December in Disney World has a split personality.  The first few weeks of the month, through around December 19th, see lower pricing and relatively low crowds.  The latter part of the month is a whole different story, with the last 10 days of December seeing some of the highest pricing and crowd levels we will see all year.  That said, many people consider December their favorite time to visit as it is possible to enjoy all of Disney World’s holiday happenings early in the month without the crowds.  On the other hand, some visitors believe spending the holiday week at Disney World to be the most magical experience ever.  Whichever camp you align yourself with, December at Disney World can be wonderful.

Crowd Levels & Special Events

If you have flexibility with your dates, early December can be a fantastic time to visit.  Crowd levels tend to be on the lower end making the parks a pleasure to tour.  Early in the month, the theme parks and resort hotels are decked out in their holiday finery allowing guests to enjoy the resort in all of it’s Christmas splendor.  At the same time, most of the special holiday events (listed below) begin relatively early in the month, so visitors can take advantage of these without the press of the Christmas week crowds.

All of this changes around the third week in December when holiday visitors begin arriving in earnest and crowd levels remain at their peak through around January 4th.  During this time it is essential to make all of your dining and fastpass+ reservations as far in advance as possible, to arrive at the parks early in the morning, and to follow a solid park touring plan in order to stay ahead of the masses.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party continues to be held several times each week in the Magic Kingdom.  Like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, the Christmas Party is a hard ticket event (requiring a special ticket separate from general park admission) and the Magic Kingdom closes to non-ticket holders at 7:00 p.m. when the party starts.  The Christmas Party features magical snowfall on Main Street U.S.A., the holiday dream lights on Cinderella Castle, complimentary hot cocoa and cookies, the Once Upon a Christmas Time parade, a holiday Wishes fireworks display, and special shows and character meet and greets throughout the park.
At Hollywood Studios, the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights sparkles in the Streets of America area all this month.  The lights have become a holiday institution at the Studios since 1995 and have a fascinating history.  The lights are on display through the month of December and into early January.

Finally, Epcot’s Holidays around the World begins November 28th, featuring storytellers throughout the country pavilions in the World Showcase telling holiday tales from each country.  Santa Claus makes an appearance at the American Adventure throughout the day and children can have their picture taken with him there as well.  The other holiday feature at Epcot is the very popular Candlelight Processional which takes place in the American Gardens theater three times each evening (5:00, 6:45 and 8:00 p.m.) and lasts about 40-minutes.  A separate ticket for the Processional is not required but guests can book a special dinner reservation which includes reserved seating in the theater for the presentation.

Click on calendar to enlarge image.

Weather

December is one of the coolest months of the year in Orlando, with daily highs around 72° and lows around 51°, however it is not unheard of to see much cooler temperatures.  Packing some cold-weather gear is never a bad idea in December as is planning to dress in layers.  Mornings especially will be on the cool side and long pants and a sweatshirt or light jacket will be welcome additions.  All of the Disney resort pools are heated in the winter months, so on warmer days visitors may still enjoy swimming during the afternoon hours.  Like November, December doesn’t see very much rain with average monthly rainfalls of less than 3″.

Resort Pricing

Disney Resort pricing is based on multiple “seasons” throughout the year ranging from Value 1 (which is the least expensive) to Holiday (which is the most expensive).  In between the two are Value 2, Fall Season, Regular Season, Summer Season, and Peak Season.  Thrown into the mix are various holiday, weekend and special event rates which range from Regular Season to Holiday Season Pricing.

December 1 – 12 Fall Season ($$)
December 13 – 18 Peak Season ($$$$$)
December 19 – 31 Holiday Season ($$$$$$)
Closures & Refurbishments

There are no attraction refurbishments to note at this time in December.