Just how crazy is Disneyland during Thanksgiving weekend?

[Disneymooner07]

I was planning on going the first weekend in December for 2.5 days, but now it turns out my husband may be forced to use a vacation day for the Friday after Thanksgiving, so I'm thinking maybe we should just go to DL for Thanksgiving and be able to go for 3.5 days.

Is that a crazy idea? Is DL ridiculously packed? We have a 2.5 year old and a 5 month old, so we would be spending a lot of time in Fantasyland. Will we be packed in like sardines and not really able to ride any rides? Will we have to wait in hour-long lines? Will we even be able to see the parades behind the mountains of people? (I'm not too worried about nighttime stuff since we'll be putting the girls to bed pretty early.)

We'll be bringing my mother-in-law as well and she hasn't been in 20+ years, so I'd like it to be a good experience for her as well. She's probably not as focused on the rides as much as just enjoying time with her granddaughters and soaking in the DL atmosphere. She also has a sort of bum knee, so we'd be going kind of slow.

Any advice? Is it worth it to go over Thanksgiving to get the extra day? Or better to just go that first weekend in December when it's a little less crowded?

 

[skiingfast]

It will be busy, but adjectives like crazy or ridiculous don't apply. Many people are surprised that it's not super busy. But don't expect tiny crowds because you won't be alone.

I suggest since you will have MIL with go back in the evening for some "date" time. The parks is very nice at night and maybe you could have a sit down dinner without the kids.

Also just because you have little ones you aren't stuck in Fantasyland, many of the attraction for that age group are elsewhere. Ride the Mark Twain or Buzz Light Year. Also goto DCA, there is a lot to do there with kids. Go to the Animation Academy, the Jumpin Hellyfish, the slide in the Redwood Challenge Trails might be the biggest hit of the trip.

Also use Rider Swap, there is not reason to miss the big rides.
http://disneyland.disney.go.com/attractions/list/#/rider-switch

It is a lot of walking, so MIL may want a ECV(I'd say wheel chair but with the kids you probably don't want to push someone else). They can be rented but do sell out on occasion. Also if her knee gets worse you can rent from scooter villave and deckerts, they deliver to your hotel. Going from an outside source is sometimes needed because the park rentals can't leave the park.

 

[lcasa]

I was there the friday after Thanksgiving last year and it was VERY crowded - although my friends got there early and managed to get on a lot of rides in the first 3 hours or so. We walked back to IASW and the line looked to be at least an hour!

 

[cgoldburg]

Being from L.A., we did it once. Never again. Worst lines I've ever experienced there including NYE. Now the Wed before was fabulous! If you go be prepared for a minimum of an hour wait on every ride and the good rides will be much longer.

 

[LisainCalifornia]

Don't do it. We went last year for Thanksgiving (in the past we always went to DL in early December--which is a dream--light crowds, full holiday glory)--and it was SO terribly bad. And it isn't as if we shy away from DL crowds--we go spring break and summer, and do okay with those busy times. But Thanksgiving week for us was beyond comparison. It was both crazy and ridiculous--but not is a good way!

It wasn't just the waits for rides--it was trying to get from point a to point b. Logistically, the crowd level made it impossible to enjoy the parks.

I am saying NEVER again to Thanksgiving week, and you can all hold me to that one.

I think you should keep your original dates of early December. We are going then too (8-10) and like going for 2 days at that time of the year. 3-5 day trips are better for summer, I think.

 

[kailuagirl]

We were there to the Friday after Thanksgiving last year, and we didn't think it was that bad at all. Yes there was crowds, but it was nothing like what we experienced in the summer, and yes, some of the rides had very long wait times, and some didn't. We were a big group of about 9 and we had a great time. My nephew had the wait apps on his phone so he kept us on track and we got in alot of ride times. Ate at Cafe Orleans and only had to wait like 15 minutes to get a table when we just walked up. We even walked up to F and got a great spot. We did F, the parade and fireworks all no problem. Maybe we were just lucky?? Granted it wasn't empty, there were lots of people there but it was manageable from my opinion. If you can make your stay longer, I say go for it! Just go with an open mind of you don't know what to expect, could be super crowded, maybe medium crowded, and go from there.

 

[LisainCalifornia]

We were there to the Friday after Thanksgiving last year, and we didn't think it was that bad at all.

I think the reason that the Thursday-Friday (Thanksgiving and Black Friday) were not quite as crowded for you was because APs are blocked for those days. I was there Mon, Tues, Wed of Thanksgiving week--and parks hit capacity or were in in danger of it the whole time. They had the warning signs out--telling people that gates may be closed for capacity. It was difficult to move, and very hard to even enjoy any of the Christmas decorations because you couldn't see much due to massive crowding. Just getting a seat to sit down anywhere to rest was next to impossible, and doing typical things like waiting for a ice cream at Gibson Girl we skipped because it would have been too difficult.

My friend who goes to DL often like we do went after us (just as we were leaving), and she said the same thing--the crowds went down a bit on Thursday and beyond due to AP blockouts.

Here is link talking about the busiest times to go to Disneyland that may be helpful to the OP:
http://www.disneylandvacationtips.com/disneyland-attendance.html

I am a pretty hardy type girl and can take the Disneyland crowds with the best of them, but this trip was just over the top for us. It is fairly easy for us to get down to Southern California for Thanksgiving week (in laws live there, so we tack on 2 nights at a DLR hotel), but we won't be attempting Thanksgiving week ever again. I love going in early December, because you can really enjoy all of the decorations and sights, sounds and smells without the massive crowds.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

When posters say "don't do it" please state the days you were there... We visited last Thanksgiving weekend - Thurs-Sat and had a fantastic time - low crowds for sure! The days leading up to Thanksgiving are cRoWdEd cause AP holders are not blocked. Get there at opening for a lovely few hours of low crowds, collect FPs *for use later* take a mid day break/nap - go back in the slightly more crowded evening *but not bad at all* and use your FPs you saved from earlier. Ride non FP rides earlier in the day before your break. We'll be there this year *same days, I can't wait!

 

[jennilouwho]

We were there Thanksgiving of 2009. The days leading up to it were insane, but Thursday and Friday were great and I read on here that Saturday wasn't that bad either. Even with the crazy crowds early in the week we managed with a 1 and 3 year old with us. We just got there early, utilized fast pass, took an afternoon break and went back in the evening. I'd do it again if it was our only option. We went this year in July and I thought July was slightly better than the days before Thanksgiving, but worse than the day of and after Thanksgiving. if that helps at all.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

When posters say "don't do it" please state the days you were there... We visited last Thanksgiving weekend - Thurs-Sat and had a fantastic time - low crowds for sure! The days leading up to Thanksgiving are cRoWdEd cause AP holders are not blocked. Get there at opening for a lovely few hours of low crowds, collect FPs *for use later* take a mid day break/nap - go back in the slightly more crowded evening *but not bad at all* and use your FPs you saved from earlier. Ride non FP rides earlier in the day before your break. We'll be there this year *same days, I can't wait!

I agree. When you say "don't do it" you didn't mention you were there that week BEFORE Thanksgiving. APs aren't blocked before Thanksgiving, and many CA schools are out the entire week do to furlough days. It's a lot busier M-W than the actual holiday weekend.

 

[MissJen]

It will be very crowded. That is the week/weekend that a large national pageant is at Disneyland. About 1000 extra girls and their parents/families.
We went for 8 days beginning the Monday of Thanksgiving week. It was insane.
My daughter has a neurological disorder and is handicapped, so we had a handicap pass. It was still crazy and even we waited in lines.
She had a seziure in the middle of the main street parade and had to spend 4 hours in the Disney emergency room. Definitely not my favorite time to go!

 

[LisainCalifornia]

Sorry guys--you are right! I should have put down that we were there Mon-Wed. Thanksgiving week. I still think the OP should keep her original dates in December, though. I just think she will have a better time with the lower crowd level--especially traveling with her MIL.

There is lots of information online regarding the actual crowd levels and numbers if you google: Disneyland Thanksgiving Attendance.

Lisa

 

[mjohnson83]

We were there in 2009 from tuesday- sunday that week and it was nuts... Trying to get a stroller through the crowd was awful. However the year before that my sis in law went and it was dead. It is just so hard to say. A disney agent told me that in 2009 they did a free birthday pass so that is what brought alot more people in... In my oppion wait... till the next weekend... I will never go again the week of Thanksgiving given my experience. We are actullly going this year the week after.

 

[starygurl82]

We are going the week after Thanksgiving this year as well.. I am hoping that being the week after will help with the crowds... also it closes at 8 pm that week...

 

[disneyobsessed808]

I have gone for the two past Thanksgivings and am going this Thanksgiving as well.

In 2009, I thought the crowds were very manageable. In fact, i was surprised by how relatively uncrowded it was.

In 2010, it was really busy. Much more so than the previous year. Also, because I went with my friend who liked to sleep in, we got there later in the day and therefore, waited longer.

I'm going this year because my friend and I wanted to see Suburban Legends play at Tomorrowland Terrace on Friday, otherwise, I would have gone on the following weekend.

 

[Elk Grove Chris]

We were there the Sun-Friday after Thanksgiving last year and loved it. Sun-Mon there were still crowds, but not bad, for us seemed like light summer crowds. Tue-Thursday almost everything was a walk on, maybe 15 min wait for headliners. Friday crowds picked up again,but still pretty low.