Hi all! I have never been to any Disney parks during the holidays. This year will be my first time… I’m a little late on planning and am still trying to decide between Halloween or Christmas time!
My bf is a teacher and can only take off one full day (a Friday or Monday) in addition to a Sat-Sun for our trip. So that’s 2 ½ days for Disney—likely flying in the night before our first full day and then flying out after a half day.
A little about me: I don’t mind waiting in lines but I do unfortunately suffer from anxiety, and sometimes being in large masses of people can trigger bad anxiety/minor panic attacks. This is really what has kept me away from DLR during the holidays in the past. However I absolutely love, love, love the holidays and Disney! Christmas time is my favorite (my bf and I also have bdays in Dec), and Halloween a close second. I am trying to decide if we should go down for Halloween (less crowds, from what I gather—although obviously I’m not expecting a ghost town) or Christmas (big crowds, but all the sparkly lights and cheer)!
What is your favorite time at DLR? Any advice is welcome and appreciated. Thank you
Wow. We both really love DL and DCA during the peak of the holiday season, but it is crazy crowded–expect the park entrance to be closed by the fire marshal on a couple of peak days. Even when you can get in, it is pretty much wall-to-wall people. The “bumblebees” are out in force, waving people to one side or the other of the walkways. Even the walkways get crowded; for example, the Pirates line often runs up towards the NOS fountain and then zigzags along the bridge from NOS to Adventureland, where the Tarzan (nee SFR) Treehouse is.
The upside is that, if there’s anytime when DLP rolls out all the shows, fireworks, etc., it’s during this peak period. If (and it’s a big if, at this time) PtN comes back, this would be the time.
OTOH, since it’s a weekend anyway, why not go the weekend of 12/3-4 or 12/10-11? Both of those will be less crowded; blackouts are listed as SL/SC for Saturday ad SL for Sunday, which suggests that DLR management thinks those will be lighter weekends. They are still crowded–7s and 8s–but that’s a lot better than the 10s from 12/21-31. All the decorations go up before Thanksgiving, so the park will be in the holiday style by then.
I cannot speak to Halloween, having not been there then for several years. HM will be in Nightmare mode in either case.
You will have a great time either way. But I would definitely recommend right after Thanksgiving (not that weekend, but 12/3-4 or 12/10-11) to cut down on the crowds a bit.
Thank you for the advice! I know people say it gets busy around the holidays but your description really puts an image in my head, haha. I think I am going to take the plunge and book a trip for the weekend of 12/2-12/4. It looks like that may even be the Candlelight Procession weekend based on past years… Might be higher crowds due to that-- but I also would like to experience it so that’s cool! Halloween will be saved for a future trip. I’m so excited!
Halloween will be saved for a future trip. I’m so excited!
Hopefully we won’t be suffering at all but having an AWESOME TIME! Here’s to hoping the crowds aren’t too crazy. 