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 marvel that I had a little bit of trepidation about spending Thanksgiving at Common Orlando. I puzzled, wouldn’t it be crowded? Wouldn’t it be bizarre to have a good time a vacation at a theme park?
However, we actually, actually wished 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 shocked. Here’s what we discovered that will aid you 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 neglected. In spite of everything, this American vacation is usually spent at house or benefiting from flight offers to go to someplace that doesn’t observe Thanksgiving in late November.
Even supposing 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 could 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 value you additional.)
Additionally they have arts and crafts actions, films 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. (Examine with resort for present hours and availability)
Loews Sapphire Falls
The Loews Sapphire Falls additionally gives a Thanksgiving buffet within the Amatista Cookhouse. The breakfast buffet is on the market from 7-11 am and the all-day buffet is on the market from 11 am – 9pm and reservations are beneficial 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 consists of sushi, stir fry stations, and extra conventional dishes. Reservations are beneficial. See the menu and present charges.
Onerous Rock Resort
If you need a “rocking” good Thanksgiving, the Onerous Rock Resort additionally gives a Thanksgiving buffet with a relaxing seafood bar and a carving station, youngsters objects and a dessert desk in The Kitchen. Their Thanksgiving buffet is served from 11am- 9 pm and reservations are beneficial. Take a look at the menu and present charges.
Loews Portofino Bay
The Loews Portofino Bay additionally gives a Thanksgiving buffet in Trattoria del Porto from midday to 9 pm full with reside 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 youths. See the menu and present pricing. Reservations are beneficial.
Common Aventura Resort & Infinite Summer time Resort
These motels 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?
You’ll want to verify 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 motels.
Common Orlando Resort Inns
We stayed on the Cabana Bay Resort, and strolling into the foyer we have been greeted by some favourite characters (Scooby Doo!) and an enormous Christmas tree.
On Friday night on the day after Thanksgiving, the Cabana Bay hosts a tree lighting, adopted by reside leisure within the Swizzle Lounge, meet and greets with Santa and Common Orlando characters, and scorching 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 reside 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 means of January 1st, you possibly can 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 take pleasure in a scorching Butterbeer (my private favourite.)
Common’s Vacation Parade that includes Macy’s at Common Studios Florida
Most 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 consists of 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 appeal and cheer of Dr. Seuss’s Who-ville. You possibly can take pleasure in 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 reside performances in Common Studios Orlando. Examine the web site for this 12 months’s dates.
Common CityWalk
Common CityWalk additionally will get adorned for the vacations earlier than Thanksgiving and one can find particular locations just like the Mistletoe Pines Village, together with vacation drinks, treats, and merchandise. Should you plan on consuming Thanksgiving Dinner in CityWalk, be sure to make your reservations weeks prematurely, as prime occasions do replenish.
Is Common Orlando crowded at Thanksgiving?
The quick reply is: not as dangerous as I anticipated. In anticipation of excessive crowds on the weekend after Thanksgiving, I bought a in the future Specific Go for all of us for the Saturday following Thanksgiving. Take into account that in the event you keep at one of many premier Common Orlando resort properties, Specific Passes are included in your keep.
In case you aren’t accustomed to Specific Passes at Common Orlando, they’re particular passes that mean you can bypass the primary queue and line up on the shorter Specific Go queue. There are two differing types, the Limitless Specific Go and the usual Specific Go.
With the Limitless Go, you need to use it as many occasions as you need for every trip included within the Specific Go. With the usual go, you possibly can simply use it as soon as per trip. One essential factor to notice is that not each trip in Common gives an Specific Go queue.
A manner you could gauge how crowded the parks are anticipated to be is to look on-line on the Specific Go pricing. Pricing is predicated on provide and demand, with a specific amount out there every day. For instance, once I up to date this text and regarded on the value of Specific Passes throughout Thanksgiving week versus the week prior, there was a big improve.
If the value is larger, which means they’re anticipating giant crowds. You possibly can all the time roll the cube and take your possibilities on shopping for them contained in the park, however they might promote out. Once I regarded on-line, I used to be shocked by the price of the Specific Go (see my submit 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 specialists will be unsuitable. I spoke to a customer support consultant within the park that day and even she was shocked that the crowds weren’t bigger for the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
The longest line was 90 minutes for the Minions trip and even the Specific Go line was nearly 45 minutes for that one. However for many rides, we walked proper on with our Specific Passes. Tip: To skip the road at Minions, go to the queue for no movement. You gained’t get bounced round however you’re going to get on the trip immediately.
I used to be actually glad that I didn’t pay for an Specific 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. It is a large journey day for individuals so the largest strains we noticed have been on the airport that night (thank goodness for Pre Examine!)
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 understand that Florida faculties have off for the whole week of Thanksgiving, so it might be fairly crowded later within the week and you could have higher luck on Thanksgiving Day or the Saturday/Sunday after when individuals are driving house.
We didn’t have to take any trip time since two days is absolutely all you want for each parks, the crowds have been fully manageable, the decorations made it festive, there have been enjoyable particular occasions, and the climate was preferrred — not too scorching and never too chilly.
Suggestions for Visiting Common Orlando at Thanksgiving
- Make eating reservations early in your Thanksgiving meal (I’d advocate weeks prematurely).
- Keep at a premier resort property (Loews Royal Pacific, Loews Portofino Bay, Onerous Rock Resort) to obtain free Specific Passes.
- Should you can’t swing the charges at a premier property, keep in one of many financial system properties to no less than get into one of many parks one hour earlier than most people for additional time with fewer strains (simply do the mathematics to see if buying Specific Passes individually is a greater deal than paying the upper resort price.)
- The climate at Thanksgiving will be cooler so deliver a small backpack that can match into the trip lockers with gentle layers.
- In case you are carrying sneakers, deliver flip-flops or water socks to alter into for water rides in order that your sneakers don’t get soaked for the remainder of the day leaving you with chilly toes. You possibly can in any other case use the “individuals dryers” in the event you get moist on the water rides.
- See my different suggestions for maximizing your time in Common Orlando.
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