Tell me about Disney at Thanksgiving

[My princess Livy]

We are thinking of going a few days before Thanksgiving and then staying thru the holiday weekend. How busy is it? I'm thinking more a doing the parks before the holiday and then more resort time after. Where would you eat for the holiday, and is one resort more festive than the others, I've read threads about Christmas, but not Thanksgiving. Thanks in advance,

 

[picantel]

We went last thanksgiving and I have one word to describe it- brutal. Even getting down mainstreet took alot of luck. We went back 3 months later just to see the 90% of disneyworld we missed. Never will I go there again at that time.

 

[mmiller711]

Bummer! I am taking my first Thanksgiving trip there this year. Going with a friend and that is when she can go. Is it really worse than other busy times? I always go when school is out, summer, Easter, etc... We just got back from our 4th of July trip and I couldn't get over how empty everything was! I have been there before during the 4th and it was packed!

 

[florida res]

We take an annual Thanksgiving trip since that's also our annivesary. MK is always a zoo no matter what the occasion but the other parks usually aren't that bad. All the holiday decorations go up the day after thanksgiving so its really special. One year we stayed across from downtown and watched it go from pure Florida once day to Christmas wonderland the next!
All the resort restaurants usually have a traditional thanksgiving "spread". My advise, make ressies! or go very early if no ressies, like at brunch time!
Don't be scared of going for Thanksgiving. It's one of my fav times!

 

[MrsJ Henry]

How crowded is it the week before? We are going November 15-22. We will be leaving the monday before Thanksgiving.
When does it start to get crowded?

 

[SnowWhite33]

- You've picked a perfect time to go! Last year we went the week before Thanksgiving and left on the Tuesday before the holiday. It was wonderful-not more than 15 minutes wait for anything. We noticed a pickup in the crowd by that Friday, but I think we left before the really big crowd came in. This year we are planning on the week before and the week of-taking the 2nd week to do not much of anything except rest! Have fun!!

 

[Tiffany]

How is the time frame of the Saturday before Thanksgiving through the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We are going to be going down for this time frame in 2005 with friends of ours.

I am thinking that the parks will be fine until the day before Thanksgiving.

 

[MinnieGi]

We have been twice around Thanksgiving. Crowd wise it is most packed Thanksgiving Day, Friday & Saturday. Sunday it starts to lighten up a little and by Monday it is much more manageable. Actually the week right after T-day is really nice b/c of all the Christmas decorations being up and the crowds on the lighter side.

Also the days leading up to T-day are not too crowded especially the week before. You will start to notice a huge crowd difference on Wednesday the day before T-day.

I think you'll be fine if you do the parks before the busy holiday weekend and then enjoy your resort on those days. But definetly make a ps ASAP for T-day! All the restaurants offer a traditional Thanksgiving meal in addition to their regular fare.

Have fun!

 

[Buzzsgramma]

wow, my friends have last been to WDW 14 yrs. ago....they said they walked on lots of rides it was empty......so thats when they chose to go this yr... arriving Thanksgiving Day....brutal, huh? they are 4 adults, staying at Riverside....guess they" manage".....

 

[tinkerbell1967]

We went a few years ago and arrived the Sat before Thanksgiving and left the Friday the day after Thanksgiving. Sunday before MK was nuts! We stayed about an hour and it was so unbelievably crowded we left and went to Epcot. Epcot was not crowded at all. The week was pretty busy at MK but we still did manage to do alot that we wanted to. Thanksgiving night MGM was crowded but that was because of the Osbourne Lights so everyone was there trying to get into the Holiday Season mood! You will still have a nice time though just plan accordingly!!

 

[LuvN~Travel]

After reading several posts on this topic before, that's why I had already made up my mind that we'll stay out of MK on Thanksgiving day.
So far we are planning on AK that day, and RFC for lunch and maybe swimming later at the resort if the weather permits.
Now just waiting for the ninety day mark to make PSs.
Kim

 

[PolyAddict]

We were there in 2003 from the Sat b/f to the Sat after Thanksgiving. Stayed Poly GVC.

It was crazy! We had an awesome time though! The weather was picture perfect!! The crowds were not. MK was crazy the whole time. We made use of early entry and got alot done in a couple hours way b/f Thanksgiving Day.

We had ressies for T-day at Concourse Steakhouse but ended up cancelling. We were just too busy doing other things to sit down!!

It was our 1st time at AK. What a nightmare!! We did a couple of things and by 11 am you could not get any more Fast Passes for anything. We left and went to Epcot. We seemed to do this alot. Epcot was our oasis. So was the Poly.

We were there 7nights but couldn't convince family to try AK again. We had PS for CP breakfast the day after T-day. We got in and then escaped.

All this said, I would do it again. Just takes some planning.