Category — n. Approaching Dates at Disney World
“Fall Breaks” and Autumn 2015 Crowds at Walt Disney World
FALL BREAK CROWDS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD?
One of the things you’ll see now and then on the web is the claim that “fall breaks from school create big crowds at Walt Disney World.”
“Fall breaks” are multi-day school holidays before Thanksgiving, and, if material, would have an effect on Disney World—because Disney World is most crowded when it’s easy for kids to go.
If you check the facts, though, you’ll find that fall breaks are both uncommon and scattered across October and early November—other than Jersey Week and the weeks before and including Columbus Day.
Outside of those three weeks, you are much more likely to run into trouble in the fall by choosing to go to the Magic Kingdom or Epcot on a bad day—
- Epcot on a day when it’s open late for Food and Wine,
- The Magic Kingdom on a day when Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is not showing, and evening hours and entertainment offerings are thus more extensive.
See the chart, which shows the weighted percent of US school kids in my database with more than a three-day weekend in 2015 in October and in November before Thanksgiving week.
In it, weekends are in black, and Columbus Day is in red. (The mid-week Veteran’s Day has no impact on breaks in 2015.) Everything else is blue.
The first conclusion you can draw is that the only time when more than 5% of kids are having more than a three day weekend is just before and then over the week that includes Columbus Day.
These are already known to be moderate crowd weeks—from the Columbus Day holiday and Canadian Thanksgiving—so as a “fall break” there’s no real news here.
Note also that no kids in my database of the 2105-2106 school year calendars of more than 12.4 million kids have a break weekend that extends to Veterans Day. This holiday is celebrated on its actual date—November 11–although if it occurs over the weekend, days off will be on Friday or Monday. So more than half of years, it does not lead to a three day weekend, as it does not in 2015. Since it is a Wednesday in 2015, breaks are not built around it at all.
Moreover, even if it does lead to a three-day weekend, most private, non-unionized employers don’t have it as a holiday, so it’s not a particularly great time for parents to go to Walt Disney World.
Second, beyond those, there’s not a lot of material fall breaks. Yes, you can see them every week shown, but not much–at most around 5% of kids during Jersey Week. and more typically much less. There’s just not enough here to materially affect your choices as to when to go to Walt Disney World, other than Jersey Week and the weeks before and including Columbus Day.
Note: none of this is about Thanksgiving week, which is quite crowded and a lousy time to go!
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June 7, 2015 4 Comments
New Year’s Eve 2015/2016 at Walt Disney World
2015 NEW YEAR’S EVE AT DISNEY WORLD
New Year’s Eve festivities and fireworks will happen on December 31, 2015 at Disney World’s Epcot, Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios theme parks, and also at the Magic Kingdom on December 30.
The Animal Kingdom has no special New Year’s Eve fireworks, but will–for the first time– be offering a “New Year’s Eve Street Parti” in Africa’s Harambe Market from 3:30p to 8:30p.
Hours may be extended, but here’s what’s currently scheduled:
- Epcot is scheduled to be open until 1a on New Year’s Eve; Disney’s Hollywood Studios until midnight for the general public, and 2a for Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests; and the Magic Kingdom until 2a
- The Magic Kingdom will have Wishes at 6.30p, and special New Year’s Eve fireworks at 11.50p
- Epcot will have its Illuminations fireworks show at 6p and 11.40p, plus DJs in various pavilions.
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios will have fireworks at midnight
- Note that alcohol is not available at the Magic Kingdom, but is available at Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The Magic Kingdom will have the same fireworks at the same times on 12/30. This date will likely be a little less crowded than 12/31.
DISNEY WORLD PARK CLOSURES ON NEW YEAR’S EVE
Disney closes parks due to crowding often on New Year’s Eve. “Closes” means closed to additional guests–those in the parks do not have to leave.
See this for more on how Disney World park closings work.
The Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are the most likely parks to close, and Animal Kingdom the least likely.
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May 19, 2015 63 Comments
December 2015 at Walt Disney World
OVERVIEW: DECEMBER 2015 AT DISNEY WORLD
This page reviews December 2015 Walt Disney World crowds, prices, deals and discounts, weather, and operating hours; adds a few other notes; and ends with week by week summaries.
Early December, with lower crowds, lower prices, and wonderful Christmas decorations and events, has the best weeks of the year to visit.
Later December with Christmas and New Year’s weeks has the highest crowds and prices of the year.
Park closings to additional guests are common in this period, as are 8a openings and daily morning Extra Magic Hours.
December also has a special party, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, a special evening event–with its own ticket–that has become a family tradition for many.
DECEMBER 2015 CROWDS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
Early December is one of the less crowded periods at Walt Disney World.
Later December–beginning the 19th in 2015–is the most crowded time of the year at Walt Disney World.
On a crowd scale of 1-11, the week beginning 11/28 has a crowd rating of 3/low, the week beginning 12/5 4/low-plus, the week beginning 12/12 3/low, and the weeks beginning 12/19 and 12/26 11/highest.
However, because of the crowd effects of the Christmas Party, even the first three weeks you can face higher much waits if you go to the parks on the wrong days. See this for how to avoid these crowds.
See this for more on 2015 crowds at Disney World.
DECEMBER 2015 PRICES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
December 2015 prices begin 10% higher than the lowest of the year at the values, 8% higher at the moderates, and 10% higher at the deluxes.
On 12/11, they increase to 45% higher than the lowest of the year at the values, 30% higher at the moderates and 16% higher at the deluxes.
On 12/18 prices go to 80% higher than the lowest of the year at the values, 50% higher at the moderates, and 33% higher at the deluxes.
Value and moderate prices stay at this level the rest of the month; prices at the deluxes go up one more time on 12/25 to 55% higher than the lowest of the year, and stay at this level the rest of the month.
See this for more on 2015 resort hotel prices at Walt Disney World.
DECEMBER 2015 DEALS AND DISCOUNTS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
Deals are available for December 2015. Details are here.
DECEMBER 2015 WEATHER AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
Average temperatures trend down over December, and weather becomes quite variable. Days can be perfect, or quite cool.
Click the image, or go to Weather and When to Go to Disney World, for more on temperatures.
DECEMBER 2015 SPECIAL EVENTS
December brings delightful Christmas festivities to Disney World:
- At the Magic Kingdom, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party—a special event that requires its own ticket—runs on many nights through the first two-thirds of the month. Later in the month, its signature events—a special Christmas parade, and special Christmas fireworks—are available to all guests. Christmas decor is in place by the night of the first party–in 2015, November 7
- At Epcot, the evening fireworks show Illuminations has special Christmas additions. In addition, most nights Christmas carols are sung by massed choirs in the Candlelight Processional. Many of the countries in Epcot’s World Showcase have special Christmas events as part of Epcot’s Holidays Around the World program. Epcot’s special events usually begin the Friday after Thanksgiving
- At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Christmas celebration is the Osborne holiday lights in the Streets of America area. The evening opening ceremony is typically 6p.
NEW YEAR’S EVE 2015/2016 AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
New Year’s Eve festivities and fireworks will happen on December 31, 2015 at Disney World’s Epcot, Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios theme parks, and also at the Magic Kingdom on December 30.
The Animal Kingdom has no special New Year’s Eve fireworks, but will–for the first time– be offering a “New Year’s Eve Street Parti” in Africa’s Harambe Market from 3:30p to 8:30p.
Hours may be extended, but here’s what’s currently scheduled:
- Epcot is scheduled to be open until 1a on New Year’s Eve; Disney’s Hollywood Studios until midnight for the general public, and 2a for Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests; and the Magic Kingdom until 2a
- The Magic Kingdom will have Wishes at 6.30p, and special New Year’s Eve fireworks at 11.50p
- Epcot will have its Illuminations fireworks show at 6p and 11.40p, plus DJs in various pavilions.
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios will have fireworks at midnight
- Note that alcohol is not available at the Magic Kingdom, but is available at Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The Magic Kingdom will have the same fireworks at the same times on 12/30. This date will likely be a little less crowded than 12/31.
DECEMBER 2015 OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
Park operating hours vary by the day, and sometimes change without notice. It is rare for hours to be shorter than Disney has publicized, but Disney may lengthen them in response to unanticipated crowds.
The best way to keep up with operating hours is to check Disney’s official calendars, usually available six months in advance.
These calendars can be found by clicking the following links:
WEEK BY WEEK COMMENTS FOR DECEMBER 2015 AT WALT DISNEY WORLD BY ARRIVAL DATE
The week rankings that follow below are from 2015 weeks to visit, ranked in order, and are designed for first-time visitors who do not know whether or not they will return.
Click the image for a calendar view of 2015 weeks (when open, keep clicking to enlarge.)
- 11/28/2015 Low prices at values and deluxes, moderate prices in moderates. Low crowds. Crowd ranking=3. Week ranking=1. Recommended week. Use the Basic December Itinerary, but swap Wednesday and Thursday
- 12/5/2015 Pop Warner Week. Low prices at values and deluxes, moderate prices in moderates. Low-plus crowds. Crowd ranking=4. Week ranking=2. Recommended week. Use the Basic December Itinerary, but swap Wednesday and Thursday
- 12/12/2015 High prices at values and moderates, moderate-plus prices in deluxes. Low crowds. Crowd ranking=3. Week ranking=3. Recommended week. Use the Basic December Itinerary, but swap Wednesday and Thursday
- 12/19/2015 Christmas week. Highest prices at values and moderates, higher prices in deluxes. Highest crowds. Crowd ranking=11. Week ranking=45. Use the FastPass+ Higher Crowd Itinerary, but swap Tuesday and Wednesday in both the itinerary and its To-Do List
- 12/26/2015 Christmas week. Highest prices at values, moderates, and deluxes. Highest crowds. Crowd ranking=11. Week ranking=47. Use the FastPass+ Higher Crowd Itinerary, but swap Tuesday and Wednesday in both the itinerary and its To-Do List
MORE ON WHEN TO GO TO WALT DISNEY WORLD
- For when to go to Walt Disney World, see this
- For the best and worst times to visit, see this
- For forecasting crowds at Walt Disney World, see this
- For the 2015 Crowd Calendar, click here
- For the 2016 Crowd Calendar, click here
- For seasonal pricing at Walt Disney World, see this
- For 2015 price seasons, see this
- For projected 2016 price seasons, see this
- For weather at Walt Disney World, see this
Want a second opinion? Then check out my book lol.
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May 12, 2015 40 Comments
November 2015 at Walt Disney World
OVERVIEW: NOVEMBER 2015 AT DISNEY WORLD
This page reviews November 2015 Walt Disney World crowds, prices, deals and discounts, weather, and operating hours; adds a few other notes; and ends with week by week summaries.
Mid-November has some of the best times of the year to visit Disney World, with cooler weather, low crowds, low prices, and fun special events.
The beginning of the month is not so good, with moderate crowds from Jersey Week. Thanksgiving week, with high crowds and higher prices than the rest of the month, should be avoided.
NOVEMBER 2015 CROWDS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
November has high, low and moderate crowd weeks.
On a crowd scale of 1-11, the week beginning 10/31 has a crowd rating of 5/moderate minus, the week beginning 11/7 3/low, the week beginning 11/14 2/low, and the week beginning 11/22 10/higher.
However, because of the Christmas Party and the Food and Wine Festival, you can face higher much waits if you go to the parks on the wrong days. See this for how to avoid these crowds.
See this for more on 2015 crowds at Disney World.
NOVEMBER 2015 PRICES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
November 2015 prices begin 10% higher than the lowest of the year at the values, 8% higher at the moderates, and 10% higher at the deluxes.
Other than a bump over the Jersey Week (11/6 to 11/8) weekend, prices stay this level until November 21 at the values and moderates and November 24 at the deluxes, when they bump for Thanksgiving. On November 28th, prices revert to the same as at the beginning of the month.
See this for more on 2015 resort hotel prices at Walt Disney World.
NOVEMBER 2015 DEALS AND DISCOUNTS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
Deals are available for November 2015. Details are here.
NOVEMBER 2015 WEATHER AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
Early November weather can be about as good as Orlando gets. Over the course of the month, lower and much more variable temps emerge. Days can be perfect or quite cool.
Click the image, or go to Weather and When to Go to Disney World, for more on temperatures.
NOVEMBER 2015 SPECIAL EVENTS
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party has its last show November 1..
The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival continues through November 16.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party kicks off November 8.
NOVEMBER 2015 OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
Park operating hours vary by the day, and sometimes change without notice. It is rare for hours to be shorter than Disney has publicized, but Disney may lengthen them in response to unanticipated crowds.
The best way to keep up with operating hours is to check Disney’s official calendars, usually available six months in advance.
These calendars can be found by clicking the following links:
WEEK BY WEEK COMMENTS FOR NOVEMBER 2015 AT WALT DISNEY WORLD BY ARRIVAL DATE
The week rankings that follow below are from 2015 weeks to visit, ranked in order, and are designed for first-time visitors who do not know whether or not they will return.
Click the image for a calendar view of 2015 weeks (when open, keep clicking to enlarge.)
- 10/31/2015 Jersey Week. Low prices at values and deluxes, moderate prices in moderates. Moderate-minus crowds. Crowd ranking=5. Week ranking=15. Use the FastPass+ Lower Crowd Itinerary, but swap First Sunday and Wednesday in both the itinerary and its To-Do List
- 11/7/2015 Low prices at values and deluxes, moderate prices in moderates. Low crowds. Crowd ranking=3. Week ranking=7. Recommended week. Use the FastPass+ Lower Crowd Itinerary, but swap First Sunday and Wednesday in both the itinerary and its To-Do List
- 11/14/2015 Low prices at values and deluxes, moderate prices in moderates. Lower crowds. Crowd ranking=2. Week ranking=4. Recommended week. Use the FastPass+ Lower Crowd Itinerary, but swap First Sunday and Wednesday in both the itinerary and its To-Do List
- 11/21/2015 Thanksgiving week. High prices at values, moderate prices in moderates and deluxes. Higher crowds. Crowd ranking=10. Week ranking=40. Use the FastPass+ Higher Crowd Itinerary, but swap First Sunday and Wednesday in both the itinerary and its To-Do List
- 11/28/2015 Low prices at values and deluxes, moderate prices in moderates. Low crowds. Crowd ranking=3. Week ranking=1. Recommended week. Use the Basic December Itinerary, but swap Wednesday and Thursday in both the itinerary and its To-Do List
MORE ON WHEN TO GO TO WALT DISNEY WORLD
- For when to go to Walt Disney World, see this
- For the best and worst times to visit, see this
- For forecasting crowds at Walt Disney World, see this
- For the 2015 Crowd Calendar, click here
- For the 2016 Crowd Calendar, click here
- For seasonal pricing at Walt Disney World, see this
- For 2015 price seasons, see this
- For projected 2016 price seasons, see this
- For weather at Walt Disney World, see this
Want a second opinion? Then check out my book lol.
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest!!
April 13, 2015 50 Comments
Thanksgiving 2015 at Walt Disney World
THANKSGIVING 2015 AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
Thanksgiving week at Walt Disney World is busy–particularly Wednesday through Saturday.
While not as crowded as some other holiday weeks–Easter and Christmas, for example–it can be very challenging, and the material below gives some hints on how to deal with it.
WALT DISNEY WORLD 2015 THANKSGIVING WEEK ITINERARY AND DINING
Park schedules indicate that this site’s FastPass+ Itinerary for High-Crowd Weeks mostly works for Thanksgiving Week, with one change and one however.
- The change is that you need to swap First Sunday and Wednesday in both the itinerary and its To-Do List.
- The however is that the parks–especially the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom–likely will open an hour earlier than it indicates many days Thanksgiving week, and may also have morning Extra Magic Hours added as well–making the day start two hours earlier than indicated on the itineraries.
So you’ll need to stay in touch with schedules–even on the night before–to make sure when you need to arrive to beat park openings. As these openings are announced I’ll update this page, but see below for links to Disney’s calendars.
Moreover, a couple of other things are worth noting.
First, this itinerary has you off on Thanksgiving morning, and at the Animal Kingdom park Thanksgiving afternoon, with all meals at counter service joints.
Believe me–that’s a wonderful way to spend Thanksgiving. Animal Kingdom likely will be the least crowded park, and you’ll need a low-impact day by this point in your vacation anyway.
However, if you are looking for something both more formal and fun in your Thanksgiving dinner (not necessarily in menu, but in ambiance and waiters and such), then consider moving your Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue reservations from First Sunday evening (changed from Wednesday, remember?) to Thursday evening.
A more formal option would be to take advantage of the nearness of the Animal Kingdom Lodge–just a short bus ride away–and book dinner at Boma or Jiko there.
Note that to get a sit-down meal on Thanksgiving it’s critical that you make your dining reservations well in advance. See this for more.
SEEING EPCOT’S CHRISTMAS PROGRAM
Starting the day after Thanksgiving, Epcot is open thirty minutes later, and a special Christmas version of Illuminations is shown nightly at 9.30p rather than 9p. Moreover, the Candlelight Processional also begins the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Even though Epcot will be quite crowded Friday, you may wish to swap the Monday and Friday itineraries to see these elements of Epcot’s Christmas program.
UPDATED PARK SCHEDULES
You can get updated park operating hours when you arrive at Walt Disney World. If you want to know what’s up before then, check the park calendars a day or so before you depart for Florida, and then while you are there as well.
Click the links for park calendars
And Disney veterans–please feel free to add more suggestions for Thanksgiving dinner at Walt Disney World to the comment box below!
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April 13, 2015 27 Comments
Christmas 2015 at Walt Disney World
OVERVIEW: CHRISTMAS 2015 AT DISNEY WORLD
The Christmas season at Walt Disney World includes both the best and the worst times to visit, with both prices and crowds at both lower and very high levels over the period.
Decorations, special Christmas shows, programs, and events, and Christmas trees are everywhere, making Disney World as special a place to celebrate the holidays as you can find.
THE CHRISTMAS SEASON AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
December crowds at Walt Disney World begin at lower levels. They will begin to build on 12/19, and by 12/23 will hit their highest levels of the year, where they will stay until about January 2, 2016
Walt Disney World resort hotel December prices at the beginning of the month are at one of the lower levels of the year.
On 12/11 they go up a lot at the moderates and values, to 33-45% higher than the lowest of the year, and on December 18, 2015, they increase to 55-85% higher than the lowest levels of the year.
Deluxe prices go up some the 11th, more the 18th, and even more the 25th.
December weather is cooler and variable. While the average daily high is 73, this masks tremendous variability.
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
Each of the parks has wonderful Christmas decorations, and most have special Christmas events, which begin in early November or right around Thanksgiving.
- At the Magic Kingdom, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party—a special event that requires its own ticket—runs on many nights through the first two-thirds of the month. Later in the month, its signature events—a special Christmas parade, and special Christmas fireworks—are available to all guests. Christmas decor is in place by the night of the first party–in 2015, November 8
- At Epcot, the evening fireworks show Illuminations has special Christmas additions. In addition, most nights Christmas carols are sung by massed choirs in the Candlelight Processional. Many of the countries in Epcot’s World Showcase have special Christmas events as part of Epcot’s Holidays Around the World program. Epcot’s special events usually begin the Friday after Thanksgiving–November 27 in 2015
- At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Christmas celebration is the Osborne holiday lights in the Streets of America area. The evening opening ceremony is 6p. These typically begin in early November. 2015 will be the last year for the Osborne lights…
NEW YEAR’S EVE 2015/2016 AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
New Year’s Eve festivities will occur December 31, 2015 at Disney World’s Epcot, Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios theme parks, and also at the Magic Kingdom on December 30. The Animal Kingdom in the past has had no special New Years events.
Nothing is official yet, but based on the past, the schedule will look like this:
- Epcot likely will be open until 1a on New Year’s Eve; Disney’s Hollywood Studios until midnight for the general public, and 2a for Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests; and the Magic Kingdom until 1a or later
- The Magic Kingdom likely will have Wishes at 7.30p and special New Year’s Eve fireworks at 11.50p
- Epcot likely will have its Illuminations fireworks show at 6p and 11.40p, plus DJs in various pavilions.
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios likely will have fireworks at midnight, and several sets over the evening from “Mulch, Sweat and Shears,” a live band
- Note that alcohol is not available at the Magic Kingdom, but is available at Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The Magic Kingdom likely will have the same fireworks at the same times on 12/30. This date will likely be a little less crowded than 12/31.
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April 8, 2015 24 Comments
