2019 trip planning : Christmas or New Year's Week? Pros and cons?

[kboo]

We are planning a (first ever) trip to WDW over the kids' Christmas break. 12/25 and 1/1 fall on a Wednesday next year, so it is likely out ODD will have the entire week of Xmas off, and start school again on 1/2 (Thursday).

Our first time over the holidays was this past Thanksgiving, and it was beautiful and we loved seeing the decorations in the parks. Past trips have tended to be over the summer or non-holiday spring, where the most "special events" we had was the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival. The weather was great over Thanksgiving too. But one thing we did not love was the crowds. Wednesday before Thanksgiving was (acc to TP) a 10 in MK, and it was unlike anything I have experienced. They had the back way behind the stores on Main St. open for part of the time. Thursday (Thanksgiving) we went to AK and Friday to EP, and both of those days we had a great time and had no problem touring and using our FP and ADRs. Acc to TP, the crowd levels in the parks was around a 7-8, which is comparable to summer weekend days. It was just in MK that we had problems moving anywhere with a double stroller.

So - we'd like to experience WDW with the full holiday decorations, etc, but are uncertain about the trade off in crowds and the additional cost in points. Everything I've read on TP suggests all the parks are at a 10 for the whole week between Xmas and New Years. Since we have small kids, no one is going to be able to stay up late enough for New Year's Eve midnight fireworks or festivities, but we might be able to make it to a MVMCP (though that is not required).

And if there's a weekend in between Xmas and New Year's, will the holiday decorations start coming down early?

Are there other factors to consider?

 

[Madame]

I’ll probably be better able to answer in a few weeks when we stay over NYE, but Christmas at WDW is the best!

I loved the early hours at MK. DD & I snuck out to MK & left the boys sleeping and rode Space & SDMT & PP. One of my best all time WDW memories.


I think this was in the Space photo booth that morning.


DS pouting because the teacups line was like 40 minutes long Parents of the year here.


Photopass got a workout that trip!

 

[bobbiwoz]

MVMCP end earlier than you plan to be there, this year December 21. I have been there after Christmas, and it just does not feel the same as pre Christmas.

I have never been there on Christmas itself, but that’s the time I would pick if you could not go earlier in the month.I have been to the Candlelight Processional on December 30, one time. DH and I were the only ones still with our Santa hats on!

A week ago on Saturday we were in MK....that is not a mistake I will make again. Do not know what other days were like, but I made a note, skip MK on a Saturday in December.

 

[aoconnor]

Personally, I would repeat Thanksgiving for a few reasons:

1) Cheaper point cost
2) Relatively lower crowds- still very busy as you know, but the week of Xmas/NYE are the absolute busiest days of the year
3) Better chance of warm weather- temps drop a solid 5-6 degrees between Thanksgiving and the end of the year and it's nice to have pool weather to escape the madness if needed

 

[kboo]

I’ll probably be better able to answer in a few weeks when we stay over NYE, but Christmas at WDW is the best!

I loved the early hours at MK. DD & I snuck out to MK & left the boys sleeping and rode Space & SDMT & PP. One of my best all time WDW memories.

I would love to hear your experience over NYE as well.

So ... how early is early at MK? I could see myself taking my 2 girls out and then getting out of the parks (esp MK) by lunchtime. The 40 minute wait for tea cups was like our Thanksgiving experience. I remember also wading through Fantasyland to go to IASW because it had a posted 25 minute wait that was horribly off - we waited over an hour.

@aoconnor - After 2019, we most likely will go back to Thanksgiving at WDW if we go in the winter at all. Our YDD has a birthday right around Thanksgiving (she was born ON Thanksgiving the year she was born), so we wanted to see whether Thanksgiving and/or Christmas is a time we'd like to visit WDW. In the past, we'd mostly gone in the late summer (low crowds, but hotter than Hades) or April break (gorgeous weather, moderate crowds, very costly points wise).

Around Thanksgiving, flights are prohibitively expensive and most people travel in a shorter range of days. I feel like over the Christmas break, there are flight "deals" to be found because people are traveling over a wider range of days, and it would be nice not to pull the kids from school. (We went Monday night - Sunday over Thanksgiving, and Wednesday was the most crowded day. But it seemed like the Thanksgiving crowd levels were 10 at MK, 7/8 everywhere else, while projected Christmas week levels are 10 everywhere.)

So the Xmas/New Years 2019 trip is to compare with our Thanksgiving 2018 experience, too...

 

[Madame]

I would love to hear your experience over NYE as well.

So ... how early is early at MK? I could see myself taking my 2 girls out and then getting out of the parks (esp MK) by lunchtime. The 40 minute wait for tea cups was like our Thanksgiving experience. I remember also wading through Fantasyland to go to IASW because it had a posted 25 minute wait that was horribly off - we waited over an hour.

@aoconnor - After 2019, we most likely will go back to Thanksgiving at WDW if we go in the winter at all. Our YDD has a birthday right around Thanksgiving (she was born ON Thanksgiving the year she was born), so we wanted to see whether Thanksgiving and/or Christmas is a time we'd like to visit WDW. In the past, we'd mostly gone in the late summer (low crowds, but hotter than Hades) or April break (gorgeous weather, moderate crowds, very costly points wise).

Around Thanksgiving, flights are prohibitively expensive and most people travel in a shorter range of days. I feel like over the Christmas break, there are flight "deals" to be found because people are traveling over a wider range of days, and it would be nice not to pull the kids from school. (We went Monday night - Sunday over Thanksgiving, and Wednesday was the most crowded day. But it seemed like the Thanksgiving crowd levels were 10 at MK, 7/8 everywhere else, while projected Christmas week levels are 10 everywhere.)

So the Xmas/New Years 2019 trip is to compare with our Thanksgiving 2018 experience, too...

Most days MK had a 7AM open, but it opened at 6AM that day so we were out of the room by 5AM.

We always tour early AM, rest, FPs before supper then back to the resort to relax or swim. I don’t think I would do Christmas or NYE with stroller aged kiddos (I’m also the Mom that refused to do any type of vacation before everyone could use the toilet, so there’s that).

It’s just the kids & I braving NYE as DH cannot get most school holidays off since a job change & teachers in my province are not allowed to vacation outside the school calendar. I have no hesitation taking them by myself at 11, 9 & 9, but I don’t know how enjoyable I’d find those crowds with littles (even with help)

With 2 wks of break in Dec/Jan you can definitely find better deals on airfare, even over Christmas. I got $350 return DTW-MCO Dec 31-Jan 6. I could have had $178 (same flights), but my DH wasn’t sure we should go....

The Christmas trip was 2014. I paid under $300 with Delta. I think it was Dec 21-26.

 

[DenLo]

Crowds are too large at Christmas and New Years for us. We also prefer to book when the point cost is lower.

 

[TexasChick123]

We went on New Year’s Day until January 5th a few years ago, and I’ve never seen crowds like that before. It was too much for us. Is there any way you could go for MLK weekend or president’s weekend instead? It would be less crowded and lower points than Christmas time.

 

[kboo]

We went on New Year’s Day until January 5th a few years ago, and I’ve never seen crowds like that before. It was too much for us. Is there any way you could go for MLK weekend or president’s weekend instead? It would be less crowded and lower points than Christmas time.

Ack! So even after the 1st is really bad?

I think we wanted to try WDW at the holidays - we got a taste of it this Thanksgiving and really loved the decorations and the special events, but felt the crowds were really tough on the level 10 days. BUT - we had MIL with us, and it was a shorter (Tues-Sun) trip. Our overall feeling was if we had more time, and knew what we were in for with the crowds, the tradeoff of crowds might be worth it to see all the holiday decorations, and we'd maybe spend more resort time. Our kids would be more mobile too. And I'm loath to take the kids out of school (older DD) too much, so longer school breaks are preferred for us. (We are trying out all the school break times, since we bought DVC : summer, President's week (our kids get a whole week), Easter week (same), Thanksgiving, and Christmas. At least for the next several years, those are the times we'll be going.... )

 

[kboo]

We always tour early AM, rest, FPs before supper then back to the resort to relax or swim. I don’t think I would do Christmas or NYE with stroller aged kiddos (I’m also the Mom that refused to do any type of vacation before everyone could use the toilet, so there’s that).

It’s just the kids & I braving NYE as DH cannot get most school holidays off since a job change & teachers in my province are not allowed to vacation outside the school calendar. I have no hesitation taking them by myself at 11, 9 & 9, but I don’t know how enjoyable I’d find those crowds with littles (even with help)

This is something to think about... By Xmas 2019, our littler one will be 4, and she's pretty independent. We would be down to a single, lighter stroller, which would probably be a game changer. And she's been going since she was a few months old, so we've weathered EBF and diapers and potty training in the parks, so there's that... lol.

Good luck over NYE! It sounds like fun with your older kids. I know we will get there. We tried to do MNSSHP with the kids this year, and both of them were asleep after the first parade and slept through the fireworks, which we watched from the hub! Oh well, at least we only paid for 1 child ticket...

 

[cvjw]

We’ve been over thanksgiving and the first week of January several times - arriving on New Year’s Day. The thanksgiving crowds paled in comparison to the early January crowds. One year, the magic kingdom closed to capacity while we were there in early January.

Talk about scary. There were so many people there, I had to hold onto my kids with both hands to keep them from being swept away in the sea of people that moved in waves. Needless to say, that was our last early January trip.

I am sure some people thrive on large crowds on their Disney trips. We don’t. I would pick another time to visit with young kids than Christmas or New Years.

 

[TexasChick123]

We’ve been over thanksgiving and the first week of January several times - arriving on New Year’s Day. The thanksgiving crowds paled in comparison to the early January crowds. One year, the magic kingdom closed to capacity while we were there in early January.

Talk about scary. There were so many people there, I had to hold onto my kids with both hands to keep them from being swept away in the sea of people that moved in waves. Needless to say, that was our last early January trip.

I am sure some people thrive on large crowds on their Disney trips. We don’t. I would pick another time to visit with young kids than Christmas or New Years.

I agree with this. We won’t be going back during that time ever again. Over by Peter Pan, it is so packed that you literally have to hold your kids and just walk with the crowd. You cannot turn around or go against the flow. It’s was actually scary to the point that we didn’t travel through that narrow passage again on that trip.

 

[kniquy]

A few years ago we arrived on NYE and stayed until 1/6. Our kids missed a couple days of school but considering it was the first couple days back from christmas break I didn't feel that they would miss too much. We found that once we were past new years day the crowds started to lighten, we still had the Christmas decorations to enjoy, but without the insane crowds. It is still busy, but it was manageable with a plan for FPs and afternoon breaks. So if you can swing it I would go 12/29 to to 1/5. The first couple of days will be busy but it should lighten up a little.

I don't think there are any times of the year when you can avoid crowds. We went this year the week after thanksgiving. Touring plans had it listed as an overall crowds of 2-3, but it felt just as busy with crowds and wait times as our April trip which were crowds of 5-7. Planning is key to combat any crazy crowds.

 

[DduzDis]

We went over Labor Day this year. TP had the weekdays listed as 1s or 2s and even the weekends were 5-6. We don't like pulling kids out of school either, but we will likely be back for an adults only trip this time of year again. They were the lowest crowds we have ever seen.

Glad to see the info here re: Christmas and New Years. Looks like we will avoid those times for a while.

 

[LilyJC]

We spent this past NYE at MK, and we actually loved it! As a PP mentioned though, I might recommend waiting until your kids are older so they can enjoy the festivities more. I had heard horror stories about the crowds at MK, but we were pleasantly surprised. I should add that we are DLR locals, so we are used to tight, intense crowds especially at DL.

We were able to continually grab more fastpasses throughout the day, and we had a dinner reservation at Skipper’s Canteen which was a nice break. I’d also highly recommend booking the dessert party. It was amazing and not crowded in the plaza garden viewing area at all. The worst part was leaving the park after the fireworks. We wished we had stayed in the viewing area to let the insanity clear.

And one more thing...keep an eye on when Marathon weekend is in January. We were there for both NYE and the runs, so it worked out great for us. But it was definitely more crowded due to the runDisney festivities.

 

[drusba]

To understand how large the crowds are Christmas time, one picture taken by someone in MK on NYE sort of says it all:

 

[pineapplepalms]

We've been to WDW after Christmas from 12/26 through New Year's before having kids, and found it to be pretty doable with relaxed touring and advance planning. I don't know if I would do it with kids now though, at least not until they are older (currently 2 months and almost 3) due to navigating a double stroller, lugging more stuff around, taking more breaks, etc. To avoid NYE crowds, we did MK on 12/30 (same fireworks as NYE) and DHS on 12/31 since we didn't want to deal with MK crowds. It wasn't bad! We'll have to deal with this question in a few years when school comes into play... I'm pretty sure we'll brave 12/26 through New Year's again at that point in order to be able to enjoy the holiday decorations and festivities.

I've still never seen crowds at WDW like the crowds we encountered at DLR last year on the park anniversary, which also happened to be after D23 and when Fantasmic was reopening. There just aren't quite as many places to escape to as you have at WDW - at least you have a lot of resorts to explore and visit for decorations and ADRs if you want to avoid the crowds!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Does Epcot have its NYE fireworks on December 30?

 

[pineapplepalms]

Does Epcot have its NYE fireworks on December 30?

No it doesn’t! I meant to say MK on 12/30. Will edit my post!

 

[Mumof4mice]

This is something to think about... By Xmas 2019, our littler one will be 4, and she's pretty independent. We would be down to a single, lighter stroller, which would probably be a game changer. And she's been going since she was a few months old, so we've weathered EBF and diapers and potty training in the parks, so there's that... lol.

Good luck over NYE! It sounds like fun with your older kids. I know we will get there. We tried to do MNSSHP with the kids this year, and both of them were asleep after the first parade and slept through the fireworks, which we watched from the hub! Oh well, at least we only paid for 1 child ticket...

We've done Christmas through to the first week of January at Disneyland when our older two were about your children's age. Disney is so good at crowd control (LAX should look into hiring Disney CMs). As long as you only attempt to get onto rides in the first two hours after rope drop, the crowds are manageable. We had an awesome time enjoying the sights and exploring minor attractions that we usually overlooked.

Currently considering visiting during the same time period as you!