Did you spend Thanksgiving at WDW?

[Mimi Q]

This was our family's third trip to WDW during the Thanksgiving week. I could not believe the crowds. I don't think we will be visiting during this time again. We managed to do everything we really wanted to, but I was surprised how crowded the parks were this visit. What did you think of the crowds?

 

[Artmom2]

We were there last week at Thanksgiving and the longest wait we had was 20 minutes for a ride. (it was longer for Space Mt which had to shut down for about 20 minutes, but it was cool to see the lights on) We tried to go to the parks that we felt would be less crowded for the day, and it worked like a charm. We also arrived at park opening each day and did the big rides first. We utilized fast passes and had ADR's for meals. I had done some pre planning and it really paid off for us. Can you believe we ven had busses waiting for us at times!!!

 

[Kitty 34]

I thought MK and Epcot were very crowded!!! We spent Thanksgiving Day at MGM and that wasn't too bad.

 

[bradyloganmom]

We were there Nov. 19-26 for our 3rd straight Thanksgiving at WDW. It was only slightly more crowded than previous Thanksgivings to us. WE spent Turkey Day at MGM and Epcot. We took advantage of EMHs and FastPasses to ride everything we wanted and some more than once with barely a wait!!

 

[Fenceman]

We arrived on Sunday and left Friday after Thanksgiving. Sunday evening at MK was not bad at all. Monday at MGM was a little busier. Wed at AK was more crowded but we hit the park early and and did the major attractions. We did get into Lion King at 3:00 with out much of a wait.

Thursday at Epcot we arrived around 4:00pm. The minor rides were not crowded but there were very long waits for majors. Ate Dinner at Rose & Crown and watched Illuminations. Dinner was just OK. World Show Case was not that busy due to EMH. Tried to do Soarin and Test Track but both had 90 minute waits at 10:30pm.

If you hit parks early and do the majors first thing and use fast pass it is not to bad.

 

[ugadog99]

Hi Mimi! As you know, we spent November 17-26 at WDW. The first few days were wonderful. We walked on to almost everything and EMH was great. Around Monday I noticed the crowds picking up and by Thanksgiving it really was mobbed. We did do morning EMH at MK the Friday after Thanksgiving and it was pretty good. We got everything done we wanted to do. By 1:00 the crowds were unbelievable! Since we are AP holders and go often, we don't feel the need to rush around so much. If we don't get something done then we know we'll be back soon. Still, it was pretty crowded. I'd like to say we won't be back at a Thanksgiving time, but that's not possible. With me being a teacher, I have to vacation when the kids do! Anyway, it was a great trip!!

 

[polyfan]

We were there for Thanksgiving and got to be the Epcot Family of the Day on Friday.

 

[speakupjc]

We went against the crowd flow and used Tour Guide Mike's suggestions. As a result the longest line we had was about 30 min. The crowds were minimal.

 

[kajohn]

We spent the Saturday before Thanksgiving through the Wednesday before last year and then just last week. It was considerably more crowded this year than last!

I also noticed that although many christmas decorations were up last year, there seemed to be more emphasis on Christmas this year than last. MGM had the osborne lights starting on the Sat. before Thanksgiving this year verses the night before thanksgiving last year. MGM had christmas music playing on mainstreet all week etc.

We are going to Universal that time next year, hopefully it won't be as crowded as WDW was!

 

[colleen costello]

We went two years ago at Thanksgiving and I thought it was extremely crowded, especially the MK. We had been warned to do the parks BEFORE Turkey Day, but even that previous Monday was wild. I had my Mom in a wheelchair and I couldn't even push her through all the bodies that afternoon near Small World. We had reservations to eat at Crystal Palace at 4, but at 1 there were no rides with lines under and hour and nowhere to even wait in peace, so we bagged it and just went back to swim.

The good side was the weather was gorgeous, in the 80's. We enjoyed swimming and hanging out at Old Key West, which is a great resort for "getting away from it all." The ride home was wild, too -- going up the Florida Turnpike that Saturday it looked like the pics you see of hurricane evacuations, with bumper-to-bumper cars.

We won't do it again until Grandma moves to Florida!

 

[mareed]

This was our 2nd Thanksgiving trip (also in 2003), and with a little help from TourGuideMike, we managed the crowds quite well and never waited for more than 15 minutes for any attraction. We were there the 17th through 29th (just got back today!). I think our most crowded day was at MK on the 22nd, but we still didn't wait long for any attraction at all - we just had to navigate through crowds in between attractions. We had a great trip, and I definitely would go back for Thanksgiving, and probably will!

 

[grahamsgirl]

We were there 14th Nov until yesterday, we were really lucky with the parks, whether we just picked the right parks on the right days i don't know, but the longest we waited in a line was 20 mins for Soarin ! could't believe our luck. Thanksgiving we spent in Typhoon Lagoon and went to Prime Time Cafe for dinner then stayed at MGM until closing - really chilled. Great time but was worried about crowds before we left

 

[T16GEM]

We went to MGM last year on Thanksgiving and couldn't believe the crowds, luckily it was our second day at the park with our Hopper pass so we could pick and choose what we waited to go on - I think it was 1 hr 45 min wait for TOT which was a bit much - we only went to MGM so that we could be there for the switching on of the Osbourne lights - it was worth it though.

I think I would go again on a holiday if there was a big event happening such as the lights being turned on but otherwise I am giving the holidays a miss!

 

[Matt]

I honestly didn't find it that crowded at all. I used TGM's strategies and never waited longer than 15 minutes for anything. Thanksgiving day wasn't that bad either at MK but we were there 10 days and just relaxed.

Also, I went last year the week after Christmas so nothing compares to that. haha

 

[Blondiex46]

Thanksgiving day we were in Downtown Disney, ESPN (which btw I thought was very expensive. bought food for the boys but we went to beaches and cream)

Friday - Magic Kingdom and thought it was really crowded,MGM, that was so, so crowded, the Osbourne which btw I thought was awesome and wanted to go back but didn't have the chance was the most crowded

Saturday - Back to MGM for the Stunt show and who wants to be a millionaire, left went to Animal Kingdom and my daughter wanted to go to the Safari and it was done for the day, left there and went to the room and then back to Magic Kingdom.

Sunday - Dowtown Disney...crowded

 

[Michelina]

We arrived at WDW on Thanksgiving and got back yesterday morning. I thought the parks were pretty crowded but I've been used to going in January when it's a lot slower.
We used the touring plans from the Unofficial Guide and we didn't wait for more than 20 minutes for any rides. We rode TOT twice in a row on Saturday and Kali River Rapids twice without getting off on Sunday (we could have gone again and again but I was wet enough!). If Len Testa is out there, thank you so much! It seemed like the crowds were right behind us on every ride
MVMCP was pretty crowded on Sunday.
I don't know if I'd go back at this time of year. I just wasn't in the Christmas spirit yet and Christmas is everywhere at the parks.
The weather was really nice, high 70's/80's except for Monday when it drizzled and then poured for a little bit in the evening.

 

[Nevergrow'nup]

We arrived on Thanksgiving day, spent the afternoon and evening at MGM, Epcot on Friday, Animal Kingdom on Saturday, Epcot/MGM Sunday and Magic Kingdom Monday. We waited 1 hour for soarin, the rest of the time we only waited 20 minutes tops! Well except for Primeval Whirl which kept breaking down. We had an awesome time!! Would go back again this time again! We got to the parks early and seemed to avoid the crowds. Many rides we just about walked on. Lots of Pixie dust!!

 

[speakupjc]

Our schedule was:

Thanksgiving Day - Just dinner at the Yachtsmen
Friday - Animal Kingdom, Osbourne Lights at MGM after dusk and Magic Kingdom after 8 PM
Saturday - Magic Kingdom and then dinner/CP in Epcot
Sunday - Magic Kingdom and MVMCP

We did not experience large crowds with this schedule. We even slept in every day until at least 10 and partied all night long until about midnight.

 

[Simba's Mom]

We were there for Thanksgiving and got to be the Epcot Family of the Day on Friday.

Tell us more about this Epcot Family of the Day.
I was at WDW 11/19-12/1. I heard that there were 3 hour standby waits for "Soarin'" on Thanksgiving weekend, but I don't know. This was our first Thanksgiving trip to WDW, probably our last because it was the most crowded I've ever seen it. However, I loved the weather, so maybe.....

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

We arrived the day before Thanksgiving and did rather well. We were in the parks early though. We know how to handle the mobs! We had a good plan. MK ee on Friday was great until about 11. But we had finished 10 attractions by then!