Second Guessing Myself!

[wdwmomof3]

We are booked for the week of Thanksgiving from Sunday - Sunday. We normally always do a Friday- Sunday but this time we cant due to DD's cheer competition that Saturday. It's also going to be a longer drive for us to get there so we may not even arrive until lunch that Sunday. This is fine for DH. but the kids and I love having more time in the parks.

Now I am second guessing myself and thinking I should move the trip back to Spring break. We would have two, maybe three extra days if I push it. I'm still torn though because of the holiday things we will miss that we have never seen, but then there are the water parks that my kids want to try. My kids are fine either way, but I want this trip to be special and fun!

I'm going crazy here! Someone please tell me what to do!

 

[shmmrname]

I love trips over Thanksgiving. Before the holiday, crowds are very light, and after the holiday the Christmas decorations all start popping up. Plus, the weather tends to be very good for our needs. I would say you have two main issues: missing being home for the holiday and the extra bit of work it sounds like it will be because of schedule complications.
No one can really tell you for sure what to do about the emotions of missing your normal holiday routine. I've spent Thanksgiving in the parks, and it was awesome, but at the same time, I still had my wife and my sister and her husband to share it with. It's a mixed bag, it's great to be able to just relax and have fun. Usually Thanksgiving is a little stressful: bouncing between dinners/families, cooking/cleaning if hosting or bringing food and just the normal stress of having extended families stuck in one room for an extended period of time. But, you get all that warmth and family time too. If you're at Disney, you might miss that, but all the stresses shouldn't be there.
As far as the logistics, I'm of the mindset - if you can make it, it's worth it. Any of the hoops you'll go through with schedules and obstacles will be forgotten once you arrive. Plus, who's to say that life won't just get more complicated if you keep waiting for a better, easier time to go?

 

[DisneyDebNJ]

I love trips over Thanksgiving. Before the holiday, crowds are very light, and after the holiday the Christmas decorations all start popping up. Plus, the weather tends to be very good for our needs. I would say you have two main issues: missing being home for the holiday and the extra bit of work it sounds like it will be because of schedule complications.
No one can really tell you for sure what to do about the emotions of missing your normal holiday routine. I've spent Thanksgiving in the parks, and it was awesome, but at the same time, I still had my wife and my sister and her husband to share it with. It's a mixed bag, it's great to be able to just relax and have fun. Usually Thanksgiving is a little stressful: bouncing between dinners/families, cooking/cleaning if hosting or bringing food and just the normal stress of having extended families stuck in one room for an extended period of time. But, you get all that warmth and family time too. If you're at Disney, you might miss that, but all the stresses shouldn't be there.
As far as the logistics, I'm of the mindset - if you can make it, it's worth it. Any of the hoops you'll go through with schedules and obstacles will be forgotten once you arrive. Plus, who's to say that life won't just get more complicated if you keep waiting for a better, easier time to go?

I agree with this? However, we have done Thanksgiving a few times at Disney and LOVED it. From our experiences, the crowds, the week prior to Thanksgiving were fairly light, and Thanksgiving Day, was a madhouse at MK. We went, had dinner at (that time) a wonderful buffet w/characters at the Swan (or Dolphin, not sure) and during the day, stayed at the resort, and enjoyed the pools, and rode the sea racers. By evening, the crowds died down, but we decided to watch the fireworks from the Poly beach. It was an outstanding vacation The decorations are up for the holidays and it really does put you in a holiday mood.

 

[shmmrname]

I agree with this? However, we have done Thanksgiving a few times at Disney and LOVED it. From our experiences, the crowds, the week prior to Thanksgiving were fairly light, and Thanksgiving Day, was a madhouse at MK. We went, had dinner at (that time) a wonderful buffet w/characters at the Swan (or Dolphin, not sure) and during the day, stayed at the resort, and enjoyed the pools, and rode the sea racers. By evening, the crowds died down, but we decided to watch the fireworks from the Poly beach. It was an outstanding vacation The decorations are up for the holidays and it really does put you in a holiday mood.

We did our Thanksgiving dinner at the Crystal Palace. It was very cool, and it was just enough of something 'extra' to let us feel like we were still celebrating the holiday. For us, I don't think crowds were overly crazy Thanksgiving or the days following, it's more that crowds were so light before it that we had gotten spoiled. During the holidays, they often extend park hours - so even with heavy crowds, it's super-easy to still get everything you want to do in.
In fact, I would say that's another major deciding factor for us. We park-hop and during times like Thanksgiving the Magic Kingdom can be open until midnight nearly every day. So, we end up having an hour or more nightcap in the park every night. By the end of our week, it feels almost like the best time we spent in the parks was always 9-10 pm and later. All the parks are great in the day, but for some reason I love them much more during the night. Nothing beats getting to say 'goodnight' to the castle every night of your WDW vacation.

 

[disneygirl76]

We loved going at Thanksgiving. We had Thanksgiving dinner at 1900 Park Fare. Everything was all ready for Christmas so it was a great way to kick off the holidays. The parks were nearly dead until the Wednesday afternoon before Thanksgiving. After that, it got busy but for the first part of the week, we just walked on rides. It was awesome. I wanted to do dinner at Liberty Tree b/c it was the last year with characters but by the time I called for an ADR - 5 minutes after the phone lines opened - the ADR's were all booked. So we didn't get a chance to do that but we still had an amazing dinner and a great time!

 

[wdwmomof3]

Thank you all!! I am still on the fence. I'm really feeling guilty about leaving my family for the holidays since we are such a small family in the first place and there is no way for everyone to go. DH has said to wait and go later so I am sure that's what we will end up doing, but I just dont know yet. Thanks again for your help.

 

[sgtmgd]

Thank you all!! I am still on the fence. I'm really feeling guilty about leaving my family for the holidays since we are such a small family in the first place and there is no way for everyone to go. DH has said to wait and go later so I am sure that's what we will end up doing, but I just dont know yet. Thanks again for your help.

If you have never expierenced the Osborne lights and if they are up during your trip..then Id reccomend going...Disney has a different feel over the holidays...somehthing every Disney patron should expierence at least once

 

[Mr.Skunkape]

With the Christmas decor up in the parks and resorts it is my favorite season to visit.Nothing like the christmas feeling you get at WDW.