Which would you pick and why?

[supersuperwendy]

We are planning our 2012 trip and can't decide between Thanksgiving and 4th of July.

Our school district has the whole week off for Thanksgiving so we wouldn't miss any school which is nice. The total points comes out less then the summer too. But...I'm afraid it's going to be crazy crowded. Plus, our trip this year is to see the christmas lights and CP, so do we want to see all of that two years in a row?

I was kind of bummed last summer that we missed all the summer nightastic stuff. I like how the summer has nice long park hours and it's guaranteed swimming weather which the kids would like. I like how the parks do special fireworks for the 4th too. My kids saw a video of the golf cart parade at fort wilderness and they want to go see it in person.

I don't know what to do

What would you do and why? If you've been to WDW for either time of year fill me in on your experience. Thanks!

 

[Sammie]

Expect for the actual 4th of July in the MK, we did not find the crowds to be any worse then, than early December.

If you have seen the Christmas decorations and done that I would choose, the 4th. Every Disney fan needs to see the fireworks for the 4th at least once.

I have done both and love them for different reasons. Weather at Thanksgiving can be iffy as to warm or downright cold. So swimming unless you are polar bear types might be out.

I can understand not wanting to repeat the Christmas time of year two years.

 

[lizanne]

When I read your post my first inclination was to say Thanksgiving, mainly because of the weather. Florida is very hot and humid in July.

Then I remembered all the family trips when our kids were school age. All the reasons you mention are the same reasons I voted for 4th of July. With the family it's great to have the long hours, kids love the pool and since you'll be there for Christmastime festivities this year, no need to repeat next year.

Get to the parks early, return to resort for the hot afternoon and back to the parks at night. It always worked for us.

 

[Hunclemarco]

I choose July
I agree with Sammie's thoughts, and also there is a summer concert series at EPCOT...just have to check the dates on that...i could be thinking of the wrong time of summer.
Enjoy the pools! November is nice, but again, weather questionable.

 

[parlay]

I chose Thanksgiving, because we've never been at that time, and I'd love to cook a turkey in my villa. (and I love Disney at Christmas) But we've been during July 4th and the fireworks in all the parks especially MK were amazing! You can't go wrong with either!

 

[Buckeye Fan]

Normally I would have voted Thanksgiving week, but given your situation and travel plans for this year, I voted the 4th.

 

[arthur06]

I'm no help... both would be great!

 

[toniosmom]

My first instinct would have been Thanksgiving, but we were there the first week of December this past year and it was freezing. Yes, it was nice to see the Christmas stuff, but it wasn't so over the top that I went gaga over it. (I've heard that many of the decorations have been greatly reduced over the years, so I don't know if it is the big hoopla it once was.)

I vote for July 4th.

 

[sweetdana]

I vote July. With weather making it possibly not fun in Nov; The crouds are silly in Thanksgiving.. not that July is substantially better, but if too crouded YOU CAN for sure go swimming

We went Christmas week last yr.. would not do it again.

 

[Leenie74]

I picked 4th of July. Since you're already seeing the Christmas stuff this year, I'd go for something different. Having been ourselves in both July and Christmastime, the crowds will be big both times, but the advantage to July is the ability to swim (it was too cold for us to do so in Dec 2009).

No matter what you pick, you'll have fun cause you'll be at Disney!

 

[tzuhouse]

If I had to do one of those two, I would do Thanksgiving because at least it won't be horribly hot! I get migraines in the heat, so I always go when it's cooler. Tried September one year and would never do it again.

mary

 

[eporter66]

Being from NY, our summers are so short, I really enjoy the time we have. Going to Florida for me is always something I prefer to do in fall/winter because it gives us a little break from the cold.

Not sure how I would feel with the parks at capacity during a holiday week (we have never dealt with that before), but at least I would be getting some nice warm florida sun during our cold months.

 

[Mjkre]

I agree with the last poster. I am from the Northeast and do not want to spend the precious few weeks of summer that we enjoy going to somewhere that is hotter then hot. But that is simply a factor because of where we are from-- I am not sure if that applies to you.

Also, we do go to WDW over Thanksgiving--it has become our tradition because the children miss very little, if any, school. The crowds only become an issue by Wed. b/4 turkey day. We found Thanksgiving itself to be fine (we have been at Epcot and DHS on T-day). I would avoid MK on T-day from all that I have read. Friday is usually the day before the last day of our trip so we have either been ejoying the pool or at Epcot, depending on the weather.

By and large the weather has been great for us-- we all were in the pool. Then again, during one of our January trips during a cold snap (31 degrees), my youngest daughter, age 5, was in the heated pool with a group of kids from Canada and Alaska!

As I said, it is all about where you are from....

 

[mickeys girl 52]

I would go with 4th of July simply because of the weather. It is so unpredictable any more. It can be cold and we enjoy swimming and the warmer weather. It is nice to see the decorations but I prefer the guarantee of warm weather.

 

[GrumpyBelle]

I think both will be crazy crowded. I voted for Thanksgiving because at least it won't be quite as hot.

 

[patsal]

I live in western NY any large amount of snow in Novemeber could put a damper on my vacation, plus I cannot take a week at TGiving because I am a teacher and have to work!

 

[wulfekamp]

Its just to hot in july.

 

[Who's your Mickey?]

I voted for July 4th... I know it will be hotter than Hades, but that will definitely put the water parks in play... Both weeks will be busy, but at Thanksgiving, the weather could up the crowds in the 4 theme parks if it's chilly... 20,000-30,000 people diverted to Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon might make the other parks slightly more bearable...

 

[Sammie]

My first instinct would have been Thanksgiving, but we were there the first week of December this past year and it was freezing. Yes, it was nice to see the Christmas stuff, but it wasn't so over the top that I went gaga over it. (I've heard that many of the decorations have been greatly reduced over the years, so I don't know if it is the big hoopla it once was.)

I vote for July 4th.

They have definitely scaled down. If one has never seen the past decorations then it would be still be something to see, but it is definitely not as spectacular as past seasons. Honestly I felt they decorated more for Halloween, at least the MK did, than the did for Christmas. I was disappointed.

Also we nearly froze each night, I honestly was glad to leave the parks and get out of the damp cold.

 

[Tinks "SS"]

I voted Thanksgiving because we haven't been during that time before. I would love to see the Decorations at christmas time but can't get my family on board yet. We really love October for a little cooler weather, MNSSHP, but still great pool time! We went this past July as it was almost too hot to enjoy it.