Thanksgiving 2015 v. 2016

[juliekzp]

We are thinking about a week-long trip to Disneyland next Thanksgiving, and Touring Plans is currently predicting manageable crowds (7/8 early in the week, 4/5/6 later). But it also says that the crowds this year were 9 and 10 all week. Any thoughts on why there would be any difference? Or should I expect it to be packed next year too (and therefore pick another time for our trip)?

 

[Luckymommatoo]

4/5/6 for Thanksgiving week? That's crazy talk. I would expect it to be 7/8/9 for sure.

 

[tlovesdis]

I don't think there are very many days anymore at DLR that are 4/5/6! I agree with the above poster!!

 

[juliekzp]

Boo. I was getting excited about a full week at Disney with only two missed school days!

 

[luulu1999]

Crowds have def been heavier this year prob because of the 60th, it will be ending in Sept so that may help some but Thanksgiving week is usually pretty busy anyway.

 

[Angrose]

Thanksgiving week is always busy. Even last year it was 9/10 the first part of the week and then 8/10 the days after Thanksgiving (that's when we went). I would definitely do the Fri, Sat, Sun after T-day again. It was busy, but not as bad as I expected.

 

[mich311e]

One thing that will be different for 2016 is the Deluxe AP is blocked for Thanksgiving day through Saturday this year. Normally it's just Friday & Saturday.

We just went this year Wednesday through Sunday for Thanksgiving and loved being in the park Thursday! We got Deluxe APs and I thought I'd love to go back for Thanksgiving again - but we can't!

My hunch for 2016 is it may be slightly less crowded ON Thanksgiving day. With the ROA closures, the end of the 60th, and less hype for Star Wars Launch Bay/Seasons of the Force/Hyperspace Mountain AND blocked Deluxe APs it might be a little bit better!

 

[chickapin parterre]

Touring plans are going to be more correct than off for 2016. 2016 is the end of the drought of Thanksgiving being so late into the holiday year. Even though the weeks don't change in number what happens is that Christmas happens earlier for Disneyland, retailers and all holiday labor (Christmas tree farms, UPS, etc) involved. So that "extra week" after Thanksgiving appears, many more November days before the 1st of December. In the past years there was no week to "take off the pressure" so in 2016 Thanksgiving and the week after divide the visitors that have visited the past years during Nov.

Also look at Christmas for 2016, It becomes the perfect week for holiday celebration at Disneyland, having the weekends bookend the holiday season, all those free vacation days, school days, 2016 that week could be slammed........unless
.....folks find that a train and ROA are really important.... so why even bother with 2016 holidays at all and save that money for Star Wars!!!

In summary
A. Holidays start early and the last week is the perfect weekend storm of folks who visit late into 2016
B. Rumor continues that Thanksgiving is crushing, when in reality, that crush is relieved 2016
C. Train and ROA value to Disneyland visit in 2016

D. save vacation and money for Star Wars directs folks away from 2016.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

One thing that will be different for 2016 is the Deluxe AP is blocked for Thanksgiving day through Saturday this year. Normally it's just Friday & Saturday.

We just went this year Wednesday through Sunday for Thanksgiving and loved being in the park Thursday! We got Deluxe APs and I thought I'd love to go back for Thanksgiving again - but we can't!

We've been to Thanksgiving for the last 8 years and this year (2015) is the first year to my knowledge that the deluxe AP wasn't blocked out on Thanksgiving Day.

 

[juliekzp]

We've been to Thanksgiving for the last 8 years and this year (2015) is the first year to my knowledge that the deluxe AP wasn't blocked out on Thanksgiving Day.

Is it super crowded every year, or some better than others?

 

[Geemo]

I feel Disneyland may slow down a little the end of 2016 and early 2017. Depending on the opening of StarWars Land.
You can be really sure there will be a crowd surge when StarWars Land opens.

Skip the ratings of 9's and 10's, there maybe a need for a new scale up to 15.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Is it super crowded every year, or some better than others?

This is always a hard question for me to answer. Except for once or twice in 40 something visits to DL over the last 10 years, I haven't been during a non-peak time. We go summer, holidays, and weekends. We have done New Year's Eve/New Year's, Martin Luther King weekend, President's Day weekend, spring break, Easter, Memorial Day, summer, July 4th, Halloweentime, Thanksgiving day and week, and the week before Christmas. So, um, I guess I would just call the crowds "normal."

 

[chickapin parterre]

Is it super crowded every year, or some better than others?

2001-003 Thanksgiving was ghost town, with really great incentives
04 was a bump in crowds,
05-09 economy hit crowds and Thanksgiving was really manageable
11- now economy approved , population increasing Thanksgiving taking a hit
16, closures and saving money for Star Wars
18 and beyond, total chaos !!!!