Talked the in-laws out of Christmas...

[scpergj]

Ok...

We talked my wife's dad and stepmother out of visiting Disney the week between Christmas and New Years, and now they are asking about the week of the 1st -- meaning the week following New Years. Now, I know that here in the Jacksonville area, the schools will still be out that week - we don't return until the week of the 7th...but what about elsewhere? Any idea if that week will be crowded or not?

Oh...BTW...we already have reservations for MLK weekend...with wife's Mother, at her time share (Orange Lake). UGH!!!!

Thanks in advance!

 

[sbkline]

I still think you should have gone the week of Christmas. If you live down there and have the opportunity of going as often as you please, then what's the big deal about going during a busy time and not being able to get on many rides? You can just hit those rides when you go again the following month or so, and for this trip, just enjoy all the festivities of the Christmas season at WDW with your family.

 

[durangojim]

What is the reason you didn't want to be there during Christmas week? New Years Eve has got to be the best night to be in one of the parks IMO.

 

[newfanatic]

Up here in the northeast, most schools go back on Jan 2. I think that should actually be an excellent week to go regarding crowds, and the decorations are probably still up. Go for it!!
:xmas:

 

[EPCOT.nut]

We went to EPCOT the week before Christmas last year and while it was really busy the atmosphere was wonderful and the people seemed sweeter.

I love your thread title. :ROFLOL:

 

[natalia1681]

We went last year Jan 3-8 and were surprised at how many kids were still out of school. It was a bit crowded at the parks compared to what I thought it would be like, but we still had fun. The weekend had the marathoners, so that took away from some of the crowds at the park.

Hope that helps and good luck with the in-laws:wave:

 

[fizzle75]

I still think you should have gone the week of Christmas. If you live down there and have the opportunity of going as often as you please, then what's the big deal about going during a busy time and not being able to get on many rides? You can just hit those rides when you go again the following month or so, and for this trip, just enjoy all the festivities of the Christmas season at WDW with your family.

Yeah, what he said!:lol:

I'm a Christmas junkie and I can't fathom passing up the opportunity to be there the week of Christmas. We went the first week of December last year and had one of the most amazing times of my life. WDW at Christmas has to be experienced to be believed. We just booked a long weekend at Boardwalk from December 13th-15th. We want to see the Castle lighting ceremony so badly that we just have to try to make it down there. There's a good chance we won't be able to make it and will have to cancel our reservations(I'll know more tomorrow when I talk to my boss)but I sure hope we're able to do it or I'll be inconsolable!:lol: One of these years we hope to get there a few days before Christmas and stay for New Years.

 

[scpergj]

Well, there are two reasons that we didn't want to go the week between Christmas and New Years...

1st, we only have Seasonal AP's...it would cost us over $400 to upgrade all four of them

2nd, we were there during Presidents Day in 2004, and it was crowded...really crowded. We later found out that weekend is ALMOST as busy as Christmas week...and we (wife and I) swore we would never subject ourselves or our kids to that sort of crowd again. Our son (5 at the time) actually got separated from us for a minute (family pushed between me and him...and I was holding his hand. I darn near removed someone's head over that one), very rude pushy people. Nope, not doing that again voluntarily.

Really, the upgrade cost is the biggest part for us. We know where we are financially and what we are comfortable spending...and an additional $400, plus food at the parks for 4 days - say another $350 (we'd probably breakfast in the room) - so $750, that's two weekends for us that we wouldn't be able to do later in the year, which kind of voids the reason we got the AP's anyway.

So...there's the reasons. It's starting to look like they'll come and I won't be able to visit much, anyway. We have two projects at work where our deliverables are due that weekend. Bummer....

Kevin

 

[RiversideBunny]

Good luck.

The best of both worlds, of course, would have been to go the week before Christmas day and thus get both the Christmas decorations and the much smaller crowds than are there the week of 12/25 - 1/1.

:xmas:

 

[nbodyhome]

That is too bad as far as upgrading. I'd definitely go the week of Christmas - longer hours, even though it's busier. The first week of January is often busy now, but shorter hours.

I drove over for the day on December 30th last year and had a great time. I don't need to be on rides all the time, it was a wonderful day - I rode a few attractions, walked around Epcot and saw the Osborne Lights (I waited until about a half hour after rope drop on those, and it was much less crowded).

Denise

 

[LoriMistress]

I've heard the first week of January is pretty low time. Though, it has been a bit more crowded in the past few years, but it's not overwhelming. During this time, they'll be removing the Christmas decorations and all of them should be removed by 1/5 or 1/6.

 

[Master Yoda]

What is the reason you didn't want to be there during Christmas week? New Years Eve has got to be the best night to be in one of the parks IMO.

Possibly because it is the busiest week of the year at WDW. Last year there were as many as 3 parks simultaneously in some form of phased closure due to attendance. If the increase in attendance continues it will prove to be even worse this year.

I absolutely love WDW but you could not pay me to be in the parks between Christmas and New Years.

 

[Master Yoda]

Ok...

We talked my wife's dad and stepmother out of visiting Disney the week between Christmas and New Years, and now they are asking about the week of the 1st -- meaning the week following New Years. Now, I know that here in the Jacksonville area, the schools will still be out that week - we don't return until the week of the 7th...but what about elsewhere? Any idea if that week will be crowded or not?
Oh...BTW...we already have reservations for MLK weekend...with wife's Mother, at her time share (Orange Lake). UGH!!!!

Thanks in advance!

The crowds will thin out a good bit after New Years. The parks will be far from deserted so I would highly recommend using early EMH and fastpass.

 

[scpergj]

Possibly because it is the busiest week of the year at WDW. Last year there were as many as 3 parks simultaneously in some form of phased closure due to attendance. If the increase in attendance continues it will prove to be even worse this year.

I absolutely love WDW but you could not pay me to be in the parks between Christmas and New Years.

Thanks for the understanding...and I see you understand what I meant!

The crowds will thin out a good bit after New Years. The parks will be far from deserted so I would highly recommend using early EMH and fastpass.

Now that's what I was looking for. When does Duval county go back? Clay isn't until the 8th...I'm thinking about taking my son to see testing at Daytona on the 7th if we aren't at WDW....

Kevin

 

[mousermerf]

Disney has some longer hours and such extending a little bit into January this year - but really, the parks nose dive compared to the week of Christmas-NYE.

Even busy for Janaury is slow for any other time of year.

 

[scpergj]

Disney has some longer hours and such extending a little bit into January this year - but really, the parks nose dive compared to the week of Christmas-NYE.

Even busy for Janaury is slow for any other time of year.

Yeah...I know that January in general is nowhere as busy as most other times. We actually have another trip planned with my wife's mother MLK weekend...which has been planned since March, so I know we'll get good use out of our AP's this year, with much lower cost than the last time!

We let them know that we could probably visit with them the week of Jan 1 - but not until later in the week. I have two major projects wrapping up that week at work, and my wife works at a Doctor's office - so, it'll depend on how much time we can each get off. Looks like two trips in January, tho!

Kevin