December 2019 trip... should we move it?

[SpaceMtnGirl]

I booked a trip for Dec 8-16 awhile back. We have been so excited about going at Christmastime for the first time ever. Now, I’m getting very nervous about the crowd levels from Star Wars opening. I’m thinking about moving this trip to an earlier date. How early do you think my trip should be to avoid SW? Sept? Oct? I’m not sure what Disney considers “late fall” to me that means November? Or should I keep the trip as is? So conflicted!!

 

[sharonabe]

I booked a trip for Dec 8-16 awhile back. We have been so excited about going at Christmastime for the first time ever. Now, I’m getting very nervous about the crowd levels from Star Wars opening. I’m thinking about moving this trip to an earlier date. How early do you think my trip should be to avoid SW? Sept? Oct? I’m not sure what Disney considers “late fall” to me that means November? Or should I keep the trip as is? So conflicted!!

There's really no way of knowing. Most crystal balls would say SWG will be open by Dec 8, so your current trip will be in the high crowd levels for THAT park. The rest of WDW will most likely be normal crowded.

If you want to be certain to avoid it, I would say Sept is a pretty decent chance that SWG will not be open. Oct would be a 60/40 not open/open and Nov is a 50/50 until you get toward the end and then chances go way up.

Other factors to add to your conflict. Weather in Sept is HOT. Oct can be HOT. Hurricane season goes through the beginning of Nov.

If you can swing Sept and you're okay with the heat and avoiding SWG is a plus, then I would move the trip to Sept. If you're at all curious to see SWG, I'd leave it where it is and deal with the crowd level at HS.

 

[FastPasser.]

Crowd levels will be the highest they've ever been at WDW, not just DHS.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/h...ember-2019-with-star-wars-ge-opening.3726473/

 

[SpaceMtnGirl]

There's really no way of knowing. Most crystal balls would say SWG will be open by Dec 8, so your current trip will be in the high crowd levels for THAT park. The rest of WDW will most likely be normal crowded.

If you want to be certain to avoid it, I would say Sept is a pretty decent chance that SWG will not be open. Oct would be a 60/40 not open/open and Nov is a 50/50 until you get toward the end and then chances go way up.

Other factors to add to your conflict. Weather in Sept is HOT. Oct can be HOT. Hurricane season goes through the beginning of Nov.

If you can swing Sept and you're okay with the heat and avoiding SWG is a plus, then I would move the trip to Sept. If you're at all curious to see SWG, I'd leave it where it is and deal with the crowd level at HS.

The heat is definitely a factor for September. We have been in early August and omg it was so hot and humid. I imagine Sept is same. If it was just me I’d power through it but my 66 year old mom is coming too. Not sure how well she’d handle that.

 

[SpaceMtnGirl]

Crowd levels will be the highest they've ever been at WDW, not just DHS.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/h...ember-2019-with-star-wars-ge-opening.3726473/

This is what I’m scared of! Again if it was just me I’d be ok. But my mom will be on a scooter which is so difficult in heavy crowds.

 

[SpaceMtnGirl]

We have made several Oct trips and would be willing to go at that time again (just not over Columbus Day) but I worry SW will open then... making moving the trip pointless..

 

[Moliphino]

We've moved our usual December trip up to late September. I don't want to deal with SWGE crowds.

 

[yulilin3]

We have made several Oct trips and would be willing to go at that time again (just not over Columbus Day) but I worry SW will open then... making moving the trip pointless..

If it is important to you to avoid SWGE then move the trip to Oct. If Disney announces that SWGE is opening before the Oct trip just quickly move the trip back to Dec? that's an option

 

[Tink1987]

If you really don’t care about Star Wars at all, I would move the trip. Go for Christmas next year when things will be less hectic. GE will be still be very busy but the impact will have lessened.

 

[JinxedSydney]

This is what I’m scared of! Again if it was just me I’d be ok. But my mom will be on a scooter which is so difficult in heavy crowds.

We were just there Dec 1-10. The weather made the crowds bearable. I was also there in Sept for a work conference and NEVER AGAIN. December had some crowds, but we always could hop to other parks to get around them. I think the longest line we waited in was 45 minutes the entire time, using our FP+'s. The upshot is that the other parks may be far less crowded because everyone wants to try and get at least one day in at SWGE.

 

[SG131]

The heat is definitely a factor for September. We have been in early August and omg it was so hot and humid. I imagine Sept is same. If it was just me I’d power through it but my 66 year old mom is coming too. Not sure how well she’d handle that.

My mother was 67 when we went for 9 days at the end of August. She’s not used to the heat or that level activity. There were two days she opted to go back a bit early but for the most part it worked out. We did less in world showcase than we would’ve if it were cooler, but with cooling towels and lots of water it was worth it for the slightly lower crowds. I would definitely move your trip if you aren’t interested in Star Wars.

 

[shh]

Lifelong Floridian here with a Dec trip planned. Not loving idea of SW crowds either and can't postpone, as we have annual passes we won't be renewing next year.

But I'll take crazy crowds in a heartbeat over the sheer misery that is Sept and early/mid Oct heat. Only the tourists are out in those months - lol. Us natives know to hide in AC.

Plus the decor and feeling during the holiday season can't be beat...magical.

 

[Spridell]

Lifelong Floridian here with a Dec trip planned. Not loving idea of SW crowds either and can't postpone, as we have annual passes we won't be renewing next year.

But I'll take crazy crowds in a heartbeat over the sheer misery that is Sept and early/mid Oct heat. Only the tourists are out in those months - lol. Us natives know to hide in AC.

Plus the decor and feeling during the holiday season can't be beat...magical.

Same here.

Floridian here also and we also love to go in December for the perfect weather and the decorations.

We go for the Day in LATE October for the Food and Wine. Late october is bearable.

 

[Beachmom0317]

We’re booked 12/3-12/7 and still debating lol we own DVC and are booked at CCV and have a rental car and I’m worried there will be traffic getting around everywhere else, even if we try to avoid DHS.

 

[Spridell]

We’re booked 12/3-12/7 and still debating lol we’re own DVC and are booked at CCV and have a rental car and I’m worried there will be traffic getting around everywhere else, even if we try to avoid DHS.

I am counting on it. We go every year that week and I am just mentally preparing myself for this year to be more crowded than previous years.

Nothing you can do about it. A trip with crowds is better than NO TRIP AT ALL!!!

 

[Beachmom0317]

Okay December 2019 people. SWGE opens 8/29. Now what?! It’ll prob still be crazy by December right? We’re booked 12/3-12/7 and I figured we’d cancel with a late fall opening but now that it opens months prior I’m wondering how bad it’ll actually be 3-4 mo later.

 

[mamaofsix]

Well, hopefully you didn't switch your December trip to earlier! Hopefully crowds will have settled down a bit with it being open for 3 full months before you arrive...

 

[Moliphino]

Well, hopefully you didn't switch your December trip to earlier! Hopefully crowds will have settled down a bit with it being open for 3 full months before you arrive...

December could still be dealing with Rise of the Resistance opening. It's not opening at the same time as the land, but "later this year".

 

[Spridell]

I am sure its going to be crazy for at least the first year no matter what.

 

[Hi Pluto]

Okay December 2019 people. SWGE opens 8/29. Now what?! It’ll prob still be crazy by December right? We’re booked 12/3-12/7 and I figured we’d cancel with a late fall opening but now that it opens months prior I’m wondering how bad it’ll actually be 3-4 mo later.

Yes. I'm feeling quite relieved actually that our Christmas trip won't be near the opening. I'm sure it will still be crowded, but the die-hards will likely have come and gone by then.