Crowds week AFTER Thanksgiving

[TikiMan0228]

Hi. We just did a trip with the kids Labor Day week and it worked out great. They rebounded right away and our fears of them missing school have faded. Now we are looking at other weeks that fit the same profile. In PA most schools have the Monday after Thanksgiving off due to hunting season. That gives us the same 4 day window with hopefully cooler temps and we will be able to enjoy the Christmas decorations. I will be tracking crowds real time on Disney app and Lines app this year but wanted to get some feedback on crowd levels for the weekend and week after Thanksgiving. I would imagine the weekend will be pretty crazy but hoping Sunday-Friday might be decent. Thanks for any info!!

 

[Accident]

The weekend itself I find extremely crowded but the week after I find to be one of the quietest weeks at disney. There is a catch22 for this year, normally this week has no discount and they film the parade for tv during it and this year they offered discounts. Also a lot of people have asked abotu this week lately on this forum so I think we're might see a pretty decent crowd.

 

[matheke]

Hi. We just did a trip with the kids Labor Day week and it worked out great. They rebounded right away and our fears of them missing school have faded. Now we are looking at other weeks that fit the same profile. In PA most schools have the Monday after Thanksgiving off due to hunting season. That gives us the same 4 day window with hopefully cooler temps and we will be able to enjoy the Christmas decorations. I will be tracking crowds real time on Disney app and Lines app this year but wanted to get some feedback on crowd levels for the weekend and week after Thanksgiving. I would imagine the weekend will be pretty crazy but hoping Sunday-Friday might be decent. Thanks for any info!!

We just went last year the weekend of Thanksgiving plus that whole week. Saturday was a mad house. I could not even get a decent signal at the resort for my laptop. Sunday was a ghost town. I immediately was able to connect on my laptop and we shared a bus with about 6 others to the opening of the Magic Kingdom.

Be aware the weather can be anything from 20's at night to mid 80's in the day.

 

[Flamingeaux]

This will be our second week after Thanksgiving and we can't wait. We also have FD!!!!! Our first day is 11/28.

 

[Hagrid xox 65]

Also a lot of people have asked abotu this week lately on this forum so I think we're might see a pretty decent crowd.

I noticed the same thing!! We'll be there

 

[Dizjunkieee]

I visited last year around that time - arriving Tuesday of the following week. It was very nice - low to moderate crowds & all the Christmas happenings and decorations were so much fun! Agree though with pp that the weather can be a little weird. Fairly cold mornings and evenings & everything from a high of only mid 60's to upper 80's. Just have layers and you'll do fine though.

 

[TikiMan0228]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. This will be 2 years out. OBX next year. I am all for some cooler temps. Latest I have gone was early Nov and it was really nice. I will have plenty of time to watch the apps for crowds and wait times this and next year.

 

[plumsiren]

That's when we're going and honestly, I'm starting to get a little worried. I think free dining has enticed a LOT of people. Someone - Touring Plans, maybe? - increased their crowd level projections by a few notches. Looks like MK will be worst because of the party nights. All FP+ was gone for 7DMT on Tuesday Nov 29th by the time I was able to do my FP (my check-in date is 11/28), and Peter Pan shortly after.

 

[Disney Khi]

We went that week last year. We got there on Saturday night after Thanksgiving and stayed through the next weekend. We did not have any problems with crowds except at the Osborne lights, which was to be expected. That trip was probably my favorite Disney trip ever. We loved seeing the decorations at the parks and resorts. We did the Hoop-De-Doo Christmas show and had a blast. The weather was chilly at night but warm during the day. We even went swimming a few days. I would love to go back that week.

 

[anniemae]

It's a great week. We did it one year and it was wonderful. Weather was perfect, no humidity, just cool at night and first thing in the morning, then warmed up by afternoon. It was fabulous crowd wise.

 

[Accident]

Touring Plans, maybe? - increased their crowd level projections by a few notches.

I think most of the crowd calendars recently posted they are no longer updating, nobody has been right most of the year and disney is not releasing certain info they use until 2 weeks before the date. it does look like that week is shaping up to be much more crowded than it historically is.

 

[crayon3448]

That's when we're going and honestly, I'm starting to get a little worried. I think free dining has enticed a LOT of people. Someone - Touring Plans, maybe? - increased their crowd level projections by a few notches. Looks like MK will be worst because of the party nights. All FP+ was gone for 7DMT on Tuesday Nov 29th by the time I was able to do my FP (my check-in date is 11/28), and Peter Pan shortly after.

We check in on Sat 11/26 and I had no trouble getting a 7DMT for 11/27. Although I do think it will be more crowded than previous years- this is the first time we are going at this time due to the free dining dates (last year we went in early-mid November)

 

[crayon3448]

Also- every year no matter what week we go during free dining, people always talk about how busy it will be because of it and get worried. While it may be busier than last year, there are only so many resort rooms available.

We've never had a problem with the free dining crowds- and we are not a family that has ever made it to a rope drop.

 

[dreiwhit]

Be careful with crowd calendars - Touring Plans increased the crowd level and August and September have been less crowded than they predicted.

There was a discussion about the week after Thanksgiving a couple of months ago when Touring Plans increased the crowds on that date. I can't believe that crowds are going to be very high that week. K-12 and college students are going back to school from Thanksgiving break and no one has holidays that week. It may be a little busier, but I can't see any park being crowded.

 

[rangerxenos]

The first two weeks of December are among the best times to visit IMHO, I've visited four times during that time frame.

 

[luvallprincesses]

That is our regular Disney week as we are also from PA. It's an amazing time to go. Some years have been more busy than others, but compared to our June and January trips, I'd choose the week after Thanksgiving 100 times over. We often travel on Friday after Thanksgiving and take it slow on Saturday knowing it's going to be such lower crowds starting Sunday. Free dining wouldn't deter me.

 

[DekrRini]

I go the Tuesday after Thanksgiving every year and I find the crowds quite manageable. I did notice that ADRs were much more difficult to get at my 180 day window. I was on first thing and couldn't get anything I wanted at the times I wanted. Little by little with frequent checking, I'm getting the ADRs I want at the times I want. This has never happened before, not even when I go in May. So I do think free dining will have some impact on attendance, but only time will tell how much.

One year I did take a longer trip and started the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. I noticed the crowds were higher until Sunday, when they dropped significantly. So the crowds might be a little higher the weekend after Thanksgiving, but nothing like Christmas and New Year's.

 

[dramadrew]

Although I am looking forward to lighter crowds, I guess I can settle with them being more moderate. I've done a lot of the attractions and FP to the new ones. Also, the other members in my family are being very relaxed about this trip and aren't bent out of shape if they miss an attraction.