Pre-Christmas Crowd Levels

[Carrie in AZ]

What is your experience with crowd levels one week prior to Christmas? We know Christmas is busy, busy, busy, but I'm curious about one week prior on Thurs - Fri 12/18-19. Thanks in advance for sharing.

 

[joseph821]

What is your experience with crowd levels one week prior to Christmas? We know Christmas is busy, busy, busy, but I'm curious about one week prior on Thurs - Fri 12/18-19. Thanks in advance for sharing.

The crowds will be moderate on that Thurdsay. Friday will be crowded - lots of people arriving for the weekend and annual passholders will be flood DL after 4. It is the last weekend before Christmas. When are you arriving?

 

[Carrie in AZ]

We're thinking about possibly arriving the night of Wed. 12/17, ready to hit the ground on Thursday morning.

 

[joseph821]

We're thinking about possibly arriving the night of Wed. 12/17, ready to hit the ground on Thursday morning.

Use Magic Morning on Thursday. You will get a jump start on the day. Make sure you are at Dl on Friday early - hopefully at opening. Where are you staying?

 

[DLR29]

We went on similar dates in 06, however we went Wednesday/Thursday. Wednesday was empty and we got so much done at DL that we decided to focus mainly on DCA the next day. However when we park hopped to DL Thursday evening it was significantly more crowded than the night before.

In your case Thursday will be really good crowd wise, but you will probably see a spike in crowds on Friday.

Also to PP ^ if they're only going to be at the parks 2 days, they can only use MM if they're staying onsite.

 

[Brady's Mom]

What about crowds Dec. 7 - 12. Sun through Thurs.? We will tentatively be there for those dates. And have you ever been for the Christmas Processional and do they still show fireworks that night? (Sun. I think?) We won't be there any other weekend day and I don't think the park is open any later than 8 except Sun.

Thanks
Shannon

 

[joseph821]

What about crowds Dec. 7 - 12. Sun through Thurs.? We will tentatively be there for those dates. And have you ever been for the Christmas Processional and do they still show fireworks that night? (Sun. I think?) We won't be there any other weekend day and I don't think the park is open any later than 8 except Sun.

Thanks
Shannon

The dates for the 2008 Candlelight Processional have not been announced. The dates could either be Dec. 6 and Dec. 7 or Dec. 13. Dec. 14. I suspect the Candleight Processional will be on Dec. 6 and Dec. 7. Yes, the fireworks will be shown on those nights. Also, the Cast Member holidays parties might be on Dec. 8 and Dec. 9. DL will close at 6pm those nights but DCA hours will be extended to like 9pm or 10pm. The crowds shold be light to moderate. Of course, the weekends will be more crowded than weekdays. Expect the Main Street area to be crowded from 5pm through 9pm on each Candlelight Processional night. The usual hours are 10am through 8pm for DL and 10Am to 6pm for DCA. Are you definitely going for those dates?

 

[Jenn1116]

Thanks for the thread! I'll be going 3rd - 7th and I'm hoping Wed afternoon (when we arrive) and Thursday will be light days so we can get as much done as possible. I'm thinking Sat will be a good day to spend in DCA. What do yo think.

 

[gramto2boys]

The dates for the 2008 Candlelight Processional have not been announced. The dates could either be Dec. 6 and Dec. 7 or Dec. 13. Dec. 14. I suspect the Candleight Processional will be on Dec. 6 and Dec. 7. Yes, the fireworks will be shown on those nights. Also, the Cast Member holidays parties might be on Dec. 8 and Dec. 9. DL will close at 6pm those nights but DCA hours will be extended to like 9pm or 10pm. The crowds shold be light to moderate. Of course, the weekends will be more crowded than weekdays. Expect the Main Street area to be crowded from 5pm through 9pm on each Candlelight Processional night. The usual hours are 10am through 8pm for DL and 10Am to 6pm for DCA. Are you definitely going for those dates?

this was a great post on when the cast parties will be....

I had the same question about when the CM parties would be and I did some research a while back before booking my Dec. trip. From looking at the Dec. schedules in the past several years, the CM parties were always on the first Mon. and Tuesday of Dec. In the most recent years, the Candlelight Processional happened before the CM parties because the weekend occurred first. I went back several years to find a December where the weekend (first Saturday) didn't start until the 6th like it will this year. (That is when the CP's should be....on the first weekend, so the 6th this year). The CM parties were scheduled on the first Monday and Tuesday, and they were before the CP, because the first Mon. and Tues. were before the weekend. So, I am hoping this is the case and if everything follows the usual pattern, then this should be right. Hope this makes sense.

we will be going from the 8th thru the 15th so I am sure we will miss the cast parties and the candle light procession

 

[disneyfan4ever54]

Yay! That was my post. I'm glad it was helpful to you!

 

[disney-inspired]

I've been the week before Christmas and it wasn't too bad. I went yesterday and was surprised at how busy it was. I guess it should be expected this year since spring breaks are scattered over a 4 week span.

 

[gramto2boys]

Yay! That was my post. I'm glad it was helpful to you!

It did, in fact it was the deciding factor of me going in december on the dates I picked. thank you I am very grateful for all your help

 

[disneyfan4ever54]

It did, in fact it was the deciding factor of me going in december on the dates I picked. thank you I am very grateful for all your help

You're very welcome! I hope the dates follow the same pattern as they have done in the past for the CM parties and the CP. If so, you should be all set. We will be there some of the same days as you. (The 5th - 12th). Since we have never been during the Christmas holidays, we decided that we wanted to see the candlelight processional, so I picked my dates accordingly by that. After we've seen it once, maybe we might avoid those dates the next time too. I hope you have a wonderful time!

 

[gramto2boys]

You have a great time to!! I am so excited I have been picking up odds and ends non stop :lol: I hope someone tapes the candle light procession, I want to see it, but do not want to deal with the crowds.

 

[Brady's Mom]

The dates for the 2008 Candlelight Processional have not been announced. The dates could either be Dec. 6 and Dec. 7 or Dec. 13. Dec. 14. I suspect the Candleight Processional will be on Dec. 6 and Dec. 7. Yes, the fireworks will be shown on those nights. Also, the Cast Member holidays parties might be on Dec. 8 and Dec. 9. DL will close at 6pm those nights but DCA hours will be extended to like 9pm or 10pm. The crowds shold be light to moderate. Of course, the weekends will be more crowded than weekdays. Expect the Main Street area to be crowded from 5pm through 9pm on each Candlelight Processional night. The usual hours are 10am through 8pm for DL and 10Am to 6pm for DCA. Are you definitely going for those dates?

We really want to go for those days, since it isn't usually as busy and we want to see the Christmas decorations. Is it usually busy with the Candelight Procession? Do the crowds spill over into the next week? We can put up with a busy Sunday, especially if we know we will have low crowds the next few days. We also don't mind going over to DCA to ride some of the rides there. I have a DS 6 who is in love with Mulholland Madness. He could ride it over and over.

I am hoping CM Christmas Parties will be the week before as another poster suggested. Then we won't have to worry about DL closing early.

 

[joseph821]

We really want to go for those days, since it isn't usually as busy and we want to see the Christmas decorations. Is it usually busy with the Candelight Procession? Do the crowds spill over into the next week? We can put up with a busy Sunday, especially if we know we will have low crowds the next few days. We also don't mind going over to DCA to ride some of the rides there. I have a DS 6 who is in love with Mulholland Madness. He could ride it over and over.

I am hoping CM Christmas Parties will be the week before as another poster suggested. Then we won't have to worry about DL closing early.

What days are you planning to go to DL?

 

[disneyfan4ever54]

You have a great time to!! I am so excited I have been picking up odds and ends non stop :lol: I hope someone tapes the candle light procession, I want to see it, but do not want to deal with the crowds.

I have already been picking up things too...LOL. You can see the CP on youtube. I looked it up to see what it was like and I cried because it was so beautiful. The only problem was that I was at the library using a computer there and I was pretty embarrassed.

 

[gramto2boys]

I have already been picking up things too...LOL. You can see the CP on youtube. I looked it up to see what it was like and I cried because it was so beautiful. The only problem was that I was at the library using a computer there and I was pretty embarrassed.

I can just see you crying at the computer I am off to look now. thank you