Thoughts on November vs. December 2019

AllThingsMickey4

DIS Veteran
Joined
Aug 2, 2014
I know no one has a crystal ball and can tell me this for sure, but I think I’m about to drive myself crazy deciding when to go next year. Just got back from a trip Nov 30-Dec 8th, which was my first December trip in 4 years. The crowds were quite a bit heavier than I remembered and expected for what the crowd calendar websites claim to be a low crowd time. Even Touring Plans underestimated the crowd levels pretty much every day of our trip (sometimes by as much as 5 levels). I’ve been looking at the predictions vs. actual levels for this week and looks like Monday at MK was an 8 :scared:

We’ve been planning on 9 nights sometime between Dec 2nd and the 15th next year, but with Thanksgiving being so late next year (the 28th), I’ve been wondering if the crowds will be better the week before Thanksgiving? I’m worried early December will see the people that typically go the week after Thanksgiving AND the people that usually go the first week of December.. along with everyone who booked December as “late Fall” for Star Wars.

I’ve never been in late November so I’m seeking the advice of veteran Nov/Dec visitors! I know Star Wars is going to create chaos for either time period.. I’m just looking for your thoughts on which one will be less chaotic :thumbsup2

Oh and we are apart of the crazy group of people who are planning on seeing Galaxy’s Edge if it is open when we are there (hopefully by some form of hard ticket or preview event :rotfl:)
 
If your heart isn't set on seeing Galaxy's Edge, I'd for sure go with the week before Thanksgiving for less chaos! Sounds like you need to decide whether or not GE is a must for your group before you decide on time frame...
 
late Nov/Dec is a HUGE question mark at this point because of Galaxy's Edge.
It won't matter how the crowds have been in years past, once GE is open it'll completely flood all aspects of WDW not just DHS, not just the parks but everything.
Sorry there's not a better and more concise answer.
For lesser crowds AND the possibility of GE not being open yet I would go before Thanksgiving
 
I have the same concerns. I booked Dec 7th-14th and have been surprised by the pictures of the crowds I've seen on Facebook. Next year with GE (one of the reasons I'm excited about it) seems like it could be a bear of a time to go.
 


Next year is a total unknown for late November and December. As others have mentioned, it all will come down to when SWGE opens. At that point, all bets are off, and the parks will be swamped. At least HS, and some will certainly spill over to other parks.
We have our fall in October to miss that entirely.
 
We are going early November and hoping GE is announced for after Thanksgiving. My hope is that people pull their fall reservations once they announce the date, but my guess is that a lot of people might think like me.

I do want to see GE, but not for a few years after opening.
 


I think the week before Thanksgiving will be less crowded. The later in the year the higher the chance Star Wars will be open. I have a trip planned for Thanksgiving and I'm hoping it doesn't open before we get there I really don't want to deal with those crazy crowds. December used to be quieter, but that isn't really the case anymore. I think the holiday season is the new busy time and summer is the quiet time to go. If you go the week before Thanksgiving you'll still get to see most of the Christmas decorations everywhere and have nice weather. I went on Thanksgiving last year and found the crowds really manageable.
 
Early December has not been a quiet time for some years now. Crowd Calendars are pretty much useless these days: I feel like I have gotten much better information just by reading anecdotal accounts of crowd levels from around the same time the year prior on these boards.

I do not think Galaxy Edge will be open before Thanksgiving, and given recent trends, I would not expect anyone (except maybe cast members) to get into the new land before the night before the official opening. That said, I think a lot of people will book throughout November hoping for an early admission to Galaxy's edge hoping for soft openings, so it will probably be very crowded no matter when you go in late 2019.

I think I would go with one of two strategies: go in mid-August-September 2019, which have in recent years been the lowest crowd times due to back-to-school, and enjoy what will probably be even lower crowds since there is no hope of Galaxy Edge. Or go the week of December 10 or later, which I think is realistically the most likely time when you'd have a shot at Galaxy's edge. Any time in November-December 10 is going to be high crowds, and likely no Galaxy Edge, so it is the worst of both worlds.
 
If people are booking Nov/Dec 2019 now, with the hopes of Star Wars being open, then I think they will be disappointed. Personally, I will be shocked if it's open before this time next year.

Stranger things have happened, I guess.

We are booked Thanksgiving week. I'm not worried about crowds. Bring it on!
 
We're aiming for 12/9-13/2019. Maybe SW:GE will be open. If so, then great! We'll see the spectacle. We'll have long waits for attractions and probably visit fewer attractions as a result, but that's okay from our perspective: We'll be back (probably 2 years later).

And I think that should be the first consideration above all others: If you visit year after year, then stepping back and enjoying what the resort has to offer during the current visit is practical. If this is your once-in-a-lifetime trip, your priorities have to be different.
 
We are booked for December 6th through December 14th. It is our second full week trip and we will have a group of 8, so this one is a big trip for us. We have been in late November before Thanksgiving. We did see the resort Christmas decorations and did a Christmas Party, but we really want to go to seethe Epcot Festival of the Holidays including the Candlelight Processional. We are hopeful that SWGE will be open then as we are huge Star Wars fans and even a crowded GE will be exciting for us.
 
We are planning Nov 30 - Dec 8. Don't know if we are hoping for SW GE to be open or not. probably going to be a crazy time - but it's my first chance to go with the entire family, so we are going regardless. Guess that we will spend lots of time at the resort and FP+ will be essential.

I would go as early as possible next fall if trying to avoid crowds, though, so I would opt for the week before Thanksgiving in your scenario.

Good luck!
 
We generally go the first or second week of November every year. Not sure what we're going to do this year with SWGE opening up. We may go and just avoid HS depending on what we see happening once it does. We went a few months after Pandora opened up and it wasn't too bad, but there likely won't be any comparison to what the SW crowds will be.

To add, crowds have been relatively light when we've gone during these weeks years prior, however, it was way more packed this year when we went from 11/10-11/18. We were able to hit the last day of the F&W at Epcot, which we expected some crowds. The MVMCP we attended had people shoulder to shoulder in most parts, which was unexpected. It was so chaotic that my wife and I booked a trip for the both of us at the end of February, because there were things that we weren't able to do.
 
We are going early November and hoping GE is announced for after Thanksgiving. My hope is that people pull their fall reservations once they announce the date, but my guess is that a lot of people might think like me.

I do want to see GE, but not for a few years after opening.

Our plan, too. We are at BC 11/6-11/11 and I'm hoping GE doesn't open until Thanksgiving. i can wait til 2021 to see it when the Epcot expansion opens.
 
Our plan, too. We are at BC 11/6-11/11 and I'm hoping GE doesn't open until Thanksgiving. i can wait til 2021 to see it when the Epcot expansion opens.
2021 is the 50th anniversary of wdw, Many, many projects are opening that year, its sure to bring epic crowds all across property
 
and given recent trends, I would not expect anyone (except maybe cast members) to get into the new land before the night before the official opening.
The trend in the past has been to have press events and media previews on the days, or even a week, preceding the opening of a new land. CMs have experienced the new lands very early in the pre-opening process and then are blocked out for months. They are among the first guinea pigs. However all bets are off as to what they will do for GE.
 
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Thanksgiving is late next year, which means Pop Warner will be later. They will likely arrive December 7th. I’m planning Dec 1 to 7.

I have read rumors a couple of times that Galaxys Edge may not open until January or February. Since they announced Fall, I can’t believe that they would let it slip into 2020.
 

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