The week before Thanksgiving

[Amanda Hall]

We are looking at going the full week before Thanksgiving or maybe the week after. We would rather do the week before but it seems crowds were up quite a bit last year at this time. On Mon, Nov 16th Touring Plans predicted a crowd level of 5 for MK and it was a 10! I think that Tuesday Epcot ended up being a 7 or 8 as well. Later that week I think is was a 4 predicted for MK and it was an 8! Was there something going on to cause crowds to be so so high? I know free dining was offered but isn't that only offered during the lower seasons anyways? Surely that was not enough to up the crowds the week before most people already have time off. What are your thoughts? The week after Thanksgiving was a bit lower and free dining was not offered then. I just wonder if it was a fluke or the new normal.

 

[jannalynn_11]

We are looking at going the full week before Thanksgiving or maybe the week after. We would rather do the week before but it seems crowds were up quite a bit last year at this time. On Mon, Nov 16th Touring Plans predicted a crowd level of 5 for MK and it was a 10! I think that Tuesday Epcot ended up being a 7 or 8 as well. Later that week I think is was a 4 predicted for MK and it was an 8! Was there something going on to cause crowds to be so so high? I know free dining was offered but isn't that only offered during the lower seasons anyways? Surely that was not enough to up the crowds the week before most people already have time off. What are your thoughts? The week after Thanksgiving was a bit lower and free dining was not offered then. I just wonder if it was a fluke or the new normal.

Are you sure your dates are correct, and where did you get the info? We may also be going the week before Thanksgiving, and I have never heard this. I just checked TP historical crowd levels (it says these are the actual levels from then), and Mon 11/16 says it was a 5 at MK; Tues 11/17 at Epcot was a 3?

 

[Amanda Hall]

5 was the prediction. The actual crowd was a 10.
https://touringplans.com/magic-kingdom/wait-times/date/2015-11-16
https://touringplans.com/epcot/wait-times/date/2015-11-16

Crowd levels are in the middle of the page

 

[5kidsmommy]

After my experience last year from Nov. 15-Nov 20th I would never recommend that week again. It was far busier than anticipated. But alas I have decided free dining just isn't worth the crowds to me and that's when we went.

 

[jannalynn_11]

5 was the prediction. The actual crowd was a 10.
https://touringplans.com/magic-kingdom/wait-times/date/2015-11-16
https://touringplans.com/epcot/wait-times/date/2015-11-16

Crowd levels are in the middle of the page

Ahhh, gotcha. That stinks! Thanks for pointing that out! Hopefully more folks will chime in with more info, as this is definitely something to keep an eye on!

 

[Live4theMagic]

Josh (easywdw) has Nov.13-19th being the best week to visit in Nov.
"November 13th-19th would be best. You’re arriving just before the Thanksgiving crowds descend and after the bulk of the Veterans Day/Jersey Week/Food and Wine crowds leave."

 

[Buttercup2009]

We were there the week before Thanksgiving last year and the crowds didn't seem that bad to me. We followed Josh's (easywdw) recommendations for which parks to visits each day and it was fine. It seemed a little busier than normal at times, but still bearable. The only thing that really got to me was the heat wave that came through that week!

 

[xipotec]

We are November veterens...been visiting WDW for years during November. Jersey week, Veterens Day the week before TG.....all of them....

Regardless of what people will say it is one of the best times to visit. Mild weather, low crowds, good discounts. (No hurricaines)

The busiest week in early November is far far better than the slowest summer weeks....

 

[chefmb]

The one thing I'd point out is that if you visit after TG, you will have all of the Christmas festivities to enjoy. If you go the week before TG, Epcot probably won't be starting their "Holidays Around the World" or the special holiday tag at the end of Illuminations (more fireworks, and good too!), and the resorts may or may not be decorated yet. We went Nov. 15-22, 2014 and I missed those things.

 

[nooneshome]

We were there last year during the week before Thanksgiving. This was our first time during that week and it was more crowded then I had thought it would be. We went to MK 11/16 only because it was the only night we could see Wishes. They had parties most other nights. Josh had it as the least recommended park because of this and it was Monday. It was crowded but we nailed it because we did RD and we each had three MBs loaded with FPs.