Why Christmas?

[Allison]

Wait times this week tell a different story.

I go by my real-life experience.

 

[bizeemom4]

Here now. We are on day 2 of our xmas touring and we are having a great time. Rides were no problem at all with FastPasses yesterday and arriving before park opening today at MK. I think it felt more crowded at Thanksgiving a few weeks ago. If the rest of this week and next week are this easy, I'd do this again every year. I was prepared for the 'horror' of the week but it's fine.

 

[Flamingeaux]

I love going the week before Thanksgiving to see all the Christmas decorations and activities. The weather is usually pretty good and FREE DINING!!!!

I don't think I could handle the Christmas crowds even being a seasoned veteran and having three sets of MBs loaded with FPs.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I wonder, next year, Christmas Day is on Sunday, which means I'm assuming most schools will run up until December 23rd (Friday). Christmas Break will run Dec 24 - January 8. So, I'm curious, would the week of Jan 1-7th be horribly insane with crowd levels of 9-10 all week? As busy as the week of Dec 25-31? Or would the crowds drop off a bit after New Years?

I wouldn't make the bolder assumption. Out (very large) district's last day of school this year was Friday the 18th, a full week before christmas. I doubt christmas day being on sunday will change that much.

Crowds do tend to drop off after new years.

 

[Madame]

I wonder, next year, Christmas Day is on Sunday, which means I'm assuming most schools will run up until December 23rd (Friday). Christmas Break will run Dec 24 - January 8. So, I'm curious, would the week of Jan 1-7th be horribly insane with crowd levels of 9-10 all week? As busy as the week of Dec 25-31? Or would the crowds drop off a bit after New Years?

All of Ontario will start the Christmas holidays the week before...
https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/list/calendar/calendar2016_2017.pdf

 

[jerseygal]

The holiday season (which begins at WDW in November and goes through a few days after new year's, usually), is beautiful. The decorations in the resorts especially are truly amazing (esp. the life size gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian!). We really enjoyed our early-mid December trip in 2007 because we had all the holiday decorations with none of the holiday crowds.

If we had to choose going with the actual Christmas week crowds in order to experience the holidays, though, we just wouldn't go. This was Liberty Square on Christmas Day 2015 at 9:18am:

Source

As much as I love the decorations and feel of WDW at the holidays, it's not worth it to deal with these kinds of crowds.

The holiday season (which begins at WDW in November and goes through a few days after new year's, usually), is beautiful. The decorations in the resorts especially are truly amazing (esp. the life size gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian!). We really enjoyed our early-mid December trip in 2007 because we had all the holiday decorations with none of the holiday crowds.

If we had to choose going with the actual Christmas week crowds in order to experience the holidays, though, we just wouldn't go. This was Liberty Square on Christmas Day 2015 at 9:18am:

Source

As much as I love the decorations and feel of WDW at the holidays, it's not worth it to deal with these kinds of crowds.

That picture is SCARY! As much as I dream of getting away from the hustle bustle of the holidays, do not like crazy crowds so we opt for more quiet times of year. Last year did 1st week of December which we loved!

 

[Disneylover99]

Here now. We are on day 2 of our xmas touring and we are having a great time. Rides were no problem at all with FastPasses yesterday and arriving before park opening today at MK. I think it felt more crowded at Thanksgiving a few weeks ago. If the rest of this week and next week are this easy, I'd do this again every year. I was prepared for the 'horror' of the week but it's fine.

People who check mid day wait times this time of year and view pictures of horrendous crowds that people have posted are naturally going to think the worst. But the reality is, it can be totally doable and enjoyable.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

you are really only going to have the craziest crowds (the kind that start phased closures at MK) at the times most folks want to be in the parks: about 2-3 hours after opening, and at fireworks time.

 

[mom2rtk]

I wouldn't make the bolder assumption. Out (very large) district's last day of school this year was Friday the 18th, a full week before christmas. I doubt christmas day being on sunday will change that much.

Crowds do tend to drop off after new years.

In terms of crowds after New Years, I don't think it really drops off right away after the first. For example, our school doesn't resume this year until the 6th. Sometimes there's a marathon early in January as well which can keep crowds up. Once the marathon is over and the last of the schools have resumed, crowds drop off substantially.

What I would do is check Disney's pricing structure. They know when the crowds pick, and raise their prices to peak levels just in time.

 

[mshanson3121]

I wouldn't make the bolder assumption. Out (very large) district's last day of school this year was Friday the 18th, a full week before christmas. I doubt christmas day being on sunday will change that much.

Crowds do tend to drop off after new years.

I think that was the norm nation wide (at least for Canada) Typically in our province school goes until the Friday before Christmas. So this year where it was late in the week they got out early.

 

[mom2rtk]

I think that was the norm nation wide (at least for Canada) Typically school goes until the Friday before Christmas. So this year where it was late in the week they got out early.

It's all over the place here in the states, which is what will drive the crowds at Disney for Christmas. Our classes ran through the 22nd this year.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I think that was the norm nation wide (at least for Canada) Typically in our province school goes until the Friday before Christmas. So this year where it was late in the week they got out early.

What I'm saying is i would not expect a Sunday christmas to change that. And, actually, I just now checked our school calendar for next year. Christmas break starts, as I expected, December 19th. I imagine many many districts are the same.

I would not expect a significant difference in crowds from the 19th-23rd than what was seen this year.

 

[Angel Ariel]

But the reality is, it can be totally doable and enjoyable.

With appropriate expectations of what can be done (and how much time one will spend in MK), I'm sure it can. I have no doubt of that

While I'm sure I could go and still have a great time, I just have no desire to deal with crowds like that.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We just got back today. We were there Dec. 25 - Dec. 30. Would I do it again! Yes! BUT, I probably wouldn't go to MK AT ALL! (Disney Springs at night was pretty bad, too)

EPCOT, DHS and AK were fairly easy to navigate, plus most of our AK day was taken up with Wild Africa Trek, so we didn't have to navigate crowds for that. EP was easy as long as we avoided WS during Candlelight Processional times. DHS was absolutely fine. We used FP+ for our rides and our longest line was 30 minutes to see the film before entering SW Launch Bay. We went to the Osbourne Lights around 8:30 pm and it wasn't crowded at all. The weather was amazing, so we went to the pool a lot.

The best part of MK was standing on an empty bridge between Adventureland and Liberty Square watching the Christmas parade with zero crowds.

We got about 4 times a year and I already knew we wouldn't see and do as much as we normally do. We had a few must-do's on our list (Wild Africa Trek, Osbourne Lights, riding Soarin' one last time) and the rest was bonus.

 

[courtneybeth]

We like to go the week before Christmas since it's less crowded.

We made the mistake last year of going during Christmas... and never again.

 

[madge]

I wonder, next year, Christmas Day is on Sunday, which means I'm assuming most schools will run up until December 23rd (Friday). Christmas Break will run Dec 24 - January 8. So, I'm curious, would the week of Jan 1-7th be horribly insane with crowd levels of 9-10 all week? As busy as the week of Dec 25-31? Or would the crowds drop off a bit after New Years?

we won't go that until Dec 23. our tentative calendar for next year has us out on Dec 20.

 

[Disneylover99]

While I'm sure I could go and still have a great time, I just have no desire to deal with crowds like that.

I understand. It certainly does get more crowded then usual. But most Christmas pictures you see posted at this time of year are pictures of crowds. There are plenty of non crowded areas that nobody bothers to photograph. It really is pretty easy to avoid the crowds if you have a good plan. And I have to say, in my experience, bus service going to and from the parks is quicker and more efficient this time of year.

 

[Allison]

I understand. It certainly does get more crowded then usual. But most Christmas pictures you see posted at this time of year are pictures of crowds. There are plenty of non crowded areas that nobody bothers to photograph. It really is pretty easy to avoid the crowds if you have a good plan. And I have to say, in my experience, bus service going to and from the parks is quicker and more efficient this time of year.

You are right, people take pictures of the crowds because it is interesting. I have pictures of early mornings at DHS, Animal Kingdom and MK with nobody in the area at all.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I know the other parks aren't as crowded. We spend most of our days at MK and have a 3 year old who does not wake up early at all. RD and late at night aren't options for us, and MK is our favorite park. Arriving around 930 or 10, which is what we manage when we wake her at 730, at MK during this week, there's going to be crowds.

We understand that and accept that how we are able to tour at this point in our lives is not compatible with avoiding the crowds at this time. That doesn't mean it won't work for others, and i have never said it wouldn't. ..merely that it does not *for us*.

 

[mshanson3121]

What I'm saying is i would not expect a Sunday christmas to change that. And, actually, I just now checked our school calendar for next year. Christmas break starts, as I expected, December 19th. I imagine many many districts are the same.

I would not expect a significant difference in crowds from the 19th-23rd than what was seen this year.

Nice that they release your calendars so far in advance. NB only has their calendar for 2015-2016 out, new one won't come out till this spring. But my guess is it will run till the 23rd since that's what they always do here, is run up until the Friday before. Especially since January 1st is Sunday, that means that the statutory holiday will be taken on Monday, January 2nd, which would make a partial week. I can't remember the last time they did that here. But then again you're also in ON? I know they go back quite a bit earlier too, schools don't start here till after Labor Day, so maybe that's the difference, too.

Not that it matters, I think our chances of ever going over Christmas are slim to none, lol. Though I'd love to see the decorations!