Thanksgiving Week Thoughts

[labdogs42]

So, our next trip will be over Thanksgiving week. We've been there for Christmas week and all other times of the year, so we do know what to expect crowd-wise. We've also been to WDW at least 1-2 times a year for the past 10 years, so we don't need to ride every ride or do every thing. That said, this trip is seeming a little tricky to me, so I thought I'd see what you guys had to say about the following:

Thoughts on Thanksgiving dinner? I know a lot of the restaurants offer a Thanksgiving menu, but I'd love to hear from some folks that have tried the options and how it was. Liberty Tree seems like the obvious choice, but I know MK will be the most crowded that day, so maybe I should go for a less crowded park and less popular place to eat? I'd love some ideas here.

Also, I have to make a plan for Pandora, Rivers of Light, and the new MK show. Thoughts on those during a high crowd week? I have one week until I have to make my dining reservations!

 

[sharadoc]

Hi. We've done Thanksgiving a few times, most recently in 2016 so I think it's a valid view.

The crowds were worse this year than ever before. FP+ were gone for everything by around 10:30 - 11, and there were lines of 20-30 minutes at the kiosks. There were a lot of day visitors, not on-site resort guests, and I think more visitors from other countries.

We rode everything once by using FP+, made all the reservations 60 days in advance. For Thanksgiving, we had brunch at Captain's Grille, which was really awesome breakfast food, brunch food, and turkey with all the trimmings. We then took the boat over to DHS for the day, not crowded because stuff is closed lol, but fine for us. Then we did some pool time and had a late dinner at Boma. They had the full Boma menu, plus added stations for turkey and trimmings and prime rib. It was awesome!

For the best MK experience, utilize the EMH on the day before Thanksgiving, Wednesday night. Most rides are 15 minutes to a walk-on and you can do a TON of rides, that's where we saved rides like Teacups, Winnie the Pooh, Little Mermaid, Philharmagic, Pirates, Dumbo, Barnstormer, Buzz - a TON of stuff in a couple of hours. If you start during the Fireworks, you can get even more done.

Hope that helps!

 

[CynBeth]

We had Thanksgiving dinner at Boma a few years ago and loved it! Our ADR was for 4:30 pm and it was not crowded yet.

 

[Nhebron]

We did AK on thanksgiving day and the crowds weren't bad at all. Might change a bit with Pandora. We had our dinner at Cape May Cafe. Even with an ADR, we waited almost 45 minutes and it was an 8pm reservation. I would suggest going early.

 

[sassy2000]

We went Thansgiving 2014 and ate Thanksgiving dinner at Cape May. It had the normal items plus Traditional thanksgiving food. The turkey was really good. My whole family enjoyed it a lot. We are going again this year and plan on doing the same.

 

[disneygolfer1985]

We went for Thanksgiving last year and went to AK in the morning and did Hoop Dee Doo Review for dinner. We have usually visited AK in the morning for Thanksgiving and go to California Grill, Artist Point, or somewhere out of the parks for dinner to relax. I really like Artist Point and you can get some good pictures in front of the tree when you are there.

 

[pinkgirlmommy]

Following! I had heard it might not be quite as crowded as Spring Break but now from seeing above an actual person that was there last year, i see that it will be. Sharadoc, are you speaking mostly of Thanksgiving day, or the whole week? What day did this big crowd start? We arrive the Friday night before Thanksgiving, so I am hoping to have a few days before it is crazy but am also prepared for the crowds. We are going to MK in the morning and then hopping to AK. I am nervous about not having FP at MK on Thanksgiving Morning, but this is our plan. Do you guys think it will work?
Rope Drop MK:
Big Thunder
Splash
Jungle Cruise
Pirates
Magic Carpets
Country Bears
Tiki Room
Lunch Liberty Tree Tavern

Hop to AK,FP Navi River Jourey, Kilimanjoro Safari & Everest.
If RoL is showing that night but not the night before, we will do a Tusker House dinner package and see RoL. If it is showing the night before, I want to leave AK andn eat somewhere else for dinner. Still trying to decide where! California Grille and Hoop de Doo are two of my choices.

 

[pinkgirlmommy]

We went for Thanksgiving last year and went to AK in the morning and did Hoop Dee Doo Review for dinner. We have usually visited AK in the morning for Thanksgiving and go to California Grill, Artist Point, or somewhere out of the parks for dinner to relax. I really like Artist Point and you can get some good pictures in front of the tree when you are there.

I just saw your post after I posted mine. We are considering California Grille because we are staying at BLT, or Hoop de Doo. We haven't done either one. So hard to decide!

 

[skuttle]

We've been for Thanksgiving week twice, most recently last year (2016). We've also been for Easter, 4th of July, and week before Christmas...so we are used to crowded times.

I've read a lot of horror stories about last Thanksgiving, but we got lucky with our park choice I suppose because we didn't find it that bad at all. We even went to MK on Thanksgiving day and didn't find it too bad! Maybe everyone has started to heed the "stay away on Thanksgiving day" advice so it's getting less crowded.

The first half of our trip we took advantage of early EMH several times, but the second half of our trip we took it easy. We, too, go about once per year and don't feel the need to see/do it all since we know we'll be back. So I think that helps.

We actually booked last minute. We were booked for a long weekend trip in october for MNSSHP, then Hurricane Matthew hit so we had to cancel. We rebooked and extended our trip to THanksgiving week. So we were making FP and dining reservations very last minute and still managed to get everything we wanted, except for FEA. We didn't eat at a TS restaurant for Thanksgiving day, but several CS places (at least in MK) offered a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

 

[pinkgirlmommy]

We've been for Thanksgiving week twice, most recently last year (2016). We've also been for Easter, 4th of July, and week before Christmas...so we are used to crowded times.

I've read a lot of horror stories about last Thanksgiving, but we got lucky with our park choice I suppose because we didn't find it that bad at all. We even went to MK on Thanksgiving day and didn't find it too bad! Maybe everyone has started to heed the "stay away on Thanksgiving day" advice so it's getting less crowded.

The first half of our trip we took advantage of early EMH several times, but the second half of our trip we took it easy. We, too, go about once per year and don't feel the need to see/do it all since we know we'll be back. So I think that helps.

We actually booked last minute. We were booked for a long weekend trip in october for MNSSHP, then Hurricane Matthew hit so we had to cancel. We rebooked and extended our trip to THanksgiving week. So we were making FP and dining reservations very last minute and still managed to get everything we wanted, except for FEA. We didn't eat at a TS restaurant for Thanksgiving day, but several CS places (at least in MK) offered a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Do you mind sharing which days you went which parks?

Here is our plan:
Sat. 11/18 HS
Sun. 11/19 MK
Mon. 11/20 EP, Pool afternoon
Tues. 11/21 MK
Wed. 11/22 AK
Thurs. 11/23 MK/AK
Fri. 11/24 Ep Holidays Around The World
Sat. 11/25 Pool
Sun. 11/26 Home

 

[asbyrneva]

Following! I had heard it might not be quite as crowded as Spring Break but now from seeing above an actual person that was there last year, i see that it will be. Sharadoc, are you speaking mostly of Thanksgiving day, or the whole week? What day did this big crowd start? We arrive the Friday night before Thanksgiving, so I am hoping to have a few days before it is crazy but am also prepared for the crowds. We are going to MK in the morning and then hopping to AK. I am nervous about not having FP at MK on Thanksgiving Morning, but this is our plan. Do you guys think it will work?
Rope Drop MK:
Big Thunder
Splash
Jungle Cruise
Pirates
Magic Carpets
Country Bears
Tiki Room
Lunch Liberty Tree Tavern

Hop to AK,FP Navi River Jourey, Kilimanjoro Safari & Everest.
If RoL is showing that night but not the night before, we will do a Tusker House dinner package and see RoL. If it is showing the night before, I want to leave AK andn eat somewhere else for dinner. Still trying to decide where! California Grille and Hoop de Doo are two of my choices.

Morning at MK is doable as long as you go as early as possible, resort guests usually get early morning EMH. Usually you can get quite a few things in before lunch. If you are onsite and hit EMH you wouldn't hit those attractions - although you could probably get that done pretty easily at rope drop. We usually leave by 2'ish.

 

[asbyrneva]

Do you mind sharing which days you went which parks?

Here is our plan:
Sat. 11/18 HS
Sun. 11/19 MK
Mon. 11/20 EP, Pool afternoon
Tues. 11/21 MK
Wed. 11/22 AK
Thurs. 11/23 MK/AK
Fri. 11/24 Ep Holidays Around The World
Sat. 11/25 Pool
Sun. 11/26 Home

Since Friday is usually very crowded for holidays around the world we do that on Saturday. We actually do MK on Black friday morning since it seems like the crowds get busy a little later (too much pumpkin pie? or locals all getting their black friday deals)

 

[pinkgirlmommy]

Thanks! So far there is not EMH but if so, we will use them. We will be at Splash/Big Thunder at 9 am either way as those are the attractions we want to cover that morning. I guess I need to figure out what area we want to cover for EMH if they have it as well! We will be leaving about 1 or 2 whenever our lunch is done, but hopping to AK. We are DVC and staying on property.

 

[pinkgirlmommy]

I had read that Saturday at Epcot was worst so we were going with Friday. I guess we will see what ADR's I get this week to decide which day!

 

[Aristo-cat]

I'm working on the same plan right now too and feeling like the clock is ticking- decision time is soon!
I believe I am going to try for Liberty Tree for Thanksgiving dinner. This just seems so perfect, plus we have never eaten here so it will be a new experience for us also.
Even with doing that as our meal we will just park hop right back out of MK that day as I know it will be for sure the most crowded.
In order to catch ROL I'm going to try for a ROL dinner package in order to guarantee a seat with no long wait and also save using a FP for that so I can use more in Pandora.
Also, for the first time ever this trip I have planned for two days in AK in order to be able to see everything at night as well as the day.

 

[skuttle]

Do you mind sharing which days you went which parks?

We did:

Sat Arrive/HS
Sun MK
Mon AK
Tue Resort day
Wed Epcot
Thurs MK
Fri Home

This was a shorter than normal trip for us, but still had a good time. On Thanksgiving day we got to MK at opening (I think 7am) and stayed until early afternoon, left and rented a pontoon boat (we were staying at Contemporary), then went back to MK later that evening.

 

[pinkgirlmommy]

I'm working on the same plan right now too and feeling like the clock is ticking- decision time is soon!
I believe I am going to try for Liberty Tree for Thanksgiving dinner. This just seems so perfect, plus we have never eaten here so it will be a new experience for us also.
Even with doing that as our meal we will just park hop right back out of MK that day as I know it will be for sure the most crowded.
In order to catch ROL I'm going to try for a ROL dinner package in order to guarantee a seat with no long wait and also save using a FP for that so I can use more in Pandora.
Also, for the first time ever this trip I have planned for two days in AK in order to be able to see everything at night as well as the day.

It will be our first time at LTT as well, and we are also going to AK 2 days for the first time ever. I am on the fence about when to plan to stay late for RoL in the park since we don't know if it will be daily or every other night like it has been. We will do a Tusker House package for sure as well so that we can FP Avatar both days. For now we know we will be at AK Wed. & Thurs. just don't know which night we will stay for RoL.

 

[Aristo-cat]

It will be our first time at LTT as well, and we are also going to AK 2 days for the first time ever. I am on the fence about when to plan to stay late for RoL in the park since we don't know if it will be daily or every other night like it has been. We will do a Tusker House package for sure as well so that we can FP Avatar both days. For now we know we will be at AK Wed. & Thurs. just don't know which night we will stay for RoL.

I'm finding it hard to decide those days also because park hours haven't been released yet.

 

[Ashleyfaz]

We've been for thanksgiving for 4 of the past 5 years (2012, 2013, 2014, 2016) and have never had really big crowds until 2016. The Saturday before Thanksgiving was the worst
I have ever seen it. Other than that, it wasn't bad at all. For thanksgiving day, we went to MK in the morning, AK during the day and back go MK at night. AK was empty.

For thanksgiving dinner, we've eaten at the castle, chef Mickey's and 'Ohana and one year we are on the Dream (the best cruise ship). All were great. 'Ohana didn't have turkey, but we were happy with that.

2016:
Sat: MK
Sun: AK
Mon: HS/MK
Tues: Epcot
Wed: MK
Thurs: MK/AK (thanksgiving)
Fri: MK

 

[CynBeth]

We have gone on 2 Thanksgiving Week trips the last one being a few years ago and always did our second Epcot day on Black Friday. We made our CP package dinner reservation the day it was released in July and did not find it too bad with the crowds.