"Winging" a trip after Christmas?

[mtiger]

AP Holders (mom/dad, 5&2yo boys) - brought our boys to WDW for the first time last year and had so much fun we bought APs and have been 2 more times this year (May and Sept). We all have so much fun when we go and want to squeeze as much out of these APs as possible. Are we crazy to think we can grab a last minute deal and pile our kids in the car at 4am sometime after Christmas (gotta be home before Jan 8)? We're from Memphis, so about a 14 hour drive. We could be flexible with the dates (hoping for 7 days) and where we stay - we love Wyndham Bonnet Creek. No plane tickets, no specfic hotel/car reservations, no specific dates we have to go, no money lost if we choose not to go. Plan on grabbing a few ADRs for the family (and 1 for date night) and just making the best guess on FP+ when it opens 30 days out. We've done every single ride and show in the past 3 trips, so planning on much slower pace and probably check out the resorts a lot more. Gonna check Ebay/VRBO every day starting around Dec 15 (for the inevitable cancellations). Any thoughts on whether we should be optimistic (or just scared) and any tips on "winging it" across WDW during the busiest time of the year?

 

[anomamatt]

Do it! If you go on NYE and the days after, the crowds won't be bad after the 31st.

 

[AngiTN]

I say go for it. As long as you have the right frame of mind going in (sounds like you do)

Do it! If you go on NYE and the days after, the crowds won't be bad after the 31st.

I wouldn't be so sure of that. So many schools are out that entire week too. I think it will be lower than the week before but still very crowded. We'll be there, so I hope I'm wrong, and you are right. But I don't think so. Not with the way breaks are falling this year

 

[TiffanyA]

We drive up the day after xmas every year! I've never had a problem getting ADRs and good FP+ at 30 days out, some even last minute (day or day before!). Being at Disney is better than being anywhere else and during the holidays, with all the decorations, is extra special. Go and enjoy!

 

[kay1864]

Do it! If you go on NYE and the days after, the crowds won't be bad after the 31st.

This. Don't visit any park between 12/25 and 12/31. But starting on 1/1, the crowds are manageable.

 

[mom2rtk]

I think you can go and have a great time if you have realistic expectations.

But crowds that very first week after New Year's will still be pretty intense. Any time lots of kids are out of school, the parks are packed. And many many school districts are still out that week. Additionally, there's a marathon the weekend of 1/6-1/7. Additionally blockouts are lifted after the first for some APs. Pack your patience.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I agree with the PP's. I would try to make your trip as late into January as you possibly can. If your trip has to overlap Christmas/New Year's week, I would try to go into the parks as early as you possibly can and avoid going to MK until after NYE. If you know going in it will be crowded, you'll be fine. We went Christmas week 2015 and MK in particular was a mob scene to the point I would never step foot in that park between Christmas and New Year's again.

 

[Klayfish]

Absolutely, go for it!! I totally disagree with the comment about not visiting any park between 12/25 and 12/31. I simply don't understand that line of thinking. Yeah, there are people in the parks....so what? I suppose some of it is a matter of perspective. We were in the parks between Xmas and NYE 2015 and thought nothing of it. MK was a mob scene on Xmas Day itself, but the rest of the parks on the rest of the days (MK included) were no big deal. And we wing it...we're not big planner types. We had no problems using FP+ to get on rides. No, we couldn't get on 7DMT whenever we wanted, but the vast majority of the rides weren't that hard.

Do it!!!!

 

[AngiTN]

Absolutely, go for it!! I totally disagree with the comment about not visiting any park between 12/25 and 12/31. I simply don't understand that line of thinking. Yeah, there are people in the parks....so what? I suppose some of it is a matter of perspective. We were in the parks between Xmas and NYE 2015 and thought nothing of it. MK was a mob scene on Xmas Day itself, but the rest of the parks on the rest of the days (MK included) were no big deal. And we wing it...we're not big planner types. We had no problems using FP+ to get on rides. No, we couldn't get on 7DMT whenever we wanted, but the vast majority of the rides weren't that hard.

Do it!!!!

I give that advice, to someone who is going just 1 time in their life or even to those that have never been before but plan to return sometime. And I hesitate to suggest it to anyone who goes very infrequently. What you can accomplish during a trip that week, and what you have to pay to do it (no discounts on site, higher prices across the board) is so much more I really do not think it's a good idea to go except for those who can go often and who can totally alter the type of trip and what they'll except to get done. I don't believe the PP falls in to that so I do think it would be fun and I would do it (am doing it, but we fly, ain't driving 8 hours from here, much less another 5 from Memphis).

 

[GovieMom]

Do it! If you go on NYE and the days after, the crowds won't be bad after the 31st.

Not true. The majority of crowds are expected to remain through the first week of January next year, so be prepared.

 

[Klayfish]

I give that advice, to someone who is going just 1 time in their life or even to those that have never been before but plan to return sometime. And I hesitate to suggest it to anyone who goes very infrequently. What you can accomplish during a trip that week, and what you have to pay to do it (no discounts on site, higher prices across the board) is so much more I really do not think it's a good idea to go except for those who can go often and who can totally alter the type of trip and what they'll except to get done. I don't believe the PP falls in to that so I do think it would be fun and I would do it (am doing it, but we fly, ain't driving 8 hours from here, much less another 5 from Memphis).

Yeah, I get what you're saying and there certainly can be some merit to that. At the same time, I think it can also be perspective and tolerance of crowds. I live w/in driving distance now and am very lucky with how often we go. But until 2014, we lived 800+ miles away and didn't go anywhere near as often. We always went on 4th of July week because that is what worked for us. Yeah, it was busy, but it never occurred to us not to go that week and I wouldn't have steered someone else away. Our mindset is, and always has been, a day in WDW is better than a day hanging around the house...no matter what time of year it is. So sure, major holiday weeks are different than "normal" weeks at WDW, but for us, 1st trip or 100th, we'd still go.

 

[AngiTN]

Yeah, I get what you're saying and there certainly can be some merit to that. At the same time, I think it can also be perspective and tolerance of crowds. I live w/in driving distance now and am very lucky with how often we go. But until 2014, we lived 800+ miles away and didn't go anywhere near as often. We always went on 4th of July week because that is what worked for us. Yeah, it was busy, but it never occurred to us not to go that week and I wouldn't have steered someone else away. Our mindset is, and always has been, a day in WDW is better than a day hanging around the house...no matter what time of year it is. So sure, major holiday weeks are different than "normal" weeks at WDW, but for us, 1st trip or 100th, we'd still go.

Christmas/New Years week is the ONLY week I ever give warnings about. Other Holiday's don't even come close to reaching the crowds that Christmas week does. Nor do any other weeks come at the same premium cost. It's the return on investment (both time and money) that I give warnings about. And for it to cause someone to HATE Disney based on the crowds they see that week. Going at no other time would encounter something as bad as that.

 

[sponica]

Not true. The majority of crowds are expected to remain through the first week of January next year, so be prepared.

I went once 12/29 through 1/5, we kept telling ourselves "the crowds will get better after new years... the crowds will get better tomorrow" they didn't.

 

[AngiTN]

I went once 12/29 through 1/5, we kept telling ourselves "the crowds will get better after new years... the crowds will get better tomorrow" they didn't.

Some years they do, it really depends on when New Years Day falls. With it being a Monday this year, the vast majority of schools are out all that week so this year, won't be one where it gets better till the week of the 8th.
Though it probably also depends on what you define as better.
Will the week of New Years be as bad as the week of Christmas, probably not.
Will it be the 2nd most busiest week of the year? Yes, probably will.
So it will still be very busy, by most any definition

 

[LuvDaisy&Minnie]

Another person here who says do it as long as you have realistic expectations...and it sounds like you do. We went between Christmas and New Year's and I swore I would never do it again. We just couldn't ride our favorite rides as much as we would have liked and the crowds are intense even just walking around. I knew it would be crowded but I was not really prepared for exactly how crowded it was. Now, we have annual passes this year and have been a couple of times already. Under those circumstances, I probably would go during that time of year again because it's no biggie if you don't get to do everything. As long as your ok with that, go for it!

 

[anomamatt]

Some years they do, it really depends on when New Years Day falls. With it being a Monday this year, the vast majority of schools are out all that week so this year, won't be one where it gets better till the week of the 8th.
Though it probably also depends on what you define as better.
Will the week of New Years be as bad as the week of Christmas, probably not.
Will it be the 2nd most busiest week of the year? Yes, probably will.
So it will still be very busy, by most any definition

I guess I didn't consider that most schools would be out that entire week.

 

[AngiTN]

I guess I didn't consider that most schools would be out that entire week. Here in Michigan, the university (my employer) starts back Jan 3 as do kid #2's daycare and kid #1's elementary school (public). That's the sad reason why we are leaving on the 2nd (we wanted to stay longer, but have work and kid's school). I assumed, likely incorrectly, that most schools would start back on the 3rd. Good to know...

I wonder if this will make Christmas week less crowded this year? (not saying it won't be nuts and packed, but just a little less so?). Because it's spreading the massive Christmas break crowd across two full weeks?

I doubt it. Our breaks are always 2 weeks, at a minimum. I thought that was the norm but I suppose now. Sometimes we actually hit 3 weeks.
At any rate, I'd expect the most of the kids are out starting 12/22 (that being their last day) and then not returning till 1/8. A few may return late in the week of the 1st, like you are but I think that will be less normal than taking that entire week off.
I still think MOST families, who plan to go during Christmas, go the week between Christmas and New Years, vs. the week after. The ones I think may benefit are those who plan to go the week before Christmas. That week may well be less crowded than the week after. Where some weeks, if Christmas falls on say a Thursday, the days before would be really crowded.

 

[richmo]

Heck, yeah I'd go! It'll be plenty busy, maybe even super busy, but it beats staying home! I'm sure hours will be extended, so even if you weren't able to get the fast passe you like, you could always hit the large rides early and late.

I know you're waiting on Wyndham Bonnet Creek, but in the meantime, I'd book something non-binding at another resort just in case that doesn't come through for you. I'd hate for resort unavailability to be the reason you can't go.

 

[ExpatDisneyLover]

I love last minute trips! I too am an AP holder and I would do it. Because you have been twice already, you don't have to "see everything" and can be flexible which IMO is a fun way to do Disney World. If the crowds are crazy just do something else - go to another park, enjoy a sit down meal wherever you can get a ressie, go explore a resort or Fort Wilderness, ride the boat transportation or the monorail. A Disney trip is always fun IMO - just have to be flexible and creative if the waits are long and the parks are crowded. But there is a lot to do at WDW - and a lot of overlooked fun activities that lots of people don't know about. When I do last minute trip I almost always am able to book fastpasses and dining reservation that I like - maybe not the ones I would have chosen if I'd had lots of prep time but sometimes these are the best discoveries.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

Some years they do, it really depends on when New Years Day falls. With it being a Monday this year, the vast majority of schools are out all that week so this year, won't be one where it gets better till the week of the 8th.
Though it probably also depends on what you define as better.
Will the week of New Years be as bad as the week of Christmas, probably not.
Will it be the 2nd most busiest week of the year? Yes, probably will.
So it will still be very busy, by most any definition

This! It depends on the year and how dates and breaks fall.

In 2012 - after 12/31 all parks were ghost towns through the first week.

In 2015, same time, crowds never really died. We were there until Jan. 9. Crowds on Jan. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 were unreal compared to the previous January trip. It was like Easter Week. On the 7th it got a bit quieter.

To OP - I would definitely go! Even though crowds fluctuate, our family isn’t afraid of crowds. We make the best of whatever the situation is and since you’re planning to take it slow and just enjoy I say DO IT!