Help me understand WDW during Thanksgiving..................

[dkrauss]

My wife and I just returned from a wonderful vacation to the Animal Kingdom Lodge during Jersey week. I must admit it was more crowded than what we usually see because we normally visit during off-peek times.

Due to circumstances, we're considering a Thanksgiving trip in 2017. I must say this scares me..........during our recent trip we did have MK and EP days that reached a 10. I don't know if I could handle all 4 parks at a 10 for multiple consecutive days

For those who've made this trip before............We live in NJ so I know the Wednesday before Thanksgiving would not be the day to travel..................is Thanksgiving morning the best choice to fly in?

What are the crowds like for that 4 day stretch? Will we have trouble getting ADR's? I imagine the resort pricing will be up............we're AP holders so tickets are not an issue.

What am I missing?

HELP! I don't want to do this...........but I promised my wife I'd look into it.

Doug

 

[Klayfish]

Sorry to hear you live in NJ... Just kidding, I was raised in the Philly area, my hometown borders the Delaware River into Trenton.

I don't look at crowd calendars, so I can't compare it to a 7 or a 9 or whatever. Also, don't eat in WDW restaurants, so no help there either. But we have spent a lot of time in WDW over the years, especially last year as we had APs. We were there for last Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving Day in MK is really, really crowded. If you plan to be in that park on that day, go early and be prepared for a huge crowd. But honestly, the rest of the parks and the other days of the weekend we didn't find them to horrible. Busy? Unquestionably. More busy than on a normal summer day. It was comparable to 4th of July weekend but not as bad as Christmas. We still got FP+ and did other rides in the standby queue without waiting 45 minutes. Get to the parks early, hit rides that the lines will get long early, then use FP+. Personally, I'd suggest giving it a shot. We already have plans to be there again for Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2017. We had a wonderful time!!! It was a very festive atmosphere, our kids were excited, we were excited. The bigger crowds really didn't bother us.

 

[dkrauss]

Sorry to hear you live in NJ... Just kidding, I was raised in the Philly area, my hometown borders the Delaware River into Trenton.

Thanks.

I bet your an Eagles fan too It was so much fun being in the parks with my Phil Simm's jersey on during the Giant/Eagle game last week

Doug

 

[AngiTN]

1. What are the crowds like for that 4 day stretch?
2. Will we have trouble getting ADR's?
3. I imagine the resort pricing will be up............we're AP holders so tickets are not an issue.

1 Thanksgiving Day through Saturday are 10's. Sunday things drop a bit
2 No, try right now for next week. There are numerous ADR out there.
3 Yes, typically Tuesday through Saturday of Thanksgiving week are full price, no resort discounts

 

[dkrauss]

3 Yes, typically Tuesday through Saturday of Thanksgiving week are full price, no resort discounts

I would imagine that would include AP Room discounts too?

Doug

 

[AngiTN]

I would imagine that would include AP Room discounts too?

Doug

Yes. We are AP. Paying full price next week, except for Sunday and Monday. You can see the current promo on the website and it shows the dates that are excluded

ETA - here's the dates on the current AP offer that covers till the end of the year
Offer is valid for stays most nights from November 6 through November 10, November 13 through November 22 and November 26 through December 23, 2016.

 

[RMaas1]

My family and I went down last year. Flew in from Baltimore Thanksgiving morning. We did Hollywood on black Friday, MK on Saturday, AK during the day on Sunday and MVMCP on Sunday night. I was expecting it to be very crowded, it very well could have been in other people's opinions, but I didn't think it was that bad at all.

 

[dkrauss]

Yes. We are AP. Paying full price next week, except for Sunday and Monday. You can see the current promo on the website and it shows the dates that are excluded

ETA - here's the dates on the current AP offer that covers till the end of the year
Offer is valid for stays most nights from November 6 through November 10, November 13 through November 22 and November 26 through December 23, 2016.

Just got our AP cards last week ...............still learning the ropes

Doug

 

[Klayfish]

Thanks.

I bet your an Eagles fan too It was so much fun being in the parks with my Phil Simm's jersey on during the Giant/Eagle game last week

Doug

Yes. The Eagles are the most frustrating 5-4 team I've seen. Every game they've lost, they could have or really should have won. They could very easily be 7-2 right now, they just need to learn to put it all together. But the future looks bright.

If you're an AP holder, you've got to make an effort to come for the holidays. You've already spent the coin to get the passes, make the most of it and see WDW at the holidays. I lived in PA for over 40 years. Moved to Georgia a few years back, so we're now driving distance (8 hours) from WDW. When we bought an AP last summer, it was a certainty that we'd go for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Didn't care what the crowd was going to be, I had always wanted to see WDW at the holidays. Our APs expired in July and we didn't renew. But we're getting new ones in June and I can't wait for next holiday season. Do it!!!! It's awesome!

 

[Nancyg56]

I think Thanksgiving Day thru Sunday are crowded. You can still have fin, just have a plan, get to the park EARLY, choose your FP well.

AS to ADR's, there is always availability somewhere, but whether those locations and times are convenient for your family, only you know. I always suggest that if you know that you want to eat at specific restaurants at specific times, it is best to book them as soon as your window opens up. You can cancel if you decide you do not want them after all.

 

[Klayfish]

You can still have fin,

You've been spending too much time watching Nemo...

 

[MouseTeens]

1 Thanksgiving Day through Saturday are 10's. Sunday things drop a bit
2 No, try right now for next week. There are numerous ADR out there.
3 Yes, typically Tuesday through Saturday of Thanksgiving week are full price, no resort discounts

Having travelled to WDW many times during Thanksgiving Week and having worked in the MK over Christmas, I can say there are no 10's around Thanksgiving unless you want to call the Christmas crowds 15s. Thanksgiving is very manageable. Christmas is insanity.

 

[AngiTN]

Having travelled to WDW many times during Thanksgiving Week and having worked in the MK over Christmas, I can say there are no 10's around Thanksgiving unless you want to call the Christmas crowds 15s. Thanksgiving is very manageable. Christmas is insanity.

I'm reporting what the crowd calendars say. Most actually do consider Christmas 10+, if truth be told. They stop at 10 but crowds at Christmas exceed that.
Even Christmas is manageable. At least we managed.

 

[chocolateavocado]

We went for Thanksgiving last year and had so much fun. We are from northeast PA and flew in on Wednesday; stayed for 6 nights. It was only our 2nd trip to WDW, so I'm not really a good judge on what is considered super busy, but we didn't think it was bad at all. We spent Thanksgiving in MK, had early dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern and then back to our resort. Later that night we went to DHS, I believe. MK didn't seem to bad until around noon or so, crowds started to really pick up but we still had fun. We have to plan vacations around ds's school schedule, so We're going back for Thanksgiving 2017 & can't wait!

 

[SaintsManiac]

I really think crowds are subjective sometimes. I saw people on here complaining about insane crowds the same weekend Josh (EasyWDW) was posting pictures of an empty MK at noon.

We will be in the world Friday-Black Friday next year. Just going to make a solid outline and roll with it.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

My family has gone many times during Thanksgiving week in the past and my parents will be heading there next week this year as well.
We don't find it to be terribly crowded at all.

I'm guessing it was so crowded during last week not only due to NJ week but also because of Veterans Day, Xmas Day parade taping, beginning of the xmas season, and the end of food and wine festival.

 

[CynBeth]

We have been several times for Thanksgiving Week from the Fri before to the Sunday after and haven't found it too bad. The storytellers and CP begin on Black Friday. There is no MVMCP that week. The last one is the Fri before and then not until the Sun after.

 

[Maddysdaddy]

In the Thanksgiving theme, my analogy is to the glistening, golden brown turkey that many people will have for dinner that night. Now imagine that the turkey is WDW and you're one of the breadcrumbs that makes up the stuffing that gets jammed into the bird before it goes into the oven...

(and for all the food safety experts, yes, I know that to minimize the risk of e coli, the experts recommend that stuffing not be cooked inside the bird)