When should we go?

[lpbm4]

We're planning our trip to Disney in early December 2006. Should we go the 1st or 2nd week of December? I read somewhere about some singing group that is going to be there...and avoid WDW during the CHristmas parade. Is this during these times at all? Which would you think would be better??

 

[Stacy's a freak]

The Pop Warner kids are usually the first full week of december. In 2005, they were there from the 3rd through 11th-ish. The taping of the Christmas parade is typically the first Friday and Saturday in December. I would avoid these times, if you can. But! The week just after Thanksgiving is often good with low crowds.

 

[lpbm4]

The Pop Warner kids are usually the first full week of december. In 2005, they were there from the 3rd through 11th-ish. The taping of the Christmas parade is typically the first Friday and Saturday in December. I would avoid these times, if you can. But! The week just after Thanksgiving is often good with low crowds.

SO we would mostly likely miss the Christmas parade b/c we'd go Sun-Thurs. Thanks for the response! What is this Pop Warner thing...???

 

[cheerbop]

Pop Warner ( football and cheerleader Super Bowl and Championships..LOTS of kids and families there during this time!) there during your 1st set of dates, so I chose the 2nd..we avoided Pop Warner this past year and went the 11-18th.

 

[lpbm4]

Thanks for clarifying, Cheerbop!!! Sounds like we may be better off the 2nd option.

 

[cheerbop]

You may be...I know there are those that think that the kids and parents,etc do not affect the park attendance, but it has been our experience that they DO affect it.
We much preferred the 2nd week after Pop...It was just starting to filter out when we left...
Some WDW employees verified with us that the Pop thing does cause an increase in attendance. All be it very fluctuated here and there throught the week, but we did not want to have any problems with that, so we chose the 2nd wek.

Best of luck in your planning!

 

[greenban]

You may be...I know there are those that think that the kids and parents,etc do not affect the park attendance, but it has been our experience that they DO affect it.
We much preferred the 2nd week after Pop...It was just starting to filter out when we left...
Some WDW employees verified with us that the Pop thing does cause an increase in attendance. All be it very fluctuated here and there throught the week, but we did not want to have any problems with that, so we chose the 2nd wek.

Best of luck in your planning!

We had just the opposite experience.

We went to VWL 12/02-12/2005 and were amazed how great everything was. Flew out of Philly on Southwest (or is it east the one that says Ding you're free to move...) No line at Philly, no wait, I mean no wait at security, we walked up to luggage, dropped our bags off, walked upto and through security, and didn't even have to take our shoes off. The plane was 35 minutes late, 30% empty, no cattle stampeded this flight. Arrived MCO, the return gate was packed solid, Attendent's announcing, "Due to the plane being 100% full, only one carry-on per person.

Opps, I forgot to set up DME! "Honey want to rent a car or try this DME thing?"

Walked up to DME people (large mickey hands) no problem. We were on our way to VWL within 5 minutes of picking up our lugage! Note. You can no longer walk up for DME. Seems the local cabbies complained about lost fairs, you must now have DME reserved! (So we lucked out)

Or weather was iffy, 1 or 2 60 degree days. The rest of the time, light jackets. 1 Full day of rain, a couple of brief showers and that was it. The parks were great! Not a single line anywhere! No need to use fastpass even once. I actually walked onto the astro orbiter (not sure of the name, the rockets above the TTA (people mover)). No wait at Indy. This held true until that Friday (the beginning of the second week/ending of the first) The weekend was like July 4th, and trust me I was there July 4th, 2005 as well.

Also, via DVC, the first week always sells out before the second week. As the points are the same, I susspect crowds are the reason.

Of course YMMV, but for me, the week after Turkey Day or The first week of December is my first choice!

-Tony