Thanksgiving trip timing

[klove]

We've decided to go to WDW for Thanksgiving next year (wahoo!) We're used to lower crowd times, but I've already warned my family they are going to need to prepare themselves for a more crowded trip. We want to be in Disney on actual Thanksgiving Day, and make sure we can enjoy Epcot at Christmas (specifically the Candlelight Processional and the storytellers around the world.)

Any tips on ideal timing? Thanksgiving is so early next year. I'm thinking Wed 11/23-Wed 11/30. But we are flexible.

 

[klove]

or Thur to thur? The crowds look really low that following week. hmmmmm.......

 

[Sunnywho]

we've done thanksgiving trips twice now, great time, good weather, crowds drop off that sunday, the lines on thanksgiving itself at magic kingdom were crazy long

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

We've decided to go to WDW for Thanksgiving next year (wahoo!) We're used to lower crowd times, but I've already warned my family they are going to need to prepare themselves for a more crowded trip. We want to be in Disney on actual Thanksgiving Day, and make sure we can enjoy Epcot at Christmas (specifically the Candlelight Processional and the storytellers around the world.)

Any tips on ideal timing? Thanksgiving is so early next year. I'm thinking Wed 11/23-Wed 11/30. But we are flexible.

We avoided MK on Thanksgiving day. We went to AK in the morning, EPCOT for our late lunch and DHS for the evening. I had intended it to be our EPCOT day, but Christmas around the world didn't start until the day after. So we followed EasyWDW. Moved our Osbourne light viewing to Thanksgiving and scheduled evening FP. But no lights next year.

We didn't decide until late to go for Thanksgiving hence our EPCOT ADR.

The year before, we traveled the week after and crowds were nice. We traveled with friends, so we were somewhat at the mercy of the group so our kids could hang out l. We found crowd levels to be decent.

AK was very light on crowds for Thanksgiving. If I had to do it again, I would stick with AK that day and hit a resort restaurant for a nice dinner. Then go to Epcot the next day for a firsr look at Christmas around the world. I would even suggest hitting it twice so you can catch all the story tellers.

 

[Accident]

when I head down for the xmas season, I arrive thanksgiving weekend and stay a week. I didn't do it this year but in the past, thanksgiving weekend is really crowded and then over that sunday and into monday the crowds disappear until the following weekend. It's also a period of time I've never seen a discount available for and with the exception of this year, it's when they normally film the mk part of the xmas tv show. I prefer the week after thanksgiving instead of he week before since candelight procession starts just after thanksgiving. Also all the resort gingerbreads are completed so it's really the first week you can do everything for the winter holidays.

 

[bmalonef45]

This year we arrived the Friday before Thanksgiving so we could do the Christmas party. Sunday and Monday were crazy busy!!! Then the crowds seemed to flatten out a bit for the rest of the week. Crowded but not "holy crap" I can't stand it crowded. If we went again and didn't have to worry about the kids missing school I would get there on Wednesday and stay until the Saturday after. No matter the crowds the weather was amazing and the decorations beautiful. Love going this time of year.

 

[klove]

Thanks! I'm getting really excited to plan this trip. We've been to Disney many times, but never during the Christmas season. I'm thinking we'll travel down on Thanksgiving (we drive from MD,) do a late Thanksgiving dinner at a resort (Artist Point maybe), Animal Kingdom on "black Friday." We are most excited about the storytellers and candlelight processional. How far in advance will they open up those dinner packages?

Thank you for the feedback!

 

[ryrysmom14]

We were there Friday bf to the Saturday after and Monday at dhs was the most crowded I have ever seen a park. The line for star tours was well into the park, the fp line for toy story was down and around the side of the building and had to wait on long lines just to get into the restaurants. In looking at mde, it was like that everywhere that day. That was the only really crazy day we hit. That will be our pool day if we go back next year. We also were at AK on thanksgiving and it was wonderful.

We did only the world showcase and candlelight professional the day after thanksgiving. One of the highlights! There is a way to do most of the storytellers in order and not criss cross...takes some planning, but def doable. Kids loved them! Definitely do the CP dining package. The stand by line was so long and didn't look like many got in after the dining people did.

We had a wonderful trip and if you plan from wed-wed, I think it will be great. Out heaviest crowds were early in thanksgiving week. Weather was great, but year before was horrible so you never know. Have fun planning!

 

[ryrysmom14]

I'm not sure how early they book cp dinner packages, but I did mine in sept when we decided to go and had many choices. We went with a cheaper option which was biergarten at lunch. We loved it and found the food very good! You are now able to book any show if you call in. If you do online, you will be assigned a show based on your dining time. We did the 2nd show and it was wonderful!

 

[wdw4rfam]

We went the Thursday before this year to the Saturday after.(10 days). The first few 4 days was great, we were in the Parks all day and did almost everything. Then we did half days the busier days the week of thanksgiving. It worked great. We were expecting crazy crowds ( we used to be September visitors- so used to low crowds), and it wasn't nearly as bad as we expected. And the weather was wonderful. Everyone said it was the best trip in a while. No more September for me- the weather was way worth the higher crowds. I always did September for low crowds, but the past few weren't that low, and now seeing how do-able higher crowds are, there's no going back. Avoiding that September heat and humidity made the trip much more enjoyable.

 

[Order66]

We took our first trip for Thanksgiving this year and I thought it was a great time to be there. I guess it's all a matter of perspective, but I didn't think the crowds were any worse for most of the trip than in early summer when our last few trips have been.

We had a late flight down on Tuesday of TG week and left early the following Tuesday. That Wednesday was really the only day I felt it was worse than we were used to. We were at DHS that day and stood in line for the GMR for 45 min! Everything else we had FP's for, including being able to grab FP that day for RNR and TOT and Star Tours twice. We had the 3 prebooked....but were able to add more as used with a little work on checking constantly. Thanksgiving we started at AK for a few rides the kids wanted to do, then hopped over to Epcot for our FP's and dinner ADR. The rest of the week I didn't feel it was terrible holiday like crowds, except DTD. Went there on Friday and it was busy. You could hardly move in the walkways some times. Saturday we spent the am in MK, did quite a few rides in the time we had, then hopped to Epcot. It may have been a little crowded, but we had short waits and FP's for what we wanted to ride. That evening we had a dinner package for the CP. We really just spent that evening at Epcot seeing the holiday stuff, CP show, fireworks, etc.... but in between we did manage to ride the few things we wanted to. On Sunday the crowds really thinned out. We only did the Christmas party that day, so I don't know what the other parks were like. MK was rather crowded, but we entered just after 4 and had FP's for a couple rides before our dinner ADR. The Monday after Thanksgiving was the best day. We started at HS for a breakfast ADR, did our favorite rides, hopped to Epcot, did our favorites over there then hopped again to MK in time to see Wishes. While talking to the CM working the ferry dock, he commented that day was the smallest crowds he'd seen in weeks, that the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving was insanely crowded.

So if we ever go at that time again....which I'd love to, I'd definitely recommend getting in just before Thanksgiving and staying beyond the weekend a few days. I was trying to maximize our trip length without having the kids miss more than 2 days of school and it worked out perfectly. We've been several times over the last 10 years....but this trip was one of our favorites.

regards

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Thanks! I'm getting really excited to plan this trip. We've been to Disney many times, but never during the Christmas season. I'm thinking we'll travel down on Thanksgiving (we drive from MD,) do a late Thanksgiving dinner at a resort (Artist Point maybe), Animal Kingdom on "black Friday." We are most excited about the storytellers and candlelight processional. How far in advance will they open up those dinner packages?

Thank you for the feedback!

Make sure you book ADRs early. While we had options as a party of 7, they were limited. I didn't book until Octoberish. This would be especially important if you expect a Thanksgiving dinner. If not, then no trouble.

I don't know about dinner package bookings. I do know that you still line up for entry. So don't presume just walking up right near the time of the show and expect good seats. Folks with packages begin lining up at least an hour before. But regardless, you know you will have a seat so long as you follow the rules on when to arrive.

 

[CynBeth]

Usually the CP dining packages don't come out until June or July. They might change things. I say that because we went this year on 11/27 and got a survey stating they are thinking about assigned seating when booking package instead of standing in line early to get a good seat and there were all sorts of questions. If they do that it might change when it is available.

We were there Thanksgiving Week 4 years ago and it was definitely more crowded this year with more schools now closing the entire week but it was manageable.
I love this time of year!

 

[yeahdisney]

We went the 24th spent Wednesday typhoon lagoon not busy at all. Thursday AKL with 1:15pm wild trek tour, not to busy in AM. Friday resort hopped. Sat HS it was busy. Wait time was over 90 for toy story. Sunday MVMCP busy at 7pm cleared out a bit. Tuesday MK with a light crowd. I would go either Thanksgiving day and the week after if money no issues. Or I would go the Sunday after Thanksgiving for the whole week if possible.