Your opinion - which week in November to travel to WDW from Ontario?

[peacefrogdog]

Planning a trip for Nov 2009, and debating between the week before American thanksgiving and the week after. I'm posted this on the Canadian board as we have different standards for what is considered nice/acceptable weather compared people who live more south.

From what I've read, here are the pros/cons for each:

Week before:
- good crowds (will be after Jersey week)
- still warm (this year was average around 25 degrees)
- Xmas decorations up, but not in all places (e.g. Wildernes Lodge)

Week after:
- looks to have slightly lower crowds than week before (would there be any leftover Thanksgiving crowds earlier in the week
- seems to be a bit cooler (not sure if this accurate or not)
- more Xmas decorations up, would be able to catch more X-mas stuff like Osborne lights

I realize we need to decide based on what's important to us, but is anything I've written below inaccurate or an overstatement?

 

[Csaks]

I can say for sure last year your list for the week after is pretty close but the temps were averaging in the mid 20's.

From every post the week before starts slow crowd wise and builds up towards the weekend. Last year the Sunday of Thanksgiving was crowded but Monday it was dead, everything walk on.

We are leaving Sat. morning for two weeks, so we will see if it is the same this year. This time next week we should be checking in right about now .

 

[Ham Ham]

Seeing the parks decorated for Christmas with out the crowds would be great.
My vote goes for the week after US Thanksgiving.

 

[nat1234]

We've booked the week after the American Thanksgiving. I figured lower crowds and Christmas decorations, an unbeatable combination.

 

[mkmommy]

Is not the weeks before the US Thanksgiving considered regular season and after value so the hotel prices are less? Have not check since last year so I could be wrong.

Have gone the week after for the last 2 years and it has been great, going later this year.

 

[peacefrogdog]

Not sure about the hotel rates. We're DVC members and it would be around 10 total fewer (for a 5 nite stay) the week after thanksgiving vs before.

One other potential 'con' of the week after thanksgiving is the most potential for snowstorms. I know it's unpredictable especially in the Buffalo/Niagara area (where we fly out of)

 

[laura001]

Planning a trip for Nov 2009, and debating between the week before American thanksgiving and the week after. I'm posted this on the Canadian board as we have different standards for what is considered nice/acceptable weather compared people who live more south.

From what I've read, here are the pros/cons for each:

Week before:
- good crowds (will be after Jersey week)
- still warm (this year was average around 25 degrees)
- Xmas decorations up, but not in all places (e.g. Wildernes Lodge)

Week after:
- looks to have slightly lower crowds than week before (would there be any leftover Thanksgiving crowds earlier in the week
- seems to be a bit cooler (not sure if this accurate or not)
- more Xmas decorations up, would be able to catch more X-mas stuff like Osborne lights

I realize we need to decide based on what's important to us, but is anything I've written below inaccurate or an overstatement?

Well....if you are counting on it being 25, I think you need to plan to go earlier than November. We just got back and it was usually around 65 during the day and as soon as the sun went down (5:00), it got downright COLD....you needed pants, shirt, sweatshirt and jacket. The crowd level was very low while we were there and literally no wait time at all for anything.

IMHO.....other than seeing the Christmas stuff and doing MVMCP I can think of a lot nicer times to go for what WE like. ie...a swim and being able to wear shorts and sandals. Now that I have seen the Christmas lights, I don't need to do it again.

 

[two*little*birds]

We just got back too... arrived on the 9th and left on the 21st (12 nights). We choose this time for a few reasons:

1. It was after Jersey Week.
2. It was before Thanksgiving.
3. Low crowds (everything was pretty much walk-on).
4. Most of the Christmas decorations were up.
5. We were able to do MVMCP.
6. It is value season.
7. November weather is typically ideal (for us anyways). When we got there it was very hot and humid (felt like 90's) and then a cold front went through about 5/6 days later and the rest of our vacation was in the mid to high 60's. Very cool in the evenings like the previous poster mentioned.

Good luck with yor decision.