November Experts what do you think is best??

[Wendybird55]

Hi,

With DS in school we try to book Disney trips based on school vacations, however, there are certain events we enjoy (or want) to see which requires taking him out 1or 2 days.

One season he hasn't yet experienced at Disney is Christmas. As a family we would love to enjoy that season in Disney...We would like to be able to attend MVMCP, a Candlelight Processional and the Osbourne Lights (I've done all years ago before I was married, but DH and DS haven't done any).

So looking at the calendar I see some possibilities where he would miss just 2 days of school, but am not sure which dates will be best for attending most if no all of the above listed..

#1 & #2 is around Veterans Day (Wed. Nov. 11)

#1 Leave Friday evening 11/6 or early Saturday 11/7 and return home Wed 11/11. We will be there Sat - Tue Nov 7 - 10.

#2. Leave Tues evening 11/10 or early Wed. 11/11 and return Sunday 11/15. We will be there Wed - Sat Nov 11-14


#3 & 4 are around Thanksgiving:

#3 Leave Tues evening before Thanksgiving return Monday after Thanksgiving

#4 Leave on Thanksgiving (probably evening) and return home Tues after Thanksgiving.

I'm thinking one of the first 2 choices may be better because I'm not sure of they have many of the Christmas event scheduled over Thanksgiving weekend. Plus I'm thinking crowds and prices will be lower. But again, my top priority is trying to pick a 4 or 5-day time frame where my chances for see all 3 events are the best.

Thanks for your help.

 

[hiroMYhero]

We went at the exact dates of your #2 in 2010. The parks weren't very crowded at that time. We did F&W one afternoon and usually were the only ones at a booth.

MVMCP on that Friday wasn't bad at all. Much more comfortable than the Parties we have attended in December.

You really need to do #3 or #4 if you want Candlelight Processional.

 

[sharonabe]

Candlelight Processional doesn't start until the day after Thanksgiving, so if that is a must, you'll need to do one of your Thanksgiving week scenarios.

You don't mention them, but the Holiday Storytellers in EP are fun too, and they also don't begin until the day after Thanksgiving.

Your early Nov dates could put you there at the end of Food & Wine which could make EP pretty crowded on the weekends.

 

[Wendybird55]

Thanks for your input...forgot that F&W will still be on early Nov. DH enjoys that. I think I'm the one who wants to see Candlelight Processional the most...I love that show. DS may not be as enthusiastic.

 

[scjo68]

The only time I have been in November is during Thanksgiving 2013. There were crowds but they were easily managed with lots of planning.

There were definitely no deals on price over Thanksgiving- that was the biggest drawback for us.

We arrived the day before Thanksgiving and went home the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. There was no MVMCP while we were there, but there was one Sunday night I think- maybe Monday night- I know we just missed it, because DD can't miss school. Anyway, if you stay a couple days past the weekend, you should be able to go to a party.

We went to MK on Thanksgiving day and it started out very quiet, but got more crowded by mid-day.

Osborne lights were on at DHS when we were there- they were great.

Also beautiful were the castle lights at MK. I had seen plenty of pictures over the years, but finally seeing them in person was really breathtaking.

We went to Epcot Thanksgiving night, and the crowds there were the lowest I have ever seen them. Really it was oddly empty during Illuminations. Christmas activities (CP and storytellers) in Epcot started the next day. So everyone seemed to be waiting for that.

We went back to Epcot on Saturday and it was packed. But it was lots of fun and we had CP package reservations so we did get to see that without waiting too long.

I can't compare earlier in November, but I loved Thanksgiving in WDW. If it weren't for the price, I would go back during Thanksgiving.

 

[J and R's mom]

We went from Nov. 12th through Nov. 17th in 2012. They placed the Christmas decorations in the hotel lobby (Beach Club) the night of Nov. 16th. Most of the parks were decorated or in the process of being decorated for Christmas during our trip, but the resort was not (at least not until the night before our departure). Not sure if that matters to you guys or not.

 

[JZCubed]

Thanks for your input...forgot that F&W will still be on early Nov. DH enjoys that. I think I'm the one who wants to see Candlelight Processional the most...I love that show. DS may not be as enthusiastic.

I'm Jewish - and would recommend Candlelight Processional along with Osborne Lights.

We pulled our daughter from school (kindergarten) to be at Disney for all the holiday decorations this past season. Gingerbread House in Grand Floridian and other resort decoration along with seasonal greetings everywhere are all truly lovely.

And if you want to push the equation - Gospel Brunch @ House of Blues.

I am not starting a rumor, but there have been plenty about the (temporary?) relocation of Osborne Lights if/when Hollywood Studios get a much anticipated refurbishment. The other side of that rumor is an announcement is coming in January/February. So if the Osborne Lights are really important, maybe you should just be prepared for news. By the way, the demise of Osborne Lights has been rumored for years, so take my rumor of a rumor of rumor for what it's worth.

 

[nkereina]

Hi,

With DS in school we try to book Disney trips based on school vacations, however, there are certain events we enjoy (or want) to see which requires taking him out 1or 2 days.

One season he hasn't yet experienced at Disney is Christmas. As a family we would love to enjoy that season in Disney...We would like to be able to attend MVMCP, a Candlelight Processional and the Osbourne Lights (I've done all years ago before I was married, but DH and DS haven't done any).

So looking at the calendar I see some possibilities where he would miss just 2 days of school, but am not sure which dates will be best for attending most if no all of the above listed..

#1 & #2 is around Veterans Day (Wed. Nov. 11)

#1 Leave Friday evening 11/6 or early Saturday 11/7 and return home Wed 11/11. We will be there Sat - Tue Nov 7 - 10.

#2. Leave Tues evening 11/10 or early Wed. 11/11 and return Sunday 11/15. We will be there Wed - Sat Nov 11-14


#3 & 4 are around Thanksgiving:

#3 Leave Tues evening before Thanksgiving return Monday after Thanksgiving

#4 Leave on Thanksgiving (probably evening) and return home Tues after Thanksgiving.

I'm thinking one of the first 2 choices may be better because I'm not sure of they have many of the Christmas event scheduled over Thanksgiving weekend. Plus I'm thinking crowds and prices will be lower. But again, my top priority is trying to pick a 4 or 5-day time frame where my chances for see all 3 events are the best.

Thanks for your help.

Your first two options coincide with Jersey Week and Veteran's Day, but it will still be less crowded than your Thanksgiving options. Both times will likely be blacked out for discounts.

We've done the week before Thanksgiving, arriving around your option 2 time frame, and found it to be tolerable. Only downer for us this time of year is that every time we have gone, the weather has been not so great. Cold and/or rainy. I would suspect the earlier in November you can go, the better chance of some pool weather at least.

Also, I think with option 1, Osborne Lights start around then. They may not be up until the end of your trip.

 

[siskaren]

Also, I think with option 1, Osborne Lights start around then. They may not be up until the end of your trip.

The Osborne Lights have been starting the first Friday in November, which is the 6th this year.

 

[chefmb]

DH and I have been three times late November/early Dec, and this year we were there the week before Thanksgiving. I would highly recommend your latest option. If you can make it even later by a day or two, I would. Here's what I missed this year by going before Thanksgiving:
1. As PP mentioned, CP and the Holiday storytellers in Epcot don't start until Thanksgiving.
2. MVMCP is not offered right around Thanksgiving, so you'd have to stay a little beyond Thanksgiving weekend to hit that (unless you go earlier in the month).
3. Most of the resort decorations went up late this year. BC was not supposed to be up until the day before Thanksgiving (was told this when we ate at Cape May on Nov. 17 this year). Decorations at our hotel (CSR) showed up on Nov. 22. While the Gingerbread house was ready at the GF, the big tree and other decorations were not going up until the weekend before Thanksgiving. I really missed seeing so many of the resort decorations.

So, my vote would be for your last option. You'd have the crowds to contend with, but you'd get the full holiday experience. Staying until Tuesday gives you some time with lower crowds.
Whatever you decide, have a great trip!

 

[tiggerdad]

The Candlelight Processional does not start until Thanksgiving, or just after it. We went this year the week before Thanksgiving, the only resort decorated that we went to was the one we were staying at, Fort Wilderness which decorated on the 21st.

Osborne was already up and running that week, and the parks all seemed to have their decorations up by the time we arrived.

I say go after Thanksgiving. This will give you the best chance at the decorations you want and the crowds will still be manageable. We took our 9 y/o out of school the entire week before Thanksgiving and it was a little rough getting her caught up but not terrible.

 

[DisneyHardin]

We went Nov 4-9 this past year and it was a great time. Yes, it was Jersey week and it seemed a huge percentage of the visitors were from New Jersey, but it wasn't like the place was over-run with people from there.

The decorations were up at DHS and MK, but not at Epcot (we did not go to AK). No decorations were up at resorts yet. We went to the first night of the Christmas Party and the 2nd night of Osborne Lights. Both were crowded, but not unmanageable.

 

[MichaelaF]

We were there for Veterans Day this year and the crowds were absolutely awful at both Epcot and MK. But the bright side was that they extended the hours from 10pm to Midnight (I think? or 1am?), and since that wasn't the published hours, hardly anyone knew about it and so the parks were nearly empty for two hours! It was like having the parks to ourselves with no wait in any lines! CMs told us they just decided to extend the hours earlier that day.

All the other days around Vets Day were great, though. And most of the Christmas stuff went up during that time.

I personally would never go Thanksgiving week, not just because of crowds, but also prices. Resort room prices are close to the highest of the year (near Christmas, Spring Break prices). Earlier in Nov prices are much better. I'd do either #1 or #2, personally.

 

[kittyab]

We went in 2013 in the first week of Nov around Veterans day. The crowds were good and the temps were comfortable. The Xmas party was crowded but not too bad.