Everybody is aware of that going to any of the Orlando amusement parks in the course of the vacation season between Christmas and New Yr’s Day is one thing of a catastrophe with such overcrowding that they usually shut park entrances by mid-morning. So it’s no surprise that I had a little bit of trepidation about spending Thanksgiving at Common Orlando. I questioned, wouldn’t it be crowded? Would it not be bizarre to have a good time a vacation at a theme park?
However, we actually, actually needed to get to Harry Potter’s Wizarding World, and we have been already going to be in Florida to go to household, so it appeared solely becoming to squeeze in a fast journey as much as Orlando.
I used to be ready for the times round Thanksgiving at Common Orlando to be simply as crowded as it’s at Christmas, however I used to be pleasantly stunned. Here’s what we discovered which will show you how to plan your journey.
Thanksgiving at Common Orlando: FAQs
Nestled in between Common Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights and Holidays at Common, Thanksgiving can usually be missed. In spite of everything, this American vacation is commonly spent at residence or profiting from flight offers to go to someplace that doesn’t observe Thanksgiving in late November.
Although the theme parks are decked out for the winter holidays by mid-November, Common Orlando is a superb alternative for a Thanksgiving getaway.
Is Common Orlando open for Thanksgiving?
If you wish to spend Thanksgiving within the Common Orlando theme parks, they’re open one year a 12 months, even the Volcano Bay water park (until it’s completely freezing outdoors.)
Can you might have Thanksgiving dinner at Common Orlando?
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There are many choices for Thanksgiving dinner in Orlando on the numerous Common Resorts.
Cabana Bay Resort
The Bayliner Diner on the Cabana Bay Resort hosts a standard Thanksgiving dinner from midday to 11 pm on Thanksgiving day full with turkey, stuffing, cranberry compote, broccoli, mashed potatoes, gravy, and biscuits (pie will price you further.)
In addition they have arts and crafts actions, motion pictures taking part in within the Enjoyable within the Solar recreation middle, they usually play the Thanksgiving Parade on the jumbo screens. Galaxy Bowl additionally hosts Turkey Bowling on Thanksgiving Day from 3-10:30 pm. Anybody who will get three strikes in a row will get a “Turkey” and wins a t-shirt. (Test with resort for present hours and availability)
Loews Sapphire Falls
The Loews Sapphire Falls additionally affords a Thanksgiving buffet within the Amatista Cookhouse. The breakfast buffet is offered from 7-11 am and the all-day buffet is offered from 11 am – 9pm and reservations are advisable by way of OpenTable or calling the eating reservations line at 407-503-DINE.
This buffet goes past the normal Thanksgiving meals with choices like a uncooked bar, ceviche, and a churasco station. See the menu and present charges.
Royal Pacific Resort
The Royal Pacific additionally hosts an “islands” Thanksgiving buffet within the Islands Eating Room from 11 am – 9 pm and a breakfast buffet in Jake’s American Bar from 7 – 11 am.
For dinner, the fare is primarily Asian with some Thanksgiving favorites. The buffet contains sushi, stir fry stations, and extra conventional dishes. Reservations are advisable. See the menu and present charges.
Arduous Rock Lodge
If you’d like a “rocking” good Thanksgiving, the Arduous Rock Lodge additionally affords a Thanksgiving buffet with a calming seafood bar and a carving station, children gadgets and a dessert desk in The Kitchen. Their Thanksgiving buffet is served from 11am- 9 pm and reservations are advisable. Take a look at the menu and present charges.
Loews Portofino Bay
The Loews Portofino Bay additionally affords a Thanksgiving buffet in Trattoria del Porto from midday to 9 pm full with stay music and face painters. This feast has salad stations, seafood bar, pasta stations, together with entrees (no turkey although). There’s a giant dessert station although, together with a buffet for teenagers. See the menu and present pricing. Reservations are advisable.
Common Aventura Lodge & Limitless Summer time Resort
These resorts each provide Thanksgiving meal specials on the City Pantry (Aventura), Seaside Break Cafe (Surfside Inn & Suites) and Dockside’s Pier 8 Market (Dockside Inn & Suites).
Are there particular Occasions at Thanksgiving in Common Orlando?
Remember to examine the resort web site’s for present occasion hours and charges
Thanksgiving comes throughout Common Orlando’s Holidays, which they name the “largest, loudest, awesomest vacation celebration of the season” — with particular occasions and decor all through the parks and the resorts.
Common Orlando Resort Lodges
We stayed on the Cabana Bay Resort, and strolling into the foyer we have been greeted by some favourite characters (Scooby Doo!) and a large Christmas tree.
On Friday night on the day after Thanksgiving, the Cabana Bay hosts a tree lighting, adopted by stay leisure within the Swizzle Lounge, meet and greets with Santa and Common Orlando characters, and sizzling chocolate and chocolate chip cookies for the youngsters. It was a enjoyable solution to kick off our keep in Common.
The Loews Portofino Bay additionally hosts a particular night occasion on the Friday after Thanksgiving, from 6:30-9pm with stay music, a wine tasting and the grand illumination of the Christmas tree. However, sadly that occasion is for adults solely. Different Common Orlando resorts additionally provide vacation decor and occasions all through the season.
Wizarding World of Harry Potter
From mid-November by way of January 1st, you’ll be able to see Hogwarts lit up with the Magic of Christmas and festive decor bedecks the streets of Hogsmead in Common’s Islands of Journey and Diagon Alley in Common Studios Florida at each sections of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Each the Frog Choir and Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees put a vacation spin on their performances and, better of all, it’s the time of 12 months to get pleasure from a sizzling Butterbeer (my private favourite.)
Common’s Vacation Parade that includes Macy’s at Common Studios Florida
Lots of the balloons and floats from the legendary Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York Metropolis are despatched straight to Common Studios Florida to make a nightly look within the Vacation Parade from November 12 – January 1st. The parade contains appearances by the Minions from Illumination’s Despicable Me and a few characters from DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek and Madagascar movies.
Grinchmas at Common Islands of Journey
From November 12 – January 1st, Seuss Touchdown in Common Islands of Journey is adorned with the vacation attraction and cheer of Dr. Seuss’s Who-ville. You possibly can get pleasure from particular music and enjoyable from The Grinchmas™ Who-liday Spectacular and have an opportunity at a photograph alternative with the Grinch.
Mannheim Steamroller at Common Studios Florida
On sure nights in early December, the best-selling vacation artist of all time performs stay performances in Common Studios Orlando. Test the web site for this 12 months’s dates.
Common CityWalk
Common CityWalk additionally will get adorned for the vacations earlier than Thanksgiving and you will see particular locations just like the Mistletoe Pines Village, together with vacation drinks, treats, and merchandise. In case you plan on consuming Thanksgiving Dinner in CityWalk, be sure to make your reservations weeks upfront, as prime occasions do refill.
Is Common Orlando crowded at Thanksgiving?
The quick reply is: not as unhealthy as I anticipated. In anticipation of excessive crowds on the weekend after Thanksgiving, I bought a someday Categorical Go for all of us for the Saturday following Thanksgiving. Remember the fact that should you keep at one of many premier Common Orlando resort properties, Categorical Passes are included in your keep.
In case you aren’t conversant in Categorical Passes at Common Orlando, they’re particular passes that assist you to bypass the primary queue and line up on the shorter Categorical Go queue. There are two differing kinds, the Limitless Categorical Go and the usual Categorical Go.
With the Limitless Go, you should utilize it as many occasions as you need for every journey included within the Categorical Go. With the usual go, you’ll be able to simply use it as soon as per journey. One essential factor to notice is that not each journey in Common affords an Categorical Go queue.
A approach that you may gauge how crowded the parks are anticipated to be is to look on-line on the Categorical Go pricing. Pricing relies on provide and demand, with a specific amount out there every day. For instance, after I up to date this text and appeared on the worth of Categorical Passes throughout Thanksgiving week versus the week prior, there was a major improve.
If the value is greater, which means they’re anticipating giant crowds. You possibly can at all times roll the cube and take your probabilities on shopping for them contained in the park, however they might promote out. After I appeared on-line, I used to be stunned by the price of the Categorical Go (see my publish about what it prices to go to Common Orlando.)
Based mostly on the pricing, I made the funding — however that simply goes to indicate that even the consultants may be mistaken. I spoke to a customer support consultant within the park that day and even she was stunned that the crowds weren’t bigger for the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
The longest line was 90 minutes for the Minions journey and even the Categorical Go line was virtually 45 minutes for that one. However for many rides, we walked proper on with our Categorical Passes. Tip: To skip the road at Minions, go to the queue for no movement. You gained’t get bounced round however you’ll get on the journey immediately.
I used to be actually glad that I didn’t pay for an Categorical Go on the Sunday after Thanksgiving as a result of the parks have been surprisingly quiet. We have been in a position to go on the Harry Potter rides a number of occasions with barely a wait, even in the course of the day. This can be a massive journey day for folks so the largest strains we noticed have been on the airport that night (thank goodness for Pre Test!)
I’m actually curious to listen to others’ experiences from Common Orlando at Thanksgiving however for us, it was an ideal time to go. Simply remember that Florida faculties have off for the complete week of Thanksgiving, so it might be fairly crowded later within the week and you might have higher luck on Thanksgiving Day or the Saturday/Sunday after when individuals are driving residence.
We didn’t must take any trip time since two days is actually all you want for each parks, the crowds have been utterly manageable, the decorations made it festive, there have been enjoyable particular occasions, and the climate was ultimate — not too sizzling and never too chilly.
Ideas for Visiting Common Orlando at Thanksgiving
- Make eating reservations early to your Thanksgiving meal (I’d advocate weeks upfront).
- Keep at a premier resort property (Loews Royal Pacific, Loews Portofino Bay, Arduous Rock Lodge) to obtain free Categorical Passes.
- In case you can’t swing the charges at a premier property, keep in one of many economic system properties to not less than get into one of many parks one hour earlier than most people for further time with fewer strains (simply do the mathematics to see if buying Categorical Passes individually is a greater deal than paying the upper resort fee.)
- The climate at Thanksgiving may be cooler so convey a small backpack that may match into the journey lockers with gentle layers.
- In case you are carrying sneakers, convey flip-flops or water socks to vary into for water rides in order that your sneakers don’t get soaked for the remainder of the day leaving you with chilly ft. You possibly can in any other case use the “folks dryers” should you get moist on the water rides.
- See my different ideas for maximizing your time in Common Orlando.
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