When to go
December at the coaster parks
Holiday weeks carry the month at the warm parks. Great Adventure has announced a 2026 holiday event, but its exact dates remain pending; Great America has no announced December 2026 dates as of September 26.
December at these parks: holiday weeks are busiest at the warm parks. Check each northern park's published calendar before treating December as an operating month.
Expected — not yet announced · Checked September 2026
Six Flags' 2026 holiday announcement names Great Adventure and Over Georgia, not Great America: https://www.sixflags.com/blog/holiday-in-the-park-returns. Great America's published events calendar ended with November 1 Fright Fest as of September 26: https://www.sixflags.com/greatamerica/events. Crowd and cost shapes are multi-year patterns, not a single-year forecast. Weather figures are regional climate normals.
The verdict
Good month for
- SoCal and Florida holiday weeks
- Announced warm-park holiday programs
Bad month for
- Northern weekday chasers
- Christmas-week crowd-avoiders
Crowds
High crowds
Busiest windows
- The Christmas-to-New Year week
Quietest windows
- The first two weeks of the month
Weather
Climate normals for each resort. These are averages over a long reference period, not a forecast — the only figures on this site that do not decay.
| Resort | Avg high | Avg low | Rain days | What it feels like |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern California (LA basin to San Diego) | 68°F | 48°F | 4 | Climate normals, not a forecast. |
| Orlando (and Winter Haven) | 73°F | 50°F | 6 | Climate normals, not a forecast. |
| Texas (DFW and San Antonio) | 60°F | 38°F | 5 | Climate normals, not a forecast. |
| New Jersey (Jackson) | 46°F | 29°F | 9 | Climate normals, not a forecast. |
| Chicago (Gurnee) | 37°F | 22°F | 10 | Climate normals, not a forecast. |
Cost
High cost
What is on in December
Planning notes
The month in one decision
Christmas-to-New-Year week is often a peak at parks that are open, especially in warm regions. Check each park's December calendar before treating a holiday week as an operating week.
The detail that matters
The first two December weeks can be calmer than Christmas week at warm parks. Verify that the park and its holiday program are operating on your exact date.
The permanent version of all this
Height requirements, ride mechanics, accessibility detail, and permanent dining live on our evergreen guide, our year-round sister site. They do not change with the season, so we do not repeat them here.