Disers just back for T-giving week. Would you go back?

[ragu]

We are planning another trip to WDW next November. We are thinking thanksgiving week so my niece would only miss 2 days of school.

Thanksgiving Disers I need your advice and your experiences. How were the crowds, weather amd your overall trip? Any advice would be fantastic!!!!

 

[tink2]

Just returned from Thanksgiving week. This was our third trip during this time- and by far the most crowded! We were able to get a lot done by using FastPass, EE, and park-hopping. THe weather was fantastic! Highs in the lower 80s and lows in the 60s I think- shorts all week! Kids only needed a jacket one morning- Tuesday. Rained only once- Friday night just before Fantasmic! With the rain came a cool front. We left Sat. morning, and the weather was much cooler- definitely jeans and long sleeves.
We're debating whether to go back during this time or our Fall Break next year. I really love Thanksgiving week and am hoping this year was an exception with the crowds- but I don't know.
Anyone else have opinions on this?

 

[scoggs]

We too just came back from spending Thanksgiving week at Disney. The weather was perfect and that added a lot to our experience. However, I thought the crowds were awful... I'm sure it's nothing compared to Christmas though - or summer maybe.... Take into consideration though that I hadn't been to Disney in 9 years!! So take my opinion with a grain of salt...but there were too many people there for my taste!! Just like Tink2 said though, we saw pretty much everything we wanted to by using EE, Fastpasses and park hopping. Depending on when your Fall break is, that may be a better time.... One thing I did find out though, is that maybe Thanksgiving week needs to be renamed Louisiana week (kind of like New Jersey week in October??). There were a lot of LA people there last week because they were out of school for the whole week!! Good luck with your decision!!

 

[micks]

I had almost an identical experience over T-week. Beautiful weather (until we left on Sat - brrrr) but CROWDED, I thought. We could barely get through Fantasy Land esp. over near Small World on Tuesday afternoon and the place was packed by Wed. afternoon. We went last year over our fall break (Oct. 23rd) and it was much less crowded. We did get everything done that we wanted to do with Fast Pass and park hopping. And, I did learn that I will never stay off-site again, it's just part of the magic for us! I love the Boardwalk too much to not be there next time!

 

[susy]

That's funny... I also just got back and thought the crowds were not bad at all!!! We had a few 10-15 min waits our first day (wed) at Mk, but we did not arrive until 10:30. We used FP for Buzz.

thurs- Epcot-wonderful! No waits at all for Living with the land, SE, food rocks, Maelstrom, movie in China, got a FP for TT
Fri- MGM- no waits for Great movie ride, ToT (at opening), Star tours , backlot
Sat- AK seemed empty!!! No waits for Dinosaur, PW, TS, walked into Flights show right before it started- TONS of seats! did Camp Minnie mickey for characters-no problem . It was DURING a show , though. No line at all at tusker house.

Sun- EE at Mk-wonderful-got everything done that we wanted! Had a half hour to spare before our PS at CP.

MVMCP -another story. It was fun, but more crowded!

I would not hesistate to go back at this time, but then again....we were one of the first ones down on the boat dock for EE at MK.

 

[Di$neyDad]

This year was our 3rd year of arriving the weekend before Thanksgiving and leaving just before Thanksgiving. Compared to the previous two years, the parks were WAY more crowded this year. It could be that the previous two years suffered from 9/11 and the bad economy and that kept the crowds down. We also missed EE this year due to traveling companions not able to get moving early enough (next year, they're on their own). But even last year, MK was not nearly as crowded even after EE hours.

We're reserving judgment until next year to see if this was just a one-time deal. We really like doing Disney World this time of year, so I'm hoping it returns to more sane levels. If a better economy means crowds like this at Disney, I think I'll take a bad economy

For an idea of how bad it was: At some rides, we had to wait in line for several minutes to get a FASTPASS (that's get a FP, not use it). I heard a couple of people comment that they wanted a FP to get a FP. Also, at the MK, the area between Philharmagic and the Carousel over to Small World was nearly impassable at times. It looked like New Year's Eve at Times Square.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

YES! I agree with Susy. but I think we just planned right and avoided the lines. We were at MK Fri. and did 7-8 rides by 10:30am! By 11, it was crowded, but we only had 3 more things we wanted to do. We ate lunch first then waited in two 15-20 min lines. We used our fastpass for SM and only waited about 5 mins once inside. The line outside was long though ! AK T'giving was light in the morning, people coming in as we left at 11 though. We also walked onto GMR at MGM about 3 that afternoon, and had no lines at our other choices. I think people were watching the parade. Research and experience pays off big time when dealing with holidays.
I would do it again in a heartbeat and we have been many different times of the year. We did enjoy exploring our resort and knew the parks would be there in 2 months when we go again.

 

[GOOFY D]

I was there Thanksgiving week. Other than at opening, I cannot remember 10-15 minute waits on anything. This is our third trip during Thanksgiving week and the crowds were by far the largest we had experienced this time of year. Posted waits routinely exceeded 60 minutes on Buzz, 45-60 minutes on Peter Pan, 90-120 on Splash, 75-90 on Space, 75-90 on ToT and RnRRC, etc. The one day we went to EPCOT (Friday after Tgiving), the posted wait for Test Track was 45 minutes only 10-15 minutes after park opening and reached 120 minutes pretty quickly. We rode M:S about 20 minutes after opening and waited 40 minutes. When we left the ride, the posted time was 75 minutes. We did not go back to M:S later in the day so I do not know if it got longer. Norway (Maelstrom) had a 45 minute wait when we passed it. Even Small World had a 45 minute wait one day. Actually, AK on Thanksgiving Day was the lightest of the days IMO (surprisingly). It was not as crowded as we had expected. Overall though, WDW was extremely crowded for this time of year IMO. I would hesitate about going back at Thanksgiving (although as the memories fade, I will probably change my mind). I also noticed that I was one of many Louisiana visitors. Are we the only ones whereby the children get the entire Thanksgiving week off of school?

 

[tink2]

Goofy D- I live and teach in Alabama, and my system gets the entire week for Thanksgiving off. I wonder as this becomes the trend, if the week will be more crowded. I'm hoping as an earlier poster said that it is just the result of a good economy and people just now getting back to traveling after 9/11. I've heard a lot of people say it has been pretty crowded for various times of the year. Several people from my school went during fall break and they said they were very surprised at the crowds- more than they expected for the first week of October.
Anyway, I hope it was just a coincidence because I love Thanksgiving week!

 

[MsDisney23]

I usually go the day after Thanksgiving for two weeks, however the past three years have been very bad weather wise. The crownds where not bad at all. But oh the weather, We froze lastyear at MVMCP, it was 34 that night. and alot of rain. Three years I have paid alot of money only to freeze and get wet... OH well, it used to not be like that in Florida, Seems to be the norm now at this time of year. So this year I am going in May when I know it will be warm.

 

[afsi3838]

The weather was beautiful, the crowds were insane ( i usually go in jan). We got to do most of all the rides we wanted but found that the FP were already distributed by noon - 2pm for all the popular rides. Disney is disney. I enjoyed it either way. I think if you plan and have a good attitude you can make the most out of your trip. On a plus, we got to see a lot of the decorations for christmas being put up

 

[GoofyDisney]

Ditto to everyone but Susy. hhehehehehe

We will probably go again, but we generally go another time of year when it is not so crowded, so we are willing to miss somethings at Thanksgiving.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

Yes, I think "early"was the key. We ONLY went to the park at opening for a couple hours and bolted back to resort(except MGM T'giving afternoon and that was mostly to eat ) The lines were MUCH worse at 10:30. We really had walk ons in MK Friday for 1 hour. I think if we showed up at 11 and wanted to do it all, we would be disapointed. TONS of people also stop as they enter to shop and get autographs. We do that AFTER the rides. I have a picture of my family "skipping" through a deserted Fantasyland Fri morning at 9. By 10:30 you could barely walk through there!
We were also very pleased the decorations were up before Thanksgiving. AND we got Christmas shirts last Wed. before T'giving and wore on Thurs.

 

[Niagara2]

Been there this week for the last four years. THis was the best year for weather (until that cold front moved in Friday) and the most crowded I have experienced in 4 years. I have never seen lines like these during Thanksgiving week, especially the days prior. Fast passes were gone in Epcot in am for the day, everyday. They need to change the waiting area for the new Mickey Philamagic near the carousel. It caused traffic jams all week. People always spilled into the walkway, even the fast pass line. It is getting colder again in Orlando and we go back for Christmas week (1st time) so I will get to truly compare the two holiday weeks and will let you know!