Thanksgiving Week Planning...

[Mickeydad]

Have you been to Disney the week of Thanksgiving? If yes, can you tell me if there are any special events, etc. that week? Also, on Thanksgiving, is there anything special that's planned???

We plan on making a turkey in our room at Old Key West, so I'm not looking for a turkey dinner. But, I was just wondering if they plan anything special that week.

Also, when do the XMas Lights go up? Is it that week or the week later?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Mickeydad

 

[Girlie1]

Most of the holiday decorations are up at all the parks and resorts. Also Osborne Family Lights start at DHS on 11/8.

 

[Princess&CowboyMommy]

We've gone at least twice, most recently this past Thanksgiving.

A lot the Christmas decorations are up by Thanksgiving, or within the next day or so (not all, but most). At DTD, Santa is usually already available in the afternoons for photos, etc. When we were there at DTD this last time, they already had groups doing holiday routines in the afternoons, too.

Most of the hotels will already be decorated, so spending a day visiting the resorts to see all the various themes/looks is really fun if you like that sort of thing. We usually ride the monorail around the 3 monorail resorts to see their decorations - that can take a couple of hours. If you do that, make sure to go see the GF and the Gingerbread house. It should definitely be up by T-day because we saw it that day. Just make sure to time your trip so that you're there after 10am if you want to get any of the gingerbread cookie goodies as I think that they didn't open until then (it was either 10am or 9:30??).

The AKV and WLV are really beautifully decorated as well as the BC and BW.

They usually start the Candlelight processional at Epcot on the Friday after T-day, so if you like choirs, it's really an amazing event.

 

[Mickeydad]

we are leaving the day after Thanksgiving. So, you think they'll be plenty of decorations, etc. for us to see before we leave?

Mickeydad

 

[ccigliano]

we are leaving the day after Thanksgiving. So, you think they'll be plenty of decorations, etc. for us to see before we leave?

Mickeydad

Plenty! Everthing should be pretty much done by Thanksgiving. The MK is decorated the earliest since they start the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party on November 8. That is actually something you may want to go to depending on the ages of your kids. Also be sure to check out the Osborne Lights at HS. They also start decorating most of the deluxe in early November so everytime I went for Thanksgiving most of the decorations were already up. Unfortunately, the Candlelight Processional and Holidays Around the World at Epcot won't start until the Friday after Thanksgiving. Have a great time. And it looks like we'll be tag teaming it as I arrive the Friday after Thanksgiving.

 

[MinnieGi]

we are leaving the day after Thanksgiving. So, you think they'll be plenty of decorations, etc. for us to see before we leave?

Mickeydad

We are veteran Thanksgiving week travelers and being in WDW really puts you in the right frame of mind for the holidays!!! All the Christmas decorations are up by that week and its more like the start of celebrating Christmas thank Thanksgiving week!

 

[Mickeydad]

wow... this sounds great!!! my wife has always wanted to be at Disney when the Christmas decorations were up, so she will be very happy about this!

Thanks to everyone for responding.

Mickeydad

 

[edk35]

Most of the holiday decorations are up at all the parks and resorts. Also Osborne Family Lights start at DHS on 11/8.

WOW that is so early. I was so mad in Nov. 08 that was our 4th trip during Thanksgiving week and they started on Friday the day after Thanksgiving, the day we FLEW HOME. We had always been able to see them the other times. SO for them to start up Nov. 8th IS REALLY EARLY.

 

[edk35]

Plenty! Everthing should be pretty much done by Thanksgiving. The MK is decorated the earliest since they start the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party on November 8. That is actually something you may want to go to depending on the ages of your kids. Also be sure to check out the Osborne Lights at HS. They also start decorating most of the deluxe in early November so everytime I went for Thanksgiving most of the decorations were already up. Unfortunately, the Candlelight Processional and Holidays Around the World at Epcot won't start until the Friday after Thanksgiving. Have a great time. And it looks like we'll be tag teaming it as I arrive the Friday after Thanksgiving.

The MVMCP also start early. That is good too. We have done those on two of our 4 Thanksgiving trips. SO much fun!!!!

 

[Jaaron2]

We typically arrive the day after Thanksgiving (this year will be our first at WDW for Thanksgiving). We were just able to make reservations at Olivia's for Thanksgiving Dinner. I heard this is good, anyone else had Thanksgiving dinner there?

Typically all Christmas decorations are up and going at that time. I am aso curious if any one day events occur on Thanksgiving.

 

[ChrisMouse]

Love hearing everyone's turkey day plans.

When do the crowds set in for Thanksgiving week? We will be there the week prior to Thanksgiving, but are leaving the 23rd. Should I expect dramatically larger crowds that weekend before thanksgiving, as well as Monday?

 

[edk35]

Love hearing everyone's turkey day plans.

When do the crowds set in for Thanksgiving week? We will be there the week prior to Thanksgiving, but are leaving the 23rd. Should I expect dramatically larger crowds that weekend before thanksgiving, as well as Monday?

We have been 4 times Thanksgiving week. We usually arrive the Thursday before Thanksgiving Thursday. I would say by Monday/Tuesday the parks are pretty crowded and it only goes downhill from there. We usually leave the day after Thanksgiving. If I had it my way...we would get there about Tuesday the week before but our kids ONLY have off Thanksgiving week so we used to take them out of school those two days...Thursday/Friday the week before. It is great time to go. I have always loved going that time of year. Unfortunately our oldest just finished her first year of college and she only gets off Thanksgiving Day and Friday. So we won't be heading there during Thanksgiving anytime soon.