Anonymous wrote:Op here. We definitely want to avoid pulling out of school. We are also an early county (August 15 return to school) so spring break is March usually.

I think going either spring break, Thanksgiving break or AS SOON as the kids get out for the summer would be fine. I’ve been at the two latter times and enjoyed both. The parks were crowded but bearable. Summer allows for swimming pool weather, and Tgiving gives you the festive flair.

If you go Tgiving week, I suggest doing the parks early in the week prior to actual Thanksgiving day. That’s what we did. Then you can make the holiday a relax day to visit resorts, stroll and see holiday decor and book a reservation for a nice holiday meal.

We did a Monday thru Thursday trip there a couple years ago and it was great. The Christmas decorations were starting in the parks and hotels. The weather in the morning and night was surprisingly COLD, in the upper 30s/low 40s. Daytime was glorious in the upper 60s.

It was crowded but nothing unbearable. We were able to do most of what we wanted, and that’s with me booking the trip 2 weeks out. We flew home on Thanksgiving morning to spend time with extended family.

I’d definitely go that time of year again.

Depends on how much your DH likes crowds OP.

On the plus side, the weather is better late fall and winter.

We went the Saturday after Thanksgiving one year and it was great! You couldn't pay me to go in the summer.

Anonymous wrote:Been to Orlando three times for business (twice with 2DC) and have yet to go to Disney.

No plans to ever go. I’m not organized enough to plan ahead and too impatient and heat intolerant to deal with crowds and oppressive heat and humidity.

Then this thread isn't for you. Why do we need to hear this?

To the op:\

I wouldn't go as traveling over Thanksgiving is my personal hell

Anonymous wrote:There are no pros.

Other than avoiding having to get up at 5 am to put the turkey in the oven....it's an incredibly crowded weekend as others have said.

Op here. We definitely want to avoid pulling out of school. We are also an early county (August 15 return to school) so spring break is March usually.

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Anonymous wrote:Most people spend thanksgiving with their family.

Entire families go to Disney together.

Sure, but most families aren’t going to Disney for thanksgiving…which is why you see posts saying they were surprised Disney wasn’t crowded on thanksgiving.

Fwiw, Disney wasn’t crowded on Easter Sunday either. Because, again, most people are celebrating Easter rather than going to Disney that day.

That's not what the crowd calendars suggest:
https://magicguides.com/wdw-crowd-calendar/

I would never ever agree to this trip. It's just not worth it.

Okay.

I guess most of us have only ever been to Disney during the most crowded times because we aren’t inclined to pull kids from school or travel to FL in the miserable summer heat. And for those of us who have actually been there on the most crowded days, we can report it’s still do-able.

You're contradicting yourself. First you say nobody is going on Thanksgiving and it's not busy. Then you changed to crowds are doable. Which is it?
Go if you want to OP but know what you're getting into. Either throw a lot of money and do the VIP/lightning lanes/whatever makes it faster or expect not to do many rides.

The point is that while some think the most crowded days are impossible to navigate others think it’s typical of a day at disney.

I was there at Easter/spring break and thought it was fine. And I didn’t throw money at it.

I wonder if most dcum people are just ill-equipped to handle being around crowds? Posters say the same about how it’s “not worth it” to go to Italy in the summer or to split a week in London and Paris. Weird.

Go have fun with your kids, op. Manage expectations, but don’t be dissuaded by dcum.

I am a frequent and long time Disney visitor. It has nothing to do with being “ill-equipped” to handle crowds. The issue is that Disney has become an expensive vacation, and being there during a crowded period significantly degrades the experience. Can you still have fun? Sure. But the value proposition is not great.

OP - go the week after Thanksgiving, enjoy the decorations and Christmas shows, while having fewer people there to compete for space on rides and in restaurants.

Okay.

But if the op and their DH are debating thanksgiving and summer, it’s seems likely they are trying to avoid pulling kids out of school.

Imho, I would avoid the summer heat.

Been to Orlando three times for business (twice with 2DC) and have yet to go to Disney.

No plans to ever go. I’m not organized enough to plan ahead and too impatient and heat intolerant to deal with crowds and oppressive heat and humidity.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most people spend thanksgiving with their family.

Entire families go to Disney together.

Sure, but most families aren’t going to Disney for thanksgiving…which is why you see posts saying they were surprised Disney wasn’t crowded on thanksgiving.

Fwiw, Disney wasn’t crowded on Easter Sunday either. Because, again, most people are celebrating Easter rather than going to Disney that day.

That's not what the crowd calendars suggest:
https://magicguides.com/wdw-crowd-calendar/

I would never ever agree to this trip. It's just not worth it.

Okay.

I guess most of us have only ever been to Disney during the most crowded times because we aren’t inclined to pull kids from school or travel to FL in the miserable summer heat. And for those of us who have actually been there on the most crowded days, we can report it’s still do-able.

You're contradicting yourself. First you say nobody is going on Thanksgiving and it's not busy. Then you changed to crowds are doable. Which is it?
Go if you want to OP but know what you're getting into. Either throw a lot of money and do the VIP/lightning lanes/whatever makes it faster or expect not to do many rides.

The point is that while some think the most crowded days are impossible to navigate others think it’s typical of a day at disney.

I was there at Easter/spring break and thought it was fine. And I didn’t throw money at it.

I wonder if most dcum people are just ill-equipped to handle being around crowds? Posters say the same about how it’s “not worth it” to go to Italy in the summer or to split a week in London and Paris. Weird.

Go have fun with your kids, op. Manage expectations, but don’t be dissuaded by dcum.

I am a frequent and long time Disney visitor. It has nothing to do with being “ill-equipped” to handle crowds. The issue is that Disney has become an expensive vacation, and being there during a crowded period significantly degrades the experience. Can you still have fun? Sure. But the value proposition is not great.

OP - go the week after Thanksgiving, enjoy the decorations and Christmas shows, while having fewer people there to compete for space on rides and in restaurants.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most people spend thanksgiving with their family.

Entire families go to Disney together.

Sure, but most families aren’t going to Disney for thanksgiving…which is why you see posts saying they were surprised Disney wasn’t crowded on thanksgiving.

Fwiw, Disney wasn’t crowded on Easter Sunday either. Because, again, most people are celebrating Easter rather than going to Disney that day.

That's not what the crowd calendars suggest:
https://magicguides.com/wdw-crowd-calendar/

I would never ever agree to this trip. It's just not worth it.

Okay.

I guess most of us have only ever been to Disney during the most crowded times because we aren’t inclined to pull kids from school or travel to FL in the miserable summer heat. And for those of us who have actually been there on the most crowded days, we can report it’s still do-able.

You're contradicting yourself. First you say nobody is going on Thanksgiving and it's not busy. Then you changed to crowds are doable. Which is it?
Go if you want to OP but know what you're getting into. Either throw a lot of money and do the VIP/lightning lanes/whatever makes it faster or expect not to do many rides.

The point is that while some think the most crowded days are impossible to navigate others think it’s typical of a day at disney.

I was there at Easter/spring break and thought it was fine. And I didn’t throw money at it.

I wonder if most dcum people are just ill-equipped to handle being around crowds? Posters say the same about how it’s “not worth it” to go to Italy in the summer or to split a week in London and Paris. Weird.

Go have fun with your kids, op. Manage expectations, but don’t be dissuaded by dcum.

Our spring break was very late this year. Much of the country has earlier spring breaks than we do so it might not be a good year to compare

Uh, okay.

I mean, Easter is Easter. And school schedules have always varied across the nation and around the world.

Fwiw, we’ve also been to Disney on NYE—another global holiday. It was lively and fun.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most people spend thanksgiving with their family.

Entire families go to Disney together.

Sure, but most families aren’t going to Disney for thanksgiving…which is why you see posts saying they were surprised Disney wasn’t crowded on thanksgiving.

Fwiw, Disney wasn’t crowded on Easter Sunday either. Because, again, most people are celebrating Easter rather than going to Disney that day.

That's not what the crowd calendars suggest:
https://magicguides.com/wdw-crowd-calendar/

I would never ever agree to this trip. It's just not worth it.

Okay.

I guess most of us have only ever been to Disney during the most crowded times because we aren’t inclined to pull kids from school or travel to FL in the miserable summer heat. And for those of us who have actually been there on the most crowded days, we can report it’s still do-able.

You're contradicting yourself. First you say nobody is going on Thanksgiving and it's not busy. Then you changed to crowds are doable. Which is it?
Go if you want to OP but know what you're getting into. Either throw a lot of money and do the VIP/lightning lanes/whatever makes it faster or expect not to do many rides.

The point is that while some think the most crowded days are impossible to navigate others think it’s typical of a day at disney.

I was there at Easter/spring break and thought it was fine. And I didn’t throw money at it.

I wonder if most dcum people are just ill-equipped to handle being around crowds? Posters say the same about how it’s “not worth it” to go to Italy in the summer or to split a week in London and Paris. Weird.

Go have fun with your kids, op. Manage expectations, but don’t be dissuaded by dcum.

Our spring break was very late this year. Much of the country has earlier spring breaks than we do so it might not be a good year to compare

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most people spend thanksgiving with their family.

Entire families go to Disney together.

Sure, but most families aren’t going to Disney for thanksgiving…which is why you see posts saying they were surprised Disney wasn’t crowded on thanksgiving.

Fwiw, Disney wasn’t crowded on Easter Sunday either. Because, again, most people are celebrating Easter rather than going to Disney that day.

Besides you, where are these posts saying Disney isn’t busy over thanksgiving? Every post I’ve read says it is extremely busy.

They don't exist. Christmas, New Years and Thanksgiving are some of the busiest times.