Hello. I need park advise on 11/23 - 12/02 date. Any advise would be appreciated.
I will be fly in on 11/22/2017 at nigh time, since my work place always allows the whole Thanksgiving weekend off starting Thursday, I would not use annual vacation days. On Sunday 12/03, I will then be drive to Port Canaveral for cruise to eastern Caribbean. The parties will be me and 2 seniors. This is my first time visiting Disney and Orlando area. I will be stay offsite. So I plan to visit parks without extra magic hours. My plan also does not include Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
I know that all Disney and Universals will be quite busy on Thanksgiving week. So my plan includes other parks but not water parks and Volcano Bay, but I read that Sunday and following Monday remain busy? Also, the park hour for Magic Kingdom on 11/30/2017 as 9:00-4:30. Anyone know why? I also plan a day without visiting parks to do resort hopping and maybe do some laundry. I plan to stay in park until closing so I will try to balance out by spacing out late closing parks.
So my plan is:
11/23/2017 Thursday - Kennedy Space Center
11/24/2017 Friday - Discovery Cove
11/25/2017 Saturday - SeaWorld
11/26/2017 Sunday Universal Island of Adventure
11/27/2017 Monday Hollywood Studio
11/28/2017 Tuesday Universal Studio
11/29/2017 Wednesday Magic Kingdom
11/30/2017 Thursday Epcot
12/01/2017 Friday Animal Kingdom
12/02/2017 Off day - resort hopping / Disney Springs
If the Saturday and Sunday on Thanksgiving weekend are really busy, maybe I will switch the off day. Maybe I will switch SeaWorld and Island of Adventure because I read SeaWorld will have a lot of locals and will have Christmas events after Saturday?
I still have a lot of things to debate and plan but finalize park plan will definitely help. Thanks again.
The Saturday thru Monday will remain busy, but Sunday and Monday will probably only be moderately so… I think that many people take that Monday and Tuesday off from work (and the Wednesday before), because that means they can take a full week’s holiday while only using 3 days of vacation pay or missed school (some schools even have early release or a day off on Wednesday because so many people travel that day and they know half the students will be out anyway).
Yes, Magic Kingdom will close at 4:30 on 11/30 because there is a special staff appreciation event… apparently employees who have reached a milestone anniversary with the company are recognized.
I can’t comment on your non-Disney days, but I’ll be there from 11/25-12/2 and my days are similar…
11/25 - arrival, pool time if it’s not cold
11/26 - Disney Springs & Mickey’s Christmas Party
11/27 - Hollywood Studios
11/28 - sleep in and maybe pool time, then Magic Kingdom until 5 or 6… maybe Epcot after with the older niece
11/29 - Epcot
11/30 - Magic Kingdom until closing, then Hollywood Studios for the evening
12/1 - Animal Kingdom
12/2 - departure
Thank you Nikkipoooo. I noticed that you responded to quite some posts.
I tried to switch Epcot day with HS day hoping that I would get to get a candle light package. But since I won’t know the narrator until close to the date, I just gave up. I felt that I could just eat around the world showcase and hopefully with additional holiday booth, my family and I would be full.
I didn’t know that I could get restaurant reservations without tickets linked until I tried to book on the app. Since I was late to the 180 days mark, I could not get reservation for Be Our Guest. Well, MK does not have alot of excellent quick service – Columbus harbor house, so I will just go with the flow.
I think I will just stick to the plan and hope for the best. Thanks again.