Flying on the Saturday after Thanksgiving Day

[Tiffany]

Hi,

My husband and I are now strongly leaning to traveling to WDW from Nov 30th through Dec 9th of 2002. Nov 30th is two days after Thanksgiving, a Saturday. I am thinking that the airports will be slow because most people traveling for the holiday would have flown out on Wednesday and will be flying back on Sunday.

What do you guys think? Will traveling on the Satuday after Thanksgiving be a nightmare?

[NancyIL]

It will still be a busy weekend, but not as bad as flying on Sunday.

[pnelson]

We are looking at the exact same dates as you, except we are now thinking of flying red eye on Thanksgiving night. I think the crowds should be gone-all sleeping off there holiday dinner somewhere while we fly through the night toward Disney World. However, I'm not sure how long we should wait for air fare being that it is still part of Thanksgiving weekend-Any thoughts?

[Tiffany]

Thanks NacnyIL.

Penlson, I would think flying out Thanksgiving night would be okay but we figured that we would skip the crowds that are going to be at WDW on the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving.

I am hoping to fly out on a 10am flight or so on the Saturady so we would arrive by 3pm at the resort and then settle in and have a nice dinner and maybe go over to EC or the BW for the night then hit the AK on Sunday morning.

Well, this turned into a long reply.

Anyone else have opinions about flying on the Saturday after Thanksgiving?

[fostrmom2mny]

When I read your post, I got VERY SCARED!!
I grabbed my calander to check the dates. The Sat. after Thanksgiving is Nov. 24, which also happens to be the day that we are flying out AND my 24th anniversary. Nov 30th is the Friday a week and a day after Thanksgiving. This year, Thanksgiving is Nov 22.

If your date is indeed the 30th, I bet that your travel time wouldn't be as bad as the weekend after Thanksgiving Day.
Gerri

[pnelson]

Actually, if you look her dates, she is talking about 2002, not 2001!!

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by fostrmom2mny
When I read your post, I got VERY SCARED!!
I grabbed my calander to check the dates. The Sat. after Thanksgiving is Nov. 24, which also happens to be the day that we are flying out AND my 24th anniversary. Nov 30th is the Friday a week and a day after Thanksgiving. This year, Thanksgiving is Nov 22.

If your date is indeed the 30th, I bet that your travel time wouldn't be as bad as the weekend after Thanksgiving Day.
Gerri

Did not mean to "scare" you FOSTRMOM@MNY. I am thinking about traveling in 2002 not this year. You are traveling on the exect day I am talking about though. What are your expections for your trip this year? I would also be interested is hearing how your travel went when you return this year.

[fostrmom2mny]

Oh Tiffany, I have such tunnel vision about my upcoming trip!! I'm so excited!

As far as my expectations for the airport crowd, I may be a bit nieve, but I'm thinking that it won't be so bad. Most folks that fly home for Thanksgiving, wouldn't choose an early flight out on Sat when they could stay longer and fly out late Sat. or Sunday. More time for the buck :) But then if they don't want to be there in the first place, my theory may all be blown out of the water :)

I'll make sure too post about the crowds at the air ports for you. I'll post it here at the transportation board if it doesn't get moved over to trip reports board.

Gerri

[simba2]

We did it last year and had no problems at all. But avoid Sun -- the busiest flying day of the year. The parks will be very busy on Sat., thinning out on Sun. and no crowds by Mon.

[nutz4wdw]

Hi. My family flew the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 1999 and it was great. No crowds, just normal busy people traffic. This year we are actually travelling to WDW on Thanksgiving Day. When I return, I will be sure to post how it went. Or, if I forget, ask again on this board! Good luck with your travels.

[karebear1]

We're flying into MCO on the 24th too- I hope it's not too busy. Initially we were coming in on Sunday, but when I tried to book a flight it was quite a bit more expensive then flying in on Saturday- the guy told me the same thing- that the Sunday after Thanksgiving is the busiest flight day they have.... I guess if you fly on the Saturday before it will be less expensive and less crowded. Oh- and there's one more perk to flying on that Saturday after Thanksgiving...it's gets you to WDW 1 day sooner!!! ;-)

[Tiffany]

Thanks for all of the replies. I will be on the phone with Delta 331 days out trying to get the tickets using our Skymiles.

I look forward to here about everyone's expericenes when they get back.

[Simba&Nala]

Karebear1 can you please check your PM mailbox. I sent you a message.

[luvmy2sams]

Just had to post that it's great to see others planning a trip for the same time our family is. We're planning on flying out Thanksgiving morning 2002 and vacationing in Orlando until December 10th. I'm also curious as to how far in advance we should book our flights, since it will be the biggest travel holiday of the year.

[nutz4wdw]

Lovemy2sams: We booked in February of 2001 for our November 22, 2001 flights (on Delta) from California to Orlando. We got a good deal on the tickets, we paid $300 in February from LAX to MCO. Two years ago we paid $401.00! However, if we would have waited until July/August, we could have gotten them for about $100 less, but I was too worried that it was over the holiday time, and I wanted to book early. We got good seats, etc., but with a family group (13!!) we could have saved $1300 by waiting.

[pnelson]

I'm not going to book my flight as early as I had planned. Looking at flights for this Thanksgiving night, I noticed they are still not sold out and the prices have really come down. We are planning on leaving on the 28th of 2002 and flying redeye.

[Disneycrazymom]

We are leaving on the 24th also. This is the same week that we went 2 years ago and travel was fine. I also booked our flight too early and the price has gone way down. I called TWA and asked if they could voucher the difference in price and they said they would. Hopefully we will get the vouchers within a week. Maybe they will be the start of our next trip!:D

I guess there will be a lot of us Dis fans there from the 24 to the 1st or so.:pinkbounc

[M. Eisner]

Tiffany, you are using Skymiles? Are the dates you are interested in blacked out during the Thanksgiving holiday?

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by M. Eisner
Tiffany, you are using Skymiles? Are the dates you are interested in blacked out during the Thanksgiving holiday?

Hi M. Eisner,
We are hoping to use Skymiles for our 2002 trip. I have not cheked the Blackout date yets. I just assumed that were we were flying after Thanksgiving it would not be a problem. I will have to look into what the Blackout dates are for this year. I'll let you know.

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by Tiffany


Hi M. Eisner,
We are hoping to use Skymiles for our 2002 trip. I have not cheked the Blackout date yets. I just assumed that were we were flying after Thanksgiving it would not be a problem. I will have to look into what the Blackout dates are for this year. I'll let you know.

Hi,

I just checked the Delta web site and the Saturday after Thanksgiving is not a blackout day this year or next. But the Sunday and Monday along with the day before Thanksgiving is a blackout day if you are going to use "SkyAward" miles. If you use "SkyChoice" all blackouts and restrictions are lifted but it "costs" more miles.