Crowds over Thanksgiving?

[Degli]

How heavy do the crowds get this week? Compared to Xmas week or Easter? Thanks

 

[goofy4tink]

We arrived on Thanksgiving Day last year. THe parks were mobbed. But I have heard that MK can be less crowded that night. I can't tell you about the days leading up to Thanksgiving but the days after it were pretty intense. I've never been during Easter or Christmas for just this very reason. I was there from June 18 to the 26th this year and those crowds were big enough for this girl!!! But back to Thanksgiving time. By the Sunday after T-Day the crowds were a bit better. Monday was good, TUesday better and by the time we left on Wed...very nice. I'm going back on Wed, Nov 30 this year because it was so wonderful last year. Just be ready for crowded conditions the closer you get to turkey day week and plan accordingly.

 

[amwhitaker]

Does this tell you how bad the crowds are?! We stopped going over Thanksgiving a few years back 'cause it just got way too crowded. You used to be able to go over this time period and walk on rides! No more!

 

[klj27]

We were there the Saturday to Wednesday before Thanksgiving in 2003. Oh my goodness!!! The crowds were huge, bigger than the 4th of July. On the day we went to MGM we left in frustration. We got there at park opening and by 2:30 had only done WWTBAM, PHDisney, LMM, and had a CS lunch. I just kept laughing at my husband when he would tell me that the Birnbaum book said there would only be moderate crowds. Yeah, right!

 

[welovedisneyx4]

You guys are making me worry! I am hoping the weekend and days before Thanksgiving won't be so bad. However, if the are, maybe it will make DH decide not to worry about taking the kids out of school for a week. That's the only reason we are going when we are. I would much rather go the first week of December or in October.

 

[Mickeygolf]

I'm curious about this as well. I've heard the crowds are bad Thanksgiving day through that weekend, but by Sunday and the following week the crowds really die down. Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks.

 

[llp479]

We were there last year from the Sat before to the Sat after. Crowds on Sat - Tues were not bad at all. Wed was a quite a bit busier, and after that, were down right horrific. We knew they would get bad as the week went on, so we planned all of our heavy park time for the days before, and had only specific things to do on the days after. For example, the Friday after was the first night for CP, so we did Epcot on that day and had ADR's for dinner at Le Cellier. Wed night was the first night for the Osborne Lights at MGM, so we did those on that night.

 

[Magalex]

I thought crowds would not be as bad as Easter or Christmas. But we are planning on going Thanksgiving 2007. I don't want to take my son out of school because I am hearing the local school districts are tough because of new laws. I don't want to go during the summer. I quess on the bright side weather is not bad. I will tolerate the crowds better then the heat. I be ready for those Thanksgiving trip reports.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

How about the week after?

 

[welovedisneyx4]

We were there last year from the Sat before to the Sat after. Crowds on Sat - Tues were not bad at all. Wed was a quite a bit busier, and after that, were down right horrific. We knew they would get bad as the week went on, so we planned all of our heavy park time for the days before, and had only specific things to do on the days after. For example, the Friday after was the first night for CP, so we did Epcot on that day and had ADR's for dinner at Le Cellier. Wed night was the first night for the Osborne Lights at MGM, so we did those on that night.

I am hoping it will be that way. We will do parks Sat, Sun, Tues, rest on Monday and then Wednesday we will go to EPCOT-hopefully it won't too bad b/c it is big and Thursday will be a rest day (we always use Thursday that way) and Friday we will revisit anything we want to do again or catch anything we missed. I am thinking about getting the 7-day ticket instead of the 5-day, just in case it is packed and we need some extra time.

 

[Mickeygolf]

I'm with you Cinderumbrella, what about the week after? Can anyone shed some light during this time?

Thanks.

 

[slduck]

I asked a CM about the crowds when I called. She said that this is one of the busiest times, but the crowds were worse from Wed. - Sun. We are arriving before Thanksgiving and leaving Thanksgiving day.,

On the bright side... at least it will be cooler than when we went in June!

 

[diddldonna]

I want to know about the week after too, as i am going 19th Nov to 3rd Dec.

Donna

 

[goofy4tink]

As I said, I was there until Wed of the week after T-day. The parks were a zoo until Sunday night. They were still crowded but you could at least move in them by then. By Monday night it was much better. Tuesday was terrific and Wed., the day we left, was wonderful!!! I'm arriving on Wed, the 30th this year and leaving on Sunday the 4th. MouseFest starts on Wed with stuff going on through the week-end but it shouldn't impact the parks too much. The weather is incredible at this time of year also.

 

[c&ldisneylovers]

I was at WDW the first week of December in 2003 and the parks were quite empty. I don't remember any long lines or crowds (except that I wasn't able to get day of MVMCP tickets.)

Last year I arrived at WDW the day after Thanksgiving. The parks were mobbed on Friday and Saturday but on Sunday it appeared that everyone left (AK was EMPTY.) Monday and Tuesday were quiet.

Yes, the parks will be busy Thanksgiving weekend, but I don't remember it being any more busy than during Spring Break last April. Go to the parks with a plan and you'll be fine

 

[Sarahsal]

We usually go to WDW during Easter break. In 2003 we went for the Thanksgiving weekend, and we didn't think it was crowded at all. It all depends on your point of reference.