Parks in December...would you go BEFORE or AFTER X-mas?

[IloveWINNIEthePOOH]

My wonderful gramps decided to load up my mom, dad, 2 brothers, myself and him on a plane headed to Orlando after we get out of school for X-mas break. We want to do MGM. We know it will be crowded,
but will it be better before or after Christmas? Thanks for the help!!

 

[mcgrawfan]

I have always wanted to go at Christmas time. From what I have read on here I would want to go before to see all of the Christmas decorations.

 

[rkmassa]

Absolutely before Christmas. Everything is just crowded, crowded after Christmas. I believe the UG has the crowd level at 10 on the 25th until Jan. 1st. Avoid the parks at all costs after Christmas. We have been twice and seen the chaos first hand. We will stay out of the parks from now on after the 25th.

 

[ntburns22]

We went on Dec. 27, 2002. We said we would never go back at this time. It was so crazy it was hard to have a magical time.

 

[Jackie H.]

You don't say what day you do get out of school, but still my suggestion would be BEFORE, BEFORE, BEFORE! The farther away from Christmas day you can get the better - crowd wise. But the crowds can be handled! You just need to know how to do it and what you are doing. You have come to the right place to learn all that! Start planning now and have a GREAT trip!

Aren't Gramps wonderful?!?!

 

[minkydog]

BEFORE Christmas! We went ONE TIME after Christmas--thankfully, we survied to tell the tale and went back again the next year in May. Much better the second go 'round! December is a gerat time to visit WDW but not between Dec 25 and Jan3.

 

[IloveWINNIEthePOOH]

Aren't Gramps wonderful?!?!

you could certainly say that again! Can we also say "all expenses paid" trip as well?

My younger brother and I are going to be "sick" on wed(21), thurs(22) and fri(23) and we are thinking about doing the parks on thursday....are the crowds manageable then or should we be "sick" sooner?

 

[minkydog]

My younger brother and I are going to be "sick" on wed(21), thurs(22) and fri(23) and we are thinking about doing the parks on thursday....are the crowds manageable then or should we be "sick" sooner?

Ahem...do you have any finals that would make you feel less "sick"?

 

[IloveWINNIEthePOOH]

Ahem...do you have any finals that would make you feel less "sick"?

Acutally, we don't. Our school system has 3 trimesters. So we will only be in the middle of a trimester. Our teachers usually take that week easy, anyways. Most of them don't want to be grading papers or tests over christmas break.

 

[cdrn1]

I have to agree with the rest of the posters. Before Christmas really helps to put me in the Christmas spirit. The lovely decorations, the shows and music...after Xmas everything else is anticlimactic!

 

[rkmassa]

You should be fine any day before Christmas. You would not believe the incredible crowds that will pour in on Christmas Day. You have to see it to really understand it. We had some waits last year the days before Christmas. Fast Pass was needed for the headline attractions, but overall it was a good time.

 

[IloveWINNIEthePOOH]

Thanks, everyone, for all the input!!!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Another one chiming in with BEFORE. I've done both, and I hate to admit that I lose my love for Christmas music on the 26th. But before Christmas, when I hear it at Disney, I love it!

 

[have2getaway]

Will the second week in January still be busy? How about the third? When you are talking about not going after X-mas do you mean RIGHT AFTER?

 

[NoelGypsy]

Dec 2004 -- We went down the second week in December and it was great. There were not many long lines at all. We walked right onto Mission Space, and about 1/2 hour wait for Test Track, so we went to Mission Space again and went back to Test Track and it was a 10 minute wait. Also stay away from the park that opens an hour early for Disney resort guests, I find it to be more crowded. Since the parks close early at Christmas time I guess people want to try and get that extra hour in, but there are more people in those parks, the other parks are emptier and you can do a few rides in the time it would take you to do one at the "Extra hour" park.

 

[MLAinVA]

We've always enjoyed our trips that were during the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The decorations and holiday special events are all there to enjoy without all the people.