Why was the week after Thanksgiving so Crowded?

[Konacha]

I just got back this Sunday after a 2 week trip to Walt Disney World. It was during the Thanksgiving Holiday and the week afterwords. I expected the week during Thanksgiving (Wednesday to Saturday) to be very heavy, so we went and did offsite and low crowd stuff (Sea World, mini-golf, ect.) during those days.

However, Tuesday my family went to the Magic Kingdom, 80 Minute wait for most of the rides like Space Mountain... I was semi-surpised as I thought most of the people come a day later on... however, I wasn't THAT surpised at that...

The next week when most of the crowds were suppose to leave... it was still crowded at least to what I thought. 70 minute wait for Soarin'. 30 minute wait for Space Mountain... long lines for food. I was told by friends, readings, ect. that the week after thanksgiving was suppose to be dead. Nobody is there anymore and nothing is going on... It was more crowded this time then when I went in the middle of October last year.

However, I must note something... before last year trip none of my family had been to Disney World in over 17 years. Back then during non peek hours it was dead... I have pictures of maybe 3 groups of people down main street in the magic kingdom (some before even Epcot was open before I was born). So I'm just wondering then...

Was the park alot more crowded then normal this year at that time or is it always like that. Is it just that back 17 years ago there wasn't alot of stuff and so there was no real crowds?

 

[Monty]

There are no real "down times" any more. Seems even the quietest weeks are pretty busy. Some periods are slower than others...

 

[Master Yoda]

I just got back this Sunday after a 2 week trip to Walt Disney World. It was during the Thanksgiving Holiday and the week afterwords. I expected the week during Thanksgiving (Wednesday to Saturday) to be very heavy, so we went and did offsite and low crowd stuff (Sea World, mini-golf, ect.) during those days.

However, Tuesday my family went to the Magic Kingdom, 80 Minute wait for most of the rides like Space Mountain... I was semi-surpised as I thought most of the people come a day later on... however, I wasn't THAT surpised at that...

The next week when most of the crowds were suppose to leave... it was still crowded at least to what I thought. 70 minute wait for Soarin'. 30 minute wait for Space Mountain... long lines for food. I was told by friends, readings, ect. that the week after thanksgiving was suppose to be dead. Nobody is there anymore and nothing is going on... It was more crowded this time then when I went in the middle of October last year.

However, I must note something... before last year trip none of my family had been to Disney World in over 17 years. Back then during non peek hours it was dead... I have pictures of maybe 3 groups of people down main street in the magic kingdom (some before even Epcot was open before I was born). So I'm just wondering then...

Was the park alot more crowded then normal this year at that time or is it always like that. Is it just that back 17 years ago there wasn't alot of stuff and so there was no real crowds?

That is the slow time. Thanksgiving day there were wait times for Soarin reported has high as 190 minutes.

As said before there are no longer dead times. Attendance at WDW parks is past where it was pre 9/11. There are peaks like Thanksgiving and Christmas but the valleys have all filled in.

 

[Konacha]

Wow... I had a feeling that was the case when talking with my family. After all I was about 7 or so before last year and then I remember the parks being pretty dead.

I guess I was "spoiled" when I was younger... there is just so much going on in WDW now and that I didn't really notice that it was always like that... kind of a shock to me that how people kept saying that it was dead times really mean that it was like that to them. 17 Years is a long time to stay away from Walt Disney World.

 

[DisneySaint]

Actually Soarin' wait peaked at 210 mins during Thanksgiving week. The week after, well, many parents have the same idea as everyone else - to go the week AFTER. Late last week it slowed down, though.

 

[GrowFamily]

I don't remember what day it was, but Regis and Whats-her-face were taping a Christmas episode at the Magic Kingdom. That made things an absolute nightmare on that day (Saturday the 2nd of December).

We spent time at all the parks that week and stood in line for no more than 10 minutes at any given attraction. It was great!!!

 

[DisneySaint]

Yeah I was in that nightmare too on the 2nd. Actually managed to blitz through major things with some strategic planning.

 

[Sooner96]

My family was there last year the 3-10 of December and it was more crowded than I thought it was going to be. There were a bunch of Pop Warner Cheerleader and Football Groups there.

 

[goofysgirl80]

I have gone to Disney twice during the summer, in the second week of August and I have not waited longer than 30 minutes for a ride. And I only had to wait that long like two times and for semi-popular rides, like Astro-Orbiter. I didn't wait long for the super popular rides because I got the Fastpass. But I am surprised that the week after Thanksgiving was so busy the guidebook says that that week is least crowded and most festive. Humm. God bless

 

[Chevross]

My guess would be because it would be between the holidays. Stressed families trying to escape what happened over TG and people who are getting early Christmas presents.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Disney has done an excellent job of identifying the "slow" times and marketing them to groups (pop warner, cheerleaders, WDW Marathon, StarWars weekends, etc). They have also created the additional ticket events that help to draw people in as well since for an additional fee, you almost gain an extra day in the park.

I think this is one reason you are seeing the Wester Way retail development. More people need more to do in the evenings, and on their "off day/days" from the parks. On our last trip (Jan 6-17) Downtown Disney in the evening was jam packed.

 

[Chevross]

We usually go for a week and have at least two or three of those days as rain days at Downtown. Mostly going to the theater and DisneyQuest. If it is a gentle rain we will stay at the park we are at.