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poohmaine · 10-04-2005, 08:27 AM

We were at ALK from December 18 through December 27. The resort was full the day we got there (a zoo at check-in), got quiet a day later, and then really picked up again Christmas Eve. I did notice bigger crowds in the lobby areas, etc. but the resort service was not affected.

The AKL has it's own bus (no other resort shares it) and bus service was always prompt. I think the longest we waited was 10 minutes.

If you want to avoid the crowds, get up earlier. We are early birds, and I rarely met anyone in the lobby at 7:00 a.m. Lines for breakfast, etc. didn't really get busy until after 8:00. Boma was always crowded, though, so if you want to eat there make sure you make ressies ASAP.

There were several special evening events going on in the lobby the week leading up to Christmas: concerts, bell ringers, Santa, characters, choruses. You could stay right at the resort and get plenty of Christmas cheer.

The theme parks started getting busier the closer it got to Christmas Day. On the 22nd in MGM, we got a FastPass for TOT at 10 in the morning for 4:15 in the afternoon! But that was our only day with crowd levels so high we couldn't get to everything we wanted to do. It got very cold later in the week (temps in the 30s and 40s) and that kept the crowds away. For example, on Dec. 26th, the MK opened at 7:00 a.m. My daughter and I were the only ones from the AKL on the bus at 6:30 a.m. We had the MK to ourselves that morning. We went on several rides several times in a row because there was NO ONE there except the cast members. I am not kidding, I have photos of her in front of the castle with NO ONE else in sight. Too cold for the locals, cast members told us. It picked up after 11.

The AKL is lovely at Christmas. Have a wonderful trip, wherever you decide to stay!

10-04-2005, 08:27 AM	#14 (permalink)
poohmaine Community Rank: Trailblazer Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 5,287	Re: help with resort choice We were at ALK from December 18 through December 27. The resort was full the day we got there (a zoo at check-in), got quiet a day later, and then really picked up again Christmas Eve. I did notice bigger crowds in the lobby areas, etc. but the resort service was not affected. The AKL has it's own bus (no other resort shares it) and bus service was always prompt. I think the longest we waited was 10 minutes. If you want to avoid the crowds, get up earlier. We are early birds, and I rarely met anyone in the lobby at 7:00 a.m. Lines for breakfast, etc. didn't really get busy until after 8:00. Boma was always crowded, though, so if you want to eat there make sure you make ressies ASAP. There were several special evening events going on in the lobby the week leading up to Christmas: concerts, bell ringers, Santa, characters, choruses. You could stay right at the resort and get plenty of Christmas cheer. The theme parks started getting busier the closer it got to Christmas Day. On the 22nd in MGM, we got a FastPass for TOT at 10 in the morning for 4:15 in the afternoon! But that was our only day with crowd levels so high we couldn't get to everything we wanted to do. It got very cold later in the week (temps in the 30s and 40s) and that kept the crowds away. For example, on Dec. 26th, the MK opened at 7:00 a.m. My daughter and I were the only ones from the AKL on the bus at 6:30 a.m. We had the MK to ourselves that morning. We went on several rides several times in a row because there was NO ONE there except the cast members. I am not kidding, I have photos of her in front of the castle with NO ONE else in sight. Too cold for the locals, cast members told us. It picked up after 11. The AKL is lovely at Christmas. Have a wonderful trip, wherever you decide to stay!