Travelling on US Thanksgiving

[digskat]

We are driving down on the US Thanksgiving Weekend, leaving Friday November 24th, and arriving at WDW on Sunday November 26th. My wife remembers returning home on that weekend, as a child, and there being issues with closed restaurants and gas stations. Has anyone driven down on that weekend? What will be closed, and what days will we have problems?

[PrincessTrisha]

We drove down last year the weekend of US Thanksgiving.

We had no issues with gas stations or restaurants not being open.

However, we did have a little difficulty finding a hotel room when we stopped on the Saturday night. It took us 4 hotels to find a room.

Have a great time - I think it is one of the best times of the year to go - the parks were mostly empty and everything is decorated for Christmas.

[digskat]

Thanks. We were worried about hotels too, so we booked our rooms in advance. We plan on a light day on Friday, with the bulk of the driving on the Saturday.
We have gone in October (For MNSSHP) and early November, and planned this one to do MVMCP.

[malibuconlee]

Thursday would be the only day I would worry about closed restaurants, and since you're not leaving until Friday you'll be fine.

It used to be the only places open (in our area) were grocery stores and gas stations on Thanksgiving. No so anymore.