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DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: DECEMBER 7 TO DECEMBER 15, 2013

The material below details operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

The same stuff is in the image, but organized by park, not by topic.

And for more on December 2013 at Disney World, see this.

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2015 CROWDS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

The chart lower on the page shows my forecasts for 2015 crowds by week at Walt Disney World.

Dates in it are the beginning of the week, and the forecast covers the recommended Saturday-Sunday 9 day stays.

(For 2016 crowds, click here, and for 2017 crowds, see this.)

Crowd levels are ranked by week from 1-11 in the following way:

1: Lowest of the year

2: Lower

3: Low

4: Low-plus

5: Moderate-minus

6: Moderate

7: Moderate-plus

8: High-minus

9: High

10: Higher

11: Highest

HOW TO INTERPRET THE 2015 DISNEY WORLD CROWD CALENDAR

Dates are the beginning of the week.

The “low crowd” weeks–those colored green, and rated 1-4–represent the only crowd levels a family visiting for the first time, and unsure if it will ever return, should consider.

However, lower crowds, especially lowest crowds, do not always mean a better week. The lowest weeks are low for a reason–typically because they are in the hurricane or the ride closure seasons.

The “moderate crowd” weeks–those in black and rated 5-7–have crowd levels I would not recommend to first time visitors. However, I’d go during such weeks myself with no hesitation, and think these levels are OK for returning visitors who don’t need to see everything and already know how to work Walt Disney World.

The “high crowd” weeks–those in red, rated 8-11–should be avoided by everyone. They aren’t, which is why they are so high.

MY DISNEY WORLD CROWD CALENDAR GOES UP TO “11”

The influence of the Unofficial Guide  and TouringPlans.com has led almost all Disney World crowd calendars to top out at 10.

However, I’ve always thought that the really nastiest weeks of the year deserved an 11 for emphasis.

So, in homage to Spinal Tap, I assigned 11 to “highest.”

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 2015 weeks to visit, ranked in order, see this
  • For the 2015 Week Picker, see this
  • For 2016 weeks to visit, ranked in order, 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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The next fan meet up, with Jodi from Magical Mouse Schoolhouse, is Wednesday at the Magic Kingdom!

Issue 3 of WDW Magazine is now out—the theme is Christmas at Disney World.

My stuff for first-timers helps sort out which Disney World Christmas programs are must-sees—and which aren’t.

I’m just about done with the next set of 2015 Disney World material.

Projected 2015 Disney World price seasons came out a bit ago, and within the week I’ll have 2015 draft crowd projections and week rankings out.

Lovely Amy Girl and I arrive tonight for our third FastPass+ test.

This trip will also include re-visiting six different room types, so I can freshen up their reviews…

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My friends at Destinations in Florida Travel are creating pixie dust again for Cyber Monday!

Book ANY vacation package of $2,000 or more (before airfare/transfers) and get a $50 gift card or room credit absolutely FREE! Even better, they will also give you a $50 credit towards your next vacation package!

That’s $100 FREE to you just for booking your vacation through Destinations in Florida Travel. How easy is that? Let Destinations in Florida Travel do all the work, FREE of charge, while you enjoy the beach, cruise ship, theme parks, or wherever your vacation dreams take you!

Destinations in Florida Travel is an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner and a Universal Orlando Top Travel Professional. Their travel experts book ALL cruise lines, Sandals/Beaches, and any other destination you can think of!

Contact them today for your FREE, no-obligation quote! To qualify for this incredible special offer, travel must be booked by December 6, 2013.

Call them at 877-918-8941 and be sure you mention Your First Visit–or request a price online by clicking the links!

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This To-Do List is for the Seven-Night variant of the FastPass+ High Crowd Itinerary Itinerary. For To-Do-Lists for other itineraries, see this.

A. MORE THAN 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR PLANNED ARRIVAL DATE

(Note that a good travel agent, such as Destinations in Florida, can do almost all of this for you, for free. If you use Destinations in Florida as you travel agent through a link for this site–like this one–then they share a bit of the pixie dust they get from Disney with me.)

1. Confirm your budget, planned dates, intended hotel, kids’ development and heights, and your transportation choice and its availability for your planned dates.

2. Make your plane reservations, if flying. Make any other needed transportation arrangements.

3. Create your My Disney Experience account here and add your family members to it

4. Set up your hotel and tickets. Call 407-939-7675 (preferred, because this allows you to tell the reservationist which building at your resort you wish to be in), or click here to use Disney’s online system. (Note: if your dates are later than what the online system permits, see this.)

• If you are following my itinerary, you want the hotel you’ve picked for 7 nights, eight day, no hopper, no “water parks and more” tickets, the Dining Plan, and Disney’s Magical Express
• Itineraries other than mine will have different requirements here

B. 181 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

Decide whether on your first night you’ll be dining at Akershus or the San Angel Inn. Akershus is a princess meal–you’ll have another princess meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table on Wednesday. If you really like princesses, do Akershus; otherwise, San Angel Inn is the better choice.

Login to your MyDisneyExperience.com account, click the “Things to Do” tab at top right, under Dining hit “Make Reservations,” and practice trying to reserve restaurants (hint: use the search box at the upper right).

This may well drive you crazy, but the site works better than it used to…and is likely the only way you can get your Cindy reservations done! (as the site opens up a new reservable day at 6a, whereas the phone reservation line opens at 7a).

Collect your restaurant reservations together. You will want to do them online in order of hardest to reserve first. This is how they are listed below.

C. EXACTLY 6am EST, EXACTLY 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

(For an 180 day calendar, see this).

Be on the restaurant website by at least 5:50am EST, and have your Cindy reservation all set up on the page. Keep refreshing, as you will be let in as soon as Disney’s system decides it is 6a.

Make as many of the following as you have patience for (try to get through at least Akershus), in the exact order listed:

• Cinderella’s Royal Table Lunch (dining plan, two credits): Wednesday at 11a or later if you can; earlier than 11 only if your sole option…
• Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue (dining plan, two credits): Wednesday 6.15p show. The later time will keep you up later than you need to be, OK if all you can get. Avoid the earlier time–it’ll cut into your park time too much
• Crystal Palace (dining plan): Friday 7p if you can; earlier OK, but not later
• Akershus Banquet or San Angel Inn (dining plan): First Saturday 7p. No later, but earlier is OK.
• 50’s Prime Time Café (dining plan): Tuesday 7p. Can be earlier but not later.

For those you don’t make online, make them by calling call (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463)

D. 60 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE

1. Go to your MyDisneyExperience account as early as moments after midnight and set up the following FastPass+

• First Saturday afternoon and evening at Epcot: Tier One: Illuminations. Tier Two: Spaceship Earth and Mission Space. Note that the Illuminations FastPass+ may not be available until closer to your arrival date—if not available, make Test Track your Tier One instead, and try to change it to Illuminations later. Set the Tier Two times for when your travel plans permit you to be in the park. If one is impossible to set at a good time because of your travel schedule, leave it as is—Disney requires you to book three FastPass+.
• Sunday at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Tier One: Toy Story Midway Mania. Tier Two: Tower of Terror and Indiana Jones Stunt Show. Set Tower of Terror to begin at 9.30a, Toy Story Midway Mania for early afternoon, and Indiana Jones for late afternoon. (At park open, head straight to Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster.)
• Monday at Epcot: Tier One: Soarin. Tier Two: Turtle Talk with Crush and a third. Set all for late mornings/early afternoon, Soarin first, then Turtle Talk. (At park open, head for Test Track.)
• Tuesday afternoon at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Tier One: Fantasmic. Tier Two: Star Tours and Frozen Sing-Along. Set all for the late afternoon/early evening.
• Wednesday at the Magic Kingdom: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Winnie the Pooh, Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid. Set for late morning/early afternoon, with last window ending by 3p. (At park open, head for Peter Pan.)
• Thursday at the Animal Kingdom: Kilimanjaro Safaris, Kali River Rapids, and Festival of the Lion King (if open by your dates—Finding Nemo if not). Set all for mid-late afternoon, with Kali River Rapids last. (At park open, head for Expedition Everest.)
• Friday at the Magic Kingdom: Enchanted Tales with Belle, Buzz Lightyear, and the Main Street Electrical Parade (MSEP). Set Buzz for late morning, and Belle for right after. Note that MSEP may not be available until close to your trip. If so, book Pirates of the Caribbean now, and change to MSEP if/when it becomes available. (At park open, head for Space Mountain.)
• Second Saturday morning at the Magic Kingdom: Splash Mountain, Jungle Cruise, and Pirates of the Caribbean. Target Splash Mountain for last—noting when you need to leave for your return home–and the other two for right before. (At park open, head to Big Thunder Mountain.)

2. Do online check in, requesting as you do special location points

3. Customize your MagicBands

E. NOTES ON PACKING ETC. BEFORE YOU LEAVE

1. Bring your MagicBands in your carry-ons

2. If you use Disney’s Magical Express, you do not need to collect your bags at the Orlando airport unless you arrive late in the evening/at night or are an international traveler. Disney will get them for you and, eventually, deliver them directly to your room. Your bags may arrive hours after you do; so, depending on the weather forecasts, have a carry-on with an appropriate change of clothes for Orlando weather on Saturday, as you will almost certainly go to Epcot on Saturday before your checked bags arrive.

3. Follow the instructions in the Magical Express packet you will receive in the mail regarding both tagging your bags pre-departure, and where to go at the Orlando airport to find your transport to your resort.

4. Bring a copy of your room reservation, confirmation numbers and any tickets for special events you may have received in the mail.

5. Pack breakfast utensils, as they are not always available in the gift shop: bowls, spoons, napkins

6. When you arrive at the hotel, look for the special “On-line Check-in” line, and get into it.

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Hey, there’s an updated version of this itinerary that world much better, here!

Below is a seven night variant of the eight night FastPass+ High Crowd Itinerary.

Look–I’m not particularly keen on this itinerary.

The eight night itinerary is action-packed enough, and creating a seven night variant from it requires cutting out a sleep-in morning, building a really long day at the Animal Kingdom, and cutting the Magic Kingdom back to the bone. So a rough visit becomes even rougher.

But people keep asking for such, so here it is…

Park days, dining and FastPass+ targets are set, so you will be able to make your dining reservations at the 180 day mark and FastPass+ when the 60 day window for FastPass+ sign-ups opens–all covered in the To-Do List for this itinerary.

Your steps for each day are in the following:

Saturday  Sunday  Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday  Friday  Saturday

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