Crowd Levels During Winter Vacation?

[Epic Epcot]

Hi everyone! I was wondering how crowded the parks would be during winter vacation (which as many of you know is typically the last few weeks of December through New Years) as my family has been considering a trip somewhere around this time. I know it's considered the "on-season" and will generally be more crowded that the off-season (from what I understand, New Year's Eve/Day is the most crowded day of the year). But what I want to know is there any period of time where the parks won't be as crowded compared to the rest of the winter vacation, such as Christmas Day? We've made the mistake of going during spring break, and are willing to postpone our trip if WDW will be similarly crowded.

Thanks in advance!

 

[tampabrad]

Winter break is probably busier than Spring Break. Everyone is off during winter break where Spring break varies from the end of Feb to early April.

Also, anytime school is out, WDW is going to be crowded.

 

[Disney Dawg88]

Hi everyone! I was wondering how crowded the parks would be during winter vacation (which as many of you know is typically the last few weeks of December through New Years) as my family has been considering a trip somewhere around this time. I know it's considered the "on-season" and will generally be more crowded that the off-season (from what I understand, New Year's Eve/Day is the most crowded day of the year). But what I want to know is there any period of time where the parks won't be as crowded compared to the rest of the winter vacation, such as Christmas Day? We've made the mistake of going during spring break, and are willing to postpone our trip if WDW will be similarly crowded.

Thanks in advance!

To answer your question the parks are absolutely slammed. If there is anyway at all you can avoid the week of Christmas to New Years I would definitely recommend that you and your family do so. If you do a search on the boards for this you can find pictures and posts of what it's like during that week. Once you see the pictures you'll see that it's just not worth it. There are people everywhere, the lines for rides are crazy - someone posted on another thread that it was a 4+ hour wait for Soarin at Epcot on NYE.

If you can, I would go the week after New Years. I've been down there three or four times for the Marathon Weekend (this year Jan 8-9) and the crowds and the wait times are usually really good. Plus they should have some of holiday decorations still up. But I would take tampabrad's advice too and as a general rule of thumb stay away from the parks around holidays and when kids are out of school.

 

[Mukta]

The week between Xmas and NYE is the most crowded time of the whole year. It will be more crowded than Spring Break was.

If you go the very first day you get out of school and leave by the 23rd or so, it will be slightly better.

If you really want to see the holiday stuff, but want to avoid crowds, the second week of December is your best bet.

 

[tcwickings]

One word CRAZY :brick:

 

[TheAmazingBobbo]

If you go the very first day you get out of school and leave by the 23rd or so, it will be slightly better.

Well we get out the 17th, I'm flying down the 18th and staying until the 22nd... so I definitely hope you're right on that one.

I'm at least hoping if nothing else, that the 18th and 19th are reasonable, because we're going to hit all four parks for half days or so those two days and hopefully hit all the big attractions.

I have this feeling I'm really going to enjoy it because of the atmosphere, or I'm really going to hate it because of the crowds -- we'll see.