Thanksgiving week is going to be packed

[JakeAZ]

Park passes are pretty much gone
Hotels / DVC are sold out
ADRs are non existent

Yet the hours remain untouched.

It is so frustrating how they just drag their feet on the hours.

 

[cgattis]

Honestly I’m hoping the openings stay the same. With the new system, I think rope drop is as important as ever, and I was hoping to actually NOT have to get up at the crack of dawn every day!!! I know my family would enjoy that more and I’m really wanting this to be a good trip for everyone as it’s likely our last as a family for quite a while (with both kids in college now).

 

[Chuck S]

Yep, I booked my DVC rooms at 11 months, made the park reservations months ago, and ADR as soon as I was able. Group of 11 going. I've never been during a holiday time period. Is it always packed for Thanksgiving? I usually travel in Early June and Early December or Early February.

 

[JakeAZ]

Honestly I’m hoping the openings stay the same. With the new system, I think rope drop is as important as ever, and I was hoping to actually NOT have to get up at the crack of dawn every day!!! I know my family would enjoy that more and I’m really wanting this to be a good trip for everyone as it’s likely our last as a family for quite a while (with both kids in college now).

I'm not looking for them to open earlier. I want them to stay open longer.

Currently, MK is set to close at 9pm every day that week (aside from the Tuesday at 8pm for the Xmas party).

 

[JakeAZ]

Yep, I booked my DVC rooms at 11 months, made the park reservations months ago, and ADR as soon as I was able. Group of 11 going. I've never been during a holiday time period. Is it always packed for Thanksgiving? I usually travel in Early June and Early December or Early February.

I think this Thanksgiving will be more on the crowded side to due to hotel / restaurant capacity / staff issues AND people (like us) rescheduling to that week from 2020.

 

[CynBeth]

I will be there as well barring anything unexpected happening. We have taken about 4 or 5 Thanksgiving trips and has been crowded but manageable. Always have an amazing time.

 

[cgattis]

I'm not looking for them to open earlier. I want them to stay open longer.

Currently, MK is set to close at 9pm every day that week (aside from the Tuesday at 8pm for the Xmas party).

Well then, you have my blessing!! LOL Don’t forget the couple of nights of extra hours. (But there’s no Xmas party Thanksgiving week. Make sure you’re looking at the right dates for your trip.) I’m not even sure we can make it until 9:45 for Harmonius….if you see some lady watching it in her PJs, that may be me!

 

[JakeAZ]

Well then, you have my blessing!! LOL Don’t forget the couple of nights of extra hours. (But there’s no Xmas party Thanksgiving week. Make sure you’re looking at the right dates for your trip.) I’m not even sure we can make it until 9:45 for Harmonius….if you see some lady watching it in her PJs, that may be me!

There is a Christmas party on Nov 23rd (Tuesday before Thanksgiving).

Ya, the extra hours will be nice, but MK needs to be open, at minimum until 10pm, but more likely 11pm to accommodate the expected crowds. HS should be 10pm instead of 9pm too.

 

[cgattis]

There is a Christmas party on Nov 23rd (Tuesday before Thanksgiving).

Ya, the extra hours will be nice, but MK needs to be open, at minimum until 10pm, but more likely 11pm to accommodate the expected crowds. HS should be 10pm instead of 9pm too.

Wow, I totally missed there’s a party that day. That’s the first time since at least 2008 that there’s been a Christmas party during Thanksgiving week. I would’ve loved that in the past (when they were still worth the cost). And I do totally agree about the night hours. Spread out the crowds between the rope droppers and the goodnight kissers.

 

[JakeAZ]

I would’ve loved that in the past (when they were still worth the cost).

Ya, I considered it for about 10 seconds (then I saw the price). Almost $1000 for a family of 4...hard pass.

 

[disneyseniors]

Yep, I booked my DVC rooms at 11 months, made the park reservations months ago, and ADR as soon as I was able. Group of 11 going. I've never been during a holiday time period. Is it always packed for Thanksgiving? I usually travel in Early June and Early December or Early February.

I don't know about staying over Thanksgiving. But, we stayed the week before one time on up to the day before Thanksgiving. The first part of our stay was great, as far as crowds go. As it got closer to Thanksgiving the crowds started to arrive. We left 2 days before, and it was getting unbearable with long lines. My daughter stayed to the day before and said it was crazy and she wished she had left earlier.
Now this was all before covid, but I think Thanksgiving and Christmas have always been crowded. Maybe genie and LL will help with this. But we don't like crowds at all and usually go when it was "slow" season, so maybe my judgement is skewed by that. At least you will be at disney, and that's great in my book

 

[RoseGold]

Park passes are pretty much gone
Hotels / DVC are sold out
ADRs are non existent

This was all true when I went midweek before Halloween, except the park pass part. The ADRs and hotels are so competitive, even without thanksgiving in the mix!

 

[Lsyves]

We used to do Thanksgiving there in the 80s because my mom didn't want to cook or see family No one was ever there! Times have changed...

 

[rangerxenos]

Hoping everyone leaves by Sunday, I come in the Monday after Thanksgiving!

 

[Chuck S]

We used to do Thanksgiving there in the 80s because my mom didn't want to cook or see family No one was ever there! Times have changed...

Yes, I grew up in California, and Disneyland became our Thanksgiving tradition for several years. Not too crowded, and the first year we went, the Bleu Bayou had a full Thanksgiving meal for less than $5.

 

[Lsyves]

Yes, I grew up in California, and Disneyland became our Thanksgiving tradition for several years. Not too crowded, and the first year we went, the Bleu Bayou had a full Thanksgiving meal for less than $5.

We always ate Thanksgiving Dinner at the Polynesian. My mom and I would have the turkey dinner and my dad and bro would have burgers. Everyone was happy!

 

[Delirium]

We went Thanksgiving week in 2018. It was a great trip. The only line we waited more than 30 minutes in was to see Mickey on Main Street. And, we never used more than 3 or 4 fastpasses per day. If I recall correctly, I think the only attraction we missed across all 4 parks was the Nemo show at Animal Kingdom (we were there for 8 days, Saturday to Saturday).

I did an enormous amount of advance planning to have is in the right spot in the right park at the right time to beat the crowds. But, that was the beauty of FP+. It provided the opportunity to secure the major attractions 60 days in advance, and allowed us to fill in the gaps between fastpass attractions in a .logical manner. Genie+ does not allow for advance planning and is going to have people criss-crossing the park for no logical reason. As a result, I think all the busy weeks are going to be painful to experience until some adjustments are made.

 

[RoseGold]

Genie+ does not allow for advance planning and is going to have people criss-crossing the park for no logical reason. As a result, I think all the busy weeks are going to be painful to experience until some adjustments are made.

We were constantly crisscrossing. G+ actually suggests you go to close things, like Lightning McQueen or the Beauty and the Beast show, but we obviously aren't doing that when we paid for G+. You have to keep scrolling down, and you have to know what is worth booking. We were at over 12 miles every day with G+ on the Fitbit. I hadn't really thought about it that way, but yes, it was a lot of crisscross.

For less experienced users, Genie will make you build a droid or ride barnstormer. Maybe that will help the crowd?

 

[gharter]

When our kids were younger, we did Thanksgiving week and it was variable. Some years, really crowded and some years, not so much.
As they say, plan for the worst, hop for the best.

 

[Delirium]

We were constantly crisscrossing. G+ actually suggests you go to close things, like Lightning McQueen or the Beauty and the Beast show, but we obviously aren't doing that when we paid for G+. You have to keep scrolling down, and you have to know what is worth booking. We were at over 12 miles every day with G+ on the Fitbit. I hadn't really thought about it that way, but yes, it was a lot of crisscross.

For less experienced users, Genie will make you build a droid or ride barnstormer. Maybe that will help the crowd?

The criss-srossing does not fit the way we tour. We historically have taken longer trips (7-10 days) and hardly do any repeats. We tour the parks in an organized pattern, especially in Magic Kingdom and Epcot. And we hop just about every day so we visit each park multiple times.

For example, on our first Magic Kingdom half-day we might do Adventureland and Frontierland. The next Magic Kingdom half-day may find us in Tomorrowland and New Fantasyland. And, then a third half-day we would do Old Fantasyland and Liberty Square. That allows us to casually browse and enjoy things other than attractions in each land.

I absolutely HATED the days of the old paper FP system, where I was the designated runner to trot across the park to secure the FP everyone wanted for later in the day. With FP+, that was solved. It sounds as if Genie is re-creating the random movement syndrome.

HEY DISNEY! IF I AM SPENDING ALL MY TIME CRISS-CROSSING THE PARK TO GET TO MY NEXT ATTRACTION, I HAVE NO TIME TO STOP AND BROWSE THE STORES TO LOOK AT AND POTENTIALLY BUY YOUR MERCHANDISE.