why early dec so busy

[DVCALMA]

I am looking at the availability calendar for early dec and many resorts are fairly busy until about the 7 or 8 kind of thing. Many resorts do not have availability for an entire 6 night stay starting the 4th. After that date many resorts are wide open until christmas and some beyond. I am just curious as to what is causing early december to be so busy? I might try to avoid those dates if there was a good reason to do so. I called member services and inquired but the lady I talked to did not have an answer. interesting

 

[DVCALMA]

i meant to say the only reason I can think of is the proximity to Thanksgiving but that was quite a few days earlier but it might be that

 

[erionm]

It's in the lowest of the point seasons and all of the holiday events are going on.

 

[com_op_2000]

Low point requirements, holiday decorations are up, kids are in school, and cooler temperatures.
DW and I have gone every year since '93 the 2nd week of Dec for these reasons; plus DW's birthday get away, our chance to get away and enjoy the holiday season for ourselves.

 

[supersnoop]

We're cheap. Low points, low crowds, and all the holiday decorations and festivities.

 

[DVCALMA]

It could be low points although the following week is wide open in most resorts and it is a low points week also. The busy time kind of ends on the 3 or 4th. 4th. All the Christmas activities would still likely be going on the following week as well so it is puzzling. Could be just getting to close to Christmas for many people. They need to stay home and get ready for Christmas and christmas activities at home

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

We're cheap. Low points, low crowds, and all the holiday decorations and festivities.

Yep. Us too.

Our reservations are from Nov 26 to Dec 3.

Can't wait.

 

[jerseyduke]

My favorite time to go. It has all been said, but, low crowds. decorations, MVMCP, low point costs. Usually cooler, but also pool days are often possible.
If I get my way, I would go in one of the first 2 weeks of December until I die.

 

[southerngirl528]

Everyone is correct. Though early December has traditionally always been a slower season for the WDW parks and hotels, it has always been a super popular time for DVC Members for the above mentioned reasons. Count me in as loving that time of year. I have a couple of reservations currently for that exact time frame for those very reasons. Plus, l live here and the heat we have most of the years has become almost intolerable so I love the weather in winter here!

 

[DebbieB]

When I first bought DVC, my mom and I went the first full week of December every year. Great time to go! We chose the first week over the second so that we would have time to get ready for Christmas after we got back.

 

[n2mm]

Along with the month of October, the first 2 weeks of December are very busy. Both timeframes are the only time I have to book one of my homes at the 11 month window.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

Because it's a great time to go! 10 years ago, this time of year had very low crowds and most rides were a walk-on. I never even bothered to get traditional FPs back then. But the word has gotten out and it has become more popular. But I would still guess that the crowds are on the low side. Have fun!

 

[Hopefully]

It could be low points although the following week is wide open in most resorts and it is a low points week also. The busy time kind of ends on the 3 or 4th. 4th. All the Christmas activities would still likely be going on the following week as well so it is puzzling. Could be just getting to close to Christmas for many people. They need to stay home and get ready for Christmas and christmas activities at home

That is a very biased, judgmental statement. Not everyone celebrates Christmas and even if they do, they can judge for themselves and their families what their preparation schedule is. Sorry if I sound harsh, but I found it to be offensive.

 

[Sammie]

That is a very biased, judgmental statement. Not everyone celebrates Christmas and even if they do, they can judge for themselves and their families what their preparation schedule is. Sorry if I sound harsh, but I found it to be offensive.

I think you took this the wrong way. Nothing offensive about it to me. The word, "need" was probably not the best choice. We have gone early and we have gone later in the month and I totally agree that for us it was too close to the holidays going later. We felt rushed when we got home to get things done and go to family events and gatherings.

To the OP, low points, holiday activities. DVC activities, including the Merry Mixer events and DVC board meeting.

 

[Hopefully]

I think you took this the wrong way. Nothing offensive about i to me. The word, "need" was probably not the best choice. We have gone early and we have gone later in the month and I totally agree that for us it was too close to the holidays going later. We felt rushed when we got home to get things done and go to family events and gatherings.

To the OP, low points, holiday activities. DVC activities, including the Merry Maker events and DVC board meeting.

If I took it the wrong way I apologize, OP. YOU're right, the word " need" felt wrong to me.

 

[drusba]

My review of the availability charts indicates that first full week of Dec, beginning Sunday Dec 3, is about as full and actually a little more full as that Nov 27 to Dec 3 period and then there are many (particularly near park resort studios and 2BR lockoffs) that are already full for many days in that week that begins Dec 10. Also, if during that week of Dec 10 you notice there might only be a day or two filled and the rest shown open, be aware that what you are likely seeing is a facade in that those open days are probably only one or two reservations away from filling, and if you are hoping those will still be open at 7 months out, you will likely to be disappointed.

The usual reality is that the first two weeks of Dec are, respectively, the highest and third highest DVC demand weeks of the year. You will see this year some of that extreme demand running back into Nov because Dec 1 is on a Thursday, those days in Nov are not part of Thanksgiving week, and some of your usual early December DVC crowd see it as an opportunity to get park days with somewhat lower crowds before the large annual Pop Warner Cheerleader groups show up in the parks first full week of December. First part of Dec has the lowest possible points of the year, Christmas decorations and events, the annual DVC board meeting, manageable crowds, and usually good weather, decent airfares, and decent car rental rates.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The annual member meeting also falls early in December and lots of owners like to attend the meeting.

 

[CMNJ]

My review of the points charts indicates that first full week of Dec, beginning Sunday Dec 3, is about as full and actually a little more full as that Nov 27 to Dec 3 period and then there are many (particularly near park resort studios and 2BR lockoffs) that are already full for many days in that week that begins Dec 10. Also, if during that week of Dec 10 you notice there might only be a day or two filled and the rest shown open, be aware that what you are likely seeing is a facade in that those open days are probably only one or two reservations away from filling, and if you are hoping those will still be open at 7 months out, you will likely to be disappointed.

The usual reality is that the first two weeks of Dec are, respectively, the highest and third highest DVC demand weeks of the year. You will see this year some of that extreme demand running back into Nov because Dec 1 is on a Thursday, those days in Nov are not part of Thanksgiving week, and some of your usual early December DVC crowd see it as an opportunity to get park days with somewhat lower crowds before the large annual Pop Warner Cheerleader groups show up in the parks first full week of December. First part of Dec has the lowest possible points of the year, Christmas decorations and events, the annual DVC board meeting, manageable crowds, and usually good weather, decent airfares, and decent car rental rates.

@drusba I know you carefully track all this data-just out of curiosity what is the second highest demand week? A week in Oct?

 

[drusba]

@drusba I know you carefully track all this data-just out of curiosity what is the second highest demand week? A week in Oct?

From what I have seen, when you are looking at weeks, the order of top three is first week of December, Christmas Week, and third week of December. But other than the first week of December, which stands out in intensity from all others, the difference in the extremely high demand times is not much and thus ranking them as second, third, fourth, etc. is like the US News ranking the top ten colleges in the nation; there really is not that much difference among those in the group.

More accurate is to define what are the extremely high DVC demand times as a group, all of which are fairly close to each other, and from what I have seen at WDW they consist of those three weeks in December, the Tues through Friday of Thanksgiving Week, about a 2 1/2 week period that begins with the Thurs before Columbus Day, the Thurs to Sunday of the weekend in November that has the Wine & Dine Race, and the Thurs to Sunday of marathon weekend in Jan. It is during those periods that you also have the two highest DVC demand nights of the year, NYE and the Friday of the weekend in Nov with the Wine & Dine race, the only two nights of the year where I have seen even SSR studios fill before 7 months out. The rest of the time from late Sep through marathon weekend is high demand, but those periods are the worst.

On the other end of the spectrum is what I have seen as the lowest demand times of the year, all of which are during DVC's low to moderate demand season from the end of Marathon weekend to late Sep. The lowest demand times are also a group where they are mostly very close to each other, although it looks like the king of the low demand periods and the counterpart to first week of Dec is the first week of February. The other quite low times as a group are the time right after the first week in Feb and up to the Thurs before Presidents' Day, the end of Feb beginning after the Princess Half Marathon weekend to about mid-March, the last week of April, and about July 10 to the end of July. It is during those times that you may have some real chances at 7 months out to pick up for more than four days in a row BWV standard and boardwalk view studios (and 2BRs), the BWV GVs, VGF studios, or even on a real lucky occasion BLT standard or AKV value. Other times like January after marathon weekend, first two weeks of August, and most of Sep are fairly low but not in the same range as those. Holidays during that "off-season" are somewhat more intense, June is the month of highest demand but still nothing like the last quarter of the year, and the times of highest demand during that off-season are the Princess half marathon weekend and, beginning this year, the Star Wars race weekend in mid-April.

 

[bobbiwoz]

The Disboards Podcast Cruise begins on December 4 this year, that's why we are going to WDW the week before, and to be sure we have not missed anything, I am staying 4 nights after the cruise comes back on December 11! This is the year we use our VGF points, and when I saw a studio available from November 28, I jumped on it. We only have enough points there to enjoy it every other December, so this year, it will be a late November VGF stay, I'm OK with that! Staying at another of our favorite December resorts, BWV, when we're not at VGF!

Bobbi