Originally Posted By SCHOOLIES14 Hi Everyone, Can I have some advice please? We are planning a trip from Australia to WDW at the end of the year beginning of next and would like some ideas on crowds and when the Christmas decorations and festivities finish. We won't fly out until at least the 28th of December and will stay for three weeks. Planning at least a 10 day or annual pass for flexibility for WDW, two days at Universal and a couple of days shopping at factory outlets. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb Crowds are heaviest the last week of the year. So for your first few days relax, get used to the time change, explore, go to the water park (only one of the two is open during the Fall and Winter months), that sort of thing. Then hit the parks starting Jan 2. Buy the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World before you go, it is packed with great information. Have fun!
Originally Posted By DouglasDubh We did that last year, arriving on New Year's Eve and leaving on the 18th. Crowds were pretty heavy through the first weekend, then lightened up. Got a bit heavier for the Marathon weekend, then lightened up a lot the last week. I think they stopped the Osborne lights around the 8th, and the decorations got lighter and lighter each day and were completely gone before we left. The crowd calendar on this site - <a href="http://www.undercovertourist.com/planning/when-to-visit/disney-world-crowds-calendar_january-2014.html#disney-opening-hours" target="_blank">http://www.undercovertourist.c...ng-hours</a> - should give you a pretty good idea about when to go to which park. I don't think their ratings are completely accurate, but from my experience and reading are pretty close. There are some other good tips there as well.
Originally Posted By SCHOOLIES14 Thank you so much. I love the undercover tourist website! I have just booked our tickets, we are so excited. Any recommendations for New Years Eve?
Originally Posted By DouglasDubh We have been to WDW twice on NYE. The kids go to the MK and watch the fireworks, along with a billion other people. My wife and I don't like the crowds, so we stay at the hotel and have drinks.
Originally Posted By SCHOOLIES14 Thanks Doug. The crowds dont do a lot for me either so your option sounds like the better one for me.
Originally Posted By tashajilek Looks like I will be going for Christmas this year too. I went for Christmas in 2011 and was at the parks from Christmas eve until Nye. Mk and DHS were pretty crowded and Epcot and Dak were not bad at all. I hope you have a wonderful trip
