When does the park start to pick up during Dec.?

[think-like-tink]

In the past when have the parks start to get on overload with people? We check in on the 18th and was wondering what it may be like?

 

[gtpoohbear]

We were there Dec 19-23 last year, and while it was busy, it wasn't unmanageable. We went to visit family for Christmas, and when we came back to Orlando to fly home afterwards, I couldn't believe the difference those few days had made. We didn't go back to WDW, but the city itself was an absolute mad house. So I would say anytime before Christmas is okay. It's thar week between Christmas and New Years that sees the craziness.

 

[think-like-tink]

Thank You. This is our first Christmas trip ever.

 

[JennyDrake]

I have been every year for the past ten years arriving anywhere from Dec 2 to the 12, each stay about 4 days. I would say the second weekend is when crowds start to increase noticeably each day.

With that said, early December is no longer the LOW, slow time of even a few years ago. This past December 8th, DHS headliners had waits of 55-70 minutes by 11:00 am. From the 6th-10th MK was just about miserably packed every day.

 

[wareagle57]

We were there from the 12th-16th this year and from the 11th-15th in 2012.

My mom claims she noticed crowds rising each day, but I never experienced that myself. While it certainly wasn't empty walking around, there were very few times we waited more than 10 minutes for anything.

 

[sharonabe]

Checking in on the 18th means you are going to be there for Christmas week. If you can get to the parks on the 18th, that will be the least crowded day. After that, I think the crowds will start to pour in. With Christmas on Friday this year, most schools will have a full two weeks of vacation, so both Christmas week and the week after Christmas are going to be crazy crowded.

But you can still manage. MK will open at 7 am every day, probably starting on Monday the 21st, so if you can get your crew up and be there for that early opening on your MK days, you'll get a ton done before 10 am. Those early mornings at all the parks will be your best bet to beating the crowds.

 

[Dan Murphy]

http://**************.net/2013/12/05/disney-world-crowds-in-2015/

This will give you an idea.

 

[mom2rtk]

Follow the kids. Once schools start letting out. you'll want to be far far away. Because of where Christmas falls this year, I would expect crowds to start flooding in on the 19th. We were there in 2008 when school let out on Friday the 18th. Our departure day was Saturday the 19th. The amount of cars flooding into the resorts that morning was a sight to behold. (We had a Princess tea at the GF that morning before heading to the airport).

It's harder to predict when Christmas falls earlier in the week. But with it on a Friday, you're pretty safe through the preceding Friday.

Of course, keep in mind "low crowd" isn't what it used to be.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

I think it really depends on the weather. For real. I have been three different weekends in December, and by far the least crowded was the year I went Dec. 20th-22nd and it was the only year that we had to seriously bundle up to go to the parks after sunset. The other two times I went in December (1st and 2nd weekends) it was way more crowded, but it was also warm enough for us to be in shorts and t shirts in the evenings. December 21st, 2012 we practically had the Osborne Lights to ourselves because we didn't mind hanging out in gloves, hats, and winter coats!