Thanksgiving vs Christmas

[Tiffany507s]

Hey everyone!
First off: I know both holidays are busy. I know Christmas/New Years is the "worst". We work for public schools so we don't have much choice and crowds don't particularly bother us.

We want to take a "last minute" trip to see the Osborne Lights before they are gone (Grew up in Little Rock, AR so this hit us a little more than most). So our options are Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Both have their pros and cons. Crowds/pricing being the biggest cons for December...Having to use vacation days and missing some Christmas stuff are cons for Thanksgiving.

Are most of the Christmas Decorations up during Thanksgiving? From what I gather the only "big" thing we will miss is Once Upon a Christmas time parade. I just can't find solid info if that's all we will be missing.

Anyways, what do y'all think? I probably haven't given enough information so let me know if you want some more.

My heart says Christmas, my wallet says Thanksgiving, LOL.

Thanks!!!

 

[scjo68]

I have never been during Christmas.
We have been at Thanksgiving and really enjoyed it.
I think all of the Christmas decorations were up. I thought the lights on the MK castle were breathtaking. I had seen plenty of photos of them, but in person they were amazing. Osborne lights were wonderful, too.
It was busy at times, but never unbearably so.
Thanksgiving day we started at MK, which, until afternoon, was surprisingly calm.
Thanksgiving night, Epcot was the most empty I can ever recall seeing it, believe it or not. However, there were no Christmas activities there that night-storytellers, CP, etc.-they started the next day. The park was decorated with poinsettias and the giant tree, though. We returned to Epcot that Saturday, two days after Thanksgiving, and the park was incredibly crowded. We still enjoyed the holiday storytellers and watched the cp- with the lunch package.

I found the Thanksgiving trip pretty expensive, compared to our January or late August trips. Not only was the hotel rate high, but air fare was as well, of course. Also, as you mention, there are not as many days off at Thanksgiving (DD was in High School, and could not miss any days). If it were not for the higher price, and the fewer available days compared to summer, I think Thanksgiving might be my favorite time to go.

 

[CynBeth]

Holidays Around the World at EPCOT and the CP begins on Black Friday so I would recommend you do a dining package for that. Unless you will be there on 11/20 or 11/29 you will not get to attend the MVMCP which is an extra ticket event. Beginning on a certain date in December the parade and fireworks you can only experience at the party will become the daytime parade and the fireworks. We went 4 years ago from the Sat before Thanksgiving to the Sun after and all of the resort decorations were up when we arrived the Sat before if I remember correctly and all the parks were as well except for the MK tree which does not go up until after the parade taping. We enjoyed our previous trip and are going again this year. We had good weather and the crowds were not bad. I know the weather can change from year to year so pack a little of everything. I have not been at Christmas so I do not know what it is like but it will probably be more crowded if that is a concern. Take time to resort hop to see GF, CR, WL, FW, AKL, BC/YC, and BW.

 

[Alesia]

I would pick Thanksgiving.

It's busy, but not crazy busy. All of the Christmas decorations are up.