thanksgiving week

[normmo]

Hi - need help from the experts please! We are tentatively looking at being at Disney from November 13-23rd. I know that the American Thanksgiving is on the 25th and I'm wondering when the hotels and parks start to fill up that week. Anybody out there been during the week leading up to Thanksgiving?
Thanks,
Mo

 

[kaguilbeau]

That's a wonderful time to go. Here is my personal experience. Remember, everyones thoughts will differ. Using the 2004 dates for comparision, we have come in the Wed or Thurs of the week prior to Thanksgiving (which for 2004 would be the 17th - 18th) and had the place almost to ourselves (or so it seemed!). We noticed attendance picking up by Saturday (which would be the 20th). We've usually checked out by the day or two before Thanksgiving. After having those first few days with very low crowds, my husband often just stays at the campground (we stay at Fort Wilderness) and doesn't even try to go to the parks on the Mon, Tues on the week of Thanksgiving. It's not so much how crowded it is, but it is such a big increase from the week before! Last year on the Sunday (which would be the 21st), we entered the MK - got to beginning of Main Street - and turned around and left. Others said EPCOT (or MGM, can't remember which) was nearly deserted that day.

Any chance of seeing the Christmas decorations will probably be the weekend before Thanksgiving. Be sure you visit the different resorts (at least the ones on the Monorail route) and view their Christmas decorations.

This year we are trying something a little different. We will arrive at WDW on the 27th (Saturday after Thanksgiving) and stay for 6-7 nights until the first weekend in December. I don't plan to do any parks until Monday!

Have fun - and if anyone here has gone the weekend of Thanksgiving and into the next week, let me hear how you found the crowds!

 

[janette]

We were there last year. It was very busy by Monday. The days around Thanksgiving were the busiest I've every experienced and we've been there in June & just there in March.

An example, we were at the rope drop at MGM my girls went to get in line at RnR and I followed to get fast passes. I got there at 9:15 (the park opened at 9). The line for RnR was already 60 minutes

They were able to get right on, they stayed with the CM that walked the mob down to the ride. Some didn't follow the rules and passed the CM's so when they got there the CM said to tell the ride operators that he said they could ride again. They were thrilled to get to ride twice.

 

[mickeymom02]

We were there in 2002....arrived the Friday before Thanksgiving.
It was pretty empty until the day before Thanksgiving. We didn't do the parks on T-day. Friday Epcot was mobbed by noon but it opened at 8 so we had time to do everything before the crowds hit and then were able to see the Candlelight Procession. Headed home on Saturday. We had terrible traffic heading back to Pa. I was a little scared going at this time of year because of crowds but it wasn't bad at all. If you can don't miss the Candlelight Procession (I would go again at that time just to see that!)
Have a good trip! Enjoy!