Thanksgiving 2016...Anyone with me?

[Happyinwonerland]

We are strongly considering throwing crowd calendars to the wind and taking a Thanksgiving trip this year if DH can get the week off work (he just started a new job).

Back story: We typically spend Thanksgiving with my father in law, his 5th wife, her children/spouses/grandkids and her sisters and their spouses and grandkids. Over the weekend, father in law announces he is leaving his wife of 13 years. The reasoning behind the divorce has yet to be revealed, but her family thinks there is a 24 year old girl on the side. They are understandably very bitter. That leaves the upcoming Thanksgiving wide open, as it would be akward to spend it with the ex step mother's family now. So we are thinking we might go to the world for a little change of tradition.

My plan is to avoid MK on thanksgiving day. We'd like to do a Christmas party the tuesday before and possibly do AK on Thanksgiving. I am considering a T-rex Turkey Day, just for illiterative giggles.

I am little iffy about the crowds. I know Thanksgiving week is one of the busiest, but its our most likely chance to get a family trip in this year.


Anyone else planning a thanksgiving trip? What are your plans? Where are you eating Thanksgiving dinner?

 

[SaintsManiac]

I can't help with this year, but we are going next year! I'm not worrying about crowds. It's the best time for us to go and we can zig when others zag

I agree with avoiding MK on Thanksgiving day. Even this early we know we want to go to Epcot.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

I can't help with this year, but we are going next year! I'm not worrying about crowds. It's the best time for us to go and we can zig when others zag

I agree with avoiding MK on Thanksgiving day. Even this early we know we want to go to Epcot.

Epcot would be fun. You could take in all the countries and remember what makes Anerica so great!

 

[ibela]

Not this year but we went last year and it wasn't too bad. We also did Epcot on Thanksgiving Day. We did rope drop and midday pool breaks and had a great time until park close. Kids have asked to go back this Thanksgiving but I can't because they're with their dad so I'm surprising them and going during Christmas week instead, figured Thanksgiving went so well, haha!

Most people do not plan their Disney trips like the typical person on disboards, it's doable but will require the planning. Days were long but we did everything we wanted to.

Enjoy the trip!

 

[BigAlsGal]

We always go during Thanksgiving! Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I've never seen a Christmas party the week of Thanksgiving. I believe they stop doing them for that week. At least I think. I remember wanting to attend one in the past couple trips but there were none.

The crowds are a little dense but totally doable. Weather is awesome. We also broke our Thanksgiving tradition. We love our new one!

 

[ELSA711]

First timer here for Thanksgiving week. We go every year typically so nothing is critical to see / do so we will just deal with crowds and hit our favs. I really want to do the Candlelight Processional and MVMCP l! That is my only must dos since we probably won't be back for the holidays again. We may have to be the summer crowd now school work is getting in the way

 

[cdnjason]

Thanksgiving at the in-laws or Disney World? Hmmm...sounds like a tough choice.

 

[glassslippergirl]

The best Thanksgiving I ever spent was at WDW. I don't really enjoy the stress of
dealing with my family (last year, my dad decided to leave his wife the week before Thanksgiving, then made up with her the day before), so I understand your situation.

If you're serious about your alliterative feast at T-Rex, I'd consider joining the Landry's Select Club. It offers priority seating any day, so you don't need an ADR and can get there when it's convenient in your day. As crowds will be big, you may need that flexibility in your day, especially if you will leave the parks to go to Disney Springs.

I agree with PP, get there early and plan to stay late. Break midday. It will be great. Have fun, without making or cleaning up after a big meal.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

The best Thanksgiving I ever spent was at WDW. I don't really enjoy the stress of
dealing with my family (last year, my dad decided to leave his wife the week before Thanksgiving, then made up with her the day before), so I understand your situation.

If you're serious about your alliterative feast at T-Rex, I'd consider joining the Landry's Select Club. It offers priority seating any day, so you don't need an ADR and can get there when it's convenient in your day. As crowds will be big, you may need that flexibility in your day, especially if you will leave the parks to go to Disney Springs.

I agree with PP, get there early and plan to stay late. Break midday. It will be great. Have fun, without making or cleaning up after a big meal.

Thanks! We are Landry's club members, so getting a table shouldn't be a problem

We have been to disney so many times now that we shouldn't have a problem doing our faves and a few new things. Frozen Ever After is at the top of DD's list.

We are not early touring people, so we will likely just go to the parks after lunch and stay til closing. Maybe hop over to MK after the others shut down.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

I didn't realize that about the Christmas parties, that is very disappointing!

 

[Lulubelle17]

We went in 2014, loved it and we're going back this year! Yes, it is crowded. No, we don't care. We have reservations at Boma for Thanksgiving dinner and I can't wait!!!

 

[SaintsManiac]

We always go during Thanksgiving! Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I've never seen a Christmas party the week of Thanksgiving. I believe they stop doing them for that week. At least I think. I remember wanting to attend one in the past couple trips but there were none.

The crowds are a little dense but totally doable. Weather is awesome. We also broke our Thanksgiving tradition. We love our new one!

No parties is a big reason we want to go that week. We were bummed out about MK closing early almost every night we were there last year.

 

[Karabear15]

We will be joining you! We went over NYE last year and it was just way too crowded for us to even think about doing that again. My mother and I have to travel according to the public school schedule as we both work in high schools...so we wanted to try out Thanksgiving this time around. Here are our tentative plans...

Staying at Old Key West-new DVC owners (yay!)
Arriving Nov 22-parents driving in, will arrive around 4pm, the rest of us flying in and will arrive via Magical Express around 10pm. Plan is to probably walk around the resort, maybe catch a boat to Disney Springs

Wed Nov 23-Magic Kingdom; ADR is up in the air, but as of right now we are either eating at Crystal Palace or Narcoossee's for dinner. I am trying/searching daily for a 1900 Park Fare dinner reservation and if that can't be done, then we need to decide between staying in the park and eating or leaving the park to go back to the resort to "clean up" for a more fancy dinner.
Thurs Nov 24 (Thanksgiving)-Epcot; ADR is at Cape May Cafe...we loved dinner there last year and mom requested to have Thanksgiving dinner there, so we will just walk over from the park and maybe walk back after or check out the boardwalk.
Fri Nov 25-DHS and AK; ADR is either Narcoossee's or 1900 Park Fare...this is dependent upon the 23rds reservations. Since DHS is under construction and we have no clue about what is happening at AK as far as extended hours or nighttime entertainment, so we may do a monorail crawl or enjoy some Disney Springs time in the evening.
Sat Nov 26-Cocoa Beach; ADR is at Olivia's Cafe...we plan on spending the afternoon at the beach, then coming back for our dinner reservation. Again this is a tentative day, we may even just stay at the resort and have a pool day.
Sun Nov 27-Hop around day; ADR at 'Ohana...nothing really planned for this day as we were supposed to be going home this day, but extended the trip so we will just bounce around to wherever, which will be nice because this is a day where most of the Thanksgiving crowds have left.
Mon Nov 28-heading home...boooooo!

 

[ibela]

I didn't realize that about the Christmas parties, that is very disappointing!

It won't be everyday but we went last year on 11/29 (believe it was the Sunday evening after Thanksgiving).

 

[disneygolfer1985]

We will be there Monday through Monday. I highly suggest going to AK on Thanksgiving as it will be very easy to get most things done by noon as everyone will be going to MK. I also suggest maybe avoiding Epcot on Black Friday as the Holidays Around the World starts. I would highly recommend seeing the storytellers and the Candlelight Processional in Epcot after Friday. We are eating at Artist Point on Thanksgiving. There is a Christmas Party on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. We usually go over Thanksgiving or Christmas. Thanksgiving is less crowded than Christmas; however, the weather can be just as different. I would recommend packing layers as it could be as cold as upper 40s at night and low 60s during the day. That was the weather in 2014 for Thanksgiving early in the trip. It could also be really hot (80s during the day and 70s at night, Christmas 2015). You will need to prepare for multiple seasons.

 

[ELSA711]

I think I asked this before but can we expect 8am openings in all parks Thanksgiving week with the exception of Epcot? Anyone with Thanksgiving week experience know?

 

[lucas]

We'll be there!

We also went for the last 2 years and ate Thanksgiving dinner at HS Pizza Planet (along with loads of other folks!). Both times we just happened to be at HS at dinner time. And, we don't care about the traditional Thanksgiving food. Now that Pizza Planet is closed, I don't know what we'll do!

But, it is a good time to go. Love seeing the Christmas decorations and the weather is delightful.

 

[srauseo]

I went during Thanksgiving in 2011. We did "Thanksgiving dinner" at Germany, which was really fun. The crowds weren't bad except for Friday as I remember.

 

[4cats2kids]

We'll be there! Coming in on the Sunday (the 20th) until the Friday! So excited. The last time we were there it was for New Years and it was extremely crowded but we managed so this should be a more pleasant experience.

 

[Karabear15]

We'll be there! Coming in on the Sunday (the 20th) until the Friday! So excited. The last time we were there it was for New Years and it was extremely crowded but we managed so this should be a more pleasant experience.

Seriously...so crowded!