Help with dates - end of November/early December

[Tinkerbellfan]

Hi Everyone,

I am at the beginning stages of planning a 6 night/7 days trip to WDW. The trip will consist of 4 adults me (32), my boyfriend (30), my mom (62) and her fiancee (62). My boyfriend and I have visited WDW a handlful of times since 2001. My mother and her fiancee have not visited WDW in over 15 years - when, we were all young. So, it was pre-Animal Kingdon, MCM and all but 3 resorts.

We have decided to go towards the end of November or early December since we all want to see the Christmad Decorations. The only day we cannot be in Orlando is December 1st due a family event we must attend.

Among the dates we are considering are November 25th-30th (but, we will loose a day)
December 2nd-December 8th
December 8th-December 14th

We were also wondering how early the Christmas Decorations in the resorts go up because another option is November 10th-Novmber 16th.

Based on any trips you have taken during these weeks, which week would you choose and why? And, what week would you recommend against.

Thanks so much!

[Harriet]

I would say the day after Thanksgiving and the following week. The other 2 weeks you will have to content with one the first week-end of Dec. the taping of The Christmas Parade this takes 3 days so MK is a mess. Second the following week is POP Warner week this is only an issue if you plan on staying at one of the value Resort not the parks. The decorations go up from around the 14 of Nov. But to enjoy some of the other activies that go on you would want to consider the second week of December. You have Osbourn lights at MGM,Candelight at Epcot and Santa story telling at each country, MVMCP at MK on certain nights (extra ticket required) AK and MGM have a Christmas parade of thir own. All the resorts are decked wonderfully.

[Strmchsr]

Dec 2-8 should be out due to the Pop Warner. Nov 25-30 you don't want because why lose a day. Plus, a lot of book still have that week listed as uncrowded when the crowds are actually up significantly, and, as Harriet mentioned, the Christmas Day parade is taped in MK Nov 30-Dec 2 which means it will be a mess. Christmas decorations start going up Nov 1. The Osborne lights start around Nov 8 and the the first MVMCP start around the 11th. So, I would recommend Nov 10-16 or Dec 8-14. I believe the December dates might be a little less crowded as Soap Weekend falls during the November dates you mentioned, but that only effects Disney Studios.

[LoriMistress]

Go to Dec 2nd to 8th. Pop Warner kids will be there, but it's a small ammount of people, and they don't make a difference in the parks. The crowds are light and manage. Plus, the Christmas decorations are up during this time. There will be barely any Christmas Decorations in November...they only start putting up the majority of them from Thanksgiving to December 1st.

[faline]

I'd go with either set of December dates. I've been there a number of times when Pop Warner is ongoing. There really is only minimal impact on the parks from this event. The larger impact is on the resorts - particularly the values and moderates. Depending on where you stay, you could experience little to no impact from Pop Warner.

[Strmchsr]

There will be barely any Christmas Decorations in November...they only start putting up the majority of them from Thanksgiving to December 1st.

That used to be the case, but beginning in 2005 they started doing Osborne Lights and MVMCP MUCH earlier in November rather than starting after Thanksgiving. As a result, the decorations are pretty much up by the time the first party starts.

[wdw_bound]

I'd go with either set of December dates (in fact, we're going 12/9-14). We went for the week of Thanksgiving in 05, and while most of the Christmas stuff was already going on, the celebrations at Epcot (Holidays around the World, CP and tree-lighting) don't start until the Friday after Thanksgiving, and you really don't want to miss those.

We chose the later week as a gamble - it is one of the weeks listed as a "Wonderful Week of Disney" so we're hoping that it will be included in any discounts that are announced later. If not, we are fine with that, but if it is, I'm looking to add another night to our trip... (just don't tell DH I'm that devious, :secret: )