Before or After Thanksgiving?

[Terk-1]

I currently have a ressie for the week before Thanksgiving and am thinking about maybe changing it to the week after Thanksgiving. I went during this time last year and it was great to see the decorations and such, but am wondering how it is the week before Thanksgiving. Are all the decorations up at the resorts and parks during this week? Is it more or less crowded? Is the weather any different?

If you had to choose, which week would you go?

HELP!!!

 

[Terk-1]

I think it's great that they are extending the package, but unfortunately since I have an AP, this does not help me much.

I'm also thinking that this is going to increase the number of people during that time and am thinking that maybe I may change my arrivalk until after Thanksgiving. What do you think?

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Terk-1 I have been both weeks and both are very nice crowd and temps wise. I don't think the FTP will make much difference if the end date stays at June 29. That is hardly enough time for anyone who had not already planned to go. The week after is nice because of the decorations, but the parks are busy until Sun of Thanksgiving weekend. If you are buying AP's to use for 2 trips and you always go at the same time of year, do the week after this year and the week before next. We enjoy the Christmas stuff but also just the "normal" parks too.

 

[AimeeM]

We were at Disney this past Thanksgiving. It was an awesome time to go. We flew into Orlando on Thanksgiving Day and after we checked in, we went to Epcot. We got to the park about 5pm, and I expected it to be mobbed... it wasnt crowded at all!!!! There was NO body even in line for Spaceship Earth. The only problem we had was our dinner ressies at Garden Grill. I made them for 8:00 which was the last seating. Since we had to give them our credit card to hold our ressie, I wanted a later seating incase we were delayed arriving. We got there at our required '10 minutes early' only to be handed a beeper and told we had at LEAST a SIXTY MINUTE WAIT!!!!! We werent the only ones being told that. It was horrible. I had three kids that I didnt feed much because I didnt want them full for dinner. It was late, we were starving, and nothing else was open. since it was 8 at night, no counter stands were open. it was just a mess. The only other restaurant in the whole park that had ANY seating was the Chinese one. they brought out cheese and crackers and we hung around and waited. The dinner was 'family style' and was so-so. ( the smashed potatoes were the best thing". Soo.. if you will be there on Thanksgiving day.. get an EARLY seating somewhere!!! OTher than that ( oh, and the MVMCP was something too) we had a great time seeing all of the decorations. We had nice weather and I didnt think the parks were bad at all. We go in January all the time and are used to the parks being dead... Thanksgiving/first week of December was a great time to go. by the way.. I heard there is no Osborne Lights this year!!

 

[DISNEYBIGGDOGG]

We were there last Thanksgiving and had a great time. We got there on Thanksgiving day about 9 am and were there till the following Monday. The crowds were a little high on Thurs-Sat, but from Saturday night to Monday we had almost no wait at all in the lines.

 

[Terk-1]

Ok. Now I'm torn. If I go the week before Thanksgiving I'll still have time on my current AP. If I go the week after Thanksgiving, I need to renew my pass, since I will only have 1 day left on it. I planned on renewing it anyway, but did not budget it for this trip.

Now I am so totally confused!!! I was strongly thinking about moving it to the week after to really enjoy the holiday season, but now what?

What would you do????

 

[WDWorBUST]

The practical-minded side of me says go while you current AP is still good....then you can wait to renew - or pay a little more to get a new one when you need it and possibly schedule more days in the parks in on it. The side of me that loves Christmas in Disney enough to almost be tempted to take a newborn says wait until after Thanksgiving.

 

[AimeeM]

Terk.... what day does your AP expire? The decorations are up the day after Thanksgiving.... Could you go "during" thanksgiving. Start your trip before THanksgiving, be there that weekend and then leave the day your AP expires? Thanksgiving is late again this year and depending on your expiration date, you may get a few days in of the holiday magic!! I just did a quick check and the first Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party in November 30th!!! We are definately going again over thanksgiving weekend into December next year!!! Just walking down Main Street at night in the 'snow' made the whole trip worth it!!!!!

 

[Terk-1]

Thanks everyone for all your advice. After doing alot of thinking and checking my budget, I've decided to do a repeat of my last trip and arrive the day after Thanksgiving and stay through the first week of December. This way I'll get to take more pictures of the holiday decorations, plus view MVMCP fireworks from the Polynesian beach. When I called CRO to make the change (plus called again to ask about AP rates), I asked about the Osbourne lights and was told by a few different CM's that they were not aware of the lights being cancelled for this year and had not seen or heard anything about that.

Looking at my pass again, I'll have 2 days left on it when I arrive. Am planning to head back to WDW in May & October of 2004 for 9-10 days each trip, so I'll definitely use it more.

Now I'm trying to decide if I want to do the CP again this year. Decisions, decisions.....

Thanks again for all your help!!!