# how difficult week 52 orlando exchange/is disney too crowded?



## djp (Feb 2, 2008)

We are going to orlando next year and are leaning  towards going the week of Dec 27. I just put in a request for a number of top orlando timeshares in II (All the DVC-I know this would be a miracle that week, Marriott Grande Vista, MArriott Cypress Harbour, Horizons Marriott, and Sheraton Vistana Villages). We need a 2br. We are exchanging a good week, a 2br ski week at Sheraton Mountain Vista in Avon, CO. I know that the top Orlando-non DVC- resorts are normally pretty easy exchanges, but is week 52 gonna be tough, do I have a decent shot at one of these? Also I know it is crowded that week, but is it miserable? My wife wants to see all the Christmas lights and stuff they have that time of year.


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## arlene22 (Feb 2, 2008)

That week is the busiest week of all at Disney. If you are going that week, you should definitely invest in a membership to www.tourguidemike.com or www.touringplans.com or you will be miserable.


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## bccash63 (Feb 2, 2008)

We went that week in 2005' and it was miserable.  Would not recommend it at all.  The parks were extremely crowded, traffic was aweful.  Our family did not enjoy it. Dawn


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## djp (Feb 2, 2008)

we are planning a disney cruise the week of jan 3rd. So would you reccomend going to disneyworld the week of the 10th? Dol you think the lack of crowds would more than offset the giving up on the "Magic of Christmas at Disney"


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## TravelingT (Feb 2, 2008)

djp said:


> we are planning a disney cruise the week of jan 3rd. So would you reccomend going to disneyworld the week of the 10th? Dol you think the lack of crowds would more than offset the giving up on the "Magic of Christmas at Disney"



Yes, and yes.


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## azsunluvr (Feb 2, 2008)

djp said:


> We are going to orlando next year and are leaning  towards going the week of Dec 27. I just put in a request for a number of top orlando timeshares in II (All the DVC-I know this would be a miracle that week, Marriott Grande Vista, MArriott Cypress Harbour, Horizons Marriott, and Sheraton Vistana Villages). We need a 2br. We are exchanging a good week, a 2br ski week at Sheraton Mountain Vista in Avon, CO. I know that the top Orlando-non DVC- resorts are normally pretty easy exchanges, but is week 52 gonna be tough, do I have a decent shot at one of these? Also I know it is crowded that week, but is it miserable? My wife wants to see all the Christmas lights and stuff they have that time of year.



We went Christmas-New Years week a few years ago. By New Years it was horribly crowded. The parks closed at 1pm New Years Eve due to crowds. We didn't stay for fireworks to ring in the new year. With the traffic, it would have cost a fortune to take a taxi after midnight, and the last hotel shuttle left before midnight! I'm glad we got to see all the lights and the other Christmas stuff, but I wouldn't do it again. Plus, it was freeeeeeezing!


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## djp (Feb 3, 2008)

great info....I am changing my request to the later week....we will just imagine it is Christmas at disney


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## Carl D (Feb 3, 2008)

djp said:


> great info....I am changing my request to the later week....we will just imagine it is Christmas at disney


In addition, it will probably be much easier to trade for DVC that week.


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## djp (Feb 3, 2008)

good point Carl, I have changed my request to only DVC resorts


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## madra dubh (Feb 3, 2008)

djp said:


> great info....I am changing my request to the later week....we will just imagine it is Christmas at disney


The parks are pretty when decorated for the holidays, but the Christmas week crowds are horrible.  You'll find that the entire Orlando area is pushed to the limit by the crowds. Roads, restaurants, accommodations, stores and all attractions are mobbed. 
Can you go in November after Thanksgiving or in early December? The Christmas decorations are up and the parks are not at all crowded.


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## lvhmbh (Feb 3, 2008)

I was just there December 31 thru Jan. 6.  We went to Epcot at 8 a.m. and it was okay then around noon we went over to MGM and the kids couldn't get on anything and the crowds were awful.  Adults were nasty to the kids (push in front of them, etc.).  Went to Animal Kingdom at 10:30 on morning and it was awful!!!  Even the kids (after going on a ride or two) said "lets get out of here!!! and go back to the pool".  It was also cold that week.  Linda


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## timeos2 (Feb 3, 2008)

djp said:


> We are going to orlando next year and are leaning  towards going the week of Dec 27. I just put in a request for a number of top orlando timeshares in II (All the DVC-I know this would be a miracle that week, Marriott Grande Vista, MArriott Cypress Harbour, Horizons Marriott, and Sheraton Vistana Villages). We need a 2br. We are exchanging a good week, a 2br ski week at Sheraton Mountain Vista in Avon, CO. I know that the top Orlando-non DVC- resorts are normally pretty easy exchanges, but is week 52 gonna be tough, do I have a decent shot at one of these? Also I know it is crowded that week, but is it miserable? My wife wants to see all the Christmas lights and stuff they have that time of year.



The dates between 12/24 and 1/1 each year as well as Easter week are best avoided at Disney. It is no fun as everything is completely packed - read the other messages here. 

On the other hand on January 2 and for most of the month you will find the parks nearly deserted and it is one of the best times to visit - if the weather cooperates.  It can be quite cold during that time.


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## Floridaski (Feb 3, 2008)

*Try early, Christmas at Disney is very pretty*

You might try the week of Thanksgiving up until week 51.  We went 3 years in a row the week of Thanksgiving and then twice more between Thanksgiving to week 51.  We love the Christmas presentation at Epcot, it is the story of Christmas.  If it is the sort of thing you would enjoy, it should not be missed.  It became a family tradition until our kids got to old to take out of school.  The parks are a little crowded on Thanksgiving, but it was never to the point of us needing to leave.  We traveled with a child as young as 4 and a Grandparent as old as 79.  I would say that after Thanksgiving and before week 51 is the very best time to visit and enjoy the Christmas celebrations at Disney.  I would avoid the VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS evening events at the Parks, this is the only event that I found to crowded and did not enjoy it at all.  

As far as trades goes, we stayed twice at Vistana Villages using Morritts Grand Cayman deposits.  With so much inventory in Orlando in both II and RCI you should be able to find a nice trade using the Colorado deposit.  If not then something is wrong, your ski week should pull just about anything with the possible exception of the some of the Disney Vacation Clubs.  If you did not need 2 bedrooms, you could possibly get DVC - but 2 bedrooms are hard to find.  Christmas is beautiful and worth the trip if you can avoid week 51-52.


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## JLB (Feb 3, 2008)

This has been discussed many times before if anyone wants to use the Search feature.

We have been there Week 52 and Week 1 in the Old Days, and Week 51 and Week 1 in the New Days.

Weeks 51 and 52 have always been horrible, unbearably crowded except for the most loyal mouse or Orlando lover.  

We were there Week 51 the year Universal opened.  We got in the first morning, but couldn't get on any attractions.  When we went back after lunch we couldn't even find a place to park.  The next morning I went to the office, through the back employees entrance, and they gave us all our money back.

Week 1 usetabe totally dead, a ghost town, as if Elvis left the building so the crowd went home.  We were there the first year that changed, four or five years ago.  That year it caught the parks by surprise cuz they had not scheduled all their college kids.  

You would think they would have a relationship with the hotels and resorts to know how full places were booked.


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## djp (Feb 3, 2008)

We are trying to accomodate my daughter's year round school schedule-she has from dec 20th off all the way until feb 1. There are other months she is off, but we are doing the disney cruise with another family and one of them is in chiropractic school and the Jan 3rd Disney Cruise is the only date that works for them. So for going to Disney world our only options are the week of the 27th, or the week of the 10th. I have settled on the 10th, because of all the great tips on this thread.


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## janapur (Feb 15, 2008)

JLB said:


> This has been discussed many times before if anyone wants to use the Search feature.
> 
> We have been there Week 52 and Week 1 in the Old Days, and Week 51 and Week 1 in the New Days.
> 
> ...



So, JLB what week do you now believe to be best to avoid crowds and still enjoy the Christmas decor at disney? How is week 2?

I have four 2BR units at OLCC for week 52 that we'll probably cancel if it's really so bad. This will be my youngests' first time, so we can't avoid the parks. My oldest doesn't go back to college til mid January, but he's a little Disneyed out anyway. Is that an adverb?


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## elaine (Feb 15, 2008)

*week 2 would be fine*

esp. with young kids--the waiting for rides at Christmas is unreal!!  After Jan 1, things clear out A LOT!!  And as said, MUCH easier trade, good chance of getting DVC.  
Crowds, for ex., on Dec. 29, traffic was backed up for 2 hours along International Blvd--Disney traffic!   2 PM Fast PAss return time for Space Mtn was 11 PM!!
But, for those who MUST go (like us), if you go EARLY and leave by 1-2 PM from parks, it's not bad--we have done it several years. 
For the poster with OLCC week 52 reserved, traffic no problem--great backroad to disney form OLCC.  For those with young kids going a peak times, go early to parks, do "Must Do" rides and have a character lunch scheduled (make reservation in advance)---then leisurely walk around park and enjoy non-ride things for the rest of the day.
Christmas is really fun at Disney, just crowded. Also, enjoy the free, non-park stuff at Downtown Disney. My kids did a "dance jam" with a DJ for over an hour one night at DTD--very cute and fun!


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