How busy is the fri/sat/sun after Thanksgiving?

[Twinmom+1]

I'm trying to decide between doing WDW w/free dining starting the friday after Thanksgiving for 9 days or staying offsite for 2 nights and not attempting the parks and then checking in on the sunday after thanksgiving for our free dining. For those that go Thanksgiving week - how busy is the weekend? Our 3 trips previously we have only stayed onsite - so doing a couple of days offsite is sounding fun & different this time. Just trying to decide between that and our free dining. What would you guys do???
We would be saving about $450 in room costs by splitting up the stay as well.

 

[jfap]

It's Jammed Packed that weekend. Maybe a little better on sunday as that will probably be a travel back home day for Thanksgiving Week guests.

 

[princessmom29]

We were there from thanksgiving day to the monday after last year, and found the crowds to be pretty bearable ecept for Thanksgiving day. We didn't do MK untill Sunday and it was actually pretty empty both Sunday and Monday. Ak on Thnksgiving day was the only day we felt was uncomfortably crowded. We did the studios on Fir and Epcot Sat. How are you getting free dining over that time??? Inquiring minds want to know as we will be arriving thanksgiving day this year and staying through the tuesday after.

 

[RMulieri]

Very busy

 

[Twinmom+1]

We were lucky to receive a postcard with pin for free dining. Very excited about that as we have never done free dining because we go either in Nov, Dec, or Jan.

 

[DisneyLover75]

You got a free dining pin for November? Really? Wow! I didn't know those existed. We're going to be there the sunday after thanksgiving too. I wish we had a free dining pin! That's great!

 

[SuperTink]

Saturday is packed!

 

[serendipity]

Can someone please explain how one gets this pin?

 

[shellybaxter]

We checked in on the Friday after Thanksgiving last year. We decided to go to Epcot that day because we think Epcot is a better park when there are lots of people. We arrived at rope drop and were surprised by how managable the crowds were. We rode Test Track, Soarin, Spaceship Earth, Nemo and Figment before our 11:30 lunch at LeCellier.

 

[RMulieri]

Can someone please explain how one gets this pin?

There is no "way" to get one. They are distributed from disney destinations and are completely random as to who gets them and who does not .I finally after many years got my first pincode.These pins come either via email or snail mail, are person specfic, and non transferable...meaning you can't use your fathers, cousins, neighbors etc.The only thing you can do to increase your chances, is to register at disneyworld.com for a trip dvd, emails etc.Even then you may not get one.

 

[goofy4tink]

A few years ago, we arrived on Thanksgiving day..the crowds were bearable, but just barely. The next day, Friday??? It was ridiculous. Even the WS in Epcot was shoulder to shoulder people. Same thing on Sat. On Sunday, it got a wee bit better, only because some people left to head home. I had thought Sunday would be much better than it was!! On Monday, things got better, not great, but much better. On Tuesday, it was wonderful, on Wednesday afternoon we left to head home.....just when the parks got terrific.
We arrive on Sunday this year but won't be heading to a park that day. Hopefully the crowds will have died down by Monday.