Considering a last-minute trip over Thanksgiving

[SFMommy]

My husband just said...let's go to Disneyland on Thanksgiving weekend. Go ahead and look into it.

Are we crazy? Is it going to be super-duper, uncomfortably crowded? We would arrive on Friday morning, go to the parks on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Then fly home Monday morning.

It would be me, DH and DD (5). We took our first trip there this past May when my DD turned 5. So it would be her second visit in a year, which I somehow think will be less pressure to "do everything" and we already did all the character visits/meals. So this would be a trip just to experience and enjoy whatever we can in a few days.

Also, we've never been there with the Christmas decorations. Are they up by Thanksgiving?

Any thoughts would be appreciated! Thanks!!!

 

[skiingfast]

I'd go to see the Seasonal decorations, parade and fireworks that start Nov 11th and Nov 14th.

Crowds will be busy not aweful unless you are conditioned to slow season crowds.

 

[MinnieMama09]

Too funny...it sounds exactly like what happened in our house a week or two ago...same exact conversation, very surprised my DH said he was ready to go again (we were there last Dec.). We originally were going to go the days before Thanksgiving, but after researching here on the DIS that with APs blocked starting Thurs., it seems better crowd-wise to actually go for Thanksgiving and the weekend. So, that's what we decided to do! We're SO excited!

And, yes, all the holiday decorations are up, with all the holiday entertainment (Christmas parade, beautiful castle lighting, fireworks, Reindeer Round-up, etc.) We absolutely loved it last December and wanted to go again during the holiday season.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

I say go for it! We'll be there Fri, Sat and Thanksgiving day -check out my post *here* for more info.

 

[ballarinamom]

Will you be pulling your little one out of school? If not, you may want to consider the weekend BEFORE. We go every other year at that time. We arrive Wednesday night. Rope drop Thursday and Friday when the park attendance is really low but park hours are shorter so we can get pleanty of rest. It starts getting busier each day after that so rope drop is a major priority. We do the Holiday Tour Sunday night (The park is REALLY packed at that time) With it, we get front of the line for HM and IASW. The cast member gives a wonderful history of the tradition of the decorations. And it ends with VIP seating (actual chairs)for the night parade- complete with hot cocoa in a keepsake mug, gingerbread man and collectable pin. My daughter did this tour the first time at 5 and LOVED it! The characters in the parade give alot of interaction to the VIP section as they pass in the parade. Whenever you choose to go- Have fun! Because there is nothing like Disneyland to get you into the Christmas spirit!

 

[Sherry E]

The 3 Disney hotels' decorations and some of Downtown Disney's decorations do not start to come out until Thanksgiving ends. So by that Friday, you should start to see things pop up in the hotels and more things in DTD.

The reason I point this out is because spending time in the Grand Californian Hotel lobby is very special during the holiday season, and you don't want to miss that if you can help it! Carolers come and perform by the giant lobby tree for guests, who curl up in comfy chairs and sofas to yell out requests. People sit by the fire with beverages in hand, or they pose for PhotoPass pictures with Santa on the other side of the tree. A guitarist and pianist take turns playing Christmas songs. This is available to everyone, and you don't need to stay at the GCH to enjoy it!

So all of the hotels' decor and entertainment will technically begin on the day after Thanksgiving, or by that Saturday at the latest. And Downtown Disney will start playing Christmas songs and put out its huge tree too.

Prior to Thanksgiving, all of Disneyland will be decorated and all the holiday entertainment in that park will be in full swing. All of the holiday treats will be on sale. The Reindeer Round-Up will be open.

As for California Adventure, since there is so much construction happening right now, we don't know what the decorations will be like. Usually you can find giant ornaments and Christmas lights in A Bug's Land, which is very cute and worth seeing. And usually there is a Santa photo spot in the Paradise Pier area of DCA. This year, we just don't know what will be up (decoration-wise) in DCA and when.

This year there is going to be a special holiday "segment" of World of Color added in. It won't be an entire holiday version of WoC, but there will be a holiday portion, from what we have heard, with projections of gingerbread men and snowmen on the water, holiday music - that kind of thing. Since this is the first year for a holiday-infused WoC, we have absolutely no clue when that will begin - will it be happening before Thanksgiving? After Thanksgiving? Only in December? Only in the week leading up to Christmas? We just don't know the WoC holiday plan yet. Supposedly it is planned for the "peak weeks" of the holiday season but that could mean several things.

 

[ballarinamom]

Hey Sherry, is this something new? We missed last year's Thanksgiving season but have always come the weekend before and gotten the whole holiday experience. They even had IASW opened after the refurb of adding the characters. Our next trip is planned around the schedule we have always kept.

 

[Sherry E]

Hey Sherry, is this something new? We missed last year's Thanksgiving season but have always come the weekend before and gotten the whole holiday experience. They even had IASW opened after the refurb of adding the characters. Our next trip is planned around the schedule we have always kept.

Is what new? I'm confused.

IASW Holiday will be open when the holiday season starts. Everything holiday-esque in Disneyland itself will be open prior to Thanksgiving, as I stated above (meaning when the holiday season officially begins, which is November 14th).

It's the 3 hotels and part of DTD that don't get their holiday 'stuff' until right after Thanksgiving ends, and that's been happening for years. Do you recall going into the GCH and seeing carolers and Santa in the lobby before Thanksgiving day? There are other DIS'ers who have stayed at the GCH in the past and have noticed that it was the day after Thanksgiving when the tree went up. Santa and the carolers don't appear at the GCH or the other 2 hotels until Thanksgiving day ends. DLR told me a few years ago that their hotel "entertainment" begins after Thanksgiving, and from all accounts it seems to be pretty consistent with other DIS'ers' reports.

I assume there are some years here and there where maybe the hotel folks can get the tree up a day or so ahead of schedule, but let's put it this way - the GCH, PPH and DLH will not be decorated when the season starts on 11/14.

I always say that the holiday season at DLR kind of rolls out in stages. There are certain things that will be up and out even before the holiday season officially begins.

For example, you can see New Orleans Square's decorations before 11/14 this year and eat certain seasonal treats. IASWH often opens a few days early. That's Stage/Phase 1.

Then, on the official opening day of the season, the holiday entertainment like the parade and all that are running. The snow falls on Main Street, etc. That's Stage/Phase 2.

And then after Thanksgiving day is when Stage/Phase 3 kicks in and the hotels get their decorations, as well as the other parts of DTD that didn't get done pre-Thanksgiving.

I think it may seem like certain things are running at certain times, but there seems to be a very definite pattern that DLR follows.

This year, IASWH and the holiday fireworks are beginning on 11/11, for some reason, while the season officially begins on 11/14.

 

[rentayenta]

This year there is going to be a special holiday "segment" of World of Color added in. It won't be an entire holiday version of WoC, but there will be a holiday portion, from what we have heard, with projections of gingerbread men and snowmen on the water, holiday music - that kind of thing. Since this is the first year for a holiday-infused WoC, we have absolutely no clue when that will begin - will it be happening before Thanksgiving? After Thanksgiving? Only in December? Only in the week leading up to Christmas? We just don't know the WoC holiday plan yet. Supposedly it is planned for the "peak weeks" of the holiday season but that could mean several things.

 

[ballarinamom]

Thanks for clarifying. I misunderstood! I know when we go it is right at the start of the season. They usually film the parade just before or during our trip. So I know all the cool stuff we see and do. But I didn't know they could actually do much more than they already have out just days prior to Turkey Day! It looks amazing then!