The Truth about the weekend before Thanksgiving week

[kc10family]

Is it busy?
Summer busy?
After Christmas Busy?

We visited the 1st and 2nd week of Jan this past year and it was wild crazy busy for all but 3 days. Not sure we want to do that again.

 

[bouncy54]

I can't tell you about DL, but when we went to WDW in 2005, we were there the week before Thanksgiving week and the parks were uncrowded from that 1st Saturday through Friday. We virtually had no wait time for any of the rides.

But....the Saturday before Thanksgiving was a shocker. We arrived at the Magic Kingdom to find hundreds upon hundreds of people (and I'm not exaggerating) waiting to get into the park, with more streaming in by the second.

That's why I was so careful about planning my vacation to DL...I wanted to avoid that Thanksgiving crowd that began the weekend before. But due to my lack of research, I picked Veteran's Day Weekend for the beginning of our vacation. Attendance at WDW over Veteran's Day wasn't impacted, but I guess DL is a whole different ballgame.

So it appears I will have to fight the crowds anyway. Oh well...we're just going to have to be prepared for them...relax and remember that we're at DL....and that's way better than being at work.

 

[HydroGuy]

In 2005 we went to DLR for a day trip on the day before Thanksgiving. Crowds were comparable to our trip in August 2005 which was on weekdays - maybe slightly more crowded. So my experience would say Mon-Wed before TG are comparable to summer weekday crowds. IMO summer weekday crowds (and week before TG crowds) are manageable and not crazy busy like Christmas crowds. I would stay away from weekends around TG if possible.

 

[kc10family]

Thank you all.
I just have drama over this. We can't go the weekend I want to go because DH will be overseas (blah blah blah) and we want to see the Christmas stuff. So now I have drama .
Go before Veterans day and see no Christmas stuff.....go after V day and deal with possible TG crowds. (the drama )

My girls are small yet so crowds become a problem because they don't do the wait in line thing well yet. (drama dramam drama )

Thank you again I guess I will just need to make up my mind and take whatever I get.

 

[Vanvmom]

Christmas stuff should be up by Veterans Day weekend. We've done Vet. weekend before, and it is busy! Fine by Tuesday, but the 3 day weekend is packed. MIdweek things slow down some, pick up again on Sat and Sunday before Thanksgiving, slow some Mon-Wed. of Thanksgiving week, busy Thanksgiving, and avoid the park the day after Thanksgiving. We've done T-week every year since 2001, and every year it gets busier. Most of the schools in that area are out the entire Thanksgiving week, so that adds to the crowds - locals visit the park along with all of their out of town relatives that came for THanksgiving dinner.

Does this stop us? No.... we just go with the mindset of crowds of people, and lines of 30 minutes for the good rides (fastpass the great attractions). Fastpasses will likely be all gone by noon. If the crowds are too bad, we see shows and go to CA Adventure. It's still a great family vacation... and we always run into people we know while we're there.

 

[MirandaPen]

I went 2006 Nov 18-22 and really liked it. All the decore was up and the parades had just started. The crowds were no worse than in Aug. In fact we loved going at this time, it's our new favorite. We were suprised at the weather, some days it was as hot as 83. I think

We have been in early June in the past and found it quite cool "June Gloom".