# thanksgiving week ... is it THAT bad?



## krmlaw (Sep 12, 2011)

We've been height of the summer (4th of july week).

am thinking of thanksgiving week 2012. 

will it be awful?

we will probably hit parks early in the week. nothing on turkey day. nor weekend right after.


----------



## icydog (Sep 12, 2011)

If you go for a week you'll see that the day before thanksgiving to Sunday after will be crowded.  After that, from Monday on, the parks should be pretty empty.


----------



## tiel (Sep 12, 2011)

When we have gone during the week that encompasses Thanksgiving, we found the parks get busier each day as it gets closer to the big day.  So, based on our experience, your plan is a good one.  I might even try to avoid the Wednesday before, if you have a low tolerance for crowds (as I do).

Hope you have a great time!


----------



## jlwquilter (Sep 13, 2011)

We went for the long weekend a few years ago. It was busy but got REALLY busy after noon on Thanksgiving day. Packed.

But if you go first thing in the morning (rope drop), then get out in the early afternoon, it's so much better. No matter what day of the year you go.


----------



## famy27 (Sep 17, 2011)

We were at WDW for Thanksgiving last year.  I'd read that Animal Kingdom was the least crowded on actual Thanksgiving Day.  We went there, and it was fantastic.  There was only a 10-15 wait for Expedition Everest.  We had our Thanksgiving Dinner at Flame Tree BBQ.   It was so nice to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful weather, especially after escaping the cold in Chicago.  We didn't even try to book any kind of sit down meal.  We just wanted something quiet and relaxing, and we pretty much had the seating area to ourselves.  We'd do it again in a heartbeat.

The Friday-Monday after Thanksgiving were all busy days, with it getting a little better each day.  By Tuesday, it was pretty empty.  The "big" rides still had some waits, but it was nothing like the 120-180 minute waits we saw closer to Thanksgiving.

Even with the crowds, with judicious use of FPs and picking our parks based on projected crowd level, we were able to get on everything we wanted to do with little to no wait.  We did rope drop every morning, even when we weren't planning to.  We were going to let our DD sleep in after being up so late in the evenings, but she was wide awake and ready to go by 7:30 each morning.  It ended up working perfectly, because I don't think we'd have been able to do TSM at all if we weren't there at rope drop.

I would definitely recommend a Thanksgiving trip.  Even though it's crowded, it is a great time to visit.  I loved getting a chance to see the Christmas decorations, and the weather was perfect.  Disney does such a great job managing crowds, that even when it's terrible, it really isn't bad!


----------



## blondietink (Sep 17, 2011)

We have usually gone during non-peak periods .... end of August, October, early December, January.  So this year we decided to try April around Easter break.  We heard the crowds would be horrible.  Was it crowded?  Yes, but it was tolerable due to the milder weather than it usually is in August.  The other thing that helped was the park hours.  The parks were open at 7 am for resort guests and all were open late, like MK open until 1 am or 3 am.  So, we would hit MK at opening and leave by noon, take the monorail over to Epcot, stay there a while, then go over to HS after a break at the pool, back to MK for 2nd showing of Wishes, etc..  Another thing that helped is that all the rides were open ... no closures for refirbishments and there were a lot of CM's working everywhere.  We even got to eat at the infamous Tomorrowland Terrance restaurant, which is only open during peak times. We had never seen it open before. So, I would expect that the same things would apply to Thanksgiving; extended park hours, lots of CM's and all rides open.


----------



## lprstn (Sep 17, 2011)

We go every Thanks giving usually come down the Fri before and leave the Sunday after. It's usually only busiest on Thanksgiving day so if you want dining reservations make them now.


----------



## ciscogizmo1 (Sep 18, 2011)

We loved going Thanksgiving Week.  We went Friday before Thanksgiving Day through Sunday after Thanksgiving day.  We wanted to see Mickey's Merry Very Christmas Party and the only time that week they have the party was on Friday.  So, we flew in on Thursday and slept in on Friday and went to the party later in the day.  Anyways, the crowds were really low in my eyes from Sat through Tuesday.  Wednesday through Saturday were busy.  Now, Sunday after Thanksgiving was DEAD.  I've never seen the park like that.  There was no one at Magic Kingdom.  We walked on all the rides multiple times but it was also chilly that day as well.  We have been to WDW:  Christmas week through New Years, 4th of July week (twice), August, May (twice) and November. 

We did book Thanksgiving at Captain's Grille at the Yacht Club.  It was buffet.  It was nice but not the best food I've ever eaten.  I would definitely book a place to eat in a hotel.   And, I love the Grand Floridian Gingerbread house.


----------



## Twinkstarr (Sep 18, 2011)

We've done Thanksgiving for the last 5 yrs, skipping it this year to go to Food & Wine.

We usually do Friday-Friday, airfare was always reasonable from DTW. Never paid over $220 per person.

Would make my ADR's right at the 180 day window, Turkey day night we usually would eat at Raglan Rd or one of the resort restaurants. Never had a problem getting what we wanted. Easy if you are a DVC member who made their reservations at the 11 month mark. I've had no problem booking Grand Villas at SSR for that week.

Park touring-always do AK on Thanksgiving Day. Go early and out after lunch. No problem riding Expedition Everest multiple times. Last year we went to MK Friday am at rope drop(had a 6pm ish flight home and had a car). Not bad, as most of the newbies/non experienced visitors like to do MK on T-giving day and stay late. 

Will be debating shortly if we'll go back to our usual Turkey trip for 2012. Weather can be dicey, have had freeze warnings to perfect FL weather(low 80's).


----------



## dumbydee (Sep 18, 2011)

We were there last year during Thanksgiving week.  We were there Saturday to Saturday and it got busier each day but was manageable.  We did utilize fastpasses and got into the parks early.  We went back to the room in the afternoon and returned at night.  

The busiest we saw was at the Studios trying to get into Fantasmic......the line was unbelievable.....but we got in and had good seats.  It was like a sea of people all around us that was never ending.  We had a great trip and plan to return Thanksgiving week 2012.


----------

