Crowds around Thanksgiving??

[bettyann29]

What are the crowds like around Thanksgiving time?? What about weather and park times?? Trying to decide if I want to schedule our trip next year around this holiday or at an earlier time.. I figure the parks close earlier but if the crowds arent too bad that would be ok..

 

[Buttercup Roberts]

Hi,

I went on the weekend AFTER Thanksgiving in 2003, and the traffic leaving the Orlando area on that Sunday was INSANE. A guy at a touristy gas station on the Florida Turnpike said the crowds streaming out the day before (Saturday) were so heavy, the store had started running out of things by mid afternoon and they had spent the whole night cleaning and restocking.

A cast member who'd been there since the park opened in the early 70's drove my launch from the Wilderness Lodge to the Magic Kingdom, and I asked him how the Thanksgiving week crowds had been. He said he hadn't seen it that crowded EVER in his history working there, as it was Thanksgiving 2003.

I hear bookings are actually up since then!

Now from the Sunday after Thanksgiving through the following weekend... blissfully peaceful with very low crowds. But of course no extended hours. Everything shut down around dinner time.

 

[llp479]

We were there this past Thanksgiving from the Sat before to the Sat after. Weather was incredible - 80's and no rain! Crowds were manageable until the Tuesday before, then it was very crowded. We hit the MK on Tues at 8PM and stayed until midnight. Lines were 20 - 30 minutes for the "mountains" and sometimes less. We did BTM 3 times in a row, waiting 5-10 minutes each time. Now, the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving were madness.

We did Epcot on Friday, which wasn't horrific. We were able to see the first CP that night and had a wonderful time.

I would go again at this time. To see the decorations and experience both CP and the Osborn lights was great.

 

[marcbelt]

Three years ago I went on Thanksgiving Day and was there for the next 4 days. Thanksgiving Day was an absolute nightmare with the crowds. I will never do that again. The next 4 days were VERY nice and crowds were light. But I learned a lesson: if I had waited a week, I would have gone to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party which is, in my opinion, the best event Disney has.

 

[spacy9]

How about the week before Thanksgiving? We are going Nov 12th to 19th this year. Good, bad, or ugly?

Thanks!

 

[marcbelt]

The week before Thanksgiving is great. No crowds, and very nice weather. Again, I can't stress enough that if you go the END of November, you will get to see Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

 

[pennyplanner]

We were there Thanksgiving Week 2003. Crowds were manageable until Thanksgiving day. The buzz started at WL on Wednesday night. My non-loving DH noticed this interesting phenomenon. And even then, with a strategy, we had a fabulous Thanksgiving day.

Started out at MK (Extra Magic Hour), left by 11 a.m. Headed to AK, left after the parade. Dinner at Narcoosees and ate our dessert as the fireworks went off over the castle at MK. Epcot on Friday morning, lunch back at WCC with visiting relatives. Took boat to MK and walked through masses of humanity. It was a walk through good-bye. Too crowded for words. We flew back home late Friday afternoon.

Park hours in 2003 were much different than last year's. Everything closed much earlier back then. Weather was unusually chilly (for FLA standards ) people were wearing winter coats and gloves. I was only wishing for a fleece instead of a cardigan. We New Englanders are pretty hardy! We all still swam.

Friends did our exact trip the following year in 2004. They found crowds to be the same BUT had fabulously warm weather and did a water park one day.

We will be going back this Thanksgiving week with the same plan to leave the day after Thanksgiving. Last year's hours at MK that week listed the park open until midnight every night. The weather is lovely. No humidity and maybe a passing shower one day.

Spacy 9, we have also been the week BEFORE Thanksgiving week in 1999 and although the parks closed early, it was heaven. Great weather, low crowds. Good for families with young kids who need sleep. It was easy to go back to WL and hang out and then get a good's night sleep. Off to the parks early!

Any more questions??? I have also been late in April. I'd pick November with the cooler temperatures and SPECTACULAR Christmas decorations. I imagine that crowds will be up in general due to the Disney celebration stuff. And of course, Extra Magic Mornings and Evenings are a whole new game!

--penny