Thanksgiving Week

[lissamae]

Hi, All -

We're planning a trip to Disneyland for the week of Thanksgiving. We're planning on doing three days (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday). I was wondering if anyone could tell me how crowded the park usually is at that time?

Thanks!!!

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Hi, All -

We're planning a trip to Disneyland for the week of Thanksgiving. We're planning on doing three days (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday). I was wondering if anyone could tell me how crowded the park usually is at that time?

Thanks!!!

That's a pretty busy time. We have been for several years now and feel like the crowds are actually heavier before Thanksgiving than after. We have not experienced any park closures due to capacity during Thanksgiving week, but we have been there when even APs are being hand stamped, a practice Disney usually only employs at the most crowded times of year like Thanksgiving, Christmas/New Year's, peak of spring break and some other holidays.

It's important to remember that even crowded days are manageable in Disneyland if you go with a plan. Reading these boards and utilizing other planning tools can help with that. Learn about fastpass and ride and crowd patterns. Check out this sticky: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1072276

 

[Sherry E]

What longtimedisneylurker said is pretty much what I have seen other people report as well (in the Christmas Superthread or other places) - that its much busier in that week leading up to Thanksgiving than it is in the week following it, which makes sense, as a lot of people can get the whole week of Thanksgiving off for a trip but in the week after, they've already returned to work and school.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

The days later in the week are much better *much lower crowds* we spent Thanksgiving day, Fri & Sat at DLR last year and had a fantastic time. On Turkey day a CM told me that it had been the slowest day all week. We'll be there again those same dates this year!

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Just to clarify, all of my comments pertained to days during Thanksgiving week. I have no experience with the week after the Thanksgiving week. Looks like the OP wants to go for the days leading up to Thanksgiving. I did make a comparison between the Sat-Wed leading up to Thanksgiving to the period from Thursday (Thanksgiving)-Saturday after. Those are the days I have personal experience with. As DisneyMomma81 mentioned, Thanksgiving through Saturday have definitely seemed less crowded than the days earlier in the week leading up to Thanksgiving. That by no means is to say that the crowds have disappeared altogether, just that things have calmed down somewhat from their earlier in the week more frenzied state.

Basically, OP, those dates you are looking at will be very busy, and it's important to be prepared for that. If you know what to expect, you can definitely still have a great time.

 

[DianaSparrow]

Hi, All -

We're planning a trip to Disneyland for the week of Thanksgiving. We're planning on doing three days (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday). I was wondering if anyone could tell me how crowded the park usually is at that time?

Thanks!!!

If it matters to you, POTC will be down on your dates! I mention that since we were thinking of going, but not with my favorite ride down!

 

[Sherry E]

If it matters to you, POTC will be down on your dates! I mention that since we were thinking of going, but not with my favorite ride down!

POTC is due to re-open on Wednesday, 11/23, right? Or did something change? I know the original re-open date was supposed to be right before Thanksgiving. I have a strong feeling it will be back up and running at least a day or two before 11/23. I doubt it will be open a month ahead of schedule, but a couple of days early is not unreasonable. DLR probably overestimated how long it would take to refurb it to cover their bases, while making sure that it will be open in time for the busy holiday weekend. But I wouldn't be at all shocked if it opens before 11/23.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

POTC is due to re-open on Wednesday, 11/23, right? Or did something change? I know the original re-open date was supposed to be right before Thanksgiving. I have a strong feeling it will be back up and running at least a day or two before 11/23. I doubt it will be open a month ahead of schedule, but a couple of days early is not unreasonable. DLR probably overestimated how long it would take to refurb it to cover their bases, while making sure that it will be open in time for the busy holiday weekend. But I wouldn't be at all shocked if it opens before 11/23.

I wouldn't be surprised if it opened a little early either, but OP's post states that they were going to be in the parks November 20, 21, and 22, so they can't count on Pirates being open since November 23 is the official re-opening date. Even so, with so much else available in the parks, unless it was a once-in-a-lifetime trip (and maybe not even then) I wouldn't let the closure of one ride deter me from visiting Disneyland.

 

[Sherry E]

I wouldn't be surprised if it opened a little early either, but OP's post states that they were going to be in the parks November 20, 21, and 22, so they can't count on Pirates being open since November 23 is the official re-opening date. Even so, with so much else available in the parks, unless it was a once-in-a-lifetime trip (and maybe not even then) I wouldn't let the closure of one ride deter me from visiting Disneyland.

I read the first post and know the OP's dates. I know it cannot be counted on that POTC will be open. I didn't say that anyone should count on it. (I would not personally go before 11/23 because I want to be certain to ride POTC.) I was just asking DianaSparrow if the re-open date was still the same (wasn't sure if something had changed and I was unaware of it), and I said that I have a strong feeling it will be open a couple of days early. (I also have a strong feeling that IASW Holiday will soft open a couple of days before 11/14, but that cannot be counted on either. It's just a hunch...based on how DLR sometimes does things.).