Torn On When To Go

[momof1princess]

Well, DD16 begins the dreaded AP classes this fall (her junior year of HS), so there is NO chance we can take her out of school for a WDW trip, which is what DH wanted to do. So, we've got 2 choices: Thanksgiving week, or Christmas week. Here is the dilemma: DH has what I call a crowd phobia. He HATES to go to WDW when it's crowded (he really didn't like late May or early-mid June). I know no one enjoys crowds, lol, but the swarms of people really freak him out. With Thanksgiving and Christmas week being our only options, which would you choose? UT says Thanksgiving week crowd levels are an 8, and Christmas week levels are a 10.

We've tentatively chosen Thanksgiving (no reservations yet); but, based upon what I've read on here recently, since the implementation of FP+, an 8 is more like a 10, crowd level-wise. That makes me think DH will be miserable, and I don't want that, no matter how badly I want to go. I'm very tempted to just scrap the whole idea.

Anyone go to WDW last Thanksgiving week who can give me hope it won't be as bad as I think? Or confirm my feeling that it will be worse? LOL

All opinions and experiences are welcome!

 

[wdwfan1]

We went once at Easter and the crowds were terrible. They closed the Magic Kingdom while we were there. You could not even move. They closed the park and evacuated us through the doors at the back of the stores on Main St. From there we were driven out in trucks. It was a terrible experience. I know you asked about Thanksgiving but what happens on one holiday can happen on any of them! Hope you can figure something out.

 

[Michblue]

We have only been when the crowd calendar show levels of 3-6. And some of those days are crazy! I sympathize with your dilemma. I have a bit of a crowd issue as well. If these were my only choices, and I could afford to spend the money on a trip where I would not have as much park time. I would pick November and plan to be at the parks at rope drop and leave after lunch. Then head back to the parks at night around 8:00. I bet they will have late hours, like midnight or 1 am. Someone who has been there that week will have better info about that. Skip all the parades and fireworks, huge crowds, and use that time to get in some more rides. I bet you can make it fun, but you may have to be at the parks at some odd hours.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Neither Thanksgiving nor Christmas is a good option if someone is crowd-phobic. My kids are both also in that AP stage of their education, so we are looking at other choices too. Our school system has a nice 5-day weekend over the MLK holiday which we have taken advantage of before. Maybe you can find a window like that in your school calendar.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Can you go before school starts? The last week of August is good for crowds.

Between those two weeks, I would pick Thanksgiving.

Good luck finding a week!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

If he didn't like late May to mid June, he will hate Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I'd wait until Summer break.

 

[darkwing818]

Honestly over the last 4 years we've gone Thanksgiving week & the week between Christmas & NYE and both were extremely crowded, really can't say one week was better than the other. So now we cruise with DCL over NYE, much easier on the nerves.

 

[nkereina]

I have never been either week, but I did read one touring idea on here that got me thinking. The poster would sleep in and hang out most of the day and wouldn't visit the parks until dinner time, since parks are open later both Christmas and Thanksgiving weeks. Crowds are lighter that time of day and get better and better as the night gets later. Since you haven't been up at the crack of dawn trying to make rope drop, you're likely to last until closing at 1am (or however late).

I haven't tried the above scenario myself, but it sounds like a viable option for someone who hates crowds as long as you keep in mind that, even in the evenings, it won't be empty by any means. Also keep in mind that you may not get to do everything due to the limited touring, later touring times, and crowds.

 

[staceyrhood]

I agree with the other posters, if he is crowd phobic neither week will be good. Thanksgiving is a little lighter with crowds than Christmas week but still insanely busy. Christmas is the busiest week of the year, MK will be closed to capacity almost daily.

 

[momof1princess]

Thank you for all of the replies so far! Everything you've said is what I'm afraid of-parks may close at capacity, we may not get to do even most of the things we normally do due to the crowds, DH might flip out on me-honestly, the list goes on and on. To top it off, I've been promising my cousin (much younger-we're 21 years apart) that he could go with us "next time" (which, for 2 years, hasn't worked out, due to his college schedule), and it would be his first trip to WDW. I really don't want the sea of humanity to ruin his first WDW experience. Spring break 2015 (March 30th-April 3rd) won't be any better (9s and 10s).

I'd go next week; but, DH is just getting over pneumonia, and I don't think he's up to a 10 hour car trip right now. *sigh* This was SOOOOO much easier when DD16 was in elementary school!

 

[blessedby3]

Of the two weeks you are looking at…I would take Thanksgiving.
Before I took Thanksgiving..I would take as soon as your DD gets out of school. Does she get out in May? Crowds will be less then. The hot temps are not my favorite, but I will take those over the cooler temps and higher crowds any day.

 

[lmmantini]

No offense to your husband, because my husband is also crowd-phobic, but have you considered doing a mother/daughter trip and leaving DH at home? I took DD over a long weekend in December (wed-sun) during a teacher's conference and we had a great time. It was a very special trip.

If there aren't any teacher's conferences or other no school days that could give you a shorter trip with lower crowds I'd opt for Thanksgiving week.

 

[momof1princess]

Of the two weeks you are looking at…I would take Thanksgiving.
Before I took Thanksgiving..I would take as soon as your DD gets out of school. Does she get out in May? Crowds will be less then. The hot temps are not my favorite, but I will take those over the cooler temps and higher crowds any day.

She does get out in May, but not until the end of the month. For example, the earliest we could leave, if we went next week, would be Wednesday afternoon, the 28th, because she has 2 final exams that morning. I actually like going in late May, even though it's really hot; but, DH just isn't able right now. This bout of pneumonia was the sickest I've seen him in the 25 years we've been together.

School starts on August 7, 2014, so a mid-late August trip is out. DH gets a week of vacation the week of July 4th; but, of course, that is also one of the worst possible weeks to go to WDW. We just can't win...lol. He works at an auto plant, and they tell you when you can take your vacation-4th of July week, and Christmas week. Any other days off require using PTO (paid time off), which employees accumulate, based on attendance and seniority. He can get the PTO for Thanksgiving week, he's already checked, but probably not for Dec. 22-23.

 

[blessedby3]

She does get out in May, but not until the end of the month. For example, the earliest we could leave, if we went next week, would be Wednesday afternoon, the 28th, because she has 2 final exams that morning. I actually like going in late May, even though it's really hot; but, DH just isn't able right now. This bout of pneumonia was the sickest I've seen him in the 25 years we've been together.

School starts on August 7, 2014, so a mid-late August trip is out. DH gets a week of vacation the week of July 4th; but, of course, that is also one of the worst possible weeks to go to WDW. We just can't win...lol. He works at an auto plant, and they tell you when you can take your vacation-4th of July week, and Christmas week. Any other days off require using PTO (paid time off), which employees accumulate, based on attendance and seniority. He can get the PTO for Thanksgiving week, he's already checked, but probably not for Dec. 22-23.

I understand…we are in that boat with our third child. She just can't miss school and so we are going June 7-21 (our kids get out June 11th…but she is missing the last 3 days of school because they are only turning in textbooks, watching movies, etc). My DH also works at an tire making plant (Yokohama) and they shut down July 4th week also. You aren't in SW VA are you?

 

[momof1princess]

I understand…we are in that boat with our third child. She just can't miss school and so we are going June 7-21 (our kids get out June 11th…but she is missing the last 3 days of school because they are only turning in textbooks, watching movies, etc). My DH also works at an tire making plant (Yokohama) and they shut down July 4th week also. You aren't in SW VA are you?

No, NE Alabama. DH works for Honda. The pay and benefits are wonderful, especially for this area, but the vacation limitations are a bummer. DD16 is actually excited about going in November-we've always talked about doing a holiday trip, so we could see the Christmas decorations, but always went at a less crowded time of year. She LOVES Disney, even more than DH and I do, and always says "Disney World!" whenever we ask her where she wants to vacation...lol. DH desperately wants to go in September, but it looks like DD16 is going to be made clarinet section leader (unusual for a HS junior, at least at her school, I'm so proud!), so that's just one more reason we can't take her out of school for a trip-she'd miss a football game.

I've got to have a talk with my cousin, though. He's only been to the beach his whole life (22 years), so he's used to slow-paced, peaceful and mellow-he doesn't know what it's like to do Disney, commando style (getting up at the crack of dawn, being at the park before RD, closing down the park, etc.). He may not want to go with us!

 

[Lynne G]

My DH does not do crowds either, he has PTSD. What we did over Christmas last year was hit the parks as early as we could. When the late morning crowds came, we always found somewhere that we could relax. We mainly did the shows and eat in the afternoons, to help avoid crowds. We had long, relaxing dinners, that I had made reservations for, and we did not stay late some nights. We stayed around the hotel more than usual. Was it crazy, yes. But we had a great time. Otherwise, we leave DH at home when we go at a busy time. So, I say, go over Thanksgiving rather than Christmas, and plan to get there early, eat off hours, spend time at the hotel and enjoy looking around the other hotels. We liked taking the boat from MK, then visiting the monorail hotels. I really enjoyed the Christmas decorations.

 

[momof1princess]

My DH does not do crowds either, he has PTSD. What we did over Christmas last year was hit the parks as early as we could. When the late morning crowds came, we always found somewhere that we could relax. We mainly did the shows and eat in the afternoons, to help avoid crowds. We had long, relaxing dinners, that I had made reservations for, and we did not stay late some nights. We stayed around the hotel more than usual. Was it crazy, yes. But we had a great time. Otherwise, we leave DH at home when we go at a busy time. So, I say, go over Thanksgiving rather than Christmas, and plan to get there early, eat off hours, spend time at the hotel and enjoy looking around the other hotels. We liked taking the boat from MK, then visiting the monorail hotels. I really enjoyed the Christmas decorations.

This sounds like a good plan for us too-we've been wanting to see the Christmas decorations for years, but always chose a less-crowded time of year to go.

I really appreciate everyone's input. The past 2 months have been very difficult for us-2 family deaths, followed by two straight weeks of complete chaos at my job, followed by DFIL's open heart surgery, followed by DH's pneumonia; and, just last night, I got a call from my dad telling me he's having an u/s today to rule out kidney cancer because he's got 2 spots on one of his kidneys. We REALLY need something to look forward to. As I said in a PP, I'd take off and go next week, but DH just isn't physically up to it. I'd desperately love to escape everything right now.