Disney over Thanksgiving vs. Disney over Christmas?

[Anonymous]

Two of our kids have birthdays the week after Christmas so going over New Years would mean being out of town for kid#2’s birthday and they want to be in town for their birthday. This gives me two options I am considering - Thanksgiving break or partial Christmas week.

First time at Disney for all three kids (7,11,15); second time at Disney for me (I went at age 18).

Would you go over Thanksgiving break or Christmas? I’m thinking maybe a four day trip.

[Anonymous]

Probably Christmas. Both will be so crowded but at least Christmas break is a little more spread out.

[Anonymous]

The week between Christmas and new years is the busiest all year. Followed by the week before Christmas and thanksgiving.

I would get a new plan.

[Anonymous]

I would not go either time. Just not worth it for me.

[Anonymous]

If those were literally the only two options, then I guess Thanksgiving.

But I would look at another time of year if possible. Even if you are prepared to dump buckets of money on a lightning lane premier pass (or whatever the new system is called) just walking through the crowds during Thanksgiving/Christmas will be stressful.

I know people complain about the heat in the summer, but I don't find it so bad. Most of the lines for the rides are indoors or partially indoors. A good strategy is to go early in the morning as soon as the parks open, take an afternoon nap/pool break during the hottest part of the day, then return in the evening as it's a bit cooler. Crowds are so much lower.

[Anonymous]

Neither. These are 3 of the busiest weeks of the year, along with the spring break weeks and Presidents’ Day. It is a terrible time to go if you are not a very experienced Disney goer. Even if you plan to buy Genie+, it will be much harder to use due to limited ability of popular rides.

[Anonymous]

What’s your budget? There are some ways to avoid lines if you are willing to throw cash at the problem. You can get tickets for limited entry events like Mickeys Christmas party and the Jollywood Nights event, and even consider a pricey VIP tour.

Otherwise, check the crowd calculators online bout my guess is Thanksgiving is lower crowds by a smidge (especially if you can go earlier in week).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Neither. These are 3 of the busiest weeks of the year, along with the spring break weeks and Presidents’ Day. It is a terrible time to go if you are not a very experienced Disney goer. Even if you plan to buy Genie+, it will be much harder to use due to limited ability of popular rides.

A disney employee once told me Valentine’s Day weekend/Presidents’ Day was second busiest after Christmas week.

[Anonymous]

Go on Thanksgiving Day and stay over that weekend and miss one day of school on Monday. The week after Thanksgiving is the absolute best. All of the Christmas decorations, shows, etc. but with few crowds. You won't have that exactly, but you'll get a bit of it.

Christmas Week is terrible. If you must go over Christmas break, leave by the 23rd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Neither. These are 3 of the busiest weeks of the year, along with the spring break weeks and Presidents’ Day. It is a terrible time to go if you are not a very experienced Disney goer. Even if you plan to buy Genie+, it will be much harder to use due to limited ability of popular rides.

A disney employee once told me Valentine’s Day weekend/Presidents’ Day was second busiest after Christmas week.

It’s up there but I don’t think it’s second. I think it gets a lot of talk because the busyness catches some people by surprise since many areas of the country do not give the full week off and don’t realize that so many places do.

[Anonymous]

We went Thanksgiving week a couple year ago, it was PACKED! Wait times were for 3 hours for most popular rides and at least 1 hour for most other rides. We had the fast pass or whatever name it was called back then, but understand they changed the system now again (not sure).

[Anonymous]

P.s. If you can extend either before actual Thanksgiving (so travel Sunday and go to Disney Monday / Tuesday) you may have better luck in terms of crowds, or stay a few days after Thanksgiving (like Sunday / Monday after Thanksgiving)

[Anonymous]

Check prices and crowd prediction sites. The Disney-obsessed love Christmastime at Disney, but given the crowds, I'd probably avoid it.

[Anonymous]

What a nightmare. A birthday gift can be enjoyed at times other than the actual birthday week, OP, such as when you're giving an electronic device that only comes out in stores after the birthday. Same for theme parks. You can take the kids out of school and plan for the LEAST BUSY week of the year. It's going to be dicey for the 15 year old and their high school classes, though. You left that a little too late.

I'm French, and my favorite theme park memories are of going to EuroDisney on below-freezing mid-January days and enjoying a practically empty theme park. The water wheel in front of Big Thunder Mountain was frozen solid with tons of icicles. We warmed up with chili in one of the restaurants and got to go on multiple rides back to back without wait lines. It was awesome.

[Anonymous]

I would just tack on a day or two to a random long weekend from school that is not nationally recognized. Like a random teacher workday. It’s the only way to stay sane.