YAY!!! We just booked a Thanksgiving Trip!!!

[IBLarsen]

I had posted a few days back that I really had the Christmastime at DLR bug and it wasn't going to be practical to go this year. Well DH and I decided to just do it anyways because we have miles to use. So it's all booked staying at the Fairfield from Nov 20 to 25th.
For a long time I was worried about crowds that week, but I'm willing to deal with it to get to see the Christmas season at DLR for the first time. I'm so excited. Now I really have an excuse to spend days reading the Super Thread.

Now I need to figure out transportation from LAX which we never use (MUCH prefer John Wayne...but this was our only option for this trip).

Is there anything special going on in the parks on Thanksgiving Day typically?

What is the Fireworks and Fantasmic schedule usually like during Thanksgiving week? We will only be from Sun - Thursday in the parks so will we miss out? Or are there expanded schedules for these things during the Holidays?

 

[Sherry E]

In this specific post - Post #3 of the Superthread - scroll down and look under the Q&A section (in red and green). You will see that one of the questions is about holiday season hours. I included a link to last year's November hours and entertainment schedule. There will be longer hours over the long Thanksgiving holiday.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

I had posted a few days back that I really had the Christmastime at DLR bug and it wasn't going to be practical to go this year. Well DH and I decided to just do it anyways because we have miles to use. So it's all booked staying at the Fairfield from Nov 20 to 25th.
For a long time I was worried about crowds that week, but I'm willing to deal with it to get to see the Christmas season at DLR for the first time. I'm so excited. Now I really have an excuse to spend days reading the Super Thread.

Now I need to figure out transportation from LAX which we never use (MUCH prefer John Wayne...but this was our only option for this trip).

Is there anything special going on in the parks on Thanksgiving Day typically?

What is the Fireworks and Fantasmic schedule usually like during Thanksgiving week? We will only be from Sun - Thursday in the parks so will we miss out? Or are there expanded schedules for these things during the Holidays?

Thanksgiving will be crowded but it is fun and festive! On Thanksgiving Day there is usually a little cavalcade down Main Street in the morning. I'm trying to remember if they still did it last year even though they don't get the White House pardoned turkeys anymore... Anyway, most of the restaurants in the resort area including in the parks serve some sort of traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving Day itself feels a little less intense than the rest of the week, maybe because so many people are eating and taking things slower.

The parks run full expanded holiday hours during the whole Thanksgiving week meaning DL will be open 8 AM to midnight with Fantasmic and fireworks every night. I expect WoC will play every night in DCA as well, and they will be open until 9, 10, or 11, whatever the bigwigs decide for this year.

 

[BlueChariot]

We go every year for Thanksgiving and really enjoy it!! Yes, it is busy, but the very first time we went (4 years ago) we were able to ride every single open attraction in the MK in one day. We arrived at around 2pm and stayed until park closing (which I think was either midnight or 1am - I can't really remember). So the remainder of our time was spent re-riding our favorites and at DCA (which at the time, not many things were open because of major construction going on in the park).

Go and enjoy!!!

 

[IBLarsen]

Thanks for the info everybody, and Thanks Sherry for the link! Very happy about the extended hours and entertainment.

So glad to not hear that we are crazy to go during that week!

 

[MyYearWithTheMouse]

It will be busy but the best part of DLR at Christmas is all of the details in the decorations. I really recommend forgoing the rides that are the same that you've done before and concentrating your efforts on enjoying IASW, the entertainment, and the shows rather than trying to ride the attractions. Especially if you've been several times before. There's nothing special about Space Mountain at Christmas but everything special about the fireworks with the snow!

I also know that the Jazz Kitchen in DTD is serving Turducken on Thanksgiving day. If you've never had a turducken, it's worth it. Well, I haven't had it at Jazz Kitchen, but we have a friend of the family from NOLA and she made it one time and I just about died of happiness. So that's an option for eating on Thanksgiving, though you'll want to make reservations.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

So that's an option for eating on Thanksgiving, though you'll want to make reservations.

Oh, yes, definitely. If you want to eat at any sit-down place at the resort on Thanksgiving day, you need to make reservations. There are several special dinner options at the DtD restaurants and the resort hotels. It's the usual 60 days out, although last year it was more like 58 days out because 60 days out fell on a weekend and they wouldn't start the Thanksgiving reservations that weekend for some reason.