Disney New Year's Week

[tulamom]

Hi:

Looking for advice. Family of four, mom and dad, plus 14 y/o & 6.5 y/o. We've been to Disney in the past several times as a family (but only once with the 6 y/o--when she was 1.

This will probably be our last trip as a family before the 14 y/o grows up and moves on. Due to school obligations our only real time available to go now is school holidays. We like to go for a full week, so this means summer, spring break, or Christmas break. Our schools don't get out until after the 1st full week in June. I think I'd rather do crazy crowds than crazy heat & still crowds...but I need input.

In the past we've traveled more in the off times, mid to late January, and a couple of times mid to late May. Tips on tackling the parks during this peak holiday season? Late at night versus early morning? Does it really matter? Crowded all the time during these holiday weeks or is it really beneficial to have a strategy. We will definitely stay at a Disney hotel, we have always done this and found the ability to come and go easily very helpful. Looking of general suggestions on dealing with crowds and pros/cons of going at New Year's versus, say spring break when it borders the Easter holiday. Or, should I reconsider the heat of the summer and look at August 2014 as our time to go? Thanks!

 

[WDSearcher]

When you say "New Years Week", do you mean the week prior to or the week after New Years? There's a huge difference.

 

[momoflizandains]

I'm interested, too. We currently have reservations that week. We've been many times including Spring Break, which is crowded, but completely doable if you get up early and follow the crowd calendars. I'm wondering how New Year's week compares.

 

[tulamom]

I wish we could go the week after New Year's, but kids go back to school January 5th, so we would likely go 12/28-1/4. Our kids' spring break is April 12th-20th.

 

[TerryLP]

We have gone to WDW at almost all times of the year. One of those times was during the first week of January. We decided to never do that again. You have crowds all year long, but nothing like the first two weeks of the year. While we were there we talked to one of the CMs about it. He told us that it is always that bad during the first two weeks of January. The second two weeks are totally different.

 

[LauraLap]

We were there right after New Years this year and it was super busy, but super manageable. We're doing it again this year.

 

[rackerlee92]

Hi:

Looking for advice. Family of four, mom and dad, plus 14 y/o & 6.5 y/o. We've been to Disney in the past several times as a family (but only once with the 6 y/o--when she was 1.

This will probably be our last trip as a family before the 14 y/o grows up and moves on. Due to school obligations our only real time available to go now is school holidays. We like to go for a full week, so this means summer, spring break, or Christmas break. Our schools don't get out until after the 1st full week in June. I think I'd rather do crazy crowds than crazy heat & still crowds...but I need input.

In the past we've traveled more in the off times, mid to late January, and a couple of times mid to late May. Tips on tackling the parks during this peak holiday season? Late at night versus early morning? Does it really matter? Crowded all the time during these holiday weeks or is it really beneficial to have a strategy. We will definitely stay at a Disney hotel, we have always done this and found the ability to come and go easily very helpful. Looking of general suggestions on dealing with crowds and pros/cons of going at New Year's versus, say spring break when it borders the Easter holiday. Or, should I reconsider the heat of the summer and look at August 2014 as our time to go? Thanks!

This is pretty much us too! We've also been to WDW several times - always during very slow times. We have a 14 year old in high school this year, so need to go during school vacations...and I'd rather do cooler and crowded than hot, humid and crowded.

This year we are going 12/28-1/6 staying at Sunset Lakes. We decided to just go 5 days with hoppers. Plan on doing at least 2 rope drops and then some late nights...

Thanks for posting this. I'm looking forward to everyone's feedback!