Tips for week of Thanksgiving

[Tink 0625]

Since my DD started high school our "normal" trip has to be adjusted. We used to go for 12 days in September every other year and it was WONDERFUL.
We haven't been back since 2008 and we can't wait.

We are thinking of going the week of Thanksgiving. I've read all sorts of material about going that week and would love input from someone who has been there during this time. We will be staying for 8 days this time....so, any suggestions or tips would be appreciated. Crowds? Is is too cold to swim? Mickeys Very Merry Christmas? Dining plan for this time of year or not?



Thanks!

 

[minnierocks]

We have done three Thanksgiving trips for the same reason that you stated. I will tell you that Thanksgiving is my favorite time to go! We arrive the Saturday before Thanksgiving and stay until the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The crowds will be lower during the first part of the week and be higher from Wednesday through Saturday. We usually do all the "must do's" first and save the shows and not-so-popular things for the busiest days. I love it that all the Christmas decorations are up and the weather is beautiful. We wear shorts and swim while we are there. It does tend to get a little cooler at night, so a couple of nights we needed jackets.
The Christmas party has never been an option for the week that we were there, but the Candlelight Processional starts the day after Thanksgiving.
As for the dining plan, we have gone with it and without. It really depends on how your family eats. We love the dining plan if it's regular season price. If it is peak season prices, then for us, it is not a deal. We like to have sit-down dinners every day so the dining plan makes it easy for us. When we went this past March during peak season, it was more than I wanted to pay. We saved about $450 by paying OOP and skipping a table service meal for two of our days.
The only other thing that I recommend is not to travel the Sunday after Thanksgiving. It is the busiest travel day of the year. We usually drive and the one time that we left on Sunday instead of Saturday, we were in traffic from the time we left Orlando until we stopped for the night in W.VA!!! It was awful!
I hope you have a great trip!

 

[Tink 0625]

Thanks so much for the great advice! I can't tell you how much I was stressing about going at that time of year. Your post really made me feel better! What about the weather? Will we be able to swim? And what do you suggest about ADR's.....on-line or over the phone? Also, where did you have dinner on Thanksgiving Day?

 

[minnierocks]

Thanks so much for the great advice! I can't tell you how much I was stressing about going at that time of year. Your post really made me feel better! What about the weather? Will we be able to swim? And what do you suggest about ADR's.....on-line or over the phone? Also, where did you have dinner on Thanksgiving Day?

I am so glad that I can make you feel better...please remember that yes, the parks will be busy. But we have always been able to do everything we wanted to do and the weather has been so pleasant...we just love it! Most every day was mid to high 70's and since we are from Ohio, it feels great! The nights were cooler so it is hit and miss on swimming at night. My son loves to hit the pools so he swam at night even if it was cool. It was plenty warm during the day to swim.
As for ADR's, the online option wasn't available for our last Thankgsgiving trip but we did use the system for our trip this past March. It works great and we had no problem using the online system.
My kids love DHS so we spend Thanksgiving day there...and Hollywood and Vine is their favorite restaurant at DHS so we have Thanksgiving dinner there. Many will disagree with this choice, but it has been good every time we have been. It had all the traditional Thanksgiving fare and then some. I have always read to avoid the MK on Thanksgiving day due to crowds so we don't go there on Thursday. We always go to MK the day after Thanksgiving and have found it to be easy to navigate. The crowds weren't bad at all!

 

[maj42169]

well, be prepared for higher levels of crowds. If you don't have any ADRs made yet, it may be difficult to get anything for Thanksgiving day. Each year the parks have been more and more crowded on Thanksgiving week. My suggestion would be to try to avoid MK on Thanksgiving Day because it is wall to wall packed. Last year it was ridiculously crowded on Thanksgiving Day. The days leading up to and after were a little less crowded, with the Sunday after being very manageable at MK, but it is a MVMCP night, so those attending the party aren't in the park at rope drop, and those without hoppers stay away due to the early closure.

 

[MacFam4]

we love, love, love Disney at Thanksgiving!! The weather is beautiful and the Christmas decorations are lovely. The crowds are not that bad...here's what we do: get there at rope drop, utilize fastpass, have a touring plan, make ADR's. We've been the week of Thanksgiving 3 times, and are going back this year...arriving Nov 17th We've spent Thanksgiving day in the parks but always are gone by Friday, so I can't speak for the weekend.

 

[carrie1626]

2 Thanksgiving week trips and 1 had great weather(warm/sunny) and another was darn right chilly.
I'm going the first week on NOV this year and praying the weather will be suitable for sandals/flipflops, tanks and capris everyday. AND for swimming

 

[carrie1626]

Since my DD started high school our "normal" trip has to be adjusted. We used to go for 12 days in September every other year and it was WONDERFUL.
We haven't been back since 2008 and we can't wait.

We are thinking of going the week of Thanksgiving. I've read all sorts of material about going that week and would love input from someone who has been there during this time. We will be staying for 8 days this time....so, any suggestions or tips would be appreciated. Crowds? Is is too cold to swim? Mickeys Very Merry Christmas? Dining plan for this time of year or not?



Thanks!

tip: if you're going this year, try a ADR at a resort TS restaurant for T-day. I've done both of mine at The Cape May Buffet inside The Beach Club- it was wonderful both times!!

 

[blu]

2 years ago we had ADRs at Liberty Tree Tavern. My DH is a very traditional person and this was the draw to go to WDW over Thanksgiving: he could have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, turkey, dressing, etc. It was pretty crowded and we did have to wait about 30 minutes after our ADR time but Crystal Palace was 1 hour after our ADR times. I am not how that measures up as I havent been there in years and have never used ADR.

 

[Tink 0625]

Ok.....you guys are gonna kill me!!!!! Thanks for all of the great advice on Thanksgiving week, however, since we drive my DH sugggested August 2012, before DD starts school so i'm looking at probably August 3rd throught the 13th. I'm going to post a new thread but any advice just keep it coming!! You guys are the best!!

 

[carrie1626]

AUGUST IS GREAT, TOO.

Just go being prepared for heat and humidity!!. The best place to relax from all that is in the resort pool. The parks are open late and it makes taking a break in the middle of the day to rest or swim a great option.

I like to plan one or two rope drop days in AUG. I will plan those around the MK night parade or HS's Fantasmic or Epcot's Illuminations. Early in a park, do everything I really want to do, back to resort for swimming, shower, fresh clothes and back to the parks. It a great stategy.

Some people can do rope drop everyday, me only a few times

 

[Tink 0625]

AUGUST IS GREAT, TOO.

Just go being prepared for heat and humidity!!. The best place to relax from all that is in the resort pool. The parks are open late and it makes taking a break in the middle of the day to rest or swim a great option.

I like to plan one or two rope drop days in AUG. I will plan those around the MK night parade or HS's Fantasmic or Epcot's Illuminations. Early in a park, do everything I really want to do, back to resort for swimming, shower, fresh clothes and back to the parks. It a great stategy.

Some people can do rope drop everyday, me only a few times

I love your strategy. How about the crowds and how does the August heat and humidity compare to early to mid-September?

 

[mwmom]

August vs. Thanksgiving Week--Depends on your preference for weather. I absolutely hate heat and humidity (live in Texas and deal with it all summer) so August for me is a definite no for WDW. I have been twice at Thanksgiving and am going again this year. If you have the option to leave in time to arrive the Friday or Sat. midday before Thanksgiving, you could always leave the next Friday or Sat. and beat the driving crowd, plus you get the advantage of being at the parks at the least crowded time.

Last yr we were there Fri-Fri and it was just fine. We had a basic touring plan (never stick to a firm schedule), arrived at rope drop, went back to swim during afternoon and returned in evening. I don't remember waiting in line anywhere for more than 10-15 min or so except for a few of rides such as Soarin'. I found it very manageable and I had a 5 YO with me! Crowds at night for fireworks were pretty heavy, but we always got a good viewing spot by arriving about 30 minutes before.

We did not do DDP the first trip but did last trip. This yr was a surprise in that I had already booked pkg and FD came out last month. I was able to get FD bc we arrived the last day of FD, but we got it for our whole trip even though the dates are blacked out. Saved me $700. Regardless of whether you have the plan, be sure and book ADR's. I have noticed lots of TS ressie's still available for that week, although most character meals are not available now. That tells me something about the crowds! At least not everything is already booked.

The other bonus for Thanksgiving that others have pointed out is that you get to see the Christmas decorations. If you have never seen the castle at this time of year, I promise it is worth it. I can't even imagine going when the lights are not up. It is breathtaking!

I would advise trying it one time and compare for yourself. I can't imagine you would be disappointed.