More popular ones , Yes. Things like Splash, Space mtn, Test Track ,Soarin, TSm(over 120mins) have waits in December, sometimes really long ones..
.

That's how I understood it.

Disney has done an excellent job of boosting attendance with promotions .I remember when Sept at Disney was a literal ghost town.

Funny, I went in 1998 and it was extremely crowded then. We're talking 60+ min. waits back then. Maybe, once again, it just depended on the time and day.

 

[chell]

Last December we were there the 6th to the 13th and I couldn't believe the crowds. Several years before I was there around the same time and the crowds were so thin. But last year it was PACKED. Space Mountain was easily 60 minutes, sometimes 90 minutes. Some FP were gone early in the day.

Some people say Pop Warner may have had something to do with it. It might but I don't know. I do know that Disney sent out lots of specials too. They sent out some free dining and such to their Visa cardholders. It seems like there was another special released for that time frame. I think those specials really boosted the crowd levels.

No matter when you go remember there may be heavy crowds. Just remember to take it as it is and get in what you can. Don't stress over it because it isn't worth ruining your vacation by stressing over something you can't control. Grab some Fastpasses and enjoy your vacation!

 

[Missytara]

I missed last year, for the first time in a while, and I heard they were busier the week after thanksgiving, because of the Travel Channel special. Up till then, it had been the best kept secret.

I am hoping it will go back to normal this year, since they are not offering a great deal of specials, and with the economy....

 

[danceintherain]

Many of the popular attractions have long waits no matter what time of year you go. That's just a symptom of them being popular.
If you use Fastpass well, however, then you should be fine.
Soarin' the second week of January easily jumped up to over an hour by the middle of the day. (also during value season) Toy Story Mania at least that... more like over 100 minutes. As of now they immediately post a 40 minute wait time for TSM at Rope Drop, because they crowds flock to it that quickly.
I don't have exact wait times, because I didn't go around those attractions usually unless I had a FastPass, or I got there at or right after Rope Drop.
If you plan well...it's not that difficult to avoid waiting in such long lines.
Crowds tend to be lighter early in the morning and late at night at most of the parks. Early in the morning is a better bet in early December though, simply because the parks don't stay open as late.

I'm hoping to plan another trip for the first part of December. I want to get in one more trip before my Annual Pass expires.

When people say that crowds have been increasing in December, they're speaking from experience based on previous trips, as in they've been there during that time period before, and crowds have increased. This can be said of just about every time of year. But, this year has shown a drop in crowd levels due to the economy, so who knows what will happen in December.

I would choose the first weeks December over the summer anytime. If not for the crowds, then for weather. It's much easier to handle crowds when it's under 90 degrees.

 

[michaeldorn1]

I have been reading some posts about december, and the pop warner crowds, the parade taping, and the 1st week of December being VERY CROWDED..

So.. how crowded is crowded? I know everyone has their own definition of it, but I mean like summertime crowds, or Food & Wine crowds?
Is any week comparable to September crowd levels? Do alot of people come the 1st week for the chance to see MK parade being taped?

Also, if anyone could put their two cents in on the best week in December for LEAST crowds, I would greatly appreciate it.


I know I have asked a ton of questions, but you guys have so great input, and have gone several times, so your opinions are greatly valued.
TIA!

I'm not new to Disboards or Disney but I feel like an idiot! What is Pop Warner and is it every year? We will be in the World Dec. 14-Dec. 19 .
Thanks.