Thanksgiving at Walt Disney World
Spending holidays at the Disney parks is fun and popular. holidays are a great time to get together with family so why not get together at Walt Disney World? Today we will explore a popular holiday to gather – Thanksgiving by covering the who, what, whys, and hows, of a perfect Disney holiday!
How to celebrate Thanksgiving at Disney
The first thing is how to celebrate the actual holiday while you are there. The big problem with Thanksgiving at Disney is the fact that Christmas starts at Disney world on November 1st!! Thanksgiving is a true after though to Christmas. You will spend your Thanksgiving holiday listing to Christmas music and seeing Christmas decorations. However, is that much different then the rest of America? Christmas has over taken November and claimed it as its own. One Thanksgiving we booked a Minnie’s Hollywood and Dine on the actual day thinking we might get Thanksgiving outfits for the characters but no, even on the day it was still christmas. BUT NEVER FEAR THANKSGIVING IS HERE. Many Restaurants sever special thanksgiving meals. Also Liberty Tree Tavern serves Thanksgiving every day of the year, it can be a tough ADR to snag for the actual day. It is a holiday centered around food, they did get that right! Whispering Canyon did a great Thanksgiving feast the last time we were there! It is real easy to eat two Thanksgiving meals and have no dishes to do!
Crowds at Disney World on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is an attractive time of year to go to Walt Disney World. The weather is cooler as the heat of the summer months has become a memory. If traveling from “Up North” you can escape the begging of winter. Kids have a nice break from school. Many School districts even give the whole week off. With those two factors coming together it causes the crowds to swell. To be clear it is not anywhere near the chaos of Christmas/New Years, but it does get bananas on Black Friday. The actual day is not nearly as busy as the Friday and Saturday that follow. However if you can swing it the Monday after the crowds dissipate at an alarming rate. Really the Sunday night of Thanksgiving weekend is just moderately busy. On the Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday be ready for large crowds and long wait times. We managed to still do all our favorites, Rope Drop, afternoon nap, and then up late. That is the plan to avoid the largest crowds. We also like the desert parties on busy days. We did Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam, on the black friday night to avoid the crowds while waiting for the show.
Where should I eat for Thanksgiving at Disney World
There are really lots of options, Liberty Tree Tavern is the most obvious choice. It does the meal right. They serve your feast family style and there is plenty for seconds. The turkey was what you would want to feel like you are completing your American obligation to eat it. They serve it with all the fixings and even Mac and Cheese for the kids and kids at heart. If Been There, Done That is your answer for LTT then you still have lots of options. Disney announces about 1-2 months in advance the other restaurants that will offer a special Thanksgiving menu. We dined at Whispering Canyon, and rather than a plate full of BBQ it’s a traditional Thanksgiving Feast. Many other options are out there. We made several ADRs so when they announced the line up we were able to drop what we didn’t need. Buffets usually add a couple small touches so you at least know what day it is.
Celebrating Christmas at Disney while there for Thanksgiving
This may seem odd but you can really get in the Christmas spirit before and after you ingest that Turkey. The Decorations are up all over property. Every park get in the spirit. Christmas is a very special time at the parks. You get Christmas background music all over even in the resorts! Most deluxe resorts have amazing gingerbread houses. The Grand Floridians you can even go in to buy gingerbread treats. Some of the Christmas trees are fun to look at and find the little touches that theme it to its location. Some characters meet in special outfits, like Mickey and Minnie in Christmas sweaters at Animal Kingdom. The Candle Light Processional at Epcot is an amazing show. I would highly recommend booking a dining package to make sure you have a seat. The crown jewel is the lighting of the castle at the Magic Kingdom. Every night they castle lights up with thousands of lights. This is something you can see and not need a Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Ticket. Speaking of MVMCP it is a hard ticket event, meaning it requires a special ticket beyond your regular park admission. These parties can sell out so buy them in advance. With all the holiday hoopla it is easy to catch the Holliday Spirit.
Should we go at Thanksgiving to Disney World?
The short answer is always yes. Anytime is a great time to go. The pros of Thanksgiving are the school break works for most families. You get all the fun of Christmas without missing out on your Christmas back home or the hoards of people over Christmas week. Usually great weather can get cool at nights so don’t forget to pack a jacket. The cons of Thanksgiving are the crowds. Your out of school means others are out of school. The actual holiday you are there for is kinda ignored. Really other than serving turkey at a few more places it’s just another day. You don’t come home thinking you were on a Thanksgiving vacation more of a pre-Christmas vacation. The holidays don’t just blur or overlap, it is Christmas and no one pretends otherwise. We have enjoyed the time there over the holiday. You get long park hours and cool temps.
Do you plan on carving a turkey at Walt Disney World for Thanksgiving anytime soon?
Listen to Doug’s Trip report from Thanksgiving of 2017
