Thanksgiving week

[mrswh]

I am sure this has been discussed a zillion times, but I can't get the search function to work.

I know Thanksgiving is super busy at DLR, but am wondering when the madness begins. Is the weekend before and Mon-Weds of Thanksgiving week bad, or does it not get crazy until Thanksgiving Day?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Mouse13]

I posted a similar question a few weeks ago and most Dis'ers thought that it was busier in the days before Thanksgiving. We'll be there from November 21-28. Good luck planning your trip!

 

[DharmaLou]

We will be there that week, and from what I have read on here, the closer it gets to Thanksgiving, the busier. Our days at the park will be Saturday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday - knowing that W & Th will be very busy.

Go Rockies!

 

[DisneytheKid]

Ive been there the days leading up to thanksgiving and I really dont think the crowd levels were that bad. Was the park busy, yes but the wait times really weren't terrible. Now I obviously hadn't been there when a new ride opens, let alone a new land and the last time I was there at this time was 8 years ago so take it with a grain of salt

 

[dleyel]

I think the days before Thanksgiving have gotten a lot more crowded the last couple years as a lot of school districts in CA now have that whole week off as furlough days due to budget cuts. I am local and 2 years ago was the first time we had the whole week off. This past year we only had Wed off as a furlough, but 2012-13 we will have the whole week again. I went on Tuesday last year to watch my DS's high school band march before the parade even started. It was so crowded we just had lunch, watched him march and left before the parade. He only got on 3 rides and was there from opening until 9, minus a couple hours for band stuff. Thankfully they are scheduled for the Wed after Thanksgiving this year. In 2010 it was pretty empty that day. Have a magical trip!

 

[rtfelt]

Ive been there the days leading up to thanksgiving and I really dont think the crowd levels were that bad. Was the park busy, yes but the wait times really weren't terrible. Now I obviously hadn't been there when a new ride opens, let alone a new land and the last time I was there at this time was 8 years ago so take it with a grain of salt

That is VERY old information. I remember a time when the days leading up to Thanksgiving were empty, but that is NOT the case now. I'm a Thanksgiving baby, so I always go around this time for my birthday, and those days leading upto Thanksgiving can be crazy busy.

I think the days before Thanksgiving have gotten a lot more crowded the last couple years as a lot of school districts in CA now have that whole week off as furlough days due to budget cuts. I am local and 2 years ago was the first time we had the whole week off. This past year we only had Wed off as a furlough, but 2012-13 we will have the whole week again. I went on Tuesday last year to watch my DS's high school band march before the parade even started. It was so crowded we just had lunch, watched him march and left before the parade. He only got on 3 rides and was there from opening until 9, minus a couple hours for band stuff. Thankfully they are scheduled for the Wed after Thanksgiving this year. In 2010 it was pretty empty that day. Have a magical trip!

I agree completely. Our district used to never get this time off, but we've gotten the whole week off for the past 3 years--along with many other districts in S. CA--so these days are busier with locals who are blocked out for the holiday weekend.

 

[DisneytheKid]

A big grain of salt . I was wondering just how outdated my info was

That is VERY old information. I remember a time when the days leading up to Thanksgiving were empty, but that is NOT the case now. I'm a Thanksgiving baby, so I always go around this time for my birthday, and those days leading upto Thanksgiving can be crazy busy.



I agree completely. Our district used to never get this time off, but we've gotten the whole week off for the past 3 years--along with many other districts in S. CA--so these days are busier with locals who are blocked out for the holiday weekend.

 

[michelleh1]

What about Thanksgiving weekend? We'd like to go Sat night after we arrive, or on Sunday - we're wanting to catch some of the entertainment at night. I'm thinking Sat will be best since most APs are blocked, but I'm not sure. Any's opinions? Thanks!

 

[mrswh]

That is VERY old information. I remember a time when the days leading up to Thanksgiving were empty, but that is NOT the case now. I'm a Thanksgiving baby, so I always go around this time for my birthday, and those days leading upto Thanksgiving can be crazy busy.



I agree completely. Our district used to never get this time off, but we've gotten the whole week off for the past 3 years--along with many other districts in S. CA--so these days are busier with locals who are blocked out for the holiday weekend.

A meaningful comparison for me is how does it compare to summer? Less crowded, more, or the same? Thanks!!

 

[julieheyer]

I'm bumping this up to add my question, which goes along w/ this thread.

We're going to DL nov 15-16 w/ our BFFs!! Can't wait, bucket list trip!

We're then driving up the coast to spend Tgiving week in the SF area. Our BFFs fly home Fri night (day after Tgiving) from LAX, and we live in AZ. We'll be driving. My question is, how crowded do you think it'll be that Sat and Sun after Tgiving? Do you think it'd be worth it to get 4 day passes and persuade dh to go back on our way home. It'll cost about $300 more for 2 more days of tickets, plus another $100 ish for a hotel? I'd like to do it, since we're there, but dh needs some convincing.

What do you guys think?

 

[todzwife]

When we went 2 years ago, the week OF T-giving was VERY busy (like, couldn't move by Indy/Jungle Cruise, or over by Space Mountain busy)

We didn't go Thanksgiving DAY, but Friday after and it was very quiet in the morning and got busier as the day went on, but it wasn't AS bad as earlier in the week.

 

[cindyland]

We're planning 11/15-11/19. Hoping we get out before it gets crazy busy. So excited to see Carsland and DL holiday decorations. Hoping that will spread out the crowds...

 

[mystic_path]

My family has gone to DL enough times to know what busy and slow season are. However last year we decided to go in November as we had never seen Disneyland decorated for Christmas. We started our trip the day after Vets day and left 2 days before Thanksgiving. The few days after Vets day were really slow, and we walked on multiple rides. Splash Mountain we went 5 times in a row without getting out of the boat (We only got out cause we were soaked), and I also got pictures of Adventureland with maybe 3 people in it at about noon That was almost eerie. However the closer we got to Thanksgiving the busier it got and the crowds got to the point of being intolerable. It was like one extreme to the next. You had no elbow room to get around people. We had to bite our tongues and just plow through.

 

[camouseketeer]

A meaningful comparison for me is how does it compare to summer? Less crowded, more, or the same? Thanks!!

I found it to be more crowded than summer.

 

[ZanderMan]

Went Thanksgiving 09, never again!! Wall to wall people, also all rides had 120+ wait times.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Thanksgiving week tends to be more crowded than a typical summer week. The crowds are very heavy from Sunday-Wednesday before Thanksgiving then taper off a bit, not really all that much the last couple of years though. I suspect things start to look a bit better the Sunday after Thanksgiving but we never stay that long. I compare Thanksgiving week to the week before or after Easter, but it's better than the week between Christmas and New Year's.

 

[Eeee-va]

In November 2011, Friday night after Thanksgiving was OK, and Saturday was not bad. Sunday seemed to be good and in the later evening it was what I consider quite low crowds...I got a FP for Space Mountain at 9:50 PM, return time between 10:35-11:35 PM. (Monday and Tuesday after Thanksgiving were also low crowds.)

If given a choice, I'd definitely take the days after Thanksgiving versus the days immediately before.

 

[mrswh]

I found it to be more crowded than summer.

I think that's the nail in the coffin for us, then. We can manage summer but I think that's the limit.

 

[aleighc1]

Anyone have any thoughts about the week after Thanksgiving? Right now we're planning to go in October, but considering bumping the trip out to the week following Thanksgiving (26th-30th) so we can celebrate our baby girl's 1st birthday at Disney. I already have rooms booked for October and end of November, in case we do decide to change our trip dates.

 

[Jkpark]

I do really like Halloween time at Disneyland - but I LOVE being there during the holidays. I think it was 2 years ago I went the Monday/Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Weather was great. Crowds weren't too bad. We also celebrated our girl's 1st birthday there and those photos still make me so happy!