So is December going to be packed?

[old feller]

the best time to go is the second week in December. i've gone twice now and the crowds are low. not September low but low.

We are trying Dec for the first time 7- 16...tried Sept last year..too much heat and humidity ...we have been mid nov 4 ×..

 

[bizeemom4]

The WHOLE month?? I don't think so. The week after Thanksgiving through the 2nd week of December are three of the best weeks to go all year long, crowd wise.

Used to be. This year with free dining and Pop Warner, it's super booked.

 

[sharonabe]

Used to be. This year with free dining and Pop Warner, it's super booked.

Free dining and Pop Warner have been going on for those two weeks for MANY years. They wouldn't offer free dining if they didn't need to fill the resorts. Pop Warner fills the resorts for their week (hence, no free dining during that week), but they don't fill the parks.

Those two weeks are still two of the best weeks of the entire year to visit.

 

[DJ!]

I am actually fairly concerned about the potential of higher than, what I consider usual, crowds during the time of our vacation, December 9th through the 15th. I have gone during that same sort of time frame many years in the past, but the last time that I did that was in 2009, so it's been a little while. I have looked at potentially booking a moderate instead of ASMo, like we are currently booked for and there is NOTHING really available in terms of handicap accessible rooms, like we need. I am used to seeing tons of availability and I am getting the idea that there isn't going to be any code for that time period for any sort of additional savings, because there are no rooms to try to put folks into, well not rooms that cost under $1000 a night. Luckily, we are go with the flow types without kids, so it will be fine.

 

[RJstanis]

Count me in for the Dec 15th-20th timeframe too. We are only doing one day of MK, Xmas Party (Sunday), and HS/AK combo day. We typically go during Sept and have been during early July before. I fully expect it to be crowded, but if I can get the FP at or at least around the times I want, I know we'll be golden. A great plan trumps crowd everytime IMO. We'll be ready and our expectations tempered! I plan like stupid crazy before our trip so that way we can just adjust on the fly and relax while there, and just go with the flow when we need to adjust. Makes it a much more enjoyable trip. This will be our first December trip ever! We probably would have never picked to go then but we have friends who are tied to school schedules that wanted to go for the first time so we changed from our normal time. We're excited for the cooler weather and of course the Christmas atmosphere. I'm hoping it will be better than the Halloween stuff.

 

[LucyBC80]

From what I could gather people are moving on site. I see a lot of people who usually goes during December saying it'll be their first time staying on site. So it's not like the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas will be packed, it's just that people that used to stay off site are now moving on site to reap the benefits.

 

[Moliphino]

I am actually fairly concerned about the potential of higher than, what I consider usual, crowds during the time of our vacation, December 9th through the 15th. I have gone during that same sort of time frame many years in the past, but the last time that I did that was in 2009, so it's been a little while. I have looked at potentially booking a moderate instead of ASMo, like we are currently booked for and there is NOTHING really available in terms of handicap accessible rooms, like we need. I am used to seeing tons of availability and I am getting the idea that there isn't going to be any code for that time period for any sort of additional savings, because there are no rooms to try to put folks into, well not rooms that cost under $1000 a night. Luckily, we are go with the flow types without kids, so it will be fine.

I'm hoping it's at least partly due to the construction at CBR and CSR. They tore down quite a few buildings in the past year, plus Coronado is being refurbished.
We've been booked at Coronado for December 9-17 since last September (bounceback offer), but I've been looking at availability in case my sister and her family want to join us and there's so little.

 

[dnw25]

We are last week of November, first two weeks of December WDW travelers. The last time it was not crowded was December 2009. All other trips have been moderate and even crazy busy on the weekends, especially at MK. Hoping the Sunday parties and earlier park party close time (MK) will keep the crowds away. That's the really issue with crowds, in our experience. People without hoppers flock to MK the few days without parties and then only go to the other parks on party days. Crowds become hard to avoid. Non party evenings at MK - everyone is there. Epcot is busy since that seems to be the main MK alternative and then for the restaurants.

 

[pmaurer74]

I am really starting to worry that December is going to be wall to wall people!! Our dates are the 16th - 21st and I was hoping that we would miss the biggest part of the rush because Christmas falls on a Monday this year.

we go every year at that time and manage it just fine.

 

[TimeDuck]

My fiance and I are going for our honeymoon this December from 12/16 to 1/2.

We're Disneyland vets and don't mind crowds but the horror stories I'm reading online about WDW Christmas are starting to scare me. Not sure if I should expect Disneyland summer crowds or something several magnitudes worse.

 

[mamateacher]

We just had dinner in Epcot and our waiter told us the week before Christmas up to New Year's is absolutely crazy and that it's Disney's busiest time of year by far. He said, "these crowds are nothing!" comparing today's crowds to December's.

 

[Runnsally]

We just had dinner in Epcot and our waiter told us the week before Christmas up to New Year's is absolutely crazy and that it's Disney's busiest time of year by far. He said, "these crowds are nothing!" comparing today's crowds to December's.

A coral reef alarmist no doubt

 

[mamateacher]

A coral reef alarmist no doubt

Actually, no---we didn't eat at Coral Reef!

 

[Qwackertoo]

We've always done early Dec and in Oct too so not too worried. This is the first time doing week after Thanksgiving. With kids in school we always did 1st & 2nd week of Dec. Definitely by the 16-17 the crowds start arriving. My favorite time of year to go.