When would you go?

[milmore104]

We are headed back to WDW in Nov. I can't decide when to go the week before Thanksgiving 11/9-11/18 or the week after 11/24-12/2.
I really want to see Christmas decorations in parks and at the resorts. This will most likely be the last Christmas time trip I'll get in awhile. We always go for Halloween. I'm wondering about crowd levels for those 2 weeks and weather. Is it much different?

The first week works better for us and our oldest DD's school. She'll only miss 4 1/2 days. It's the end ofthe marking period right before Thanksgiving break so she won't miss much. Plus it would be nice to catch te last weekend of F&W Festival.
Also we are headed to the in-laws for a week during the trip. And it always seems to work out better if we end the vacation at their house.
That being said the crowds and Christmas decorations do factor into my choice.

Any and All advice is Welcomed... TIA

 

[MrsLS]

Def the second week (We are going that week, so the less people the better )
I've never been the week after but I think its the same in crowds as the week before thanksgiving. We've gone this week in November for the past few years; Friday to the following Saturday. Although in the past, Veterans Day was the week prior, that might make a difference in the crowds, I don't know.
Most of the decorations are up but at least for the hotels we have visited/stayed they don't have all of their decorations up or don't start putting them up until the end of the week. At least BW hadn't put them up when we arrived but started to by the end of the week last year. All the parks including HS's Osborne lights will all be up. That last weekend of the F&W is very crowded. We did it last year (first time, we had skipped it before) one of the weekend days and we started before 11 which was pretty empty, by 1 it was packed and when I say packed, I mean wall to wall people. We had gone to dinner friday night at Chefs and still will since we stay at BW and get in through the other entrance but it is also wall to wall.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

I voted for the week after, most if not all the decorations will be up. Love that time of year in WDW.

 

[jackemail]

I LOVE the week before Thanksgiving. The only negative is that the resort decorations were not up.

All of the park decorations are up, the Osborne lights are open, the Gingerbread House at GF was completed towards the end of the week, the crowds were low, the weather was perfect (cool in the morning and evening, perfect during the day). The Christmas party in the MK was going.

Great week to go!

 

[monica9]

This was our delema for the past 10 months trying to figure out if we should go the week before or after thanksgiving. After much research and talking ,we decided it would be best to go the week after.

Im not sure when Jersey week ends but I do believe it is one of the more crowded weeks. I have heard that they don't finish putting up decorations until right before thanksgiving so if you can hold off, I'd wait until the last. Santa will be at DTD after thanksgiving but not before I don't think. There are a lot of little things to factor in.

Good luck! We change our reservations 3 times! We are finally going Tuesday Nov 27 until Tuesday Dec 4

 

[elaw]

We went the week before Thanksgiving last year and it was amazing ... light crowds and still had the Christmas time feeling .... most of the resorts and parks had their decorations up at that time and we got to experience the last weekend of the F&W festival too

 

[Tony NY]

I voted for the secound . I went two year ago the day after thanksgiving it was awesome the weather was not to bad by a new yorkes standards but to other they said it was cold..

 

[milmore104]

Thanks for the advice. I'm so torn. I know the first week just makes better sense for us. But I'm worried about the crowds. We just got back from the week after Easter and the crowds were still a bit heavy until the last few days. Waiting over 40 min for Small World is CRAZY to me. We missed most of Fantasyland because wait times were over 50 min. We're used to mid Oct. Where wait times are never more than 30 min for the "MUST DO's"

Now I have to decide BW or AKL CL?????

 

[tinkerbella16]

The week before Thanksgiving is usually always the week we go. It has always been great, low crowds, amazing weather, no rain, short wait times. It starts to really pick up the day before we leave to go back home, as all the guests are starting to pour in for Thanksgiving week but that is the only day all week we ever see it so crowded and since we are leaving, we don't mind. I didn't vote for that week though.. I voted for the week after thanksgiving because all of the christmas decorations are up, even at the resorts which is really a site to see.. the week before, the resorts are decorated yet, but the parks are. I have always heard it to be a really good week to go.

Someone had mentioned Jersey Week.. that is usually always the first week of November.. and the parks are not too crowded at all, you'll just find more people that are from NJ down there that week because of schools being closed for teachers conventions.

 

[aubriee]

I normally go to WDW the first or second week of Dec, but last year decided to go the week after Thanksgiving. I arrived the Sat after Thanksgiving and was there for 8 nights/9 days (Nov 26th-Dec 4th). I know the week of Thanksgiving is usually crowded, but after that weekend the place is pretty empty. I go to WDW several times a year (usually first or second week of May, sometime in Sept, sometimes in Oct, then the first or second week of Dec, then sometimes throw in a Jan or Feb trip). I was shocked at how empty the parks were that week after Thanksgiving. I went to both WDW and Universal and have never seen the parks that empty. Everything in both parks was pretty much a walk on. Crowds that week after Thanksgiving were lighter than they had been a few months before when I was there in Sept (which is normally considered the best months for fewer crowds). Plus Christmas decorations were up. Everything was so beautiful. It was a perfect time to go.

 

[MrsLS]

Thanks for the advice. I'm so torn. I know the first week just makes better sense for us. But I'm worried about the crowds. We just got back from the week after Easter and the crowds were still a bit heavy until the last few days. Waiting over 40 min for Small World is CRAZY to me. We missed most of Fantasyland because wait times were over 50 min. We're used to mid Oct. Where wait times are never more than 30 min for the "MUST DO's"

Now I have to decide BW or AKL CL?????

Which week did you do in April this year? We were there 4/14-21 and the crowds are nothing like they are in November, except for maybe the first weekend is a bit more crowded especially in Epcot. Saw the small world time - that was crazy!! Although we still always do rope drop. & we love the BW, great location and love the atmosphere but I never did AK.

 

[milmore104]

Which week did you do in April this year? We were there 4/14-21 and the crowds are nothing like they are in November, except for maybe the first weekend is a bit more crowded especially in Epcot. Saw the small world time - that was crazy!! Although we still always do rope drop. & we love the BW, great location and love the atmosphere but I never did AK.

Same time as you 4/14-19 @ BC. Loved walking over to Epcot at night. And boating over to HS. It was a quick trip for us. We were visiting the in laws and were only suppose to do one night in WDW but w airfare it was cheaper to stay longer so I talked DH into 5 nights. Plus we got a nice 3 day bonus. We were suppose to fly home on the 19th but our flight was delayed for several hours. Seeing we were missing the appointment we were going home for we just changed our flight and stayed and extra 3 days w the in laws.
I know it would be more crowded than we were used to but WOW . It was a sea of people.

 

[elaw]

... I voted for the week after thanksgiving because all of the christmas decorations are up, even at the resorts which is really a site to see.. the week before, the resorts are decorated yet, but the parks are.

When we were there last year, the resort decorations for GF and WL were up by Tuesday of the week before Thanksgiving and the Epcot resorts by Wednesday

 

[MrsLS]

Same time as you 4/14-19 @ BC. Loved walking over to Epcot at night. And boating over to HS. It was a quick trip for us. We were visiting the in laws and were only suppose to do one night in WDW but w airfare it was cheaper to stay longer so I talked DH into 5 nights. Plus we got a nice 3 day bonus. We were suppose to fly home on the 19th but our flight was delayed for several hours. Seeing we were missing the appointment we were going home for we just changed our flight and stayed and extra 3 days w the in laws.
I know it would be more crowded than we were used to but WOW . It was a sea of people.

The only time you will see a sea of people in November is if you do F&W in Epcot that last weekend. We are staying at BC next month, it's our short mini trip inbetween the 2 other trips, but only plan to do Epcot & relax at the pool.
Unless the resort decorations are really important to you, I would do the week before and if you want to try F&W just get there at 11.

 

[milmore104]

The only time you will see a sea of people in November is if you do F&W in Epcot that last weekend. We are staying at BC next month, it's our short mini trip inbetween the 2 other trips, but only plan to do Epcot & relax at the pool.
Unless the resort decorations are really important to you, I would do the week before and if you want to try F&W just get there at 11.

Thanks... The decorations are more important to me than F&W but not to the rest of my family. They would rather go for Halloween and F&W. I'm going to compromise w/ everyone. I'll still get to see Christmas stuff and they can catch the last weekend of F&W. So we have decided to go the week before Thanksgiving. This way we end our vacation w/ a week on the Beach w the in laws. We should go home relaxed instead of needing a vacation after our Disney vacation.

I know all will be great no matter what. Plus now that my mither in law moved down to FL we make several trips a year now.

 

[luv2go2disney]

We have been the last few years during the week after Thamksgiving and it is fabulous. Low crowds and all of the beautiful decorations are up. I highly recommend that time. My DD is going into middle school this year so we can't take her out of school anymore and will be going in August this year so I am sure we will have a rude awakening with all the crowds.

 

[elaw]

Thanks... The decorations are more important to me than F&W but not to the rest of my family. They would rather go for Halloween and F&W. I'm going to compromise w/ everyone. I'll still get to see Christmas stuff and they can catch the last weekend of F&W. So we have decided to go the week before Thanksgiving. ...

We found the week before to be a wonderful compromise between F&W and the christmas season .... IMHO ... you've made an excellent choice