Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and night-time entertainment in the midst of Mickey's Party season. December 5 is
best avoided, while the 4th is less impacted as the bulk of the taping occurs before
park opening.
• Pop Warner brings its youth football Super Bowl to Disney World over the first
full week of December. Pop Warner does not have a substantial impact on theme
park attendance, but it does have a serious impact at the resorts where kids and
their families stay. Pop Warner families typically receive hefty discounts at the All-
Stars, Coronado Springs, and Caribbean Beach. If planning a trip over the first full
week of December, consider booking another resort to avoid thousands of largely
unchaperoned kids.
• Mickey's Christmas Party continues through several dates in December, with the
last show December 18. See “November” for details.
• Holidays Around the World in Epcot runs through December 30. See “November”
for details.
• Osborne Spectacle of Dancing Lights may return in December. See “November”
for details.
• New Year's Eve Celebrations. Magic Kingdom hosts identical fireworks Decem-
ber 30 and 31. The 30th is slightly less crowded, but both days should fill to ca-
pacity in the afternoon. Epcot hosts a special IllumiNations on the 31st with sev-
eral minutes of outstanding fireworks at the end. Dance parties throughout World
Showcase continue into the late night. Hollywood Studios shoots fireworks off
from behind and on top of the buildings around Hollywood Boulevard to live mu-
sic. The Studios' show is the easiest to see, and Animal Kingdom is the least
crowded park to visit during the day.
BEST TIME TO VISIT Try to end the trip by December 11 to take advantage of below-average
crowds, below-average resort pricing, and everything the Christmas season has to offer.
When to Go If It's Your Only Visit
A family looking at a once-in-a-lifetime trip should aim to visit at a less-crowded time
when refurbishments and weather are less likely to negatively impact the trip. Based on
both this and the delights of the Disney Christmas program, Dave has ranked all the weeks
of the year for first-timers who may never return, in the chart on the following page.
Choosing dates is easiest for those with flexible schedules. For vacationers with school-
age children unwilling to take them out of school, or other date constraints, picking a date
among the less desirable times of year may be a bit daunting. The good news is that you're
in the best possible position to make an informed decision. From there, we'll help you save
money and time in the following chapters, regardless of when you ultimately choose to vis-
it.
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