Ok, so tell me about Thanksgiving day at DLR

[DharmaLou]

DH is on board to spend one more day in SoCal (Thanksgiving Day). I think we have ruled out dinner at the Grand Ballroom based on price (since we'll be shelling out more money for another day with the car, hotel, and park pass). What other restaurants offer character dining on Thanksgiving day?

What are crowds like on Thanksgiving Day?

Most of the info that I've Googled is at least 2 years old if not more.

 

[skiingfast]

It's crowded, the whole week is.

Characters dining is as usual. Goofy's kitchen all day, Ariel's Grotto will be all day. Storytells to lunch. Breakfast at the Plaza inn and PCH Grill.

This blog post mentions some T day dining options.
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/10/turkey-day-reservations-open-at-disneyland-resort/

 

[DharmaLou]

It's crowded, the whole week is.

Yeah, I know the week is - I just didn't know if Thanksgiving day was any worse or better than any other day that week.

 

[ZanderMan]

Yeah, I know the week is - I just didn't know if Thanksgiving day was any worse or better than any other day that week.

I have been on T-day many times IMO way to crowded every time. We now go first week in Oct.

 

[jeremynandrea]

I can't answer your question as far as dining, we just got counter service, etc, but it is very crowded on Thanksgiving Day.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

We have gone for Thanksgiving week for each of the last four years. Yes, it is very busy, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the experience as long as you go prepared and with a good attitude. Thanksgiving day itself, if anything, is a bit less busy than the days immediately preceding it.

As for where to eat, our choice has been Storyteller's in the GCH. I like the food there. You can choose between a turkey dinner or the buffet which has a number of nice selections, some of them holiday themed. We always choose buffet. We pick that restaurant because I like the ambiance and the service has always been good for us. The whole experience just feels holidayish. Probably helps that we rarely eat there at other times of the year. It's not cheap, but it's reasonable for a special holiday meal, around $30 per person last year with cheaper kid prices. No characters.

DLH will do a special Thanksgiving meal. It is indeed very pricey, more than we want to pay, to the tune of seventy something dollars I think. I have heard people rave about this experience. It is buffet with characters in the ballroom, and the food is supposedly excellent.

If you really need characters, Goofy's Kitchen does a meal much like any other day of the year except they may add a few seasonal selections to the buffet line.

The PCH Grill at the Paradise Pier does a special Thanksgiving dinner as well. I don't believe it includes characters. I asked a few years ago when first booking Thanksgiving there, but we like Storyteller's so much I haven't asked since. PCH Grill does not normally have characters at dinnertime.

Since the princesses are coming back to dinner at Ariel's Grotto, perhaps that would be a possibility for Thanksgiving dinner this year.

There are plenty of places, both sit-down and counter service, throughout the parks and DtD that will offer special turkey day dinners. If I was to stray from Storyteller's, I might look into the Jazz Kitchen in DtD.

The important thing about Thanksgiving dining is to book as soon as you can which should be on or about September 22 this year. Sometimes they won't start the bookings until Monday morning, so it might be the 24th. The popular choices fill up quickly. Storyteller's, for instance, was mostly booked only a few days after the reservation window opened up last year.

 

[skiingfast]

This blog post mentions some T day dining options.
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/10/turkey-day-reservations-open-at-disneyland-resort/

The important thing about Thanksgiving dining is to book as soon as you can which should be on or about September 22 this year. Sometimes they won't start the bookings until Monday morning, so it might be the 24th. The popular choices fill up quickly. Storyteller's, for instance, was mostly booked only a few days after the reservation window opened up last year.

The DLH dinner is not a regular meal. In that link you will notice the title is about booking beginning for it, on Oct 5th, so it wasn't a normal book at two months reservation.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

It's very, very busy. Making the most of FP makes it possible to experience the attractions but the walkways are soooooo crowded, especially near Pirates....picture shoulder to shoulder people.

If it was the only time I could go, I would definitely bring a good attitude and make the most of it but it will be super busy for sure. Be there at rope drop, you'll be so glad you did!

 

[DharmaLou]

Thank you!

Yes, this is the only time we can make it, unfortunately, due to work and school schedules. We know going in that it's going to be crowded so we're prepared for that. We were going to fly home on Thanksgiving day, but we wouldn't get back to Denver until 3pm and that would interrupt the family dinner so we decided to just add one more day. Since the price difference between a 3 and 4 day park hopper is only $25, if we only spend a little bit of time at either park that day, I'm ok with that!

 

[BensDaddy]

How about the week AFTER Thanksgiving? Anyone have any experience there?

 

[Elk Grove Chris]

We have been the week after Thanksgiving and it was awesome. Just about everything was a walk-on until about Friday afternoon. Hours are reduced (as well as some of the entertainment offerings) but so are the crowds. All the splendor of the holiday decorations, off-season crowds. Would do it again in a heart beat, but it was strenuous on the kids missing that much school, so probably won't be able to anytime soon.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

2010 was fantastic, last year quite a bit more crowded *I blame all CA having access to AP payment plans. We still had a great time *lots of rides - using FPs and SR* but I prefer fewer bodies.