What's the better week to visit?

[deannaf87]

Planning for sometime late 2015. We'll probably arrive either late Friday night or early Saturday morning and do Saturday, Sunday, and Monday at Universal while staying at Shades of Green. On Monday we'll head to an undecided Disney resort and check in and stay Monday through Saturday. Leave early Saturday morning to fly back. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday will be Disney days.


All that said, I'm looking at two particular weeks and need some input on which would be better. First is November 14- November 21, also known as the week before Thanksgiving. I like this week because I feel like the crowds will be low since a lot of folks will be going the following week. I just worry about running into the start of Thanksgiving crowds that Friday. Also we'll be trying to utilize military discounts if they come out again this year, and I've heard it's hard to snag a room with that discount in October and November.

Second week is December 5 - December 12. That week also looks to be low crowds. It has the disadvantage of usually being the week with MK tapings of the ABC Christmas parade, which i have no interest in.

Anyone have any other input that would push one week over the other?

Thanks!

 

[sharonabe]

Crowd wise, your November week will be less crowded than the Dec week. It won't be much, but it will be slightly better. You may hit the end of Food & Wine in EP, but no guarantees there.

First week of Dec will have ALL the Christmas stuff going on. Osborne lights will be there in the Nov week, but the EP Holiday Storytellers and Candlelight Processional don't start until after Thanksgiving.

If you decide on the November week, just make that Friday your AK day with a hop to your favorite park for that night. I don't think you'll run into that much of a difference in crowds due to Thanksgiving week, but AK will be your least crowded park.

 

[siskaren]

My vote would be for the week in December because I love Christmas at WDW, and you would need to wait until after Thanksgiving in order to see the Christmas events they have at Epcot. Normally, the Christmas parade tapes on the first weekend in December, with the stage shows taping on Thursday and Friday, and the parade itself taping on Saturday, with Sunday being reserved for weather or technical issues. (Last year was a bit different though, so it's unknown at this point if that was a one time thing, or if that will become the new norm.) If they do it the way they normally do it, you would only need to avoid MK on that first Saturday, and avoiding MK on Saturdays is a good idea anyway.

 

[mchelle77]

I've been there both weeks. The November week (for me) was MUCH less crowded than the December week.

 

[Dawn68PA]

Agreed. November is nicer both for crowds and weather!

 

[baler31]

In our experience the Nov. week will be much less crowded.

 

[deannaf87]

Ok so it sounds like November. That makes the trip a little closer!

 

[Belle61513]

We went that "week before Thanksgiving" about 7 years ago and it was the lowest crowds I've ever encountered. I would highly recommend.
The Christmas decorations are all up even though it's November and MVMCP is happening then as well.

 

[deannaf87]

We're planning on doing MVMCP on the Sunday night.

Now I've gotta choose a resort. It's so hard when the military discounts aren't officially out yet. Leaning towards a moderate at the moment POR, POFQ (concerned the military disc won't apply), or CBR (Preferred)... decisions, decisions.

 

[Kaimo]

If I'm not mistaken the Pop Warner "Super Bowl" and Cheer Championships are the first week of December so you will have ALOT of kids there then also.