Crowds first week of December?

[spoiledraf]

Finally retired from UPS and for the first time I can visit the World for the Christmas season. I've always read that the first week of December was a great week to go to avoid crowds but getting a GF room was a bit of a challenge, getting ADR a little more so and we wanted to add a day and there is nothing available. Is this common. Are the resorts usually this booked this time of year? I'm hoping the crowds will be down because the locals and off site visitors will be way down and only die hard Disney fans will be there. Your experiences? :confused:

[Strmchsr]

Well, it's kind of hard to say. It used to be the first week of Dec/week after Thanksgiving was the lowest week of the year. But then all of the guidebooks started printing that as the lowest week of the year so now lots more folks go that week. It's definitely more crowded than it was 5-6 years ago. That said, it's not bad. One of the issues with the resorts is that most folks have at least one weekend stay included. Well, the week before is Thanksgiving weekend, which is jam packed. The weekend after (the first weekend of Dec) is the Christmas Day parade taping and the start of the Pop Warner football championship which brings in a lot of people. So, while the weekdays might not be too crowded, the weekends are pretty packed and that can make it difficult to get a room. I've actually discovered the 2nd or 3rd week to be better now than the 1st week - especially the week just before the week of Christmas.

[disneymom15]

We've been many times during that week, the crowds are moderate, higher on the weekends. We usually only do a couple of ADR's and if the mood strikes, we try to find a walk up (usually at an off time). LOVE this time of year!!!

[minnie04]

We used to always go the first week of Dec, but now its gotten way too crowded. I think they tape the parade that week so the crowds are larger. Also check with the Pop Warner Football, they have been there a few times during the first week. We have since changed to the second week.. lol We usually do the Xmas party less crowds. A least for one night. Check the schedules and see what’s going on that week.. By the way Congratulations on your Retirement!!! Enjoy :mickey:

[Disnamic Duo]

Pop Warner is actually at Disney's Wide World of Sports Dec 6-14 this year. They're usually there the 1st week of Dec, but not this year. So maybe that'll help the crowds the week you're there?