Which week would you rather go? (December 2017)

[Cayaco]

After Thanksgiving next year is our plan to visit Disney. The goal is to go during the Christmas party season but avoid the Christmas rush.

The two weeks we have narrowed it down to are either the week after Thanksgiving, leaving something like the 29th or 30th of November, staying through a weekend, and going home the 6th or 7th of December, or, going the first full week in December, leaving Tuesday the 5th or Wednesday the 6th and coming back on the 11th or 12th.

Any thoughts or inputs? I know the first full week in December is Pop Warner week, but we will be staying at a Deluxe hotel, and from reading here that should keep us immune to their impacts. The first week, that would have remnants of the Thanksgiving rush?

 

[85glht]

We have been to the World right after Thanksgiving. The crowds did start thinning out come Sunday. This was a few years ago, so I'm not sure if it is still true..... This is for sure though, it will not be as busy as the week of Christmas.

 

[MrsJamesPSullivan]

I love to arrive the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We have a long travel day and don't get in until 4 or after so we just relax at the resort that day and go to the parks starting on Sunday. The next Saturday if you go to MK you'll see a noticeable difference with Pop Warner groups.

I think that's the perfect week to go.

 

[shrinkydinky]

What are the Pop Warner groups? My family is going around that time, too. Hoping Avatar Land will be done by then. My sister is DVC and points go up after 12/14. So looking at sometime after Thanksgiving but before the 14th.

 

[disneyseniors]

Shrinkydink: The POp Warner groups are PW cheerleading events involving lots and lots of cheerleaders. Sorry, I don't have the exact numbers, but a lot. I think there are football camps too? but I only follow when the cheerleaders are there to avoid it. You can read many threads about Pop Warner and the problems they have at that time. We always loved the first part of December, but somehow avoided the first week. We would go after the first Full week of December, as that is when they go. They usually take over the Value resorts and also some of the Moderates too.
Some people have no problem with that, but I would rather not have to look out for unruly groups of teenagers while on my vacation. That would be a bummer! I also don't go while the BTG;s are there either, soooo...................
Just look up the threads and come to your own conclusion.

 

[DAKL101]

What are the Pop Warner groups? My family is going around that time, too. Hoping Avatar Land will be done by then. My sister is DVC and points go up after 12/14. So looking at sometime after Thanksgiving but before the 14th.

Pop Warner groups are athletic youth groups including cheerleaders. Also, I would not count on Avatar being done by then. The official word is sometime during 2017, but according to imagineers that we have run into they are taking longer than expected

 

[shrinkydinky]

Oh no, what are the BTGs? Thanks for the heads up. Sounds like if we go the second week in December it would be better? We know there's a chance Avatar Land won't be done. We'll just have to go back in 2018.

 

[Cayaco]

I love to arrive the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We have a long travel day and don't get in until 4 or after so we just relax at the resort that day and go to the parks starting on Sunday. The next Saturday if you go to MK you'll see a noticeable difference with Pop Warner groups.

I think that's the perfect week to go.

So the Saturday right after? Meaning if you were doing this in 2017 you would show up on November 25th? How are Thanksgiving crowds then? I was thinking people would take that week off of work and all go to Disney.

 

[MrsJamesPSullivan]

Yes we would arrive on Saturday the 25th. We traditionally check into Sports on that Saturday because we arrive later and that day is still part of the more expensive Thanksgiving pricing. When we get there Sports is crawling with people. The next morning we get up and pretty much the only people we see are leaving. We leave to but only to move to WL so I don't have to pay the higher price that I would have had to pay for the week if we would have started our stay there on Saturday. Most of the Thanksgiving week crowd leaves on Saturday or Sunday so their kids can go back to school on Monday.

 

[chrissy92972]

I booked bounce back All-Star Music for December 8-16, 2017. It will be one adult and three teenagers. We just came back from 9 nights at Pop Century the last week of August. Will I regret choosing those dates for 2017?

 

[NH-to-FL]

We spent many years bouncing back and forth between those two weeks. And once or twice to the following week. Overall we found the first full week of December to be more to our liking. We found traveling near Thanksgiving to be a bit more expensive and a bit busier.

Like you we would prefer to travel Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.

We thought the first full week in December was a bit quieter in the parks. Though a "quiet week" seems to be a fading concept. We never really noticed the Pop Warner crowd.

I suggest you pick the week that best fits into your life and get ready for a magical trip.

 

[thelittlemermaid2]

Both weeks sound like they have perks and drawbacks! To be honest there will be crowds whenever you go, but both of those weeks should be fairly decent.

One thing to think about is when they will be filming the Christmas Special. If you go the first full week of December it may be that weekend. If you do go during that I would suggest going to one of the other parks, NOT MK, during the morning of the filming, as the other three are usually close to empty! It could be a great opportunity to get away from the crowds for a day.

 

[DekrRini]

I go every year for 10-11 days starting the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. I've had really good luck with crowds and such. One year I did go over Thanksgiving and it was considerably more crowded. The crowds tapered off dramatically the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I love going at that time of year. It's my birthday present to myself.