DH wants to go to DL Thanksgiving week; I want to go to WDW!!!

[missypie]

We had a terrific spring break at DL in 2003. We had a terrific summer vacation at WDW in 2005.

DDs and I would love to go to WDW the week before Thanksgiving. We'd love to see the decorations at the resorts and parks. DH and DS would like to return to DL. DH thinks that since we don't have as many days (we had 10 park days at WDW) we'd be too rushed at WDW. DS was just at WDW last summer for a school trip. But DS and one DD will have one DL day this summer as part of a choir trip.

Seems to me like DL would feel more crowded than WDW around Thanksgiving due to fewer parks, fewer restaurants, etc.

Which would you choose?

 

[LittleWoodenHead]

Disneyland.

Haunted Mansion and It's a Small World will have their holiday overlays in place by then, and both are really worth seeing. HM, especially, is like a completely different ride.

 

[AZMickeyfans]

Have to agree here!! Disneyland! for the same reasons as above. Too bad WDW doesnt do this but that is one of the reasons DL is so special plus you havent been in a long time!

It's gonna be crowded no matter which coast you go to!

 

[Amy&Dan]

I think you cannot go wrong with either. Disneyland is lovely at the holidays and as the previous poster stated, the IASW and HM holiday overlays are wonderful. But WDW is also wonderful, truly specatacular at the holidays. MVMCP is very fun and Illuminations with its holiday finale is very moving, I could not believe how incredible that was. The Osborne Lights at MGM are amazing. Also the Candelight Processional (I think that is going on over Thanksgiving). Tough choice, I might lean a bit towards WDW for the reason you mentioned since I do think it handles large crowds a bit better. And it has some sort of holiday spectacular at each park. Also, the dining options are so limitless and when you have crowded parks, having a nice meal to look forward to each day, for as many days as you can possilby have is pretty nice. But Disneyland is great when you have fewer days. If you have a full week, then WDW would be my choice. Anything less than that at WDW is not so great, especially when its crowded.

 

[tinkermell]

Disneyland.

Haunted Mansion and It's a Small World will have their holiday overlays in place by then, and both are really worth seeing. HM, especially, is like a completely different ride.

I have to tend to agree. The overlays are really cool! If you've never been give it a try. I also think the decorations are way better at DLR. But then again the GF at WDW has the cool gingerbread house, plus the candy carousel at the Boardwalk. I guess it depends on want you want to see. But I really do think the overlays are great! Plus DL went through some major overhauls to get ready for the 50th. It's really a great park now! Whatever you decide, it will still be Disney. Enjoy!

 

[tinkermell]

I also have to agree with Amy and Dan. Epcot was wonderful and so were the Osboune lights at MGM. I was mainly just comparing DL to the MK. And to encourage you to try something new if you haven't been to DL over the holidays.

 

[TwingleMum]

First how many days are you thinking of spending in WDW??? Second make sure that the holiday decorations will be up and MVMCP and CP are happening. I would lean towards WDW and maybe stay some place new like AKL. I spent 6 weeks in Africa on my honeymoon and AKL is very authentic and a destination in and of itself. Yes there is tons to do at both parks but at WDW you have alot more opportunities for EE and EMH (which is awesome and worth its weight in gold) Also there are many more choices of places to go if it is crowded. And with all the room choices you can get a room to fit any budget and still stay onsite. And don't forget the dining plan and all the fab dining choices. The resort hotels are gorgeous all decorated for the Holidays, many people go down just to resort hop. Epcot with the Santas and Christmas traditions from around the world is great.
I forgot to mention another WDW plus ~ Magical Express no charge , no rental car needed and you don't touch your bags. Plus you can check in for your flight before you leave WDW pretty sweet.

 

[missypie]

If we go to WDW, we'll arrive on Friday night and leave Saturday of the next week. That would give us 7 park days, but I assume that Thanksgiving Day and the day after would spent mostly looking around at the resorts as the parks will be so crowded. If we went to DL, I think that 5 days would be enough.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I would investigate over on the WDW side about when all the WDW Christmas happenings begin. I know that this past year, MVMCP started before the middle of November (there was a very short time between MNSSHP and when the first MVMCP started). I know the parks and resorts will be decorated at WDW as they will at Disneyland. I went to DL once the first weekend of November, even before Veteran's Day (our dates were the 4th to the 8th) and it was kicked in high gear for the holidays except for the parade. At DL the Christmas parade does not start until Thanksgiving. The fireworks that year were the holiday ones however. So in essence I think its safe to say that either park, at least 90% of the holiday happenings will be going on at Thanksgiving if not 100%.

I also agree with Twinglemum about the resort and dining options at WDW being better. I am an onsite only at WDW and an onsite very much preferred at DL. But at that time I am thinking you would be paying a pretty hefty rate to stay onsite at DL.

While Disneyland is always my original favorite, I do think WDW at the holidays is more magical. And as others have stated, there are many things to do when the crowds are intense. Just riding the monorail around to check out all the resorts, the GF in particular is a very pleasant and fun way to spend an afternoon. I have done both DL and WDW at the holidays and they are both wonderful. You can't lose! But my vove still stands with WDW being what I would choose. If you do pick DL, definitely do the five days. I like four days even when its not that crowded. During that busy Thanksgiving weekend you will be glad you have some non crowd days as well.

Oh, and if you do WDW, and the Candlelight Processional has started up, make sure you do the CP dinner package. CP is wonderful, the thing I enjoyed the most for our holiday trip and its very popular. If we hadn't had the package we would have probably ended up standing on the sidelines to see and hear it. There are several different pricing tiers for that package so there's lots of options. And the DDP works for any of the tiers.