Thanksgiving weekend crowds

[wdwnutz]

I need some help deciding when to go to WDW this year. We usually leave on a Sun (first AM flight) and come home Sat (last PM flight) so we get the most of each day. But thing is we are exhausted all day Sun and each long day it just catches up to us staying up late and getting up early each morning. I'm thinking about leaving Sat (around noon) of Thanksgiving weekend but am really worried about the holiday crowds. Or should we just head down the following weekend? Our family can't stand the parks when they are so crowded and we really want to go to see the Xmas decorations this year.

[Strmchsr]

If crowds are really an issue I would recommend the 2nd week of December. Thanksgiving weekend is very crowded and the week after Thanksgiving has become a lot more popular. The first week of December is Pop Warner, but the 2nd week you catch a break before the big Christmas crowds hit and crowds seem pretty low.

[wdwnutz]

Thanks, very helpful! Can I also ask what is Pop Warner?

[MarkC]

Pop Warner is a youth football league and they have their national tourney at Disney at this time. The good part is that a lot of the time those youths are playing games, but it does still add to the crowd level in the parks.

I will add that if you are not a veteran of Disney and do not like crowds, you should listen to Stormchaser-- it is very crowded at Thanksgiving and if you are not sure how to attack the parks with a plan, it can be very overwhelming. I would go in December if at all possible. I have a lot of people ask me advice on Disney trips, and my number one response is always when you go matters the most. Good luck. Mark

[Strmchsr]

Pop Warner is a youth football league and they have their national tourney at Disney at this time. The good part is that a lot of the time those youths are playing games, but it does still add to the crowd level in the parks.

Not just the parks, but the value resorts, especially (and even a couple of the moderates) are swamped with teams and their families. It's a much bigger impact on the resorts than the parks, but it can still make for an uncomfortable time at the resort if you're not used to be around that many kids who are overhyped on excitement.

[BluewaterBrad]

We used to go a lot the day after Thanksgiving, and the weekend. It was usually pretty busy, but not as bad as X mas week. I dont know about Thanksgiving day though. If you really hate crowds then you should go the week after.:mickey:

[jonahbear2006]

we have plans for nov 28th- dec 5th. is this the busy week or the week after that is NOT busy. you say 2nd week in dec? there is still a campsite available on their online site for dec 11-18th. Should I go then instead????

[Strmchsr]

The week after Thanksgiving is not hugely crowded, but it is much busier than it used to be because it used to be that week was not busy at all and all the guidebooks have promoted it as being one of the least busy weeks of the year (not in about 5-6 years). The biggest thing you'll have to deal with is the Christmas morning parade is usually taped that first weekend in December and MK is INSANE on that Saturday and Sunday (should be Dec 4-5 this year).

So, Nov 28-29 will be insanely crowded with the Thanksgiving crowds, then Magic Kingdom will be insanely crowded on Dec 4-5 with the parade taping. The other days will not be too bad, but if you're looking for lower crowds (low crowds don't exist in December anymore) then I think Dec 11-18 would be better.

[jonahbear2006]

Done. We are now going Dec 11-18th. whoo hooo. What would I do without you wonderful people on here? *sigh* I feel much better now and the price wasn't any different either, so hopefully it isn't as busy.

[Strmchsr]

The biggest thing you'll have to deal with is the Christmas morning parade is usually taped that first weekend in December and MK is INSANE on that Saturday and Sunday (should be Dec 4-5 this year).

That should read Friday through Sunday. They usually tape the music acts in front of the castle on Friday, shoot the parade sequences on Saturday then Sunday is a "rain out" day if they have to reshoot anything from the previous days.