Which will be the more crowded week for Christmas this year?

[DisneyAggies]

Dec. 20-26
OR
Dec. 27-Jan 2

What do you think?
I have a friend that is thinking of planning a trip for THIS Christmas, and I wanted to get other opinions.

The last time we were down for Christmas was Dec. 16-26th. (in 2001) It was DEAD until Dec. 24, and insane Dec. 25.
TIA!

[DVCDisneyMom]

My husband and I were last year during the Dec. 27 - Jan. 2nd week and it was INSANELY CROWDED!!! New Year's Eve is our wedding anniversay, so we were there without our kids. THANK GOD! The lines to wait for a bathroom alone would have sent my then 4 and 6 year olds over the edge!! Did my husband and I have a great time? ABSOLUTELY!!! We loved every single minute of it!! But we'd be telling a much different story if the kids were there too!

[faline]

If I were going to select one of those groups of dates, I'd arrive on the 20th and leave on the 26th. It will still be very crowded but probably a bit less crowded than the 27th - 2nd.

[DisneyAggies]

If I were going to select one of those groups of dates, I'd arrive on the 20th and leave on the 26th. It will still be very crowded but probably a bit less crowded than the 27th - 2nd.

That's what I was thinking, Linda!

[Gregandmel]

I agree. From everything I've read, the week between Xmas and New Years is the busiest! You'd be much better off the week before in my opinion!

[GrumpyFan]

From Christmas Eve thru New Years, it's not uncommon for that one or more of the parks will close and restrict entry before noon due to capacity being reached. MK is the most crowded, followed by DHS. Epcot, because of its size, rarely closes nor does AK.
If they (you) are brave enough, it's a great time to go, but they should be prepared for the worst.

When the parks reach capacity, they start restricting entry in phases as follows:

Phase I: Guests with non-hopper-type Magic Your Way base tickets or Single Day/Single Park Tickets, guests without admission, and Cast Members using certain types of CM admission are turned away at the entrances to the parking lots.

Phase II: Disney Resort guests, Annual/Premium Annual Passholders, guests with park hopper tickets, and guests re-entering the same park on the same day are admitted, but only if they arrive using Disney resort transportation or a taxi.

Phase III: Disney Resort guests and Annual/Premium Annual passholders are admitted; however, they must arrive using Disney resort transportation.

Phase IV: The parks are closed to all incoming guests. There is no incoming transportation of any kind.