December crowds vs. summer crowds

[samandryanmom]

We're arriving December 8th and staying until the 17th. Never been during this time but with two college kids now, they finish their semester early December so we'll finally be there to see Christmas at Disney!!! We've traveled early May, mid May, Memorial Day, first part of June, July 4th and August. I'm figuring crowds will be manageable when we're there and much lower than Summer but am I wrong?

 

[jade'nsuch]

Our last trip fell on these exact dates and boy howdy, was it crowded. The first couple of days weren't too bad but then the parties went into full swing. We still had a blast and I'm sure y'all will, too.

 

[Shanti]

We're arriving December 8th and staying until the 17th. Never been during this time but with two college kids now, they finish their semester early December so we'll finally be there to see Christmas at Disney!!! We've traveled early May, mid May, Memorial Day, first part of June, July 4th and August. I'm figuring crowds will be manageable when we're there and much lower than Summer but am I wrong?

No, most of summer (except July 4th week) is now a lower crowd time than all of December, even early December.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

We're arriving December 8th and staying until the 17th. Never been during this time but with two college kids now, they finish their semester early December so we'll finally be there to see Christmas at Disney!!! We've traveled early May, mid May, Memorial Day, first part of June, July 4th and August. I'm figuring crowds will be manageable when we're there and much lower than Summer but am I wrong?

December 8 through 15th should be light to moderate crowds. Be cognizant of special events. The 16th and 17th should be heavy crowds. Some of the schools are already off.

 

[kathy884]

December 8 through 15th should be light to moderate crowds. Be cognizant of special events. The 16th and 17th should be heavy crowds. Some of the schools are already off.

Exactly what Cannot_Wait_4Disney says. For the 8th to the 15th I would expect moderate crowds and with the exception of the Magic Kingdom park, less crowded than popular summer times.

Starting on the 16th and 17th, the way Christmas falls this year, I would expect super heavy crowds that are almost as bad as Christmas week.

As the previous poster stated, even in your earlier period, the park that is tough to figure out what to do and when to go this time of year is the popular Disney classic park, the Magic Kingdom, because of Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party, a hard ticket even that closes the MK early multiple days of your week and lets people in at 4 p.m. to past midnight. The party is popular and crowded, and those without party tickets have to leave at 6 p.m. on party days. Because days the party is not going on are the only days guests can stay for fireworks, those are very crowded (more crowded than popular summer days -- usually crowd level 8 or so). If though you can be satisfied just going to the MK in the morning till 4 p.m. on one of the party days with a regular ticket, you will have very light crowds at the Magic Kingdom (like a crowd level 4). I like to go during the day of a party for the rare opportunity to have low crowds. Often, though, I am traveling with others who want to do a full day and see fireworks at the MK and that forces us to go on a non-party day where crowds are spring break level - quite crowded -- not Christmas crowds, but still way heavier crowds than I prefer.

 

[NH-to-FL]

December crowds have grown over the years. We have spent many years visiting in early December and have witnessed the growth. Though I don't think the week of the 8th will be as bad as the summer. I would say more like your early/mid May visits. However the crowds will quickly grow over the following weekend and through the next week.
Wishing you a Christmas at Disney!

 

[DisneyOma]

Don't forget the park hours might be shorter in the winter too!

 

[JennyDrake]

No, most of summer (except July 4th week) is now a lower crowd time than all of December, even early December.

I will respectfully disagree. For the last 10 years I've been in August (early to mid) and December (mostly early, occasionally mid) and August is always worse. early December is still by far the lower crowd time (December 1-10) after about the 14th, in my (more limited) experience, crowds increase each day.

 

[anomamatt]

The actual crowd data from touring plans (https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/historical-crowds) for 2017 says:

- early Dec (1-10) 2017 was slightly less crowded than early Aug 1-10. A 6 for early Dec on average and a 7 for early aug on avg.

- once you get into mid December, it was much more crowded than anytime in August and averages 9/10.

 

[Sarahslay]

We were there December 8-15 this year and it was the busiest I've ever seen it on any of our trips! We kept hearing how nice and slow it is during that week, that's why we chose it, but it was anything but. We talked to a lot of people who had rescheduled for that week due to Irma, so that played a huge part, but you never know if that's just the new normal or not.

 

[modelar7]

We're arriving December 8th and staying until the 17th. Never been during this time but with two college kids now, they finish their semester early December so we'll finally be there to see Christmas at Disney!!! We've traveled early May, mid May, Memorial Day, first part of June, July 4th and August. I'm figuring crowds will be manageable when we're there and much lower than Summer but am I wrong?

its usually a good time but it seems like now adays it is the same. There are crowds every day. you want to get there at rope drop to get the favorite rides before its crowded. Then you can do the secondary rides at your leasure.

 

[JennyDrake]

its usually a good time but it seems like now adays it is the same. There are crowds every day. you want to get there at rope drop to get the favorite rides before its crowded. Then you can do the secondary rides at your leasure.

DITTO. No matter WHEN you go anymore, RD is your best friend.

 

[shanew21]

Well, for one, in December you're not sitting in line in 95 degree weather with 90% humidity, so there's that.

 

[samandryanmom]

Thanks for all the replies. We're definitely looking forward to lower temps but we're from Louisiana so the heat and humidity is just a part of life for us. We're rope drop people much to my kids dismay!! Especially since they've gotten older. We'll be heading home on the 17th so no parks that day.

 

[icc2515]

Dec is crazy busy. We always go with the kids in June or July and then a few other times during the year. I can tell you 2 years ago were going to do a 2 night stay in the first part of Dec. We went to book it a month out and nothing available in a WDW resort. We had to stay at the Dolphin. Every room booked except for a couple +$1000 rooms. There is still plenty of availability in June and July. Just about every DVC room is already booked for the 1st 2 weeks in Dec. Pop Warner cheerleading is Nov 30-Dec 8th. We walked into the MK on a Sat in the first part of Dec it was so packed that we turned around and went to the Poly for drinks instead. July is relatively slow compared to Dec. We have been able to get a multiple fastpasses for soarin, TT, and even Frozen after our 1st three ran out. Not in Dec, though.

 

[ttintagel]

Last time I went we stayed from the last few days of November and first days of December, and the crowds were much more bearable than those of late May-early June. We saw maybe only two giant South American teenage tour groups, which was nice.

 

[Moliphino]

That's our usual week for Disney trips (and we'll be there 8-16 this year). It's usually not very crowded, but last year was busier than usual (we were there 9-17). I hope that was a blip due to hurricane rescheduled trips. It does get more crowded that last weekend.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

We were there the 5th - 28th last year and it was insanely crowded, there were definitely slower weeks but all were the most crowded we had ever seen it for that time of year. This year we have similar dates and purposely lowered our park days so that we only have to deal with crowds on certain days! LOL!

For me the crowds are more tolerable, because the weather is a lot cooler than the other months and that makes the difference

 

[Nancyg56]

December 8 through 15th should be light to moderate crowds. Be cognizant of special events. The 16th and 17th should be heavy crowds. Some of the schools are already off.

Yes. We are traveling from the 14th to the 22nd and I am expecting heavy crowds.

OP- you need a solid plan if you want to experience the MK evening entertainment. There are usually 4 party days, which means the park closes at 6 PM, so no fireworks for non party guests. This means that Monday, Wednesday and Saturday the park is crazy crowded. We love the holiday season and usually plan early arrivals into the MK on party days so we can get a lot done, and then on a non party day we book three FP, and a good dinner spot so we have a place to escape for a while. Our expectations are tempered to simply enjoy our FP, dinner and then to cram in with 20,000 of our new best friends to see the show.