Not that crowded projected for Thanksgiving Week?

[mkm1998]

I'm trying to plan a Orlando trip for 2026, and working on figuring out the best time to go. Trying to juggle work schedule, school schedule, and crowds to find a nice balance. Started using Touring Plans to check projected crowd levels. I know they don't have all of 2026 out, but looking at 2025, I was surprised to see their projections for Thanksgiving Week. I was expected that week to be slammed. But according to the crowd trackers, there seems to be ways to hit the parks around that time and avoid the crowds. However, when I go on other sites (can I say Undercover Tourist?), their projections show much bigger crowds all that week. It's a big discrepancy. Not saying one is right or not, but just curious what people think?

For Universal I'm pretty much set on getting express passes (either just buying them or staying on-site) so I'm not too worried about those crowds. But if I'm travelling all the way out from CA, I'd like to be able to accomplish as much of the parks as possible. Goal at DisneyWorld would be to hit up everything 'new' or 'different' from Disneyland. Ideally, 1-park per day. Possibly a 5th day as a floater to catch anything we miss at some of the parks.

But anyways, how crazy is Thanksgiving week? We'd be looking at heading out the weekend before thanksgiving, and staying until about Mon-Wed after thanksgiving.

Thanks!

 

[sponica]

The TP projections were just redone based on wait times not being as overinflated as they used to be, and pulling closer to 1:1 on standby wait vs LL.

https://touringplans.com/blog/crowd...ust-updated-the-crowd-calendar-for-all-parks/

 

[mkm1998]

The TP projections were just redone based on wait times not being as overinflated as they used to be, and pulling closer to 1:1 on standby wait vs LL.

https://touringplans.com/blog/crowd...ust-updated-the-crowd-calendar-for-all-parks/

Awesome thanks! I get the explanation, makes perfect sense. I know things can obviously change, but looking like that might be the sweet spot for our trip!

I'm in Taxes, so Feb-April is out. Wife handles payroll, so January is out with end of year reports. Wanted to avoid summer heat, so it was looking like Fall/Winter. We didn't want to take our kid out of school for too long, so was looking at school holidays. So far I'm planning the trip as such:

Disney World: Stay on-site at Swan. Then it's either a 4 or 5 day ticket. Thinking one park per day, which an extra day to check out anything we might have missed or wanted to do again.
Universal: 3-Day Park ticket with Express. Pricing it out, it's cheaper for us to buy the express pass rather than stay on-site at one of the hotels that offers it (especially since we'd still need to buy one for Epic). I think with Express we'd be good not needing a 4th day. If Universal switches their tickets to all park hoppers (not the 2-park hopper and 1 day at Epic added), then I could see us doing a 4-day ticket for the same reason as Disney, just to redo or wrap up anything we missed.

Too early for reservations, but man I'm excited! Picking the date was the last big roadblock. Now it's just waiting!

 

[bdrex28]

The TP projections were just redone based on wait times not being as overinflated as they used to be, and pulling closer to 1:1 on standby wait vs LL.

https://touringplans.com/blog/crowd...ust-updated-the-crowd-calendar-for-all-parks/

Interesting, my Feb 2026 trip on TP just got upped for crowds. It was like 4s and 5s and now it's 6's and even 8s. Weird.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I am not against crowd calendars - they serve a purpose and provide useful tools for folks - but they sometimes lead to unneeded questions/anxiety over dates and planning strategies.

Thanksgiving week has a lot of things going in favor for park guests - typically longer park hours, good weather/minimal weather-related ride/transportation disruptions, full staffing levels to support holiday crowds, some tiers of APs are blacked out during some of that week, and a lot going on all over property in terms of park/resort decorations and holiday special events (MVMCP, Jollywood Nights) that can really serve to spread people around.

Yes it will be busy, yes it is among the more expensive ticket and resort rate seasons, yes it will be crowded, but it’s nothing to overly stress or plan around, in my humble opinion.

Have fun!

 

[OrangeBirdGirl]

Interesting, my Feb 2026 trip on TP just got upped for crowds. It was like 4s and 5s and now it's 6's and even 8s. Weird.

Same with our January trip! 10 day trip, all 6's & 7's now except 2 days at a 5. I know it was much lower when we booked.

 

[bdrex28]

Same with our January trip! 10 day trip, all 6's & 7's now except 2 days at a 5. I know it was much lower when we booked.

Usually I can tell crowds a bit by the DVC availability and ticket price. For our time Feb 7-13 availability was easy for pretty much everything even at 7 months. ticket prices were a bit higher but not crazy.

I do know we'll leave right as the crowd comes in for MLK. Last year we went January 24- Feb 3 and the crowds were fantastic.

 

[OrangeBirdGirl]

I do know we'll leave right as the crowd comes in for MLK. Last year we went January 24- Feb 3 and the crowds were fantastic.

That's good to know, your dates kinda aligned with what we're doing. Looks like MLK was the Mon before you arrived. We are coming in the Thurs after (22nd) and staying until the following Sat (31st).

 

[Stacybaeasm]

I was in Disney last Thanksgiving (and will be again this year.) The early part of the week (Sunday-Tuesday) is what I can "normal crowded". Average wait time for things like Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion, etc about 20 minutes or so. Starting Wednesday morning - it gets busier. Thanksgiving Day in Magic Kingdom is busy. Not Christmas or Spring Break busy but busy. I highly recommend Lightning lanes and packing your patience. However, that is balanced by everything Holiday. The parks are decorated. You could hit either Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party or Jollywood Nights. And Epcot starts Festival of the Holidays on Black Friday. I go every year because a) Professor at a college so it's the only time in the fall I can get there and b) I LOVE Disney at the Holidays. Crowds are almost always a thing now so don't let that stop you.