How Busy is Thanksgiving Day in the Parks?

[pepe3penelope]

I'm a local, but have never gone to DLP during Thanksgiving Day because of family obligations. Am considering doing it this year and including my parents. I'm hesitating because my father can't walk too long and may need a wheelchair.

How busy have the parks been in your experience on Thanksgiving Day?

How much were the wheelchair rentals for the push along kind vs the electric kind?

TIA!

 

[Malcon10t]

The parks are pretty busy. (We will be there too.) Friday will be worse. Wheelchairs are $12 I believe now and ECVs are $50.

 

[Phoenixrising]

Having visited DL during Thanksgiving week, I found the crowds to be very manageable, compared to earlier in the week. My advice would be to go at rope drop, and have a great time. Although if you are planning on having a meal at a TS restaurant, I would advise you to make a reservation quickly as the TS reservations fill up fast. I know that BB was turning away people by the droves on Thanksgiving day, asking for a walk up reservation.

 

[pepe3penelope]

Thank you for the responses! I'm still not sure whether or not to bring my parents. I don't know if they'll appreciate the experience as much as I hope. I'll think about it. If I decide to go ahead, I'll ask them first to see what they say!

 

[southlake]

We have gone to DL on Thanksgiving Day the past 2 years in a row and will be there again this year The crowds are LOW in my opinion. Both years we basically walked on all rides. It's a GREAT day to go because most people are at home celebrating w/their families!

 

[pepe3penelope]

OP here. Although we aren't going to the parks today, I did go yesterday with the kids. I anticipated the parks to be very busy. I felt the lines were long in some areas and manageable in other areas. For example, because some of the lines were somewhat long, we made it to the Big Hero 6 meet and greet at 10:20 (starts at 10:30 & I originally wanted to be in line by 10am). It was soooooo long (about 1.5 hour wait easy). Forget that! We were late because the IASW was only running one line instead of 2. Jingle Cruise had a short line & Storybook Canal boats were about half the wait as usual.

Overall, I thought it was going to be worse. Hope everyone enjoys themselves!

 

[ButterflyKisses77]

Edit: Just saw your last post right after i posted this! Lol Oh well, good info anyway!

How much were the wheelchair rentals for the push along kind vs the electric kind?

TIA!

It's really worth it to spend the $50 to get the ECV - you will get too tired pushing him in a wheelchair. We had to get one for my mom for the first time because she has fibromyalgia and even though she was a little embarrassed at first she ended up SO glad that she had it to use! She loves Disneyland but just can't walk all day anymore. Just be sure to get one first thing when you get there because i heard they sell out of them on busy days!

 

[southlake]

We're here right now. The cast member told us 1.5 hour wait to meet Baymax but it only took 45 min, thank goodness!

 

[Hummingbird15]

We have gone to DL on Thanksgiving Day the past 2 years in a row and will be there again this year The crowds are LOW in my opinion. Both years we basically walked on all rides. It's a GREAT day to go because most people are at home celebrating w/their families!

That's surprising! We went 10 years ago on Thanksgiving and it was CRAZY busy.

 

[yesman70]

That's surprising! We went 10 years ago on Thanksgiving and it was CRAZY busy.

We were there on Thursday. I thought Disneyland was pretty busy but California Adventure was fairly light by Disney standards.

We rode California Screamin twice in the evening and it was a 5 minute wait

Same with Little Mermaid and Grizzly river run.

Thanksgiving Day was Definately the lightest of the three days we went on Tues, Wed and Thursday.

 

[southlake]

That's surprising! We went 10 years ago on Thanksgiving and it was CRAZY busy.

I'm guessing crowd levels are not exactly the same year after year. The last 2 years were light on Thanksgiving Day (2012 and 2013) in our opinion, but we felt this year in 2014 was busier than the previous two years. Not crazy busy, but busier.