Thanksgiving week trip

[smjj]

OK, we have been so many times the week after Thanksgiving but next year but due to school and work commitments it looks as if we are forced to go the week of. Is it really that bad? Are the flights and airports and parks really that crowded? I am going to try and move it to the week after but it looks as if we are stuck with this week. Oh, did I tell you this is our second big family trip and there will be 10 of us staying hopefully at our home resort OKW...smjj

 

[JJSWDW]

We are trying to make that decision too as well as whether to drive or fly from Chicago. We know it'll be crowded but we are not the type who has to do everything on each trip. Over spring break trips we have taken advantage of late night EMH. Though on this trip we'll have a six month old. Curious to hear opinions from those that have gone that week!!

 

[JJSWDW]

Sorry, double posted...

 

[goofystitchfan]

We are leaving the Saturday before Thanksgiving and returning home the Saturday after. Hoping that we will miss the crowds as well. One year we did actually travel Thanksgiving day and the airport was empty. Got a fantastic deal on flights from Boston when I booked (2 months ago) was able to get an amazing deal on the Dream, and no problems getting our home resort of SSR for the dates we needed. It is a short week at my DS's school as well so that pretty much dictated our trip this year as one of them is going to be starting middle school.

 

[henderkm]

We go often during Thanksgiving Week. We leave early Saturday and usually stay through Thanksgiving Day. We have found the airports are very light and airfares seem to be less than normal since most people fly the day before Thanksgiving. We always book our flight early on the day we arrive and late on the day we depart. That gives us a large portion of two extra days to spend in the parks.

There are a couple of times we stayed longer, but we find it's much harder to get out of Orlando on Thanksgiving weekend.

The crowds the weekend before Thanksgiving aren't that bad, but they start to pick up on Tuesday. On Thanksgiving Day, we try to stay away from Magic Kingdom and go somewhere like Animal Kingdom instead. As usual, we take advantage of EMH's and try to be at the parks at rope drop.

 

[BUDDYBEAR]

WE WILL BE AT THE BCV AT THE SAME TIME

 

[DMKEDM]

We've gone every T-giving for the past 15 years...this year, in the midst of being thankful for such important things as my DS' first "in the real world" job that starts 10/22, I'll shed more than a few tears over not being at WDW...

We've done everything from the Friday before T-giving to the Tuesday after (that was a grand trip!) to "just" Wed-Sun (including T-giving)...

Yes, there are significant crowds...we've never been over Christmas, but we've been for spring break, and for 4th of July...T-giving is the "worst" in terms of crowds (altho it reads like Christmas week is even worse)--

Crowds start picking up the Tues before T-giving and don't start noticeably lightening up til late the Sunday after.

But it's an absolutely wonderful time to be at WDW...everything is all dressed up for the holidays by the Friday after T-giving (and most of the decorations are up well before that); it's the start of the wonderful feelings that come w/the holidays...oh, I am going to miss it, so much, this year! (But I'm so thankful to see my wonderful DS graduating from law school (in two weeks) and gainfully employed and so excited about it! And I'm sure I'll enjoy either him coming home for T-giving or me going to him (New York City--that will be pretty cool too)...

As others have said: get to the parks early (crowds don't start being "intense" til 10:30-11, or even noon)...go back at dinner and after...use FPes...enjoy the resorts themselves...

It's probably not the best time for "commando touring" but it's a wonderful wonderful time for a DVC trip!

 

[Mjkre]

We love Thanksgiving Week. It is usually pretty warm, but not hot. Beautiful decorations. Here is how we deal with the crowds. We always try and follow one of the crowd calender sites' advise. We also do most of the parks before Thanksgiving and hang by the pool much more as Thanksgiving day and the day after approaches. I highly recommend doing this. We leave by Saturday. That said, we have spent part of Turkey day at Epcot and the Friday after and it was fine. We did the Candelight Processional which was wonderful. We went to DHS on Thanksgiving day in the morning one year and it was ok, but much more crowds then earlier in the week. The absolute worse thing (in terms of crowds) we did was to go to DTD on black Friday..don't know what I was thinking! Crazy insane crowds!

As far as airfare, if you can stomach the wait, do not book until late July or August. The airfare, I have found, is almost always the cheapest 3-4 months a head of time. If you can leave the Friday morning b4 Thanksgiving, or the Thursday b4, the airfare is usually ok. The prices are also usually cheaper if you can fly home on Friday or Saturday. But there is a benefit to stalking the airlines websites or Kayak to watch out for that perfect fare. From ny-isp, I usually pay about $250-$300 per rt.

 

[smjj]

Thanks for all of this good advise. We have been so many times but never at this time. We have been both the week before and after but have always steered clear of this week due to the crowds. But it is what it is and we will make the most of it and have a great time I am sure....smjj