How bad is it between Dec. 26 until New Year's?

[iheartdisney]

I've been many times in December but always the first couple weeks. My husband wants to surprise our boys with a trip for the day after Christmas...but I'm hesitant because of the crowds. But my husband (who isn't a big fan of WDW - and is only a recent fan because of our kids) says that Disney is always too crowded for him, what difference could it possibly make?

Can anyone give us some feedback on how bad you've experienced it to be? Any tips if we should decide to go at this time?

Thanks!

[Tigerinvestigator]

Very crowded but very manageable if you know what you are doing. We loved New Years last year and the days just before NYE. My best advice would be to get a good phone app that tells wait times. It was invaluable to us to have the ability to see how crowded each park was. We were able to avoid the big crowds each day.:thumbsup:

[natstroop]

I just sent you a message. :)

[DizneyRox]

If you don't like crowds, then that week is not a good week. EVERYONE surprises their family with a trip it seems.

It is one of the best times to go, but the crowds are crazy. We're talking 180 minute waits or more for many of the popular rides. Fastpass is your friend. At this point, finding table service locations to eat may be a problem as well.

[Mary Chase]

While I don't have personal experience being at WDW that week, I have read that it is the most crowded time of year. I have been there during Thanksgiving week and that was too crowded for me. I can see the appeal of wanting to surprise them with the trip for Christmas, but I've always been too afraid of the crowd level myself. Plus, I'm too cheap - it's the most expensive time of year also.

We usually go when it's dead - but unfortunately as the kids get older it's getting too hard to take them out of school. I just don't have the patience for the crowds - but I'll have to deal with more crowds at some point, I guess - since I don't thinkI can give up Disney!

Have fun - whatever you decide!

[phlo8810]

Never been there that week but one time my wife and I were there in April or May and it was packed with graduating seniors. The MK closed early for private parties like 3 nights in a row. So the first night it was open late we went, and so did every other person that couldn't get in the last few nights. After wishes we were literally scared that we would get trampled to death. We ducked into the crystal store on Main St. and asked what the heck was going on. The CM told us about the grad nights and that everyone came this night. He then said that if we think this was bad it is worse than this the week between christmas and NYE. Also been told that everyday that week the parks close due to capacity safety reasons. I would not ever go that week! It's probably extra "magical" then but you can keep those crowds. Also it is way too late to get any adrs now. Good Luck

[JerseyDad]

...once...we did the day after Christmas trip to WDW (actually checked in on the 27th because we drive from NJ).

....it was crowded, but if you look at the extra magic hours schedule and take advantage of same...you can get to some attractions that will (during the regular hours) be insanely crowded....to the point that some parks were closed for a while.

....I must say that it is beautiful there at that time...and the cooler weather makes for more enjoyable treks through the parks. We went to Epcot for New Years Eve...and it was amazing. We actually spent the whole day there (literally) because we didn't want to get shut out if it closed due to crowding (which it did). What was interesting is that after the 9pm Epcot fireworks...the crowd thinned significantly. I guess families took the "young ones" back to the resorts after seeing the fireworks.

....if you have the ability to stay at WDW for a few days AFTER Jan 1st (which we did)...the place is EMPTY..and we basically could "walk- on" to any attraction.

[minnie04]

My question would be. Are they going to let more people in the park now that the new Fantasyland will be open?? If not then I think the flow of the same amount of people as usual wouldn’t be so bad. Since there is more room in the park now. More people are going to be hanging out in the new part, so you might be able to get in all the rides you want and then walk around :mickey:

[Tigerinvestigator]

Also it is way too late to get any adrs now. Good Luck

Not true at all. We booked all of our ADR's for that week in October and even some in November last year. It may take some work to get exactly what you want but still very doable. We even booked Garden Grill for New Years Eve in November last year. The new CC policy helps alot in getting the ADR's you want.:thumbsup:

[#1donaldfan]

We did those exact days several years ago and it was great !! It was no more crowded than our normal trips in June with the exception of NYE day and night....very busy.....New Years Day MK was empty. We had the park to ourselves till about 1 PM when it began getting busy !! You can still get ADR's now, just not the times you may want, but hey, your on vacation, who cares to eat at 9 PM !!!:cool:

[figgie]

Christmas day is not nearly as crowded as the day after, which is a zoo! Have been there many times both Christmas day and the days leading up to New Years. Along with the tourists visiting the parks for the holidays, many of the locals have visiting friends and relatives also that want to be at Disney so it is really crowded. As long as you know what you are getting yourselves into and put that in your mindset, I think you can just really enjoy being a part of the hoilday crowd. Be ready for long lines and try to enjoy the areas that aren't rides you have to stand in line for. Really take time to seek out and enjoy the holiday decorations, that's my favorite thing to do!

[Aurora]

A visitor last year posted a photo of the Soarin' wait time sign on Dec. 30 that said 240 minutes in the stand-by line; yes, that's right -- a four- hour wait.

My aunt went during Christmas week two years ago. She had been many times before, even during crowded times, and she said she'd never seen anything like it and would never go again at that time.

What difference could it make if you already think Disney is too crowded? You might be surprised.

[Pirate Granny]

If you aren't picky about rides...it's doable...however, they are now holding people to the fast pass times which will make it more difficult. I wouldn't do it with small kids. We've been there a couple of times for those dates...hubby said never again...but I would do just for the holiday spirit:mickey:

[mudpuppysmom]

Last year we took a VERY spur of the moment trip (left him Christmas Day) and visited family in Daytona. We decided to pop over to Disney for a day on the 28th. Now, we had five kids with us who have all been there before multiple times.....my youngest is now four, so him not as much, but we told all of them we would do what we could and everyone picked one or two things and surprisingly we got all but one ride accomplished! We traversed Epcot and MK for all the kids wanted to do only splitting up once!

If you go in with a positive attitude and know you can't "do it all" during this time of year, you will be fine I think. The parks are beautifully decorated, so focus on the beauty, not the crowds!

[Gator]

How are the crowds? That's just funny. Just go planning to hit some attractions, but definitely not all of them. And make dining ressie now or you'll be sorry.

[CMCTxMom]

Oh my. VERY crowded. We had a friend who used to be a CM and he said it wasn't as bad as everyone says, so we went De. 25-30 in 2004. There were two days that we tried to hop to the MK in the afternoons and it was "closed". We then realized that if we wanted to get in, we HAD to get to the MK in the morning hours. I will have to say though, our last day we had attractions that we'd missed in all of the parks, so we started during EMH at Epcot and rode Test track, took the boat to DHS for RnR, then bussed-it to the AK for EE and then finished at MK with Space. All before lunchtime. That was a feat we were pretty proud of!

But all-in-all, I will NOT go back between Chrismas and New Year's again. Ever. Sorry. :(

[disneydeb]

We were there after Christmas in 1998, I was thankful my children were old enough and familiar enough with the parks so I was not afraid I would lose them.
It is way too crowded for my taste!

[Aurora]

I will have to say though, our last day we had attractions that we'd missed in all of the parks, so we started during EMH at Epcot and rode Test track, took the boat to DHS for RnR, then bussed-it to the AK for EE and then finished at MK with Space. All before lunchtime. That was a feat we were pretty proud of!

Wow! Very impressive! Instead of Four Parks, One World, they should have a special pin for that feat: Four Parks, One Day. :muscles:

[iheartdisney]

Wow! Very impressive! Instead of Four Parks, One World, they should have a special pin for that feat: Four Parks, One Day. :muscles:

I agree! Well done, CMCTxMom!

[KODABEAR]

:knit::old: :santa3::tree::santa2:
FUN!! Get lots of rest prior to arrival and have a plan. When you're tired go back to your hotel, when re-freshed return. It's a special time with all the decorations.