Pros and Cons of going in early December

[javaonline]

My son's birthday is Dec 12th, and I'd love to setup a trip for his bday in 2007.

Pros
Less Crowds
Right in between PopWarner and Christmas
Weather?
Value season for most resorts

Cons
Early park closings
Less chance of fireworks
Weather?
Refurbs?


What else....I'll need at least a year to save up to go back...so I thought my boy's birthday would be a perfect time...

 

[Daydreamer]

Pros: Christmas decorations, MVMCP, different parades to see

Cons: More luggage to pack (warm and cool weather clothes)

 

[helenk]

I think that it is a great time of year to go. While some of the parks close earlier the crowds are lower so you can still get so much done. You have your evening EMH as well so you can plan to stay in the park that is having the later hours.
Fantasmic and Illuminations are still held each night so no problem seeing those and Wishes is generally each night, Spectro Magic is usually held one night during the week and then again on Saturday and Sunday and on the weekends Spectro is held twice a night.
And I love MVMCP, I think it is well worth the extra cost.
The weather can be "iffy" but plan for cool/cold evenings. Since we live in PA I'm wearing my heavy coat down, but found a light jacket or sweat shirt at night has been fine for me.
I say plan accordingly and you will love going this time of year.

 

[gbrogers]

We are going this year the week after Thanksgiving to take advantage of the low crowds. This year, refurbishments don't seem to be an issue. I think Disney is trying to use the months that immediately follow their busiest months for the refurbs (September & January).

The biggest cons in my opinion are the unpredictability of the weather and the MVMCP. While it sounds like a lot of fun, they schedule 4 of them per week (Mon, Tues, Thurs, & Fri). This has made penciling in Wishes into our schedule fairly difficult.

 

[bengalfreak]

We are going this year the week after Thanksgiving to take advantage of the low crowds. This year, refurbishments don't seem to be an issue. I think Disney is trying to use the months that immediately follow their busiest months for the refurbs (September & January).

The biggest cons in my opinion are the unpredictability of the weather and the MVMCP. While it sounds like a lot of fun, they schedule 4 of them per week (Mon, Tues, Thurs, & Fri). This has made penciling in Wishes into our schedule fairly difficult.

By unpredictability of the weather, I assume you mean temperatures? It is my understanding that Dec. is the month with the least rain all year in Orlando.


Also, Wishes is still being held every night the week you are there. Although on the nights of the MVMCP it is scheduled for 6:00PM.

 

[gbrogers]

By unpredictability of the weather, I assume you mean temperatures? It is my understanding that Dec. is the month with the least rain all year in Orlando.

Also, Wishes is still being held every night the week you are there. Although on the nights of the MVMCP it is scheduled for 6:00PM.

Temperature is what I was referring to.

On Wishes, that is correct. It still shows every night; just earlier and no Spectro Magic on those nights. At this point, I am not sure what the combination of the pre-MVMCP crowd and the Wishes crowd will be like. The pre-MVMCP crowd might not be a big deal at all. Or if we go on a night that there is Wishes + Spectro, will the crowds be flocking to MK for that.

Anyway, I am just finding that it is making my planning more difficult which for me is a con. My brain is hurting just from typing this post.

 

[LoriMistress]

You guys have answered my questions too. I think I know when I'll be going too. I coudn't decide to go on the first two weeks of November or December. Most likely December.

 

[kidsgobears]

Cons: Mite hockey games have started by early December and DS8 would rather skip Disney altogether then miss a single one of his games (this may be family specific).

Pros: Lots of pros, sounds like a great time to go.

 

[dawn8226]

How early do the parks close in mid December?

 

[Lucky4me]

After going the first week of December for several years, I've noticed the crowds getting larger and larger.
I've decided to go the 2nd week this year. The 10th to be exact. Pop Warner football and cheerleading is over by then, the Thanksgiving crowds are gone and the Christmas crowds haven't arrived yet.
I also was sent a code for $59 at POP Century good between December 9th through the 22nd. That was proof they are expecting big crowds the two weeks after Thanksgiving.

 

[Tomm Morrow]

Pros:
You'll be in Disney!

Cons:
You'll have to leave
and it may make you cry. It sure does me!

 

[DisneyWisher]

:eyeroll:

 

[DisneyWisher]

I would take lower crowds and cooler weather over longer park hours any time. Yes, you are losing about 3 hours of park time but you are also losing 60min plus wait times too. We always go this time of year and its usually 20mins or less, last year we went to MK at around 3pm and Splash had 45 min wait and DD13(12 at the time) didn't want to wait that long, so we jumped back on the train and went to Tomorrowland. Space Mountain was a walk on and Indy (typically has one of the longest lines at MK) was only a 5 min wait.

MVMCP is a must do! Wishes on that night is worth the money alone(IMHO). Please watch them from Main Street preferably closer to the walkway that leads to Tomorrowland (you can see Tinkerbell as she flies by). Though it says Wishes can be seen from anywhere in the park, there is nothing like seeing them over the castle (plus no trees to block you view like in Frontierland). MVMCP Wishes is better regular Wishes.

 

[cobbler]

It definatly is getting busier and busier every year. Pretty soon it won't be such a slow time to go anymore. Maybe only September - ha ha.

We have seen crowds grow every year. And be prepared for a variety of weather. One MVMCP night we could have worn thick winter jackets, hats and gloves. The next year it was to hot for pants.

 

[TheGoofster]

Another big pro that seems to be overlooked alot is the fact that when you finally do have to leave Disney, and go back home, your kids have Christmas coming up, which helps take away the post-Disney Blues.

I suppose on the reverse side of that, as a con, is that we parents need to make sure that most of our Christmas shopping is done before we go. But, if you're on these boards, it probably means that you are at least somewhat of a planner, which should mean that you will have no problem getting your shopping done early, right????

 

[welovedis]

I'll let ya know when we get back, lol! We are going Dec 9th thru 16th and celebrating my DS' 10th birthday there on Dec 11th.

My concerns are not really the weather (we'll be in a DVC villa w/washer & dryer), early park closings (we hang up till the very end, and enjoy a snack on the way out of the park or go to an EMH night park) ro the refurbs (this is our 4th trip on our APs this year). It is the fact that Mousefest will be still going on when we get there, Pop Warner will be winding down and there will be other conventions taking place. DVC resorts are pretty booked and we're concerned it might be a little busier than anticipated.

But taking him there for his b-day & attending our first MVMCP will be awesome!

 

[RussH]

I can’t remember how many years now I go to WDW the beginning of December maybe 15.
Other posters have mentioned the weather and I agree it can be a little cool for water parks and kali.
That time of year at MGM is Osborne lights, which is a good end of the day for me.

The only con I can think of right now is Holiday Music. Now I like Dean singing "let it snow" and many other songs but after 7-10 days I start to develop a twitch. I guess Disney filters the available titles so as not offend.

 

[goofie4goofy]

We will be going again this year Dec 9-15th. The weather, temp wise, is unpredictable, but just bring clothes that can be layered. I packed our fall jackets for the evening and they were plenty warm enough. If it was cooler, we just wore a long sleeve t shirt under our regular clothes. Also don't forget gloves and a scarf. Last year it was freezing on the night we went to MVMCP. During the day you will be very comfortable in jeans and a long sleeve shirt. It may get warm, but it does not stay warm like the summer because the hours of sunlight are shortest this time of year. It is very comfortable.

As far as crowds go, it is a good time. Mousefest ends on the 10th (I think) and so does POP. The crowds will start to build on the 15th as school recesses start. So as far as our personal experience from last year it is the week of calm between the crowds.

We usually split our days in two. During the day we tour the parks and at night we take in all the holiday festivities. The parks may look beautiful during the day, but night is really something. We have all our adrs set for 5:30 so we have the entire evening in a different park till closing. The best night for the MVMCP is a Tues or Thurs during this week. The locals go on the weekends so the crowds will be higher. Choose a mid week date and you will have the lowest crowd levels for the party.

I am curious to see the difference between this year compared to last. Crowd levels in WDW are as unpredictable as the weather.

All in all it is a great time to go, lower crowds, great weather and the holiday decorations. It is like 2 trips in one!

 

[mla2177]

Same pros as everyone else, but it's also very close to Xmas to put out that kind of $$$$$ IMO

 

[Jorge]

I'll be there the first week of december too, and I'm a little surprised to see that ALL the WDW resorts are totally booked for that week!!
I have tickets for the 12/5 MVMCP, I hope to live a unique experience!!