So again, how crowded is it really at Christmas?

[mickey'sbud]

Looking at going Dec 21-26 or Dec 23-28. Each include the wkend before Christmas. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks

 

[katymae]

We went the week before and left on the 26th last year. The only day that we had any trouble was Christmas Day. We went to the MK (because I just HAD to go the MK on Christmas) and it was totally insane. Wall to wall people - literally - so we left after the parade and went to EPCOT. Epcot was totally empty and beautiful and we had a wonderful evening there.

Have fun!!

 

[PlutoLuvr]

MK is packed, enormous crowds. Any attempt at moving where the crowds aren't is futile. And we went 12/17 last year, a week prior to Christmas. Never, ever again will we attempt to do that.

I don't know what the other parks are like at that time. We were so freaked out by the crowds at MK, we headed over to USO and spent the rest of the weekend there where the crowds were much lighter.

Good luck!

 

[hopelea]

A co-worker of mine went the day after Christmas two years ago. She will NEVER do that again. They had to turn people away because the park was at capacity. Never really thought of MK having a magic number and then closing after it goes past that. I have seen pictures from her trip.

 

[unbroken chain]

I would say to have your trip include as few of the days between Christmas and New Year's as possible. It really is shoulder-to-shoulder. You can't even see the rides, let alone ride them. That's at MK, though. Others have said other parks are better. So maybe go to MK earlier in your trip, and another park after Christma.

 

[curiouser]

We did Christmas through New Years last year. It was incredible but we'll probably never do it again as it was INSANELY crowded. Christmas Day at MK was chaos, but we went in with the mindset that we were there to enjoy the festivities and the Christmas parade-- not to do as much as we normally do ride wise, etc..

I think the absolute worst was NYE at Epcot. WS was wall to wall people and trying to walk around the countries with a bunch of drunk people was a thrill ride in itself!!

 

[jwfla422]

We were there a week and a few days before Christmas last year. The first day or 2 were ok but I can tell you the rest of our trip was stressful it got so busy. I think this was the first trip every to WDW that I was glad to leave and go home!! Couldn't pay me to go back again during the week "before" Christmas, let alone the few days before and after Christmas, ha ha ha, never, not for us! I remember that "loss of magic" feeling so well, we're skipping December this year!

 

[jmclester]

Crowded is not even the right word!!

Will never go back during the Christmas/NY holidays.

 

[Kay1]

It's pretty crazy, even walking around can be difficult. The worst would be the CS restaurants - long lines and nowhere to sit. Also, the parades can be rough.

 

[mickey'sbud]

I guess "thank you" is in order. Your reports are NOT what I wanted to hear, but what I NEEDED to hear. So yes, thank you. The last thing I want to do is walk elbow to elbow/shoulder to shoulder with everyone else. Love ya mean it, but only to a certain closeness point.
We went year before last on Sun before Memorial Day and said, "Never again." I sure don't want to make the plunge again for a Holly Jolly Christmas to only feel like the Grinch stole our Christmas and we didn't even make it over to Universal!

If we could only find a time to go when the rest of the country wasn't out of school too. Any ideas? How's the first week of January????? What about rates?

Oh, thanks again....here's to thinking up another plan!!!

 

[Robo]

How's the first week of January?????

Much,
Much,
Much,
Much,
Much, better.

(But not as good as the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th week of Jan.)

 

[AStamm]

You guys are making me really optomistic that our trip this Christmas will be empty Ok...so I know better from being at WDW for Christmas two years ago. I had a fabulous time spending Christmas there and although there were large crowds, it wasn't carried away IMHO until NYE at MK.

Live and learn--I've got plans to spend Christmas Day and NYE at AK in the hopes that it won't be as crowded, but I'm also going with the attitude of flexibility. Lines may be long, but there is FP for the best rides, the weather is usually really comfortable, and I'm still going to be a WDW!

Just yesterday DH and I decided we'd like to switch some dining around and had no problem making three new ADRs. Times were a little earlier than I'd prefer for two dinners, but still manageable.

 

[Mono~rail]

We went a few years ago, and crowds were OK. We went to Epcot on Christmas Day and it wasn't crowded.

 

[cobbler]

We went the week between Xmas and New Years back in 98. Lets just say we haven't been back during that time and won't be doing so again.

 

[madelinesmum]

i would strongly suggest the earlier of the two.
We went this past Dec 23rd through the 29th and it was alright before Christmas and Christmas day at MGM was not bad but the day after, AWFUL! I still enjoyed it but the crowds were insane. Couldn't even walk through Epcot easily.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

It's going to be extremely crowded. Especially Mk on Christmas day, but bad crowds all week until after new years.

 

[CarolinaBlue]

We were there last year from the 17th to the 26th. We didn't think it was all that crowded until the 24th. We arrived at the parks before opening every day and we were able to ride everything we wanted to. The longest wait we had was for Soarin' (20 minutes). Everything else was less than 10 minutes. We did not go to the parks on Christmas day. We did have an ADR at 1900 Park Fare that morning, so we took the bus to MK and hopped the monorail. The lines to get into MK were like nothing I've ever seen! My kids were so glad that we weren't going in there that day. Cars going to the TTC were backed up for miles. The closer you get to Christmas day, the more crowded it will be.

 

[nluvwithmickey]

We went a few years ago, and crowds were OK. We went to Epcot on Christmas Day and it wasn't crowded.

Oh my Gosh!!! After seeing your picture, I just realized that we saw your beautiful twins at toontown ! You guys were right in front of us! One of them loved the characters, the other one was more shy ! I remember this so well. Were you at MK on October 3rd???

It really is a small world after all!

 

[snowiit]

We'll be there the 17th (Sunday) and leaving the 22nd (Friday). Does everyone think it will be really crowded then, or will we just miss the big crowds coming down the weekend before Christmas?
Nancy

 

[CheshireVal]

We go every year the week before Christmas (sometimes up through Christmas Day). The crowds are light right up until the 23rd, then the parks get progressively more crowded. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day have been especially bad, and the only park that isn't usually a pain to navigate through on those days is AK (presumably because it's less Christmasy).

I would definitely avoid the week between Christmas and New Year's.