Week BEFORE or week AFTER Thanksgiving?

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

We are looking to go either the week before or after Thanksgiving week 2013. Thanksgiving is later this year, so the week after would really end up being the first week of December. This was originally our plan, but I'm wondering if it will be warm enough for the pool...which is a must for my kids.

Anyone been either week this past year? What an you tell me about crowds, weather...oh...and discounts? From the research I've done the discount offered is usually the same for both weeks.

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

And I forgot to mention Christmas decorations!!! The main reason we are going that time of year....but I assume most things are up the week before Thanksgiving??

 

[mom2rtk]

You'll get more Christmas decorations the week after Thanksgiving.

2 weeks is unlikely to make a difference in weather. You can hit a rogue cold front either week.

This year I think either will be good crowd wise. Last year the week before hit up too close to Veteran's Day and Jersey Week. This year Thanksgiving is later in the month and you should be able to hit a little lull.

 

[meredith1]

And I forgot to mention Christmas decorations!!! The main reason we are going that time of year....but I assume most things are up the week before Thanksgiving??

We went the week after Thanksgiving in 2011. There were Christmas decorations out and they were pretty. The day we left they were taping the Christmas parade. Seemingly overnight MK was transformed from nice Christmas decorations to breathtaking decorations. It seemed to me that the day they begin taping that Christmas parade is when the optimal decorations are out.

 

[Spanky]

Candlelight Processional at EPCOT does not start until Thanksgiving weekend. The same is true of the storytellers in EPCOT so we are going Nov. 30 - Dec. 7. However thre Jingle Jungle Parade at AK & Osborne Lights at DHS both start early Nov. so you would be able to see them the week before Thanksgiving. The dreaded cheerleader groups are supose to checkin the weekend after Thanksgiving weekend so that should make them arriving Dec. 7.

 

[Sphinx610]

We are looking to go either the week before or after Thanksgiving week 2013."
(Yey! fun!)
Thanksgiving is later this year, so the week after would really end up being the first week of December. This was originally our plan, bu

"I'm wondering if it will be warm enough for the pool...which is a must for my kids."

Unfortunately, it was too cold for swimming the week of thanksgiving this year. Weather was the same the week bf and after from what I heard. My friend went the week before and didn't swim either. It was in the high 60-low 70's.

"Anyone been either week this past year? What an you tell me about crowds, weather..."

The crowds are not too bad the week before (according to my friend who was there this yr). Week of- very crowded, nice and cool but not cold. (Then again I love cold weather. Lol) Week after I can't comment on... But I hear the park totally emptied out Sunday after Thanksgiving. They have the candlelight processional the week after! (I think it begins Blk Friday) And I believe they film the very merry Christmas parade that week. Maybe dec 6 this past year? I know someone will correct me if I am wrong on that... You can get a crowd calendar from easywdw too. May help...

"oh...and discounts?"
No discounts week of but week before they had free dining in 2012. It ended Nov.17. You can check for historical Disney discounts on easywdw I believe.

Whatever you decide have a great time!

 

[karice2]

The week after is my preferred week to go. Actually I go for the two weeks after. There are hardly any crowds, Christmas decorations are up and it is just a more pleasant experience.

My family and I are in the process of booking our trip now.

 

[amypetecar]

I have been there alot both weeks, as well as thanksgiving week. Both weeks are great, hope these bullets help

Week before:

Pros:
-start with veterans weekend to catch the end of food and wine
- low crowds after veterns weekend
- weather has a slightly better chance of being warmer vs. 1st week of dec
- osborne lights now open during this week, usually very low crowds on street
- can catch the first mickey christmas party, usually very low attendance
- annual IAAPA trade show is this week. Entire theme park industry is in town this week (a pro for some, especially if you like to attend the show)
- although crowded, it allows for extended operating hours. I.e MK open until midnight saturday night plus evening magic hours

Cons:
- veterns weekend is very crowded
- not all christmas decorations are up
- not all christmas events are started (candlelight processional and christmas around world showcase)
- crowds build as the weekend before thanksgiving arrives

Week after:
Pros:
- low crowds after sunday following thanksgiving
- more christmas decorations up
- christmas programming in full swing (candlelight processional, holiday tag on illuminations, mickey christmas parties)

Cons:
- greater chance of cold weather
- limited operating hours (advantage low crowds)
- harder to book DVC reservations due to low point booking requirements (advantage if you get a reservation though)

All things being equal, i would book the week after. That said, the price of airfare would sway my decision.

 

[rcroke]

Week go the week before, the weather was perfect last year! The crowds are low- medium, there are plenty of decorations up, and we like having thanksgiving week to recoup from our week at WDW. Hoping it isn't as cold and rainy this week as I heard it was last year.

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

Thanks...I wonder with Thanksgiving falling later this year...if more Xmas decorations will be up the week before? Does anyone know when the garland and wreaths that go across Mainstreet go up? Also, was wanted to do the candle light processional...but with all the trouble to get in and waiting in line for hours or taking two TS credits....I just don't know if its worth it??

 

[siskaren]

Thanks...I wonder with Thanksgiving falling later this year...if more Xmas decorations will be up the week before? Does anyone know when the garland and wreaths that go across Mainstreet go up? Also, was wanted to do the candle light processional...but with all the trouble to get in and waiting in line for hours or taking two TS credits....I just don't know if its worth it??

I honestly think that most of the decorations are going to be up the week before Thanksgiving regardless of when Thanksgiving falls. MK will be fully decorated in time for the first MVMCP, with the exception of the tree, which will go up after the Christmas parade is filmed (I think though that they do temporarily take down the garland for the parade filming). If you want to do the Candlelight Processional though, then you'll have to go after Thanksgiving, since that always starts the day after. And you can always pay OOP if you don't want to use 2 TS credits, but I would suggest doing the package.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

We after is really nice.

 

[DisneyDiana!]

What about discounts? Are room discounts or free dining historically offered those two weeks or are they blocked out?

 

[geenerbell]

We really enjoyed our week after trip three years ago. We are going again at that time this year but have to spilt the weeks. We arrive the Wednesday b4 Thanksgiving and leave the Wednesday after.

We plan to see the CLP, Osborne Lights and take a day to go see the new Harry Potter Diagon Alley. Wish we could stay the whole week after Thsgvg but my work is really cracking down on leave time.

 

[ktlm]

Thanks...I wonder with Thanksgiving falling later this year...if more Xmas decorations will be up the week before? Does anyone know when the garland and wreaths that go across Mainstreet go up? Also, was wanted to do the candle light processional...but with all the trouble to get in and waiting in line for hours or taking two TS credits....I just don't know if its worth it??

We've gone the week after Thanksgiving several times. The crowds are definitely managable, but you do have to work around the parade taping that Friday and Saturday at MK. The week before Thanksgiving will be less crowded, but as others have said some of the Christmas events will not have started and there will be more Christmas decorations up the week after.

As far as the garlands/wreaths on Main Street, rumor has it that they will not be put up this year because some of the floats for the new parade are too tall for them. I have no idea whether this is true, but just be aware it is a possibility. If you go the week after Thanksgiving, they will be up, but they take them down before parade taping days. I'm pretty sure they will be down by Thursday. The MK Christmas tree won't be up either of those weeks because it does not make its appearance until Parade Taping is done.

For us, the candelight processional isn't worth it. BUT, we live in the bible belt so aside from the guest star narrator, that type of living christmas tree production with choir, music and the Christmas story is available at one of our "mega" churches in the area about every weekend during the Christmas season.

 

[mulan1123]

I went the week before the American Thanksgiving (14th to 23rd), and I didn't find it the parks to be all that crowded (unless you were close to a popular attraction). If any indication, we did FP+ for Soarin' and did SB for TT in the middle of the day, and our wait was only 20-30 mins.

As the week progressed, more decorations were being put up, which I found really neat. Like Epcot, few decorations were up when we got there and than most of their decorations were up by mid-week. All the Christmas trees were up at all parks. Some decorations were already up before I arrived.

We were on the free dining plan as well....

 

[4forMe]

Reports from this past year indicated that the week before Thanksgiving had very low crowds compared to the week after. If you're fine with missing the Candlelight Processional, I would pick the week before Thanksgiving due to the lower crowds.

 

[angey77]

We went the week after two years ago and the week before this past year.
The week prior, crowds are smaller. We found the beginning of the week after to have some Thanksgiving lingerers and bigger wait times. We really liked the week prior, as far as weather and crowds. We didn't need 70 percent of our FP+s that were previously scheduled.
BUT ...
The week prior, Epcot does not have their festivities going yet (as pointed out). Also, decorations are still going up in the resorts. We stayed at VGF and were the last ones to get the full-on decoration, and that was on Wednesday night.
We found both weeks to be too cold for the pool, but there were plenty of people swimming that didn't seem to mine! While it may warm up during the day, the pool always stayed too cool for my liking.
Given a choice, I would pick the week prior. Watch the CP on YouTube.