Thanksgiving at DVC? Help!

[slk537]

Okay, so having just returned from WDW yesterday we naturally have to start planning our next trip. And although we booked 11/26 - 12/10, we are debating about maximizing DH's vacation so we can go again for Mother's Day next year. So...we are now pondering heading down the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving and staying until Sunday, the 4th. This way, he only uses 5.5 days instead of 10.

So...a few questions. #1: Is it even possible to get rooms for those days (11/23-11/25) at this late date? Or should we do the AP discount route? We're at VWL for the rest of the trip, but would be willing to stay at any of them.

#2: what do you do for dinner on Thanksgiving? Cook in? Eat out? And if out, where? I am heady with the thought of all the PLANNING this would create for me...and the rush I get when I think about laying in wait to call MS at opening for PS exactly 90 days out well....whoa. Deep breaths...

#3: Are the crowds insane? We flew in the day after Thanksgiving last year and it all seemed fine...but we didn't hit the parks until later. We stayed at AKL that night and pretty much absorbed the atmosphere.

#4: For those of you who do go down then, is it wonderful? We absolutely love the week after the holiday, but this is new for us. Since my mom's fatal accident almost 3 years ago, the holidays haven't been the same, and we have been creating new traditions for our little family. My dad visits with his family (some of whom really annoy me, if I were to be honest) and we have Thanksgiving with him the Saturday before if we're traveling, so I don't have a guilt factor on that score. But are the crowds enough to turn the magic into frustration?

I really look forward to any personal opinions and anecdotes you all have. Even though it feels early, with summer around the bend, we're only talking 6 months here. YAYYYYY!!!

Thanks!
Jennifer.

<added by request of DS3, who loves to look at the smileys. BTW...did you all know the group hug is really "a bunch of Easter eggs"...?

 

[CarolMN]

Okay, so having just returned from WDW yesterday we naturally have to start planning our next trip. And although we booked 11/26 - 12/10, we are debating about maximizing DH's vacation so we can go again for Mother's Day next year. So...we are now pondering heading down the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving and staying until Sunday, the 4th. This way, he only uses 5.5 days instead of 10.

So...a few questions. #1: Is it even possible to get rooms for those days (11/23-11/25) at this late date? Or should we do the AP discount route? We're at VWL for the rest of the trip, but would be willing to stay at any of them.

You won't know about availability until you call. I would expect that you would have to use the waitlist. If it were me and I had to waitlist, I'd book something for cash for 11/23 -11/25 as a back up and then hope the waitlist works. If not, it's not all that hard to change rooms/resorts.

#2: what do you do for dinner on Thanksgiving? Cook in? Eat out? And if out, where? I am heady with the thought of all the PLANNING this would create for me...and the rush I get when I think about laying in wait to call MS at opening for PS exactly 90 days out well....whoa. Deep breaths...

If it were me, I'd eat out - be sure to make a PS if you decide to eat out.

#3: Are the crowds insane? We flew in the day after Thanksgiving last year and it all seemed fine...but we didn't hit the parks until later. We stayed at AKL that night and pretty much absorbed the atmosphere.

The parks will be very busy (especially the MK) until Sunday. Then they will thin out quite a bit. Plan to do things where crowds won't matter much the first several days.

#4: For those of you who do go down then, is it wonderful? We absolutely love the week after the holiday, but this is new for us. Since my mom's fatal accident almost 3 years ago, the holidays haven't been the same, and we have been creating new traditions for our little family. My dad visits with his family (some of whom really annoy me, if I were to be honest) and we have Thanksgiving with him the Saturday before if we're traveling, so I don't have a guilt factor on that score. But are the crowds enough to turn the magic into frustration?

I really look forward to any personal opinions and anecdotes you all have. Even though it feels early, with summer around the bend, we're only talking 6 months here. YAYYYYY!!!

Thanks!
Jennifer.

<added by request of DS3, who loves to look at the smileys. BTW...did you all know the group hug is really "a bunch of Easter eggs"...?

Sorry about your Mom. Sounds good to establish some new traditions.

It will be crowded the first few days, but if you know that and just go with the flow, you'll have a wonderful time. There won't be crowds for about the last week of your trip (11/26 - 12/4), so no need to worry if the first part isn't the best for the parks. Do something else - play minigolf, visit a water park (if weather permits, LOL), see Cirque, see a movie, schedule a special meal, just wander around World Showcase, walk the path to Fort Wilderness, take out the Sea Rayers, schedule a hayride, check out Downtown Disney and all the decorations - you get the idea.

Have fun!

 

[donald...really]

We spent the week of Thanksgiving at the World last year, and it was the best Thanksgiving of my life. We only called for the room about three or four months before the trip, and we were able to get all but one day at OKW in a one bedroom. We waitlisted at every resort, and about a month later a room at BWV became available for the entire stay.

It was no problem getting a PS at 90 days out. I called MS a few hours after they openned and had my pick of times. Actually, when we arrived at the restaurant there was hardly any one else there. We had the first seating of the evening. We ate at Artists Pointe at the Wilderness Lodge, and it was wonderful. One of the best meals I have ever had. After dinner we took the boat to the MK and walked around and looked at the holiday decorations.

We didn't much in the parks, but we did go into each one to check out the decorations. We want to make this a holiday tradition, but it will need to wait at least a couple of years because of our travel plans that are already in place.

 

[wintergreen]

This is one of my favorite times of the year to go to WDW! (Have not yet been at Christmas.) It is crowded, but not as crowded as the week before Easter, which is the most crowded time that we have been. When we stayed at SSR last year (booked a 2 BR at about 5 months out), we had Thanksgiving dinner at the Brown Derby in MGM as part of the Fantasmic package. It was wonderful! We got a flier under our door after checking in with details on a Thanksgiving dinner that SSR would deliver right to your villa. I think that there are also a few of the grocery stores nearby that will do dinners that you can pick up.

One of the benefits of going at this time of year, is that most of the Christmas decorations are up, and the Osborne Family lights are up at MGM. Really got me in a holiday mood!