Advice Needed for Avoiding Crowds the First Weekend of December - Parade Taping

[popsicletrees]

My family planned a trip for the first weekend of December (3-6) for my grandmother's 80th birthday. It will be a large family affair, and we really wanted to be in WDW on the actual day of her birthday. I've read that the Christmas parade is usually taped that weekend. My family has no desire to watch the taping of the parade or even be in the Magic Kingdom on Saturday, December 4th since we will only have a long weekend in the parks as it is.


I won't arrive until late on Friday, but I will have until after lunch on Monday to be in a park. I do want to spend some time in the MK. We really want to maximize the time that we do have, so if anyone has any advice on navigating the parks and crowds for that weekend that would be very much appreciated.

 

[828tnt]

if you really want to do the mk, do it at night. jmo. the taping will be over with....

 

[PhilharMagician]

If you have not been to the park during taping then heed my warning. STAY AWAY!!! I have been there twice on Saturday during taping and the place was by far busier than it is on Thanksgiving or the day after. Comlete insanity!! We are arriving on Saturday the 4th and will be at MK for the desert party that night just to check things out.

I would shoot for opening MK on Monday morning if you want to go there, if not hit it Sunday night for MVMCP. Sunday during the day may be tolerable depending on how taping went Friday and Saturday. It will be a gamble unless you go to MVMCP.
Have fun!!

 

[bgraham34]

I have been in the MK while they were taping and it was not terrible but the first day of shooting it is far worse IMHO.

 

[PhilharMagician]

I have been in the MK while they were taping and it was not terrible but the first day of shooting it is far worse IMHO.

I would have to say, consider yourself lucky. The last time we were there for the taping was 07' and we could not go down Main Street and were routed backstage by Tony's and came out in Tommorowland by the Galaxy Palace theater. We were heading to Space which had 90 minute wait with people queued up outside in temp queue and FP late afternoon (10:30 AM), so off to HM which took us about 45 minutes to get to and they had the extended queue open down by the old Keel boat dock and the wait was listed at 75 minutes. So we decided to have a sandwich at Columbia Harbor house and the line was outside the building thru the Liberty Square market back to almost the HOP entrance. At that point we decided to just leave. It took close to an hour to get out of the park and nobody was coming in the turnstiles when we finally got back to the entrance. 07' was the busiest year I have seen, but it was still extremely crowded years prior. I have never been there during evening hours on that weekend because we are typically leaving for home that weekend, so evenings may be quieter?

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I would have to say, consider yourself lucky. The last time we were there for the taping was 07' and we could not go down Main Street and were routed backstage by Tony's and came out in Tommorowland by the Galaxy Palace theater. We were heading to Space which had 90 minute wait with people queued up outside in temp queue and FP late afternoon (10:30 AM), so off to HM which took us about 45 minutes to get to and they had the extended queue open down by the old Keel boat dock and the wait was listed at 75 minutes. So we decided to have a sandwich at Columbia Harbor house and the line was outside the building thru the Liberty Square market back to almost the HOP entrance. At that point we decided to just leave. It took close to an hour to get out of the park and nobody was coming in the turnstiles when we finally got back to the entrance. 07' was the busiest year I have seen, but it was still extremely crowded years prior. I have never been there during evening hours on that weekend because we are typically leaving for home that weekend, so evenings may be quieter?

Hey! We were there the exact same day!!! :wave: But we weren't there for the taping or to do any touring. That was the morning we did our family portraits photo shoot in the Rose Garden and Belle's Garden. We stayed at the Contemporary and were in such a hurry to meet our photographer. They had all the people there for the taping lined up solid down the walkway from the Contemporary. I know it's not what we were supposed to do, but we hopped out onto the bus lane and ran to try and get there on time. Then when we got in the park we had to snake our way thru the Emporium. We made it. And the portraits are amazing. You'd never know there were thousands of screaming girls right by us...and the Jonas brothers....

 

[gabroccoli]

STAY AWAY FROM THE MAGIC KINGDOM on parade taping day!

 

[Mukta]

My family planned a trip for the first weekend of December (3-6) for my grandmother's 80th birthday. It will be a large family affair, and we really wanted to be in WDW on the actual day of her birthday. I've read that the Christmas parade is usually taped that weekend. My family has no desire to watch the taping of the parade or even be in the Magic Kingdom on Saturday, December 4th since we will only have a long weekend in the parks as it is.


I won't arrive until late on Friday, but I will have until after lunch on Monday to be in a park. I do want to spend some time in the MK. We really want to maximize the time that we do have, so if anyone has any advice on navigating the parks and crowds for that weekend that would be very much appreciated.

Fortunately crowds will be low at all of the other parks. As soon as you check in, ask which days will involve the taping. Go to MK on a non-taping day or one night (using EMH if you can). The other parks should be easy to navigate crowd wise.

 

[Flip83]

Yeah, my family has gone 3 times in December in the first week during the Parade taping. We just find out what day it tapes and avoid MK that day. Night time is fine though, if it's open late.

We are going this year the second weekend in December for 5 nights instead. I like walking into MK and seeing the tree, garland etc. It's a bit upsetting when you walk in MK and half the decorations are up to clear the view for the cameras. It gives much more of a "wow" factor when everything is up. (especially for the Christmas Party).

Unless you either have no choice but going the first week, or want to see the parade taping... going the 2nd week just makes more sense. It's still very slow compared to other seasons, same prices, but all the decorations are sure to be up. I just say that by experience.

 

[_Scar]

Okay... this is odd! I'm going from the 3-6 of Dec this year too (or we planned on it at least)

AND we were going to do MK on Saturday, DHS on Sunday..... oh no.....

Can anyone desrcibe the MK on this day? Are ride lines packed or is it walk on due to the constant parade? lol

 

[PSUMike]

I hit the Saturday parade taping once...by complete accident. The place was mobbed and we walked in 15 minutes before the park opened. We were able to hit some rides but by 11:00 things were too crowded and it was hard to move so we ended up leaving. We needed to make our way through the stores to get out of the park and even that took 30 minutes. For the last 4 years, we've now gone the 2nd weekend in December to avoid the taping.

 

[popsicletrees]

I really appreciate all of the information from everyone. I'm glad that the crowds at other parks should be minimal on Saturday. I was more concerned that all 4 parks would just be a nightmare that weekend. Philharmagician we may go to the dessert party that night too or go to the Christmas party the following night. My family will gladly go to MK at night or wait until Monday morning if that means fewer crowds.

 

[PhilharMagician]

I really appreciate all of the information from everyone. I'm glad that the crowds at other parks should be minimal on Saturday. I was more concerned that all 4 parks would just be a nightmare that weekend. Philharmagician we may go to the dessert party that night too or go to the Christmas party the following night. My family will gladly go to MK at night or wait until Monday morning if that means fewer crowds.

Maybe we'll see you at the dessert party. Better make your ressie's for it! Unless you want to go to the desert party on on MVMCP nights (which I can't see wasting time at a desert party during MVMCP) then Saturday is you night! it starts @ 9:00 PM. :wave:

 

[PhilharMagician]

Hey! We were there the exact same day!!! :wave: But we weren't there for the taping or to do any touring. That was the morning we did our family portraits photo shoot in the Rose Garden and Belle's Garden. We stayed at the Contemporary and were in such a hurry to meet our photographer. They had all the people there for the taping lined up solid down the walkway from the Contemporary. I know it's not what we were supposed to do, but we hopped out onto the bus lane and ran to try and get there on time. Then when we got in the park we had to snake our way thru the Emporium. We made it. And the portraits are amazing. You'd never know there were thousands of screaming girls right by us...and the Jonas brothers....

Nice picture! That is amazing that you do not even have anyone in the walkway behind you!! The photographer did a great job.

 

[mp2bill]

if you really want to do the mk, do it at night. jmo. the taping will be over with....

Ditto.