Thanksgiving trip

[willtravel]

I am considering going to WDW Thanksgiving week (probably last time). In the park's Sunday thru Friday. Would I be better off to buy a tickets with a park hopper for that time or can I get by with just a base tickets? Will be going to all 4 parks and have not been at WDW at this time of year. Also Pop Century still has it's own bus service? Does not go to other WDW hotels?

 

[Jess G]

Personally I hardly ever get park hopper. I usually do full days at the parks sometimes with afternoon breaks. I would do 2 days Epcot 2 days MK, 1 day HS and 1 day AK. And yes POP has it's own bus service.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Are you sure you want to go when crowds are at their peak? Visiting the week before Thanksgiving week, or after, would cut the crowds (and your wait times) in half, FWIW.

As the PP said, though, if you go during that time you should have no trouble seeing and doing everything with base tickets rather than parkhoppers.

[Deleted; incorrect information]... you may wish to schedule your itinerary around parks with morning or evening EMH, as that will be your best chance of getting ahead of the hordes and enjoying headliners without a crazy-long wait (granted, my definition of "crazy-long" is "anything over 15 minutes," so YMMV...)

 

[Tuvalu]

A tip: whether or not you plan to attend MVVCP (a separate, hard-ticketed event), I would suggest making one of your MK days a "party day." The downside is that you'll have to be out of the park by 7pm, and if you don't have hoppers you'll need something else to finish out your evening (a dinner ADR at a monorail resort, perhaps, or Hoop-de-Doo at FW, or just a relaxing evening by the pool). The upside is that the MK crowds will have a sizeable dent in them on party days, because many standard ticketholders won't want to "waste" a ticket on the MK on a day when the hours are shortened.

There are no MVMCP parties during Thanksgiving week so @willtravel will not have to deal with shortened MK operating hours.

 

[Weather_Lady]

There are no MVMCP parties during Thanksgiving week so @willtravel will not have to deal with shortened MK operating hours.

Thanks!

 

[disneygirl76]

If you are looking at a 5 day ticket, then do you "need" a park hopper? No, I don't think so. However, if this may be your last trip for awhile, you might want to make the most of those Extra Magic Hours and late night park hours and in that case, I would recommend getting it this time. I used to always get the park hopper but for the past few visits, I have stuck to the base ticket because we just were not taking full advantage of that park hopper option. We went one week of Thanksgiving and the crowds were very manageable until about Wednesday afternoon and they started to get really busy. Have a great trip! It is a very festive time to go!

 

[willtravel]

Another question please. Actually two. I was at the Candlelight Processional in Dec. 1998. I vaguely remember it. The only thing I remember was sitting in the seats and the choir singing. But I was wondering if I don't buy a package will I still be able to hear the narrator and music if in the area?
Also will I be able to see the MK Christmas tree lit or the hotels decorated before Thanksgiving.

 

[Tuvalu]

Another question please. Actually two. I was at the Candlelight Processional in Dec. 1998. I vaguely remember it. The only thing I remember was sitting in the seats and the choir singing. But I was wondering if I don't buy a package will I still be able to hear the narrator and music if in the area?
Also will I be able to see the MK Christmas tree lit or the hotels decorated before Thanksgiving.

You don't have to buy a dining package to have a seat for the Candlelight Pricessional. There is a standby line as well. The package merely guarantees you a seat (not necessarily a good seat.) If, as a standby guest, you do not get a seat you can definitely hear the narrator and the music from the area around The American Adventure.

All the park Christmas trees will be illuminated by Thanksgiving week (last year the MK tree was up November 4th!) The resorts receive their decorations in rotations (schedule changes each year) with all completed by the Friday after Thanksgiving.

 

[MegRuss626]

Another question please. Actually two. I was at the Candlelight Processional in Dec. 1998. I vaguely remember it. The only thing I remember was sitting in the seats and the choir singing. But I was wondering if I don't buy a package will I still be able to hear the narrator and music if in the area?
Also will I be able to see the MK Christmas tree lit or the hotels decorated before Thanksgiving.

We were just there Thanksgiving 2015 so I can help a little! We were there the Thursday before Thanksgiving through Black Friday. Be prepared for some CROWDS the closer you get to Thanksgiving! Candlelight Processional did not start until the day after Thanksgiving. The trees were up in all of the parks. Magic Kigndom's (as I read for our trip) doesn't put theirs up until the taping of the Christmas parade which they filmed early last year. Therefore, it was up for our trip. The tree in our hotel (Pop Century) literally popped up overnight one evening! The decorations at the monorail resorts were up that week also.

 

[ninjaprincesst]

We go every year at Thanksgiving and I would not want to even think about it without park hoppers. We go for 9 days, and at the start of the trip I guess we would be ok without them, but the rest of the time we use them like crazy, there have been many times we have been at all four parks at some point all in the same day.

 

[willtravel]

Just wondering if someone could tell me how traffic is leaving and going back into WDW the week of Thanksgiving. We are planning to leave the park several time for food and just wondered if there would be any traffic problems? Thanks for help..... .

 

[BigRedDad]

I never buy the Park Hopper option. If the reason ever arises, I purchase it while on the trip. The decision to park hop for $200+ plays into that decision while there and makes you think if it is absolutely required. I have never had the need to park hop when it comes down to the price tag. I am perfectly fine going back to the same park, head to DS, visit the entertainment at other resorts. There are lots of things we can do with that $200.