Starting to panic... could use some advice...

[Brit17]

ok, so I have our reservations made at the Swan & Dolphin for Christmas week (2 adults, 12/26-12/31) ... and I have our ADR's made ... however, now after reading some past threads and posts re: Christmas week crowds, I'm starting to second guess myself wondering if we're making a mistake going to WDW during Christmas ... therefore, I could really use some expert advice from those who have been to WDW during this time in the past ... I also have the following questions ...

1. Do all the theme parks usually close by late morning daily due to capacity? ...

2. If they do close, how can you find out before you get there? ...

3. Do they open back up relatively quickly, or after a few hours, etc.? ...

4. What's the latest time you should be at the parks in the AM to avoid being turned away? ...

5. If you have an ADR at a park but the park is closed due to capacity, can you still get in for your ADR? ...

I will be traveling with my DSis who has never been to WDW (except for a day trip to Epcot once) ... I'm starting to worry that the "Christmas week shoulder-to-shoulder crowd level" that I've been reading about will give her a bad first impression of a WDW vacation, and therefore, we should maybe re-book for a slower time of year ... any opinons? ...

I really appreciate any help, advice and first-hand experience that you can give me ...

 

[mjkacmom]

The only question I can answer is that you will lose your ADR if the park closes. You are also not staying on WDW property, so you will be turned away before folks who are staying on WDW property are. I've never been over Christmas, but after reading about it on these boards, there is no way I'd go. My dd8 is competing in a dance competition over 4th of July weekend at the Dolphin, and even though we'll be there, we're not hitting the parks.

 

[GovieMom]

My best advice for you would be to re-book for a slower time of year.

 

[DisneyRookie2007]

I have never been over Christmas - but really like the idea of being there during the Christmas break - I just know that I would be completely frustrated over the crowds and the inability to get the ADR's I wanted.

I think if you want to be there over the Christmas break - perhaps looking at the first week after New Year's - decorations will still be up and the crowds should be less - it is also Value season and the prices will be lower - allowing you a longer stay for the same money.

As the PP mentioned, when the parks close, you will not be allowed to enter, even if you have an ADR. If you want to guarantee entrance to the park, I would recommend getting to the park at least 45-60 minutes before opening - but that's not based on any personal observations - just my opinion.

I also feel that if it's your DSis 1st trip - she may be discouraged by the crowds

 

[marie1203]

I haven't been there on Christmas but I have been there on summer and all I can say is I will never do disney when it's too crowded again. We were there this year in slow time and what a difference it was relaxing. I just couldn't wait for a ride over an hour by the time I got to the front I couldn't enjoy it anymore, just walking around the park is hard because so many people, people were cranky, kids were not happy after having to wait those long lines.

 

[PearlySwan]

My dd8 is competing in a dance competition over 4th of July weekend at the Dolphin, and even though we'll be there, we're not hitting the parks.

^^^ I wouldn't discount going to the parks during that time. We were there through the 4th of July weekend this past summer. It is true that the parks became more crowded on the 3rd. However, our last day in the parks was not as horrible as we had originally expected. That morning we visited DHS and it was perfectly fine. We did a midday break for nap/pool then hit MK, which was much more crowded as everyone showed up to watch the 4th of July fireworks. There isn't Wishes on those nights (3rd and 4th). We didn't go to the parks on the 4th and instead opted to stay at WL until our departure.

 

[glassslipper2004]

If you don't have vacation restrictions on when you have to take a vacation (needing to travel around kids' school vacations, for example) I would strongly suggest avoiding school vacation times, especially Christmas. Unless you already have a true and abiding love for all things Disney - which many of us here do - you are likely to be overwhelmingly frustrated with the crowds. Especially if your sister hasn't gone before, she simply will not get to ride all the rides she might want to. We made the mistake of trying to get in a quick trip to DHS one day last spring during a busy time, and had to wait 90 minutes for one ride. We did manage to see Toy Story, and ride TOT and RNRC, but almost nothing else. There was definitely not time to see shows and ride rides... Even by using all the best fastpass strategies, you can't do fastpass for all of them, and you still have to battle crowds and wait in line just to get the fastpass! Just walking down the street was stressful. I love Disney dearly, but that day nearly pushed me over the edge. I couldn't stand a whole week of it, that's for sure.

 

[ShellyLynn3630]

My best advice for you would be to re-book for a slower time of year.

I agree. We are going next week for a few days and will be hitting two parks on the 17th and 18th. Crowd calendar has those days as a 4 and a 5, but I still am worried about crowds. I know of course it won't be like September, but I am hoping that the real crowds don't start piling in until the 20th.

 

[denecarter]

You are also not staying on WDW property, so you will be turned away before folks who are staying on WDW property are.

Ummm, while it isn't owned/run by Disney, the Swan and Dolphin are most definitely ON WDW property... unless things have changed since I stayed there, they even run on the same transportation system.

I've been in the summer at various times, the week of Thanksgiving, the week before Christmas, the week between Christmas and New Year's, and from just before New Year's until about the 3rd... so, I've never been when it could be called slow. We'll be there from the 19th to the 26th this year.

Here's my take on Christmas week. It's all in your expectations. If you expect to have the park to yourself, be able to walk onto any ride at any time, have no lines for food/rides/transportation, and take pictures with nobody else in them, then you will be very disappointed. BUT, if you expect to go when when the weather is generally very nice, when the parks are amazingly decorated, when the crowds seem to be in better spirits/moods, and when you can slow down and relax and really absorb the atmosphere, then you will have a fabulous time.

 

[tinkerbellmichelle]

I would love to go over Christmas and New Years. If we ever did I think we'd have to go in with completely different expectations. Plan ADRs at the earliest mark possible, plan to enjoy the resorts/decorations and only pick a couple MUST DOs for each day and just enjoy the Disney Magic combined with holiday magic.

I do not think I'd get hoppers because once you're at a park you will likely need to stay at that park. And I think we'd get up early and go. Then when we're done, we're done and if we wanted to watch fireworks at MK we'd do it at the Poly, for instance. If we wanted to see Illuminations and we'd already left Epcot, we'd watch what we could from the boardwalk.

That being said - - I think I'd be SO afraid of the crowds and the little ones getting lost in the crowd or something - which is why we haven't done it. If it was just me, or me and my husband I'd be all over it!

 

[domestic goddess]

We have been over Christmas twice before and it can be fun but it can also be very frustrating, especially if you haven't been before. For MK I would be there at rope drop and stay for as long as you can stand it, until the crowds get too bad. It will be very busy but just decide your top 3-4 rides that you really want to do at the park you are going to and do those first. Then do anything else that you can and they will be extras. Realize that you will not be able to do everything and you will not be disappointed.

It is a great time to go with all of the decorations and stuff! Also, don't forget to take some time to visit some of the resorts and see their decorations too. It is a nice way to spend an afternoon. We love to go to the WL, if we aren't staying there, get some hot cocoa and sit by the fireplace in the lobby listening to the music and enjoyiong the atmosphere.

If you can change your dates of travel, I would recommend a first trip at a less busy time. It would be more relaxing and enjoyable then. However, it can still be a great trip at Christmas with the right planning and expectations! Have a great time whenever you decide to go!

 

[Lynne M]

Being there Christmas week can be great if all you're wanting to do is soak up the holiday spirit, check out the decorations in the parks and resorts, and do things outside of the parks.

If you were picturing a more typical WDW vacation, with lots of in-park ADRs and doing all the rides and attractions......you don't want to be there during Christmas week. It's absolutely the most crowded week of the year. You'd be facing hours-long waits for food and rides, people packed in like sardines on Main Street, etc. It's also a very expensive time to visit, as resort rates are at their highest, and there are even surcharges on the buffets.

Unless you planned to go that week to see holiday decorations, I would reschedule for a quieter time. I find that late January, May, September, October and the first half of November are pretty good times to visit. But honestly, any week other than the one you've booked is going to be un-crowded by comparison.

Not that it will help you this year, but the Christmas decorations are up, and virtually all of the holiday parades, shows, etc. are running by late November. Lots of folks like to go in early December to take in all the festivities without the insane crowds of Christmas week.

 

[RMulieri]

It can be a great trip..If you know going in advance that 1) it is the most crowded Disney ever gets 2) it is not the time to sleep in and be leisurely and 3) youare not going to see everything.If you can accept those things than you will have a good time. If you are set on "doing it all" and you cringe at the thought of crowds, then skip it and rebook. The parks DO close for capacity( most often the MK) and often by early in the day .Having an ADR will not get you into a closed park so you will lose it and if it requires a deposit...Like CRT, you LOSE your money.If you do happen to have an adr and it is important to you, MY advice is to get to the park for rope drop, and hang out till after you dine.There is no guarantee if you leave a park for anything that you can get back in.

 

[Brit17]

Thank you all for your great advice and for sharing your experiences ... I am going to share this info with my DSis and see how she feels about everything ... please keep your tips and advice coming ... I appreciate all your input ...

 

[luvmy2sams]

DH and I spent 12/28-1/2 at WDW several years ago, and we're taking the entire family from 12/20-1/3 this year. As several posters have mentioned, your attitude and expectations will make all the difference. We went on our last trip with the understanding that we probably wouldn't get to do many rides, etc., but we ended up being able to do everything we wanted and then some. We even did 4 parks in one day on New Year's Day.

Our resort had park closing information, but since the Swan & Dolphin aren't Disney owned, I'm not sure if they have the same information. Each park keeps track of how many guests are entering and leaving the parks, and they will reopen the gates accordingly. In our experience, parks were most likely to close by 10am, but they would usually reopen at some point during the day.

If we had an ADR we were determined to keep, we just made sure we were at that park first thing in the morning. As previous posters have stated, ADR reservations will not allow you entrance into a closed park. Our waits for seating came within 10 minutes of our stated ADR time (including NYE in MK).

If you're prepared and have a good attitude, it can be a wonderful trip.

 

[DisneyRookie2007]

ok, so I have our reservations made at the Swan & Dolphin for Christmas week (2 adults, 12/26-12/31) ... and I have our ADR's made ... however, now after reading some past threads and posts re: Christmas week crowds, I'm starting to second guess myself wondering if we're making a mistake going to WDW during Christmas ... therefore, I could really use some expert advice from those who have been to WDW during this time in the past ... I also have the following questions ...

1. Do all the theme parks usually close by late morning daily due to capacity? ...

2. If they do close, how can you find out before you get there? ...

3. Do they open back up relatively quickly, or after a few hours, etc.? ...

4. What's the latest time you should be at the parks in the AM to avoid being turned away? ...

5. If you have an ADR at a park but the park is closed due to capacity, can you still get in for your ADR? ...

I will be traveling with my DSis who has never been to WDW (except for a day trip to Epcot once) ... I'm starting to worry that the "Christmas week shoulder-to-shoulder crowd level" that I've been reading about will give her a bad first impression of a WDW vacation, and therefore, we should maybe re-book for a slower time of year ... any opinons? ...

I really appreciate any help, advice and first-hand experience that you can give me ...

This is a quote from Mousavers.com as to your dates:

The worst times to visit Walt Disney World are:

*

December 26-31. This is the most crowded and most expensive time of year. Crowds get increasingly worse starting about December 20 and running through the New Year.

 

[patty57]

We've been at WDW during that time, and we're going Dec. 24-28 this year! Yes, it's crowded and busy...long lines yadda yadda. We have two teens so we never get anywhere early. We would go to late EMHs at the parks because families with little ones are usually back in their resorts. We would get on pretty much everything we wanted to, and in fact, rode Splash Mountain four times without getting off...granted it was 2 am, but we had a ball!
Know that it's crowded, but enjoy yourself.
Patty

 

[ProgressCity]

1. Do all the theme parks usually close by late morning daily due to capacity? ...

2. If they do close, how can you find out before you get there? ...

3. Do they open back up relatively quickly, or after a few hours, etc.? ...

4. What's the latest time you should be at the parks in the AM to avoid being turned away? ...

5. If you have an ADR at a park but the park is closed due to capacity, can you still get in for your ADR? ...

1. MK will close within an hour to an hour and a half on Christmas day. There are actually a lot of people who think the Christmas parade that they see on TV is live. I worked MK last year on Christmas and I can't tell you how many times I would hear people talking about all the "celebrities" they were seeing that must be here for the parade (because when you make multi-millions a year, you just jump at the chance to work in a park packed with rabid fans on Christmas day ). There were a few days MK closed early in the morning for crowds. Not sure about the other parks.

2. The signs on property (the purple ones, not the green freeway signs) will have the arrow pointing to the park replaced with a sign that says closed. They'll also put up those flashing signs advising drivers that the park is closed. Bus drivers will also let you know.

3. They won't open up unless people leave. If no one leaves, no one gets in. They'll watch the exit and as people leave they'll let people in. If you don't get in when you first go I wouldn't spend the rest of my day hoping and checking to get in.

4. Rope drop if you want to be guaranteed to get in.

5. If a park is closed for capacity you can't get in for anything, not even an ADR. I did DVC tours and we had to tell the guests that if they left the park for our tour they weren't going to get back in (these are people that are potentially spending tens of thousands of dollars on the DVC). If you don't show up to your ADR because you couldn't get into the park, they will have no problem filling your table.

I would plan on not park hopping and just get to each park at rope drop and plan to spend the day. Otherwise you run the risk of spending your day running around trying to see which park you're going to be in.

For seasoned guests who have already done it all or know they'll be back to do it all I'd say it's fine (even though you would never catch me in the parks Christmas week, I think it's crazy and just don't get paying all that money to be packed into a park with a bunch of other people so you can wait an hour in every line ). For a first trip I would never pick this week unless you don't plan on the person ever coming back. I don't know how you could convince someone who's only experience of WDW is the Christmas crowd that there's ever a time where you can walk on rides and just have a leisurely relaxing trip and still do everything you want.

If you can vacation anytime I say stay home and let the people who's only chance to go is Christmas week do the parks. There's so many people who go that week because it's the only time their schedule allows; I'm sure they'd enjoy less bodies in the parks and I think if you can vacation anytime you'd enjoy going with less bodies in the park . Yes some people like the Christmas week craziness, but there are so many hardcore Disney fans that won't even go during that time that I don't think it's worth risking it with a first timer, I think pretty much any other week of the year would be more magical for them.

Of course, attitude is everything! So whatever choice you make it will be the right one as long as you approach it that way .

 

[LBIJim]

The best bet is to be a the park of your choice 30 minutes or more before opening. If that's not possible, you should still be able to enter about 60 to 90 minutes after opening. After that time, it's quite possible for the park to reach capacity and you may be denied admission.

Even when a park does close due to capacity, however, it will usually reopen later in the day when early guests start to depart.

Enjoy your visit.

Jim

 

[Cinderella1122]

We are going xmas week this year and we are excited about it. We usually opt for early Dec, but since my sis is now a teacher, that time frame is out. Being our first xmas week trip, we too were worried about croweds and lines. My sis and I sat down and discussed what was important for us to see/do. Since we go 2+ times a year missed/skipped attractions arent a big deal. So, we decided to skip headliners (with the exception of space mountain) and just stick with our favorite minor attractions. We know we want to eat and 2 hours in line at a counter service is unacceptable, so we got the dxddp and choose a brunch and dinner for each day of our trip at places we always wanted to try. The most important of all we want to see all things christmas. I think my favorite out of our itinerary so far is our epcot day. We are arriving at rope drop. Touring minor attractions in future world until our 10:45am brunch ADR and then spending the whole afternoon/evening in the world showcase seeing the story tellers.

I would talk to your sis and see what she thinks. She might be ok with going during xmas week.