Park Reservation Advice Needed - week of Thanksgiving

[misssue23]

Any advice for choosing what park for what day? I'm feeling a little lost...

We are going 11/22-11/28 and have 6 day tickets. Right now all I have is HS on Sunday, Monday and Thanksgiving... I reserved HS for every day it was available

Ultimately, we'd like to do 2 days at HS, 2 at MK, 1 each at AK & EP.

We're arriving late Saturday and staying at the MCO Hyatt, the next morning we'll head over to our resort. We're currently booked at CSR.

TIA!!!

 

[Bete]

I think you're fine whatever you pick right now.

 

[LeeLee'sMom]

we are going 11/24-11/29 only 4 park days, so hard to decide because no park hopping and we love starting and ending our vacation at MK but obviously can't do it this time unless we skip a park which we did not want to. We are 11/25 MK, 11/26 HS, 11/27 Epcot and 11/28 AK. as of 11/27 Epcot hours will be 12-8p and they have some holiday food festival so that is why we chose Epcot on Thursday. Now to decide where to dine for a Disney Thanksgiving dinner is a whole other project

 

[Sarahslay]

we are going 11/24-11/29 only 4 park days, so hard to decide because no park hopping and we love starting and ending our vacation at MK but obviously can't do it this time unless we skip a park which we did not want to. We are 11/25 MK, 11/26 HS, 11/27 Epcot and 11/28 AK. as of 11/27 Epcot hours will be 12-8p and they have some holiday food festival so that is why we chose Epcot on Thursday. Now to decide where to dine for a Disney Thanksgiving dinner is a whole other project

Just FYI: your Epcot day is on Friday, Thursday lol (I get my days mixed around, so I get it).

We are there 11/21-11/28 with 8 park days. We drive down and will be there by 10:30-11am. so far we have:
Epcot: 11/21 & 11/27 (so we can do the festival food)
MK: 11/22 & 11/26
AK: 11/24 & 11/28
HS: 11/23 & 11/25

I did HS on a weekend a few weeks ago and never again, so I would drop the Sunday HS reservation. All the parks are crazier on weekends, but HS just feels worse. I know it's Thanksgiving week so it'll be more crowded anyway, but I do think there still won't be as many locals on the weekdays at the beginning because people still gotta work, and as a friend I have down there said "I'm not taking vacation days to go to Disney on a holiday week, I'll wait till the weekend". Packing my patience anyway lol, but if you don't care about the holiday booths at Epcot maybe skip Epcot on Friday since there will probably be more people there that day since it's the start of the festival.

 

[Fangorn]

Any advice for choosing what park for what day? I'm feeling a little lost...

It really doesn't matter under the current conditions.

The "lost" feeling is coming from thinking of the new situation (park reservations) within the old mindset that there were certain days at certain parks that were less crowded. The old rules of thumb just don't apply now. All parks are capped at something significantly less than "normal", and that number is the same for any day.

No day is particularly better or worse than any other day.

Steve

 

[misssue23]

It really doesn't matter under the current conditions.

The "lost" feeling is coming from thinking of the new situation (park reservations) within the old mindset that there were certain days at certain parks that were less crowded. The old rules of thumb just don't apply now. All parks are capped at something significantly less than "normal", and that number is the same for any day.

No day is particularly better or worse than any other day.

Steve

You're right... need to stop overthinking it! I'll just not do EP on Friday, since that's the first day of festival of the holidays... I should probaly figure out where we want to eat t-giving dinner and go from there!

 

[misssue23]

Just FYI: your Epcot day is on Friday, Thursday lol (I get my days mixed around, so I get it).

We are there 11/21-11/28 with 8 park days. We drive down and will be there by 10:30-11am. so far we have:
Epcot: 11/21 & 11/27 (so we can do the festival food)
MK: 11/22 & 11/26
AK: 11/24 & 11/28
HS: 11/23 & 11/25

I did HS on a weekend a few weeks ago and never again, so I would drop the Sunday HS reservation. All the parks are crazier on weekends, but HS just feels worse. I know it's Thanksgiving week so it'll be more crowded anyway, but I do think there still won't be as many locals on the weekdays at the beginning because people still gotta work, and as a friend I have down there said "I'm not taking vacation days to go to Disney on a holiday week, I'll wait till the weekend". Packing my patience anyway lol, but if you don't care about the holiday booths at Epcot maybe skip Epcot on Friday since there will probably be more people there that day since it's the start of the festival.

I hear you on HS and the weekend, but from what I've read, it's packed no matter what day, whereas the other parks are lighter during the week. The rationale is do it on the weekend and save a week day for a less busy park, since HS is going to be busy anyway.

I was thinking...
11/22 - HS
11/23 - EP
11/24 - MK
11/25 - AK
11/26 - HS
11/27 MK

I'm a little worried about MK on Friday, but I'm hoping the first day of EP's holiday festival will draw some people away

 

[LeeLee'sMom]

I know first day of EP festival but that is the order the clan wants lol. It is true, though it will be busy, it will never be pre-Covid busy...so that is a plus. I have to pack my patience too lol.

 

[Sarahslay]

I know first day of EP festival but that is the order the clan wants lol. It is true, though it will be busy, it will never be pre-Covid busy...so that is a plus. I have to pack my patience too lol.

I keep having to remind myself that while it will be busier than it was earlier in the summer it will probably be the least crowded I will ever see a holiday week, and I better enjoy that! At least it’s just DH and I, we can take our time with everything . My kids would have none of the food booth hopping we’re going to do, so while even though we’ll be there over Christmas with the kids we’re going to enjoy the festival on the first day no matter what the crowds are.

 

[SarahC97]

I'm going 11/20 to 11/27, so I've put a lot of thought into this, too. I've reached the conclusion that each park is probably going to reach capacity that week so there's no real difference between one day or another when choosing parks. We're doing each park twice but Epcot and I just picked the days that worked for us. I'm keeping expectations low and will honestly just be happy to be there.

We're doing:

11/21- HS
11/22-AK
11/23- MK
11/24- HS
11/25-AK
11/26- EP
11/27-MK

 

[Krisshay13]

I'm going 11/20 to 11/27, so I've put a lot of thought into this, too. I've reached the conclusion that each park is probably going to reach capacity that week so there's no real difference between one day or another when choosing parks. We're doing each park twice but Epcot and I just picked the days that worked for us. I'm keeping expectations low and will honestly just be happy to be there.

We're doing:

11/21- HS
11/22-AK
11/23- MK
11/24- HS
11/25-AK
11/26- EP
11/27-MK

We have 1st 2 days the same:
21st HS
22nd AK
23rd EP
24th MK
We fly home on the 25th. Just trying to get a quick trip in before the end of the year. We went just before COVID and can't wait to go back!! Last I looked, HS resort guest availability was full most of the week days now.

 

[Krisshay13]

Any advice for choosing what park for what day? I'm feeling a little lost...

We are going 11/22-11/28 and have 6 day tickets. Right now all I have is HS on Sunday, Monday and Thanksgiving... I reserved HS for every day it was available

Ultimately, we'd like to do 2 days at HS, 2 at MK, 1 each at AK & EP.

We're arriving late Saturday and staying at the MCO Hyatt, the next morning we'll head over to our resort. We're currently booked at CSR.

TIA!!!

We're going the the days before Thanksgiving, too. Only 4 days so, I played around & worried where, which days. I decided, it really doesn't matter at this point. Just go & have a great time!!! I can't wait!!!

 

[Sarahslay]

We have 1st 2 days the same:
21st HS
22nd AK
23rd EP
24th MK
We fly home on the 25th. Just trying to get a quick trip in before the end of the year. We went just before COVID and can't wait to go back!! Last I looked, HS resort guest availability was full most of the week days now.

This trip for us wasn't originally scheduled during Thanksgiving week, it was supposed to be at the very beginning of July starting right before the parks opened. In hindsight we wish we had just kept the trip the same, but oh well, it's our anniversary trip so we're trying to make the most of it. All of our trips were already scheduled well before covid happened, just trying to salvage them as best we can and have some fun (currently waiting for time to make my ADRs this morning!)

 

[MrsBooch]

Another thanksgiving week person here - I've been obsessively checking wait times and reading trip reports and watching YouTube vloggers - and from all accounts (including weekends) and holiday weekends (Labor Day) - it's going to look like a lot of lines are happening, and the wait times will LOOK high....but they all say the same thing "posted is less than actual".

A few other things i've heard over and over again -

Unless you're going to HS, there's no need to "rope drop" and avoiding the early morning crowding may work in your favor

HS - get there as early as you are able to, rope drop Runaway Railway (they usually start it before the park officially opens) and by the time you get off - if timed correctly - you should be able to do the 10am boarding group drop for Rise of the Resistance - and save the headliners for the end of the day if the wait times are bugging you out - Slinky dog, Tower of terror, they usually start winding down at the end.

Even if they are at "capacity" which most likely they will be, it still won't be as crowded as it was in previous years. They don't have a bunch of things that would normally take people out of lines - like live shows and parades etc - so that's not helping - but I don't think it matters what park you pick or what day. Weekends are always busier.

The Park Pass availability calendar showed that resort guests and theme park tickets passes are "sold out" of pass availability for Hollywood Studios on most days during Thanksgiving week so that should give you some idea. I'm SURE they will extend hours though. Either way - it'll be fun. Just different.

 

[Sarahslay]

Another thanksgiving week person here - I've been obsessively checking wait times and reading trip reports and watching YouTube vloggers - and from all accounts (including weekends) and holiday weekends (Labor Day) - it's going to look like a lot of lines are happening, and the wait times will LOOK high....but they all say the same thing "posted is less than actual".

A few other things i've heard over and over again -

Unless you're going to HS, there's no need to "rope drop" and avoiding the early morning crowding may work in your favor

HS - get there as early as you are able to, rope drop Runaway Railway (they usually start it before the park officially opens) and by the time you get off - if timed correctly - you should be able to do the 10am boarding group drop for Rise of the Resistance - and save the headliners for the end of the day if the wait times are bugging you out - Slinky dog, Tower of terror, they usually start winding down at the end.

Even if they are at "capacity" which most likely they will be, it still won't be as crowded as it was in previous years. They don't have a bunch of things that would normally take people out of lines - like live shows and parades etc - so that's not helping - but I don't think it matters what park you pick or what day. Weekends are always busier.

The Park Pass availability calendar showed that resort guests and theme park tickets passes are "sold out" of pass availability for Hollywood Studios on most days during Thanksgiving week so that should give you some idea. I'm SURE they will extend hours though. Either way - it'll be fun. Just different.

I actually did MMRR and SDD before 10 am a few weeks ago, got my boarding group easily, went on swirling saucers, road RotR, and then figured out the rest of my day. It was actually really easy to do, and most people I talked to who waited a long line for it took the time to stop and get coffee, take pictures, all that kind of stuff. I actually do like being at MK first thing, taking an afternoon break, and then going back for the last 2 hours. Despite it not being pre-Covid busy on my day at MK recently it was still a lot (and it was also hot, which won’t be the case at thanksgiving thank goodness), so I left after my lunch ADR with only a few rides I hadn’t gotten on. Locals do get there later, so you can take advantage of some really good walk ons for the first hour. Despite not having to rope drop, I still found that first hour or two to be my favorite.

 

[SarahC97]

Another thanksgiving week person here - I've been obsessively checking wait times and reading trip reports and watching YouTube vloggers - and from all accounts (including weekends) and holiday weekends (Labor Day) - it's going to look like a lot of lines are happening, and the wait times will LOOK high....but they all say the same thing "posted is less than actual".

A few other things i've heard over and over again -

Unless you're going to HS, there's no need to "rope drop" and avoiding the early morning crowding may work in your favor

HS - get there as early as you are able to, rope drop Runaway Railway (they usually start it before the park officially opens) and by the time you get off - if timed correctly - you should be able to do the 10am boarding group drop for Rise of the Resistance - and save the headliners for the end of the day if the wait times are bugging you out - Slinky dog, Tower of terror, they usually start winding down at the end.

Even if they are at "capacity" which most likely they will be, it still won't be as crowded as it was in previous years. They don't have a bunch of things that would normally take people out of lines - like live shows and parades etc - so that's not helping - but I don't think it matters what park you pick or what day. Weekends are always busier.

The Park Pass availability calendar showed that resort guests and theme park tickets passes are "sold out" of pass availability for Hollywood Studios on most days during Thanksgiving week so that should give you some idea. I'm SURE they will extend hours though. Either way - it'll be fun. Just different.

I totally agree with you -- it won't be as bad as past years due to capacity limitations, but it will be crowded. I think the only part I'm really dreading is quick service. We've been twice since reopening and it has been nowhere near capacity, but finding a seat in QS restaurants after you get your food has not been a great experience. I made most of my ADRs for TS during lunchtime for the Thanksgiving trip, figuring I'll just have QS for dinner and maybe it'll be less crowded before park close.

 

[4My3KGirls]

Here's our schedule
Sun 11/22 - HS
Mon 11/23 - MK
Tue 11/24 - EP
Wed 11/25- AK
Thur 11/26 - MK
Fri 11/27 - HS
ADR day is tomorrow . . . I am praying I can get back the Thanksgiving Dinner reservation I had a Liberty Tree Tavern. The only other priority for TS is now Hollywood and Vine for some modified character dining for the kids.

 

[ArielSRL]

We are 11/23-11/28
11/23 Arrival, pool, DS
11/24 HS (pretty much because this was the day I could grab it between Tues and Wed)
11/25 AK
11/26 MK (tradition for us) - hoping for WCC dinner as it has been a traditional meal in the past.
11/27 Epcot for Festival of the Holidays
11/28 Home

We drive from GA and last year we tried going home on Sunday and it was a nightmare so we are hoping Saturday works better.

 

[SarahC97]

We are 11/23-11/28
11/23 Arrival, pool, DS
11/24 HS (pretty much because this was the day I could grab it between Tues and Wed)
11/25 AK
11/26 MK (tradition for us) - hoping for WCC dinner as it has been a traditional meal in the past.
11/27 Epcot for Festival of the Holidays
11/28 Home

We drive from GA and last year we tried going home on Sunday and it was a nightmare so we are hoping Saturday works better.

We drove through Ga going home from WDW last year on a Saturday and it wasn't bad. I think you'll be OK!

 

[Krisshay13]

I went the same days last year as I'm going this year. But, last year, we flew in on Friday before Thanksgiving & went to the MVMCP. Sure will miss that but, I am looking forward to it being more relaxing. I normally wear myself out because I can't do long trips so, I fit in as much as possible.
Will miss the shows......but, most of all, the fireworks. I think that will be the hardest for me. I love the fireworks.......and Tink flying makes me cry!!

As far as picking what park for what day..........not sure it matters this year. Just go & enjoy!!!