Thanksgiving - Front load or back load?

[JillyBean]

We are considering a Thanksgiving trip this year. I know that Thanksgiving Day and the Friday and Saturday following it will be very crowded. But, which scenario would be better for minimizing crowds?

1. Arrive on the day before Thanksgiving (Wed 11/24) and stay through the following Wednesday (12/1). Take it easy the first few days and hope that Sunday through Tuesday after the holiday would have lighter crowds.

OR

2. Arrive on the Saturday before Thanksgiving (11/20) and stay through the Saturday after Thanksgiving (11/27). Front load all the important rides, etc into the first few days and spend more time relaxing at the resort toward the end of the trip.

This will be our eighth trip to Disney so we definitely know our way around and feel comfortable skipping any attractions that are just too busy. I appreciate the opinions since we have never gone for Thanksgiving before. Thanks!

 

[my3squeals]

I am so glad you asked this. We are considering the same plan as you, but I have been wavering back and forth on the go before or go after thing as well. We too have been multiple times, so we are pretty experienced in getting around, we just have never been around this time of the year.

 

[si-am]

Option 1. is going to be less crowded. You'll have crowds Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, but then the rest of your trip will be great.

 

[Mckymousefn]

We went to Disney last year. We arrived the Sunday before Thanksgiving and left the day after Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving we stayed away from MK, but the day after, we had EARLY reservations for Chef Mickey's and then made it to MK for rope drop. We spent about 2 hrs at MK.... before it got croweded and then headed to Blizzard Beach for the day... it was like 83 that day. If you can, i would go the days before Thanksgiving.

 

[tinkertastic]

I'd have to agree with si-am. It will certainly be crowded for Thankgiving weekend, but once Monday rolls around the crowds do get MUCH lighter Enjoy your trip !!!

 

[wdwfan16]

We are considering a Thanksgiving trip this year. I know that Thanksgiving Day and the Friday and Saturday following it will be very crowded. But, which scenario would be better for minimizing crowds?

1. Arrive on the day before Thanksgiving (Wed 11/24) and stay through the following Wednesday (12/1). Take it easy the first few days and hope that Sunday through Tuesday after the holiday would have lighter crowds.

OR

2. Arrive on the Saturday before Thanksgiving (11/20) and stay through the Saturday after Thanksgiving (11/27). Front load all the important rides, etc into the first few days and spend more time relaxing at the resort toward the end of the trip.

This will be our eighth trip to Disney so we definitely know our way around and feel comfortable skipping any attractions that are just too busy. I appreciate the opinions since we have never gone for Thanksgiving before. Thanks!

We have done both and preferred #1.

The CP will only start on black Friday. We felt rushed at the end.

 

[modernscarlett]

We went Thanksgiving 2006. We arrived the Saturday before and departed the saturday after. We had the Osborne Lights during EMH almost to ourselves which was just magical. We only had serious crowds on Thanksgiving Day at Epcot, but not so much we couldn't enjoy it. AK was also pretty crowded on the Friday, but still manageable.

I will tell you that the CM's told us that the week after Thanksgiving was one of the best weeks to come to enjoy the decorations without the crowds.

 

[si-am]

The biggest thing to remember is that the Epcot storytellers and other Christmas happenings don't begin until the Friday after Thanksgiving, so Friday and Saturday at Epcot are HORRIBLE with people trying to catch it before they leave. Avoid Epcot at all costs on either of those days!