Confused @ Thanksgiving?

[SCbelle]

Ok, we are going Nov.23-28 this year with 3-day hoppers. Planning on leaving Thanksgiving day free with dinner maybe at Boma or the Luau if possible.

My confusion is this, here on intercot, this time frame seems to be listed as the second best time to go (we will be in the parks on Mon-Wed to avoid the worst crowds). But in these discussions, people say it is quite busy then. On the other hand I just talked to a friend of mine today who has been over this holiday and said it was just fine with less crowds.

What is the story??? We cannot go at another time so I just want to be prepared.

Thanks!!

[faline]

The earlier part of the week can be quite manageable. Crowds build as the week goes along. Thursday through Sunday is quite crowded and crowds dip again at the beginning of the next week.

[Jasper]

Linda hit it exactly on the head. We have often done the week before Thanksgiving routine and have seen the same thing with the growing crowd size as the week goes on. I would definitely suggest that you do the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom earlier in the week and save Epcot and the Studios for later in the week. While the crowds are certainly getting up there by Wednesday since Epcot and the Studios have more wide open spaces the crowds are easier to handle at those parks. It seems EVERYONE wants to be in the Magic Kingdom from Thanksgiving Day through the following Sunday and Animal Kingdom just has unbearably narrow walkways for large crowds.

[SFTrny]

We've done Thanksgiving once before and are going again this year. The weekend before, the parks not crowded at all. We didn't feel stressed until Thanksgiving day. Wednesday and Friday are crowded as well....but...that is the time that we set aside for other things. The one day we were in AK and couldn't find a place to eat lunch that wasn't swamped. So...we left the park and went resort exploring! We had lunch at Port Orleans Riverside and it was DESERTED! Then we rented a boat and spent the afternoon touring the river resorts from the water. It was fantastic! We went back to the parks later that night when the crowds had died down.

[heidi614]

I think it is hit or miss. We've gone the weekend and the Mon-Wed before and it's usually fine. A little more crowded than Feb trips. But a great time to go. Good Decision.