Arriving Sunday after Thanksgiving- good idea or delusional thinking?

[wdwnut2]

Trying to pick dates for our next trip. I have been playing with the idea of arriving the Sunday after Thanksgiving. For anyone who has been there at this time, is that Sunday still pretty packed? My hope is that most of the crowds leave on Saturday. Any chance I'm right or am I completely crazy?! Would arriving the following weekend be a better idea? Any advice would be soooo appreciated!

 

[eeyore0062]

Actually, this is not a bad time! The kids usually are back in school the Monday after Thanksgiving, and the crowds die down considerably that week. I think I might avoid a park on that Sunday.. but after that, you should be OK!

 

[lil red in tx]

We've made 6 or 7 trips during this time of year, and we've always noticed a definite drop off in park attendance by the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Saturday was still pretty crowded, and by Monday you should almost have the place to yourself! Hope this helps!

 

[Peter_noPan]

This is a GREAT time to go.

WE have gone the last 4 years during that time. Small crowds, Chirstmas decorations, MVMCP and CP. The only problems are the weather can go either way and shorter hours at the parks.

Have fun!

 

[wdwnut2]

Thanks! I didn't plan on going to the parks on our arrival day anyway, so it sounds like a pretty good plan! Hmmm... what to do with all our Thanksgiving leftovers now?

 

[susy]

Well,you won't have to worry about cooking while trying to get ready for your trip!

 

[MarstonsO]

Oh, this is our favorite time to go to WDW! It`s not crowded, lines are short, weather is nice, we have even done the waterparks! And the Christmas decorations and events are beautiful. I love the Candlelight Processional! And the Osborne Lights! This will be our first trip in February, hope it`s as nice.......... have to fit it in quick before the Daytona 500............ first time there too! Happy planning, Bev

 

[clkelley]

If that is your travel day, just add extra time for driving, although you will be going the opposite direction.

We left late Saturday night and drove up to Ocala, then continued home the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I swear, everyone in the world was on I-75N.

It took us 3 extra hours to get home. I am really glad we decided to go to Ocala Saturday night!! Otherwise, our drive home would have been 4 extra hours!!

 

[Zoo Keeper]

We arrived the Saturday after Thanksgiving last year. Sunday wasn't too bad in the parks. Attendance did drop off a lot by the time we left on Thursday, 12/5 except at MVMCP.

 

[llane]

This is a great time to be at WDW, but, if you are flying this can be one of the busiest days at the airports.

 

[wdwnut2]

Yes, we will be flying and that was another concern of mine. I have never flown on this day. Are the airports so bad that you would avoid flying unless absolutely necessary?

 

[punkin]

you'd be bettter off flying on saturday (cheaper too) and going to the parks on sunday. it is not crowded that day at he parks at all. the airport, however is a madhouse.

 

[Terk-1]

My last trip had me arriving the day after Thanksgiving. The parks were pretty packed that weekend, but thinned out on Monday. This was a great time to go and really got me in the Christmas spirit. It was also nice that weekend since the parks were open later. Alot of people head out sometime on Sunday or early Monday morning, so I think your arrival day is fine.[COLOR]

 

[CarolynFH]

The Sunday after Thanksgiving is the single busiest day for airports all year. So you will do better flying on Saturday or on Monday (or the following weekend if you need to travel on a weekend). I would avoid the airport on Sunday if at all possible. If you must fly that day, take an early morning flight and get to the airport early.

 

[disneyfan551]

...on the day after Thanksgiving. We were thinking of doing Epcot on Sat. It is our favorite, and we thought that maybe it wouldn't be as crowded as the MK. Any suggestions?? (We are very tight in scheduling, because our cruise leaves on Sunday, then we return to WDW Thur. for a run-like-mad-and-try-to-see-everything-in-3-days...)

 

[Dopey Sharon]

I will by flying to Orlando on the Sunday, after Thanksgiving, too. I never even thought about the airport crowds....ugh! Our flight leaves Philly at 7am that Sunday. I sure hope the majority of people are flying later that day!

 

[onemichelle]

We're flying in the Saturday before Thanksgiving. I know that Thanksgiving weekend will be really busy, but what about earlier that week? Is it still fairly manageable? I know it's still listed as value season so I thought the first part of the week might not be bad. Can anyone offer me any hope?
I would much rather go a couple of weeks later when the crowds are really low and the decorations are up (when do they put the decorations up? Are there any up on Thanksgiving weekend?) but we'd have to take the kids out of school for a whole week versus two days at Thanksgiving. It really burns me that the school is so difficult about what I do with MY kids, but that's another topic! I was just hoping someone would tell me that Thanksgiving week is not a completely bad idea!

 

[clkelley]

We were there the entire Thanksgiving week last year and it was really delightful all week!! The crowds were maneageable even on Thanksgiving morning (we were there at rope drop) and the hours were somewhat longer. They even had an e-ride night on Tuesday!

Plus Christmas decorations start going up the week before Thanksgiving! So most of them were up when we arrived!

It was cold, however, but we just put on extra layers and kept on!