The week before Thanksgiving or the week after?

soccer mom

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jan 10, 2001
We have gone several times the week before Thanksgiving and enjoyed low crow levels. This year that week starts with Veterans Day, so we are considering the week after Thanksgiving, November 25 through December 2. I think Pop Warner starts December 1 but we wouldn't go to a park that day anyway. What would you do?
 
We’ve gone many times the week after Thanksgiving (schools in rural PA close for hunting season so the kids don’t miss many days), and it’s very nice. The crowd levels are very reasonable.
 
As residents, we noticed that in years past, the several weeks following Thanksgiving were great. Not so much anymore. The time between school beginning and Thanksgiving is still very good in terms of crowds however, save for labor day.
 
We are going the week after Thanksgiving. Nov 26- Dec 4th. Last year we went the first week of Dec which is Pop Warner week. I would not recommend being there from Wed on during Pop Warner. That is when we saw all of the kids in the parks. Prior to that they were practicing and competing. It also seems like crowd levels are lower except for the Monday after Thanksgiving. The week before Thanksgiving is good too but they don't get all of the Christmas decorations up in the resorts until Thanksgiving. I wouldn't recommend going around Veteran's day that usually runs into Jersey week which is a busy week.
 


We were just there the week after and loved it. We arrived on Thanksgiving and definitely noticed the difference come Monday once the holiday crowd left. I was surprised by how much we were able to get done that week!
 
Week after so you can experience the storytellers and CP at Epcot and ensure all the resort decorations are up.
 


We have gone several times the week before Thanksgiving and enjoyed low crow levels. This year that week starts with Veterans Day, so we are considering the week after Thanksgiving, November 25 through December 2. I think Pop Warner starts December 1 but we wouldn't go to a park that day anyway. What would you do?
Does Pop Warner always start Dec 1st?
 
No, it depends on when Thanksgiving is. It always starts on the 2nd Saturday after Thanksgiving. So 9 days after Thanksgiving Day.
I was planning on returning to Disney Dec 2020 and was looking at the 6th - 13th...but it looks like Pop Warner will start on the 5th...would the 13th-20th be a better week...or perhaps the week right after thanksgiving nov 29th - 6th ?
 
I was planning on returning to Disney Dec 2020 and was looking at the 6th - 13th...but it looks like Pop Warner will start on the 5th...would the 13th-20th be a better week...or perhaps the week right after thanksgiving nov 29th - 6th ?

Just my opinion, but having been there during Pop Warner Week 5 times I would not switch my plans to avoid it. It has been a complete non factor.
 
Just my opinion, but having been there during Pop Warner Week 5 times I would not switch my plans to avoid it. It has been a complete non factor.
Thanks..that makes me feel much better....i appreciate you taking the time to help
 
We always go the week before Thanksgiving, and though it can be crowded, we haven't found it impossibly so.
 
I was planning on returning to Disney Dec 2020 and was looking at the 6th - 13th...but it looks like Pop Warner will start on the 5th...would the 13th-20th be a better week...or perhaps the week right after thanksgiving nov 29th - 6th ?
I originally did my research like you are doing about Pop Warner week and I got the same info that it was no big deal. Then I went last year during Pop Warner week and that was not my experience. I will never be back during that week. First if you go during that time don't stay in the All Stars resorts because that is where most of them stay. They also stay at a few moderates. From what I have read on Disboards that can be a problem with noise and crowds. We stayed at the Contemporary so the resort wasn't the issue. It was the parks. There were a lot of cheer groups in the parks on Wed, Thurs and Fri of the week we were there. We didn't stay past Friday so I don't know if any groups were in the parks. on Saturday or Sunday. The football players seemed to be fine. I only saw one large group of them in the parks during my stay. It was the cheerleaders that were the problem. They come into the parks in large groups and are rude. We were on line for RnR behind 3 women when 11 cheerleaders cut in front of us and the 3 women left the line. Long story short Disney did nothing and the coach of the cheerleaders knew it. I learned 2 things. I will NEVER go back during Pop Warner and I won't have a problem holding a spot in line for someone because I can't get kicked off the ride for it.

I would suggest the Nov 29th - Dec 6th because all the Christmas decorations are up and the crowd levels are lower than Dec 13-20th would be. We are going that week this year.
 

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