Xmas week

kenny

DIS Veteran
Joined
Aug 23, 1999
For those of you that go or have been Xmas week how insane is it?

We have been during every other busy time (Easter,July 4, Thanksgiving) etc. how much crazier is it?

We have been going over the summer the past few years because of kids school. Always so hot and wait times are still pretty high anyway.

Thinking of a Xmas trip for 2020. Have always wanted to be there for actual Xmas. Would stay at BLT. I know waits get out of hand but thinking in summer we have to leave the park by lunch anyway because of heat.

Thinking if we go 8ish stay until noon then go back at night. Use FP for nights so we have rides and do what we can in the am

May be naive but thinking it may be not be much worse then summer under this plan

What are your experiences?
 
You are a bit naïve. It's wall to wall people. They open up alternate exits to get people out of the park. No other time quite comes up to that week. MK especially closes from time to time during the day to any new guests. There are lines for entering bathrooms. Counter Service dining has long waits.
 
On Christmas and new years day you may not be able to go from 8 until noon then leave and go back, the parks, particularly MK, get filled to capacity. Particularly new years day (not sure if that is included in your time frame).

It will be a lot worse than summer. Summer heat keeps people away, and summer is 2-3 months for people to space out their trips. Christmas is one week and one week only. People from the North want to get out the cold in the winter more than they way to go from the heat of the north to the heat of the south in the summer.

Not saying do not do it, just be prepared. I have done Epcot on NYE - it was a blast. It was PACKED.
 
Thanks for info. Will have to check wait times in the app this year and see before booking in Jan

Been when MK was closed for capacity on July 4th and during Easter week. Thinking closed for capacity is closed for capacity. Don’t remember how long lines for food were though. Don’t remember it being out of control so maybe it is much worse during Xmas.
 


It's incredibly busy and MK will close early due to reaching capacity. We have gone the last few years over Christmas break, and Christmas Day and NYE are the two park days that we avoid. We might be there for opening/EMH but then leave.

And yet we keep returning because the weather is better than summer, the kids are out of school, and our work is closed over the winter holiday.
 
Crowds are definitely larger than summer/July 4th, but many guests return as they enjoy spending holiday time with their family at WDW, despite the craziness. (It would be a huge disappointment to anyone concerned to doing x rides a day)
My boys still enjoyed a Christmas week enough that they asked to go the following year, knowing another trip meant fewer gifts under the tree.

FYI, if you plan to rope drop, Christmas week normally has 7am EMH at MK.
 


I will disagree. We go frequently at Xmas through Jan 4. It’s crowded however it is not nearly as bad as many people say if you rope drop and have ADRs. In fact, Xmas morning is usually not crowded until 11, very similar to Easter morning.

NYE is the most crowded (always at Epcot), but even the last few years hasn’t been too bad as long as you pack your patience.

I would go and experience for yourself. It is such a great feeling to celebrate the spirit of the season at that time in such a special place for us all!
 
I’ve been for dec 27-jan 6 and I can tell you it’s crazy for NYE. I have not been before Christmas (say dec 22-24). Anyone have any insight on those dates and the madhouse?
 
I’ve been for dec 27-jan 6 and I can tell you it’s crazy for NYE. I have not been before Christmas (say dec 22-24). Anyone have any insight on those dates and the madhouse?
We typically go for two weeks over Christmas,/New Years, generally around Dec. 21st - Jan. 4th.

I find that crowds are roughly the same those few days before Christmas as they are the week between Christmas and New Years and the few days after New Years.

It’s crowded, but I don’t find it to be a madhouse. We avoid rope drop and generally don’t arrive til anytime between late morning and late afternoon. That way, we avoid crowded buses and security lines and entrance into the parks are manageable. We usually stay late and sleep in.
 
We typically go for two weeks over Christmas,/New Years, generally around Dec. 21st - Jan. 4th.

I find that crowds are roughly the same those few days before Christmas as they are the week between Christmas and New Years and the few days after New Years.

It’s crowded, but I don’t find it to be a madhouse. We avoid rope drop and generally don’t arrive til anytime between late morning and late afternoon. That way, we avoid crowded buses and security lines and entrance into the parks are manageable. We usually stay late and sleep in.


Hello,
This is going to be our first Christmas going , we arrive on the 20th and leave on the 28th to spend NYE at home with friends, we never do rope drop like you and arrive midday and stay late, but this time we are taking our almost 2 y/o DGS for his first DW trip and I'm a little anxious about the crowds. We are staying at the BW half of the time, so we will do HS and Epcot the first 3 days , but only until around 1-2 PM to go back to the resort and take a break, except for the night on Sat. that we are going to go back to HS for Fantastic , we are not going back to the parks to avoid the bigger crowds . On the 23rd we are going to MK rope drop , we are planing on leaving around 2 PM and do other stuff and maybe watch the fireworks from BLT or Poli since our friends are staying there. I'm starting to second guess our Fast passes for early in the morning , like at 930a.
 
Christmas Day at MK was a nightmare and we were redirected backstage of Tomorrowland so we didn't have that "castle" view down Main Street. MK closed that day at 10 am so late sleepers were out of luck. We swore it off forever. New Years was part of that trip and we were at EPCOT which was packed to the gills, though for context, we were at EPCOT on November 2, 2019 and it was 90 degrees and packed with runners wearing medals. Our Christmas trip was many years ago and I can't imagine having a good time with today's crowds - just my opinion.
 
Christmas Day at MK was a nightmare and we were redirected backstage of Tomorrowland so we didn't have that "castle" view down Main Street. MK closed that day at 10 am so late sleepers were out of luck. We swore it off forever. New Years was part of that trip and we were at EPCOT which was packed to the gills, though for context, we were at EPCOT on November 2, 2019 and it was 90 degrees and packed with runners wearing medals. Our Christmas trip was many years ago and I can't imagine having a good time with today's crowds - just my opinion.
This was us exactly. We had no idea that Christmas Day would be so insane at magic kingdom. We could not move in the crowds. It was really awful. This sounds pretty snobby but it was also not a very sophisticated crowd. I am not sure why. Never again.
 
Is that before the park was open, so people just waiting on Main Street, or after? 😯

Not the poster of the picture but that is how I remember Xmas day at MK - wall to wall people and could barely move. Kids are long since out of school - I don't have to do this anymore and since décor goes up so early, that can be enjoyed well in advance with regular crowds.
 
Hello,
This is going to be our first Christmas going , we arrive on the 20th and leave on the 28th to spend NYE at home with friends, we never do rope drop like you and arrive midday and stay late, but this time we are taking our almost 2 y/o DGS for his first DW trip and I'm a little anxious about the crowds. We are staying at the BW half of the time, so we will do HS and Epcot the first 3 days , but only until around 1-2 PM to go back to the resort and take a break, except for the night on Sat. that we are going to go back to HS for Fantastic , we are not going back to the parks to avoid the bigger crowds . On the 23rd we are going to MK rope drop , we are planing on leaving around 2 PM and do other stuff and maybe watch the fireworks from BLT or Poli since our friends are staying there. I'm starting to second guess our Fast passes for early in the morning , like at 930a.
I think starting your fp’s at 9:30am should be fine on the 23rd if you’re going for rope drop. Is rope drop 7am that day? I’d just make sure you book your other two fp’s right after each other at that point. You can try to get additional fp’s after this. We’ve had really good luck getting additional fp’s at MK during Christmas week in the evenings when we go. Have fun! :)
 
One tip for a packed MK at opening is to go around to Adventureland - staying toward the left so you don't have to cross in front of aggressive people.
 
We go to MK on Christmas Day. It’s our only rope drop day. Last year it opened at 6am, so we were there just after 5am. It was still crowded, but easy to do rides the first hour or two. We always head to Tomorrowland for Space and AstroOrbiter, Peoplemover, Buzz, etc....we do our 3 fp’s after, eat breakfast or an early lunch at BOG and get the heck out. Lol.

It can be super fun, if you stay ahead of the crowds like we do. Sometimes we go back in the evening for fireworks. :)
 
We go to MK on Christmas Day. It’s our only rope drop day. Last year it opened at 6am, so we were there just after 5am. It was still crowded, but easy to do rides the first hour or two. We always head to Tomorrowland for Space and AstroOrbiter, Peoplemover, Buzz, etc....we do our 3 fp’s after, eat breakfast or an early lunch at BOG and get the heck out. Lol.

It can be super fun, if you stay ahead of the crowds like we do. Sometimes we go back in the evening for fireworks. :)
Funny you say you head to Tomorrowland first which, naturally, most people do as they turn right or stay to the right (we had a real issue with stairs in London LOL)...we have used this technique and though I have no "science" to confirm it, I do think going left is moving with a smaller crowd though the later you go in the less impact this strategy will have. I agree with your plan to be there at 5 am, do your thing and head out - it's the only way to get into the park without a crush of people and I was thinking about people going in a bit later - like 7 am.
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!




Latest posts






Top