Hi Donna!
I’m so glad to have you here at planDisney! Let’s chat about your itinerary!
While of course there will always be crowds at Disney World, that first week of December is one of my favorite times to visit! The crowds tend to be a little lighter, and the
holiday festivities are in full swing at the parks and resorts. It’s truly magical!
Here are some of my general rules of thumb when I’m deciding which parks to visit on which days:
1. You’ll likely find the fewest crowds overall on Tuesday through Thursday. So if you have a very high-priority park, I’d choose one of those days to visit.
2. Mondays are historically one of the busiest days of the week at Magic Kingdom.
3. The weekends see higher crowds at Epcot.
4. If you have more than 4 park days, Magic Kingdom is usually the park we like to visit twice. But that really is a personal preference!
Now, with that being said, something that will affect crowd levels during your visit, in particular, are all the fun holiday parties.
Whenever there’s a
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom, you’ll notice much lower crowds and wait times during the day. On the flipside, on days that do not have a Christmas party, crowds tend to be a little higher. That’s because, if there’s a party, the park will close early. And some people like to save their visit to Magic Kingdom when they can enjoy a full day at the park, including watching the fireworks at the end of the day.
If you’re hoping to experience Magic Kingdom with fewer crowds and you don’t mind missing out on the fireworks at night, I highly recommend heading to Magic Kingdom on a day that there’s a party scheduled!
Over at Hollywood Studios, there has been a special holiday party in the past couple of years called
Jollywood Nights. Since the park doesn’t close as early as Magic Kingdom, you don’t see as big of a drop in crowds during the day when there’s a party at night, but you still may see some decrease in crowds on those days.
At this time, we haven’t heard when the holiday parties will be held. I’d keep an eye on the
Disney Parks Blog for the announcement because I really think that will play a big part in deciding which park to visit on which day.
Finally, if your itinerary allows, I recommend scheduling a non-park day or two. It not only allows you to rest and regroup, so you’re ready for more fun at the parks the next day, but it will also give you time to explore the resorts. Each resort is decked out in holiday decor, and it’s always a highlight to see the trees and gingerbread houses.
I know, I know…I didn’t give you specifics when it comes to choosing your park days! Since there are so many different pieces to the puzzle, I didn’t want to lead you astray, especially since we don’t have holiday party dates yet. But I hope that at least gave you some guidance!
As you continue to fine-tune your plans, feel free to come back with any other questions you have. We’re always happy to help!
Jenn J.