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You are here: Home / Blog / December 2016 Preliminary Disney World Crowd Calendar

December 2016 Preliminary Disney World Crowd Calendar

June 2, 2016 ~ 1 minute read35 Comments

This is what we’re looking at for December 2016. Click to enlarge or view as a prettier PDF. And if you don’t know what the numbers/letters mean, read the top of this post. The full operating schedule is available here.

This is a follow-up to the November 2016 preliminary crowd calendar. As several users have so eloquently pointed out, the months of November and December are not available from the drop-down menu overhead, largely because both months are so inaccurate. There is very little we can do with so little to go on:

  1. No extra magic hours at Animal Kingdom all month.
  2. 5pm closes at Animal Kingdom all month with no indication as to how often it will stay open late or how late that close will be.
  3. No Jungle Book or Rivers of Light showtimes.
  4. Hollywood Studios closing at 7pm or 8pm every night with no Fantasmic shows currently scheduled until December 29th.
  5. No indication as to when or how often Star Wars fireworks will be scheduled.
  6. No daytime or nighttime entertainment at Magic Kingdom currently scheduled for the last two weeks.
  7. No daily morning extra magic hours at Magic Kingdom over Christmas Week.
  8. etc.

Likewise, there is no daily analysis for these months because whatever I write would be 95% wrong.

But the above is the best we can do at the moment. Scheduled Entertainment and Extra Magic Hour changes will affect the recommendations moving forward. For now, your best bet is probably scheduling at least one day at Magic Kingdom on a Party date and another day to see the nighttime entertainment. For Wishes and the Electrical Parade, I suggest Wednesday as it’s in the middle of the week and the evening EMH means not everybody will be headed to the exit after. I like a Tuesday or a Friday for Animal Kingdom. Epcot on Monday and/or Wednesday makes a lot of sense. And then fill in Hollywood Studios where it fits.

The website will continue to monitor the situation and update as it has information to share.

Last modified: June 5, 2018 Filed Under: Blog

Comments

  1. Joel says

    June 2, 2016 at 5:05 pm

    Josh,

    Very nice, any update on November crowd calendar?

    Reply
    • Jim says

      June 3, 2016 at 12:31 pm

      I’m very concerned that this appears to be a serious question. Sarcasm isn’t evident, but I am holding out hope.

      Reply
      • DInnocentOne says

        June 3, 2016 at 1:01 pm

        With the comments the last few days, I wouldn’t be surprised if there is no sarcasm there. I just can’t believe how demanding some of the people have been.

        Thank you, Josh, for all your information and work you put in to this blog. Its been a big help for me in planning, I haven’t been since 2009 and everything has changed since then and your blog has been a big help.

        Reply
      • Brian says

        June 3, 2016 at 2:24 pm

        Simply look at the Crowd Calendar links and there is no Nov 2016 link there…assuming that this is due to it still being in the preliminary stage. I dont take the comment as sarcastic at all.

        Reply
        • Jim says

          June 3, 2016 at 2:41 pm

          HEY JOSH – REMEMBER WHEN YOU WROTE *LITERALLY* AN ENTIRE ARTICLE ABOUT WHY THERE ISN’T YET A NOVEMBER CROWD CALENDAR AVAILABLE – BUT, HEY, WHERE IS THE NOVEMBER CROWD CALENDAR?!?!?!? THX!

          Reply
          • Eric says

            June 3, 2016 at 6:42 pm

            I linked to the November post a week or so back in a thread devoted to “where is the November calendar??” I thought people had honestly missed Josh’s lengthy discussion of why he was not posting more due to the conflicting/spotty information available from Disney, and was attempting to be a good anonymous citizen (as we all are on the ‘net, right?). People responded to my post saying “but this doesn’t include the day – to – day analysis.” So I guess everyone uses this site (and Josh’s second-to-none insights) differently. For what it’s worth, I hope the comments sections here do not devolve into the mean-spirited echo chambers that so many other sites have unfortunately become. Josh has built something of real value here and I for one and more than happy to read what he is providing without further demand. For what it is worth, I have a trip planned there in November myself…

          • Carol Brady says

            June 3, 2016 at 7:50 pm

            Life is too short to type in all caps. Marcia, eat a Snickers! You get a little hostile when you’re hungry.

    • joel says

      June 4, 2016 at 3:34 pm

      Since I started this atrocity of words, I will be the first to admit that all I saw was the December crowd calendar and did not read the next paragraph with a link to the preliminary November calendar. Sorry Josh, and to the others that were offended by my idiocity. I guess I used my senior moment up early this month!!!!

      Reply
  2. Lena says

    June 2, 2016 at 6:23 pm

    Thank you so much for posting what you have. I am coming up on my 180 day mark and am getting antsy about the crowd calendars. But I will work with what you have here and then check back often for updates. Thanks for all the work you do making this the most awesome Disney related site on the web.

    Reply
    • Heather says

      June 4, 2016 at 2:24 am

      Updating June, IN June. Doesn’t the last 30 years show summer is batspit crazy crowded and they should just plan for such and do all the things? I guess it takes every last second to figure out how to shake every last cent out of Orlando visitors while also shaving fractions of pennies off operating costs.

      Goodluck with Nov/Dec 🙂 Hopefully they’ll get most of that firmed up by October.

      Reply
  3. Mike Goldsmith says

    June 2, 2016 at 7:13 pm

    Thanks Josh

    Reply
  4. Stacy says

    June 2, 2016 at 7:24 pm

    I can start planning now. Thanks! You’re the best! Love your site! You definitely help us get the “most bang for our buck!” 🙂

    Reply
  5. Tonia Lyons says

    June 2, 2016 at 8:19 pm

    Well, I’m guessing Disney will certainly be adding Fantasmic – I was able to book a Fantasmic Dinner Package for Nov. 30.

    Reply
  6. Joanne Paar says

    June 2, 2016 at 8:36 pm

    Josh, Thank you for all your work on both the preliminary November calendar and this December one. At least it gives us some sort of a framework to use. Of course it might be helpful if WDW saw fit to release the evening hours and planned nighttime entertainment! On one hand, they force us to plan our ADRs six months in advance, but don’t even do the necessary groundwork to release the correct hours.

    Reply
    • Kim says

      June 3, 2016 at 7:32 pm

      I agree totally! We need to make our dining choices for our December trip, but we do not have enough information from Disney to even know what parks to visit on each day. Very frustrating!

      Reply
  7. Kevin says

    June 2, 2016 at 9:04 pm

    Not acceptable. I paid good money for this!

    Oh wait….

    Reply
  8. Kelly J says

    June 2, 2016 at 9:13 pm

    Huzzah, thanks Josh!!

    Reply
  9. joshuy says

    June 2, 2016 at 9:43 pm

    Always appreciate this. Thanks.

    Reply
  10. Ann says

    June 2, 2016 at 11:12 pm

    Thank you, as always, for all your work! I am wondering about days that have AK listed as red right now. Is AK not recommended on those days for a certain reason? Does something happen on Thursdays to increase crowds there?

    Reply
  11. Jennifer says

    June 3, 2016 at 11:18 am

    We shall be early risers, we shall plan ahead, and we shall marvel at the amount of people surrounding us on Christmas Day at Magic Kingdom. Luckily our 18 (16? I lost track after the first 12) hour day there in January has given us the stamina required to persevere. And we only have, like, 5 “must do” things. I usually like to be lazy on Christmas Day. Not this year!

    What time does MK usually close on the 25th? How long of a day am I looking at here?

    Reply
    • Joel says

      June 6, 2016 at 12:04 pm

      Last year, pretty much every day the last two weeks of the year Magic Kindgom had Extra Magic hours 7:00-8:00 am, and regular park hours 8:00 am-1:00 am. Once a week there was additional Extra Magic Hours 1:00 am-3:00 am. Hope that helps.

      Reply
      • Joel says

        June 6, 2016 at 12:11 pm

        FYI also. Those hours did include Christmas. Also with Extra Magic Hours til 3:00 am coupled with 7:00 am open, most major attractions were closed for Extra Magic 1:00 am – 3:00 am. Seven Dwarfs, Space Mountain, Thunder and Splash Mountain were all closed. So if anyone is planning for the holidays and going to do something special for the late night Extra Magic till the wee hours of the morning, you might want to consult a cast member or see guest relations to check on closures that day. We asked some of the CM’s last year why alot of the rides were closed and they had no idea they were even closed.

        Reply
        • Jennifer says

          June 15, 2016 at 12:30 pm

          Thanks! That’s super helpful. Good to know we have plenty of time. Of course, I don’t see us staying long once they close rides. Especially once we are tired and it’ll be winter. But you know, 1 a.m. is still plenty late.

          Reply
  12. Jaime says

    June 3, 2016 at 11:59 am

    Thanks muchly, Josh. I’m very cranky with Disney and their lack of sharing their plans (or planning ahead), but truly appreciate your “best guesses” to plan by. I will take your educated guesses over anyone else’s well–researched with all of the stats guides.

    Reply
  13. Kimann says

    June 3, 2016 at 1:36 pm

    Thanks Josh. Really appreciate you getting the crowd calendar out so fast after Disney released the schedule.

    Reply
  14. Josh says

    June 4, 2016 at 4:12 pm

    Thanks Josh! Frustrated with Disney as my trip is the 1st through the 11th. I can’t get Cinderalla’s castle for anytime past 5pm (even on the 10th which is at 190 days!), and completely unable to even attempt to schedule fantasmic in December, the option just isn’t available past Nov 30. I thought it was maybe a 180 day only thing, so I got up early this morning to try Dec 1st, still no luck. It’s hard to plan meals and which parks we will go to each day with the hours being so off.

    Reply
  15. Airynne says

    June 4, 2016 at 4:38 pm

    Thanks! Last year you decided to not touch Christmas week so I took that as a sign I should cancel. Glad I can go this year now! LOL.

    Reply
  16. David says

    June 4, 2016 at 5:43 pm

    Thanks Josh, we appreciate all that you do !!

    Reply
  17. Mary Tougas says

    June 4, 2016 at 10:14 pm

    Thanks for the info. Too bad Disney is making it so difficult this year to plan anything for December. How are we are supposed to make reservations and plans without knowing accurate park time and event information?

    Reply
  18. dusty cheatham says

    June 5, 2016 at 9:00 am

    Disney in December is so pretty . temps can be as low as 27* or as high as 88* so check temps before you pack . all xmas at the parks & resorts so pretty

    Reply
  19. Brian H. says

    June 5, 2016 at 9:30 am

    Thanks for the crowd calendar and everything else you do. I appreciate it!

    Reply
  20. Josh B says

    June 5, 2016 at 11:48 am

    Has anyone called to see if they can book Fantasmic dinner package even though the online reservation system won’t let you do it? I wonder if the agents can do it instead.

    Reply
  21. Donny says

    June 14, 2016 at 11:39 am

    Thanks

    Reply
  22. Hillary says

    July 14, 2016 at 10:19 pm

    Thanks for all the great info! Is there a January calendar yet? I haven’t been able to find it. Thanks!

    Reply
  23. Trace S says

    October 29, 2016 at 4:58 pm

    a few months down the road now (and right on top of Nov/Dec)…. any new input on the calendar? You info is what I rely on and we’re headed down end of Nov!

    Reply

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