Anyone still there or Back for Thanksgiving????

[lovmy2girls]

Hi
Was just thinking about next year (with us having AP's) what it is like at Thanksgiving??

 

[Disbug]

I came back just before Thanksgiving (Wednesday!) and it was quite crowded. If you used your Early Entry privledges and were on the ball it was very doable, however! Fast Passes were usually gone by noon on some of the busier days...

I think the people who had it the hardest were those coming in later in the day who didn't realize how many people were already there!

 

[Disbug]

I came back just before Thanksgiving (Wednesday!) and it was quite crowded. If you used your Early Entry privledges and were on the ball it was very doable, however! Fast Passes were usually gone by noon on some of the busier days...

I think the people who had it the hardest were those coming in later in the day who didn't realize how many people were already there!

 

[darlene walker]

Hi, we just got back today. It was very busy from about saturday on. We arrived on the 18th and did all the rides and shows we wanted to the first few days we were there because I had a feeling it was going to get busy and oh my god did it ever! The weather was wonderful and the parks were all decorated nicely. We even got to see Mickeys night before Christmas yesterday. So I would go again for Thanksgiving it was great.
Darlene

 

[Minnie's Mate]

FYI, we normally go Christmas week and this past week (11/22-11/26) was worse than Christmas. On Tuesday, MGM closed to new guest before it officially opened! Sunday at the MK was absolutely the worst we have ever seen...including the days during Christmas week when MK closed at 10:00.

 

[Thmacs]

We also just got back. The parks were a nightmare. MK on Monday (11/24) was worse than last Xmas day. If we had not had family from out of town with us we would have left. It was just difficult trying to get through the gridlock of strollers and people just standing in throngs. We did come back in the evening for the parade and fireworks which were amazing. On tuesday we went to MGM and even with the imense crowds we had a great time. The flow of traffic moves so much better at MGM. We were able to do everything we cared to do that day and had an amazing dinner at 50's Primetime. There were 2 shows of Fantasmic, the 1st (at 6:30) was standing room only an hour before the show was to start. One of the CM's at the front told us there were 8500 people at that show. The 8:30 show was great with only 5000. We had a nice time with our family but would never go again around a holiday time.

 

[twinmomto3boys]

We left Disney on Wednesday morning - the day before Thanksgiving - and for the first time ever we were actually looking forward to leaving. The early days of our trip were wonderful. Most of the rides were walk ons. By Saturday evening the parks were getting very crowded. We managed very well with early entry and fast pass. We usually left the parks by noon on those last few days of our trip and returned at night. We also had perfect weather - I cannot imagine what it would have been like if it was raining. We visit Disney twice a year and this is the busiest we have ever experienced.

We checked in at the Hard Rock Hotel on Wednesday and had a relaxing 2 days with front of the line access. If you plan on going next Thanksgiving maybe you could go to Disney first and then switch to Universal when it starts getting busy. It worked out really well for us.

 

[mjks]

We only went to 2 parks -MK on the 24 and MGM on the 25.The weather was great ,but both parks were pretty crowded.What I don't get is why so many strollers???Tat to me is unbelievable!!Those kids won't remember a thing-wait till the babies are a littlw older !!

 

[Minnie's Mate]

mjks, not all strollers are for infants. Our three year old rides in a stroller at WDW, but no where else. Our now six year old rode in a double with his little brother at WDW 'til he was five. It made it easier to keep up with him and he couldn't hold out for the day before he was past five.

And yes, even the three year old remembers from one trip to the next.

 

[pooh fan in wv]

we were there from 11/21 - 11/28....We did AK, Fantasmic, and Epcot over the weekend before Thanksgiving and I thought crowds were very low. We were able to do everything quite leisurely. However, Monday we went to MK and it was pretty crowded as was MGM on Tuesday. Fastpasses for ToT and RnR were gone by 1:00. We hit MK Thanksgiving morning at opening to redo our favorites and had our meal at Liberty Tree Tavern at 12:30 and then we hightailed it out of there and spent the rest of the day at the pool. Weather was fabulous though!!! We left Friday afternoon and it was sunny and low 80's (as it had been most of the week) and it was 30's and snowing when we landed in Pittsburgh!! Ugh!!! Had a wonderful time!!!! Getting to the parks at opening is so vital during these times. You can get so much accomplished between 9:00 and 12:00, espeically if you use fastpass strategically. Overall, we had a great trip!! The parks, CBR, the food, the CM's.....everything was terrific. Can't wait to go back!!!

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

We are just back too and had a BLAST! Getting to the parks at opening is very important and we were able to do everything and more that we wanted by 11. Did 7 rides at MK yesterday in the first 1 1/2 hours. At 11 the crowds picked up considerably, but we had our fastpasses and only lunch and 1 other ride to hit!
Another thing we noticed is that SO many people stop for autographs as soon as the enter MK and we just prance right by them to no lines for awhile.
People who show up at 11 on a holiday weekend and expect no lines are just silly! Planning and knowing the ropes pays off big time for us.
AKL was fabulous! More later on it. It did not seem booked nor crowded either AND we got an upgrade to a savannah view !