WWYD, go before or after Thanksgiving?

wdwmomof3

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Reminder that Pop Warner will be there the 4th - 12th


I heard about that but I heard that they didn't effect the parks that much, just mainly the resorts. I also heard that they were really bad at POR this past time, and that's where we had planned to stay due to five in our family. It just stinks, because this would be a great week to go & the week that I had chosen first. :brick:

This is why I need your help. :)
 
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Lisalyn

Well-Known Member
I always go the week of Thanksgiving. Is it busy? Yes. But it's all how you plan your days.

Besides where else can you go where you get Thanksgiving ambiance....Christmas Holiday ambiance AND snow all in one week! :xmas:
 
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wdwmomof3

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I always go the week of Thanksgiving. Is it busy? Yes. But it's all how you plan your days.

Besides where else can you go where you get Thanksgiving ambiance....Christmas Holiday ambiance AND snow all in one week! :xmas:

That is so very true, plus my kids would only miss two or three days of school over missing five or six. That's a big factor, but I don't want to deal with major crowds. From what I have read the days leading up to Tday are fine but that Thursday thru the weekend would be busy. Does this sound about right? I guess we would have to rush rush the first part of the trip & take it all in the last part.
 
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Lisalyn

Well-Known Member
That is so very true, plus my kids would only miss two or three days of school over missing five or six. That's a big factor, but I don't want to deal with major crowds. From what I have read the days leading up to Tday are fine but that Thursday thru the weekend would be busy. Does this sound about right? I guess we would have to rush rush the first part of the trip & take it all in the last part.

Yep that is pretty dead on. BUT like I said...it's all in how you plan your days! Sunday through Wednesday evening aren't bad at all. Come Thanksgiving day....TDay itself isn't too bad if you go to a park besides Magic Kingdom. Friday was slammed but I don't care (lol) Osborne Lights at Disney Hollywood Studios all the way!

Good luck with your trip if you decide to go Thanksgiving week. We are getting ready for the 3rd annual Mom/Daughter trip LOL :)
 
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harveyt0206

Well-Known Member
I went the week before Thanksgiving two years in a row. We would leave the Friday before Thanksgiving and the parks were pretty dead until the day before Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving day on was crowded but we always left the Friday after Thanksgiving, so it didn't interfere with our fun too much. Whatever you decide, have a great trip.
 
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Wendy517

Well-Known Member
I went the week before Thanksgiving two years in a row. We would leave the Friday before Thanksgiving and the parks were pretty dead until the day before Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving day on was crowded but we always left the Friday after Thanksgiving, so it didn't interfere with our fun too much. Whatever you decide, have a great trip.

Do they have the decorations up? We're planning a trip 11-13 to 11-20 and were hoping to at least see the Osborne Lights.
 
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erstwo

Well-Known Member
We were there on the 20th this year and most of the decorations were up. The Osborne lights were up.

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party starts sometime in mid - November, so the Magic Kingdom is pretty much 100% decorated by then.

To the OP - I'm watching this thread very carefully. I've booked my entire family (based on my recommendation :eek:) for the 4-12 this year. Now, I'm all worried about Pop Warner and wondering if I should switch back to the 27th - 5.

One thing to consider (and the reason I decided against the 27th - 5th) is that the 27th will NOT be a discounted night. I think it's almost 100% sure that Disney will at least offer a room discount for the 28th - 5th. This would have meant we would have had to make 2 package reservations - one for the non discounted night (27th) and one for the discounted nights (28th - 5th). It would have messed up our DDP and ticket prices, etc.
 
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wdwmomof3

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We were there on the 20th this year and most of the decorations were up. The Osborne lights were up.

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party starts sometime in mid - November, so the Magic Kingdom is pretty much 100% decorated by then.

To the OP - I'm watching this thread very carefully. I've booked my entire family (based on my recommendation :eek:) for the 4-12 this year. Now, I'm all worried about Pop Warner and wondering if I should switch back to the 27th - 5.


This is my concern because I have also planned all along to go that week, for the exact dates. I did read that the kids were not bad in the parks, only at the resorts. They had a lot of complaints at POR, which is where we will be staying, unless I book off site. :)eek:) lol So, it's a wait & see right now but I am wanting to book it next month so that I can start paying on it sooner. Hopefully we will get somemore post about it. :)
 
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marcriss

Member
We were there the 5th -15th (December) this year and aside from the weekends it wasn't that crowded. We did have a little annoyance from Cheerleading and Brazillian groups but not too many (we weren't staying where they were, though). We're booked the 4th-14th for this year. We went before Thanksgiving a couple of years ago and not all of the decorations were up yet. (LoW was up but not turned on yet, which was sad, but better than this year:fork:)

First week in December is generally a good time, but I'd avoid whatever hotel the Pop kids will be at, unless you like endless cheering and squealing...
 
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RiversideBunny

New Member
We went the week after Thanksgiving in 2008.
It was more crowded than I thought it would be but not because of Pop Warner- just crowds.
Pop Warner people did not arrive until the following week. (BTW I have found them to be nice folks but there are a Lot of them.)

We stayed at POR (of course) and did not have any problem with cheer leaders, etc.
One morning several girl dance groups assembled out front of POR. They were there to participate in the filming of the Christmas parade, which is filmed in early December. Well mannered groups.

Air fares and flight reservations can be a concern if travelling to WDW at the same time that many other folks are going home from Thanksgiving trips. We actually arrived on Monday to avoid the heavy weekend bookings.

Good luck.
:cool:
 
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ClemsonTigger

Naturally Grumpy
Overall I think any of those choices would be good. Each has some pro's and cons.

Thanksgiving week - OK to start but does build up to the long weekend.
Week after - weekend is busy to start, but it thins considerably over the week.
Although not official, taping of Christmas parade will probably be Dec. 3&4 (would only affect MK visit)
Pop Warner is probably the week of the 6th which doesn't affect the parks much...occasional hassles on some busses and at some resorts
 
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disneygirl1

Well-Known Member
We will hopefully be there Dec 3-12!!! I was there the same week in 2008, which happened to be Pop Warner week and didn't find it to be all that bad??? We stayed at Coronado
 
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harveyt0206

Well-Known Member
Do they have the decorations up? We're planning a trip 11-13 to 11-20 and were hoping to at least see the Osborne Lights.

They don't typically have all the decorations up, but a good majority were up during our trips. Enough that I certainly didn't feel like I was missing out on anything.
 
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Disney05

Well-Known Member
This is good, but if you don't mind me asking, what did you email them about? :)
Just expressed my concern about all the complaints I've been reading about with them on property. And that we were planning our first December trip this year and was not sure about it do to all the negative things we've heard. Wondered if Disney knew about these complaints. Things like that.
 
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