Visit mid-november or the week after thanksgiving?

[krystaf]

Hi all! My husband and I are planning our second trip to Disney for next november. We are going for 7 days. We can't decide if we want to go the week of November 15 or the week beginning the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I know that yourfirstvisit.net recommends the week following Thanksgiving as the best week to go because crowds are supposed to be low and christmas events are all going on but I have been hearing that it has been getting more and more crowded that week. The only Christmas events that are must-have for us is Mickey's christmas party and the Osborne lights at HS. Does anyone have any experience with these weeks and which is the least crowded? Thank you!

 

[Magical Dreamer]

Go the full week before Thanksgiving week....it was the best tip I ever received......we went year after year and loved it.....past hurricane season, lowest rain totals of the year, low crowds, temp generally around 80, lower humidity. But best of all free dining is out every year. Unfortunately we needed to adjust to our daughters college schedule which is the only reason we now go in January.

 

[Tuvalu]

We visited November 16-22 this year. In past years, the parks were nearly empty during this week with all major attractions less than a 30 minute wait.

NOT so this year!! The parks were as busy as they are during the summer. Additionally, we had hoped to see the resorts decked out in their holiday finery...most were not . And while the parks were decorated, the special events at Epcot (Candlelight Processional, Holiday Storytellers, Illuminations special ending) don't begin until after Thanksgiving (which we knew, but that is something to keep in mind if you consider going that week.)

We have not been the week following Thanksgiving, but it seems recently there are no "slow" periods anymore (even September was busy when we visited this year.) Pick the week that's most convenient for you, be prepared for lots of people (if there's not, then it's a pleasant surprise!), plan ahead with ADRs and FP+ and you will enjoy your vacation .

 

[Tuvalu]

Go the full week before Thanksgiving week....it was the best tip I ever received......we went year after year and loved it.....past hurricane season, lowest rain totals of the year, low crowds, temp generally around 80, lower humidity. But best of all free dining is out every year. Unfortunately we needed to adjust to our daughters college schedule which is the only reason we now go in January.

Sadly, not the case this year . In addition to crowds, it was COLD!! And rain.

 

[JasonDeyoung]

Week before T'Giving is a great time to go. Any time of year has potential to be busy or a ghost town

 

[Club34]

i was in the world from 11/12-19 this year. i would agree that it was crowded as opposed to my normal time of going (january). however, it was spotty. there were times scattered throughout the day where i would approach a popular attraction and there would be little to no wait.

now, i had a 4 year layoff from going recently due to grad school, so this was my first experience with FP+. the rumor is that FP+ has changed the game so to speak. i waited at least 10-15 and up to 40 minutes for PotC. I have never experienced that in all my adult life (approximately 10+ trips). i really hate crowds and it only got to me a little bit. i am sure it could have been much much worse. i will say i went on fewer attractions due to my lack of patience. i also think FP+ is a negative. there were no FP availability that i could tell later in the day. i am noob with it so perhaps it was my ignorance in using it as a planning tool.

the weather is generally very pleasant. i caught the beginning of that cold/rain snap that was mentioned earlier. it sucked bad. but i wasn't too unfamiliar with that weather given where i'm from and that i usually go in january where the weather is a bit more up and down and unpredictable.

i think the bottom line is we all will need another year or 2 to see if this 'never a down time' thing becomes a trend. i will be turning around and going back again in 3 weeks. so it will be interesting to see what the crowds are like to compare [i know i'm a spoiled brat for 2 trips in 4 months- don't worry though i'm paying for it in more ways than one]. anyway, happy new year, disney addicts.

 

[krystaf]

i was in the world from 11/12-19 this year. i would agree that it was crowded as opposed to my normal time of going (january). however, it was spotty. there were times scattered throughout the day where i would approach a popular attraction and there would be little to no wait.

now, i had a 4 year layoff from going recently due to grad school, so this was my first experience with FP+. the rumor is that FP+ has changed the game so to speak. i waited at least 10-15 and up to 40 minutes for PotC. I have never experienced that in all my adult life (approximately 10+ trips). i really hate crowds and it only got to me a little bit. i am sure it could have been much much worse. i will say i went on fewer attractions due to my lack of patience. i also think FP+ is a negative. there were no FP availability that i could tell later in the day. i am noob with it so perhaps it was my ignorance in using it as a planning tool.

the weather is generally very pleasant. i caught the beginning of that cold/rain snap that was mentioned earlier. it sucked bad. but i wasn't too unfamiliar with that weather given where i'm from and that i usually go in january where the weather is a bit more up and down and unpredictable.

i think the bottom line is we all will need another year or 2 to see if this 'never a down time' thing becomes a trend. i will be turning around and going back again in 3 weeks. so it will be interesting to see what the crowds are like to compare [i know i'm a spoiled brat for 2 trips in 4 months- don't worry though i'm paying for it in more ways than one]. anyway, happy new year, disney addicts.

thank you for all the info. we were there in may of this year and i am a planning freak so everything with the fp+ worked out really well for us. as long as it isn't more crowded than it was in may i can handle it! i just don't want to give up free dining the earlier week for higher crowds the later week, if you know what i mean.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

I am giving you a heads up. I read on the News and Rumors board in October or November of 2014 that Osborne lights may not be up in 2015 holidays since DHS is going to have construction this year.

I recommend you keep on an eye online if the the Osborne Light running when you are going.

 

[krystaf]

I am giving you a heads up. I read on the News and Rumors board in October or November of 2014 that Osborne lights may not be up in 2015 holidays since DHS is going to have construction this year.

I recommend you keep on an eye online if the the Osborne Light running when you are going.

oh no!! okay - thank you for the heads up!

 

[wdwfan4ver]

I went the week after Thanksgiving in 2010 and is the only time I went for the decorations at Walt Disney. I had Cold nights at the parks most the 7 night in terms of record lows at night including being around 27 degrees for one of the nights. It is a good thing I packed warm cloths for night.

The Crowds were packed at the Magic Kingdom, but it was at lower capacity at the time. I had to leave Magic Kingdom very early for one of the days because of how insane the lines were. Magic Kingdom had Mickey's Toon Town Fair open, but not the area that is now for the Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid, and the Mine Train at the time I went.

Epcot was very crowded during the weekend that the Magic Kingdom had their Parade taping. AK was fine at the time.

My information on crowds of DHS may not be accurate since DHS has less attractions now than in 2010 and I'm not to share it although there was good sized crowds. When I went Backlot Tour was up, Idol was running, and the old Jack Sparrow Building had Journey into Narmia: Prince of Caspian open. Star Tours was down for replacing for Star Tours: the Adventure Continues. That is 2 less attractions running for Holiday season of 2014 compare to 2010.

The other thing with DHS is the rumors of more lands coming to DHS from online sites since Disney actually has plans of a DHS overhaul. Toy Story Land is a given and is why Backlot Tour is closed. There more is more than a Toy Story Land being added, but will other attractions being closed before 2016 for other land is something that I think no website is sure at this time such as Lights, Motor, Action!.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

I was there from Nov 10th - 24th and it was bad....Really bad...I was hoping it wasn't going to be...I was wrong..I found January to be way more convenient than this as I normally go that time and I can take the Tour groups instead. And I'm not going back around that time in November..What was really surprising tho was I took 2 days to go to Universal...And it was hardly no waits on anything it was amazing!

 

[DisneyDelirious]

We have arrived the Monday after Thanksgiving and found it to be very nice. Less crowds, less rain, considerably warmer than back home in IL. Our long trips are late May through mid June. But we have done MVMCP and parks in the late Nov/ early Dec. and really enjoyed it.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

We've been the week before Thanksgiving and a week after Thanksgiving. If your focus is holiday décor and festivities...going after Thanksgiving is key.

 

[Luvmydisney]

So glad I found this thread...our family is trying to save up for a 4 day trip after Thanksgiving. Does anyone know if the Sunday after Thanksgiving MVMCP would be extremely crowded? That would be our first full day there and would love to start the trip out with the party, but didn't know if crowds had thinned out by then.