***Official December 2022 Thread***

[DeeBee3]

We are traveling by plane from NY and hoping we avoid any major delays. Right now we are forecast for rain but snow when temps drop. The temps in a few days will be warmer than what they are now.

 

[Disturbia]

Hopefully NYE not as bad as 5 years ago. There seems to be very little crowd control vs more recent videos.

2.5 hours to get to the car! I’m going to make my case to exit after dinner (booked 8:25 pm) before the boats to the Poly shut down (11:30 pm).

 

[DeeBee3]

How crazy are the parks feeling today? I'm trying to prepare myself for the weekend.

 

[xlsm]

Hopefully NYE not as bad as 5 years ago. There seems to be very little crowd control vs more recent videos.

2.5 hours to get to the car! I’m going to make my case to exit after dinner (booked 8:25 pm) before the boats to the Poly shut down (11:30 pm).

This will be our third NYE trip...our first one was 2017 welcoming in 2018. We stayed at Kidani, and I read everything possible about navigating the parks and resorts during the holiday. Everyone else must have read the same things because we were on a bus for over two hours getting from Kidani to Epcot. The bus was standing room only, even people sitting on laps. Traffic was at a standstill, people were turning around in the grassy median. We watched a lady exit her car and use the bathroom behind a monorail post (guess she didn't realize people on the other side could see her, LOL).

On our NYE trip the following year we stayed at the Poly because there was NO WAY I was going to rely on ground transportation again. We learned so much, and 2018 into 2019 was a million times better. This time we were cruising over everyone on the monorail, watching people from above (people still using that grassy median to turn around, traffic backed up like crazy). We started in DHS, boat to Epcot, and monorail back to the resort. MK had closed by 11am, so they were asking everyone where they were going and checking magic bands at the Epcot monorail station to make sure we were staying at a monorail resort. The best monorail ride ever, barely any other people.


We feel like NYE pros now, and will be following the same plan as our last trip. Lots of very relaxed touring and spending more time at the resort.

My best advice is to just take it slow and be patient. Just let everything roll off your back, because you're not going to get places as fast as you'd like. Let everyone else be crazy, and embrace the chaos, LOL!!

 

[cjlong88]

We are just 4 days from leaving. I don't even care how cold it is on the 25th and 26th. I'm just glad to not be in Minnesota for 9 days!!! The weather from the 27th onward looks much better, so that's great.

You guys. I'm so excited I can barely contain myself!

 

[Tk0021]

We are supposed to leave Saturday morning from Pittsburgh and we are hoping that the flight does not get delayed or canceled do to the storm. The airline is offering free flight changes, but I think we are going to stick with the original time.

 

[JJ2017]

This weather is nutso. Dropping from mid 50s to the teens in a matter of hours in out area. Have great trips everyone!!!!

 

[elaine amj]

How crazy are the parks feeling today? I'm trying to prepare myself for the weekend.

I was at AK this morning (Dec 21) and it was insanely crowded (I go a lot and this was the worst I have ever seen it). Lines for the Safari stretched way down past the ride. Lines for Lion King (around 12:45/1?) stretched all the way to the tunnel that leads to Pandora. The CM was telling folks they were unlikely to make the next show.

Hopped to Epcot at 7pm and it has been surprisingly less busy. Nowhere near as crowded as regular Food and Wine.

Got in line at 7:35/7:40pm for the 8:30pm Candlelight Processional and were 30-50ppl behind in line. Not bad at all and got great seats.

Dining package seats now take up ALL the space under the covered area + 7-8 rows after. I kinda thought it would only go ip to the first wheelchair area. Good thing no rain tonight!

Last night (Tuesday Dec 20), we got to Disney Springs and it was sooo chill. The line for Ghiradelli was maybe 2 ppl deep at 8ish when we beelined there right after the Drey-C performance on the Waterside Stage.

World of Disney at 9ish was the least crowded I have seen this year. (in August and October, I went multiple times and it was the one of the only places I really wished I had a mask). This time I wasn’t browsing shoulder to shoulder. There were people shopping, but it was very chill.

Hollywood Studios on Dec 18 and 19 were pretty crowded but AK this morning was insanely nuts.

 

[Disturbia]

I was at AK this morning (Dec 21) and it was insanely crowded (I go a lot and this was the worst I have ever seen it). Lines for the Safari stretched way down past the ride. Lines for Lion King (around 12:45/1?) stretched all the way to the tunnel that leads to Pandora. The CM was telling folks they were unlikely to make the next show.

Hopped to Epcot at 7pm and it has been surprisingly less busy. Nowhere near as crowded as regular Food and Wine.

Got in line at 7:35/7:40pm for the 8:30pm Candlelight Processional and were 30-50ppl behind in line. Not bad at all and got great seats.

Dining package seats now take up ALL the space under the covered area + 7-8 rows after. I kinda thought it would only go ip to the first wheelchair area. Good thing no rain tonight!

Last night (Tuesday Dec 20), we got to Disney Springs and it was sooo chill. The line for Ghiradelli was maybe 2 ppl deep at 8ish when we beelined there right after the Drey-C performance on the Waterside Stage.

World of Disney at 9ish was the least crowded I have seen this year. (in August and October, I went multiple times and it was the one of the only places I really wished I had a mask). This time I wasn’t browsing shoulder to shoulder. There were people shopping, but it was very chill.

Hollywood Studios on Dec 18 and 19 were pretty crowded but AK this morning was insanely nuts.

I checked wait times twice for AK and at 3:40 pm it was 265 mins and at 5:05 pm it was 255 mins!

 

[elaine amj]

I checked wait times twice for AK and at 3:40 pm it was 265 mins and at 5:05 pm it was 255 mins!

That was only because Flight of Passage went down around noonish for an hour and a half. After that all the lines for it were terrible.

It reopened about 1:40pm and we entered the Lightning Lane about 2:10pm and it took a solid hour. Pretty sure not all the theatres were working because we waited an abnormally long time - especially at the very end before loading into the pre-show. I think we stood there without moving for 10 mins.

My guess is the trouble continued the rest of the afternoon.

 

[Disturbia]

Rain forecasted on NYE. That going to put a damper on our plans.

 

[mickey916]

Rain forecasted on NYE. That going to put a damper on our plans.

Plenty of time for that to change…fingers crossed for you.

 

[mrsap]

Wanted to give an update: We decided to leave a day early to get a head start on the weather… drove through some heavy patches of rain on I-95, but thankfully made it safely to Virginia. Stayed overnight and left early and we are almost through N. Carolina. Was able to add an extra day and get a room at our resort for today, so happy we don’t have to move resorts! Only had a little bit of rain when we left this morning, and now it’s sunny out, however we are getting blown around by strong winds. Safe travels to everyone heading Home today! See you there!

 

[elaine amj]

I was at MK today and lines were surprisingly short most of the morning (we didn’t do any of the mountains though). Saw the Christmas parade and chatted with a CM who said many guests told her yesterday they were leaving early today due to the storm.

By afternoon, crowds got heavier and at 1ish the park felt very busy. We left at 1:30pm and are headed back to our resort for a nap.

It’s going to be a cold one tonight so maybe people will leave early? We are coming back for the fireworks and plan to be thoroughly bundled up with blankets to spare.

 

[Smugpugmug]

It's finally time for my family and I's trip! We're waiting to board the Auto Train to Sanford and tomorrow we'll be on our way to Beach Club. We managed to snag a last minute lunch reservation at Beaches and Cream too. We're so excited (minus the cold but the weather looks great wednesday onwards).

 

[Disturbia]

WDW railroad is now open!
12/24+ 9 am - 6 pm
12/31 9 am - 4 pm

 

[cjlong88]

Rain forecasted on NYE. That going to put a damper on our plans.

It is too early for that forecast to be definitive. It was supposed to rain earlier in our trip and now it's saying no rain. There's time for it to get better (or worse).

 

[mrsap]

Wanted to give an update: We decided to leave a day early to get a head start on the weather… drove through some heavy patches of rain on I-95, but thankfully made it safely to Virginia. Stayed overnight and left early and we are almost through N. Carolina. Was able to add an extra day and get a room at our resort for today, so happy we don’t have to move resorts! Only had a little bit of rain when we left this morning, and now it’s sunny out, however we are getting blown around by strong winds. Safe travels to everyone heading Home today! See you there!

We JUST arrived at AKL. Traffic in NC/SC was crazy. Stopped a few times for food/breaks. Felt like it took forever, but SO happy to finally be here!! Celebrating tonight, so cheers to all!

 

[mickey916]

We JUST arrived at AKL. Traffic in NC/SC was crazy. Stopped a few times for food/breaks. Felt like it took forever, but SO happy to finally be here!! Celebrating tonight, so cheers to all!

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Beautiful! Have a great trip and happiest of holidays!

 

[mrsap]

Beautiful! Have a great trip and happiest of holidays!

Thank you!!! Same to you!! I hope you had a wonderful trip!!!!