I'm glad to hear everyone is starting to get excited about your trip. They don't realize how much fun they are in store for!
Where do you order your Thanksgiving meal from? Just curious. We used to do Honey Bee Ham but they closed. Rudy's does a great turkey.
I will offer a suggestion for parade watching. I've never been for
MVMCP, but we went for
MNSSHP last year and we ended up near Pecos Bills in Frontierland about the time the parade started. We were able to sit on a curb until the parade was actually going, and that is near the beginning of the parade. So we were able to sit there, then stand, then watch the parade, then go ride Splash Mountain and BTMRR and Haunted Mansion with NO LINES while the parade made its way all the way around and to Main Street and the park entrance. That way you don't spend all your time staking out a spot near the end of the parade route and waiting and waiting and waiting.
Try to get some rest and have a fantastic vacation! I can't wait to hear all about it!