Question for WDW fans...

Message

MarleysGh0st · #1 Post by **MarleysGh0st** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:16 am

...like Mini:

MarleysSister is making plans for the family to go to WDW the week before Thanksgiving, flying in the Friday before and leaving the day after Thanksgiving. I told her it'd be outrageously crowded that week, but that's when their schedule lets them go.

Even though she really doens't need me discouraging her any more, let's get some second opinions. How crowded are the parks that week?

Bob Juch · #2 Post by **Bob Juch** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:17 am

Nobody goes then; it's too crowded.

minimetoo26 · #3 Post by **minimetoo26** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:22 am

Thanksgiving is doable if you know what you're doing. It's been a while, so I can't remember if it's crowded before the actual holiday, but it probably will be the day after. I think we did Thanksgiving twice, and my recommendation is make dinner reservations as soon as possible.

Easter was pretty bad, but the weather made up for it. The week before Christmas was reasonable. December 26th through the 31st was hellish and not to be recommended at all. It's a fuggedaboudit. We actually joke about going back just to get away from the m-i-l, because we know we won't do THAT again.

This year. But we're idiots...

jaybee · #4 Post by **jaybee** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:24 am

To quote Maxwell Smart, "Missing it by THAT much".

We have frequently traveled to WDW and arrive a day or two after Thanksgiving. Rates are low as are the crowds, especially starting the Monday after Turkey day.

From what I have heard, just before Thanksgiving is one of the busy times, only passed by the dreaded week between Christmas and New Years or spring break week.

gsabc · #5 Post by **gsabc** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:36 am

We did Christmas on our last visit as a family. While busier than our previous times there, I didn't think it was too outrageous. Lines weren't particularly long. Our longest wait for anything wasn't more than 15 minutes, I think for Rock'n'Roller Coaster.

minimetoo26 · #6 Post by **minimetoo26** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:46 am

gsabc wrote:We did Christmas on our last visit as a family. While busier than our previous times there, I didn't think it was too outrageous. Lines weren't particularly long. Our longest wait for anything wasn't more than 15 minutes, I think for Rock'n'Roller Coaster.

Was this before or after? We had the experience of: going to Animal Kingdom. Getting Fastpasses for Everest. Going to Dinorama to ride and wait until we could get more Fastpasses for the safari. Horrendous lines at Dinorama. Husband getting stuck in a huge bottleneck of people screaming to leave as they were getting rammed by a woman on an ECV, then discovering all Fastpasses were already gone for the safari. Using our Everest passes and getting the hell out of there. All by about noon. And being told by the folks at the exit not to even bother trying Magic Kingdom, because it was already at capacity.

When they have traffic lanes roped off between Liberty Square and Fantasyland, you do NOT want to be there. I think we spent the entire week in Epcot.

Walt Disney · #7 Post by **Walt Disney** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:53 am

Come on down anytime...... just make sure you bring plenty of cash and plastic!!!!!

One of these days, I'll even get Fanny and Beast to visit my personal little playland....

Rexer25 · #8 Post by **Rexer25** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:54 am

Walt Disney wrote:Come on down anytime...... just make sure you bring plenty of cash and plastic!!!!!

One of these days, I'll even get Fanny and Beast to visit my personal little playland....

Hey, Walt, do you see Ted Williams' head anywhere around there?

gsabc · #9 Post by **gsabc** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:08 am

minimetoo26 wrote:
gsabc wrote:We did Christmas on our last visit as a family. While busier than our previous times there, I didn't think it was too outrageous. Lines weren't particularly long. Our longest wait for anything wasn't more than 15 minutes, I think for Rock'n'Roller Coaster.
Was this before or after?

During. We arrived a couple of days before the holiday and left one or two days after. It was also about six years ago, and some of the things you mentioned weren't there, like the Animal Kingdom stuff. As with everything, YMMV.

We also swear by Bob Sehlinger's Unofficial Guide to WDW. It's an absolute must to avoid the worst of the lines, even during busy times.

minimetoo26 · #10 Post by **minimetoo26** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:13 am

gsabc wrote:
minimetoo26 wrote:
gsabc wrote:We did Christmas on our last visit as a family. While busier than our previous times there, I didn't think it was too outrageous. Lines weren't particularly long. Our longest wait for anything wasn't more than 15 minutes, I think for Rock'n'Roller Coaster.
Was this before or after?
During. We arrived a couple of days before the holiday and left one or two days after. It was also about six years ago, and some of the things you mentioned weren't there, like the Animal Kingdom stuff. As with everything, YMMV.

We also swear by Bob Sehlinger's Unofficial Guide to WDW. It's an absolute must to avoid the worst of the lines, even during busy times.

Unofficial Guides totally rule. Rain Man collects them, and saves the old ones as archives. I have them for most of the US and half of Europe. I pre-order the WDW ones for Rain Man so he can have all the editions.

Here's Fanny! · #11 Post by **Here's Fanny!** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:27 am

Walt Disney wrote:Come on down anytime...... just make sure you bring plenty of cash and plastic!!!!!

One of these days, I'll even get Fanny and Beast to visit my personal little playland....

And you can put that in your Trapper Keeper and file it.

You know, so you'll have something else to regret not accomplishing other than not having a Moen faucet.

starfish1113 · #12 Post by **starfish1113** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 9:21 am

Well, I've never been there the week before Thanksgiving, but if it worked out that it was the only time I could get there, it wouldn't stop me. Of course, as mini said, you should go with a plan. Get familiar with what rides fill up quickly, what the fast pass system is, what rides are definites and which ones are nice to do's, and (if staying on site) when the Extra Morning and Extra Evening Hours are. It doesn't hurt to go with somebody who knows the parks inside and out. I think I'm available that week....

PlacentiaSoccerMom · #13 Post by **PlacentiaSoccerMom** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 9:33 am

I always thought that nobody went to Disneyland for Thanksgiving, but I was wrong. The park usually reaches capacity fairly early in the day because it's so crowded.

starfish1113 · #14 Post by **starfish1113** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 9:37 am

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:I always thought that nobody went to Disneyland for Thanksgiving, but I was wrong. The park usually reaches capacity fairly early in the day because it's so crowded.

Tracey and I will be at Disneyland on Saturday, October 18. I'm trying to if it makes sense to go to DCA on Sunday after the early NFL games. I really want to do Toy Story Mania, but if we have to go to only one park during our trip, it's gonna be DL.