When would you go?

[IloveJack]

We've only ever been able to take our Disney vacations during school breaks, and I'm really looking forward to going in the "off-season." DH and I love the MNSSHP, but I've always wanted to see (all of) Disney at Christmas.
If you had the choice, which would you do? And when would you go to either? I'm looking for smaller crowds than we've experienced lately.

[Jeri Lynn]

My two favorite times have always been October and the Week after Thanksgiving (starting the Sunday after). I just returned from my October trip.

That being said, I think I like the week after Thanksgiving the best now. We stay at the Beach Club and I happened to go on a week when they were having the big Gartner Symposium, although you don't notice the crowds in the park, I found the hotel quite busy. I also think because of the Food and Wine Festival, Epcot tends to be quite packed at night. We did the MNSSHP for the 4th or 5th time and I don't think we would do it again for a few years, it's great, don't get me wrong, but going as adults I have never quite been able to plan my time at the party and for what we do and see I can do that stuff on a normal day in the park. The parade and fireworks are great but for me that seems to be the only reaosn we pay to go to the party.

I really love Nov/Dec, the Christmas decorations are so beautiful. I've gone to the Christmas party many times so the next time I go I may skip that also.

The weather is not always predictable that time of year, I've gone when it was hot and great pool weather but then it's pretty chilly at night, but I've been prepared for the change of weather.

Hope this helps!

[disneymom15]

I agree with Jeri Lynn, we love Christmas at Disney. We've done the Sunday after Thanksgiving a few times and really like that week. We also like the following week (2nd week of Dec) alot.

[Pirate Granny]

Yeah...we are leaving the Tuesday after thanksgiving and I was hoping for lower
crowds...

[Kplaster]

Christmas is an amazing time to go. It's just like having a little extra magic. However I would recommend going the first 2 to 3 weeks of December when the lights are up but the crowds are very minimal. A few days before christmas the parks get slammed through New Years.

[BigRedDad]

I may be going against the grain here, but I want to be there when I can be in shorts. I do not want to go and have to wear a sweatshirt. If I had to choose, it would be in this order:

October 1 - up to Jersey week. Jersey week has larger crowds.

Week following Jersey week through the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

Sunday after Thanksgiving through the weekend before XMas.

[TexansInNY]

Second week in December - lower crowds (it is nice to pull up on Splash Mountain and they let you just go again) - also after a rain got some great pics in World Showcase of the kids all alone on the street and with some of the cast members. Christmas items are out, cooler weather for the walks, Wilderness Lodge bell ringing....ahhh....

:mickey:

[IloveJack]

Thanks for all the responses! I played around with the prices yesterday, and we're going to make it our goal to spend the second week of December there next year. We'd have a couple of resort-hopping days, and then enough park days that we wouldn't feel like we were breaking our necks to see it all. I figured DH would put his foot down when I asked (he's currently unemployed, and though we aren't starving, we don't have a lot of "entertainment" money), but he was all about it. We spent a little while dreaming about surprising the kids last night. Now just to make it a reality!

[Princess from Tennessee]

WOOHOO! I know your DDs would LOVE IT!!! :ccat: