Walt Disney World Holidays: Thanksgiving Tips for WDW

Walt Disney World Holidays: Thanksgiving Tips for WDW

Families headed to Walt Disney World for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday will find the parks and resorts already decorated in their holiday best.

Disney's Grand Floridian during the holiday season features a beautiful tree.

Disney’s Grand Floridian during the holiday season.

WDW will be immersed in a wonderland of candy canes, ornaments, and catchy seasonal tunes. Remember, you won’t see much décor with pilgrims, the Christmas trimmings will add to the festivities. Yes, you’ll need to embrace the holiday season along with your Thanksgiving meal.

Thanksgiving Tips Walt Disney World

Thanksgiving Dinner

Gratefully, your family won’t go hungry as there will be a bounty of menu options. From quick, casual meals with traditional entrees to table service meals with specialty fixings, your loved ones can easily find a familiar holiday meal on Thanksgiving day.

The "Yacht Club" Club Sandwich at The Boathouse.

The “Yacht Club” Club Sandwich at The Boathouse.

In fact, you’ll find 28 dining locations offering a full buffet or special plated meal of traditional turkey day cuisine. Some of the places that your family can feast are:

• Akershus Royal Banquet Hall – Lunch and dinner
• Biergarten Restaurant – Lunch and dinner
• Chef Mickey’s – Dinner only
• Coral Reef Restaurant – Lunch and dinner
• Jiko – The Cooking Place – Dinner only
• Le Cellier Steakhouse – Lunch and dinner
• Olivia’s Cafe – Lunch and dinner
• The Wave… of American Flavors – Lunch and dinner
• Whispering Canyon Cafe – Lunch and dinner

Carving Board Turkey Dinner at Port Orleans Riverside.

Carving Board Dinner at Port Orleans Riverside.

More festive flavors will be offered at:

  • Magic Kingdom’s Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn and Café – turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, cranberry sauce and gravy.
  • Plus, Pinocchio’s Village Haus has Thanksgiving-inspired flatbread that is offered all month. The menu boasts cheese, turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce drizzled in gravy.
  • Epcot’s Sunshine Seasons – turkey with gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans and cranberry sauce for lunch and dinner.
  • Animal Kingdom’s Satu’li Canteen will feature the Na’vi’s version of a holiday meal. On Pandora, wood-grilled roasted turkey breast with gravy, apple and sage stuffing, green beans, orange marmalade glazed sweet potatoes with candied pecans, mashed potatoes and cranberry boba pearls will be served; available in both adult and kids’ portions. You’ll find a delicious pumpkin cheesecake mousse for dessert.
  • Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ at Disney Springs is offering a Thanksgiving roast turkey special.

Or… you might want to make the holiday even more memorable by noshing on a turkey leg or a decidedly non-traditional meal like Via Napoli’s Italian offerings in Epcot’s Italy pavilion.

Pizza at Via Napoli in Epcot

Pizza at Via Napoli.

Suggested Thanksgiving Itineraries

  • Reserve a carriage ride. Dine at your hotel food court. Take a walk around your resort. Visit Disney Springs for dessert. End your evening with miniature golf.
  • At Epcot, take in some of the shows around World Showcase that you’ve skipped on other trips. Collect photographs with characters. Stop by the Liberty Inn for dinner; get cobbler for dessert.
  • Go horseback riding at Fort Wilderness and then have a take-out meal/picnic from P&Js Southern Takeout. Take the boat to Disney’s Contemporary Resort to check out the holiday decorations. Board the monorail and visit the Polynesian Village and Grand Floridian resorts; pose for family photos in front of the holiday trees for your Christmas cards.
  • Find a football game on in one of the resort lounges before going to dinner at your resort hotel. Take a walk around the BoardWalk, then get ice cream at Ample Hills Creamery.
BoardWalk Resort WDW

Take a walk around the boardwalk from Beach Club to BoardWalk.

Go shopping at Disney Springs, graze at the quick service spots, then go see a movie. I love the idea of having an appetizer at one place, entree at the next, and finishing up with dessert at another location.

AMC Disney Springs 24 with Dine-In Theatres

See a movie.

Thanksgiving Day Planning

If you’re just planning a last minute trip to Walt Disney World, don’t despair. While most restaurants are booked to capacity, you won’t go hungry. Some restaurants still have availability and many quick service venues offer delicious meals. Next year, plan 180 days in advance to secure your first-choice Advance Dining Reservations.

The most popular restaurants, including Liberty Tree Tavern, offer traditional meals in a memorable atmosphere.
No reservation? Think of an alternate plan; for example, try Columbia Harbour House in the Magic Kingdom’s Liberty Square. Get your meal, then dine upstairs on the second floor.

Find quaint Thanksgiving Day seating on the second floor of the Columbia Harbour House.

Find quaint seating on the second floor of the Columbia Harbour House.

Thanksgiving Touring Plans

Your Thanksgiving touring plans should accommodate the crowds. Utilize FastPass+; checking for last minute availability as some families will decide they are too tired to tour after their holiday feasts. Plan to use single rider lines.

Eat a holiday meal at your reserved restaurant. Hit up a park and ride the overlooked attractions that have little wait. How long has it been since you’ve seen Carousel of Progress or rode the train around the Magic Kingdom? Finish the night with a caramel apple on Main Street U.S.A.

Caramel Apple WDW

Finish your holiday with an old-fashioned treat.

Look for information on the Thanksgiving Parade of Bands. This mass marching band performance includes award-winning bands from around the country, along with the Boston Brass. They have performed traditionally at 2PM in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Finally, don’t forget about Black Friday at Disney Springs! Arrive around opening time at Disney Springs for an uncrowded experience and some fun deals. Crowds pick up around 11AM.

Disney Springs - a great place to unwind.

Plan some time at Disney Springs.

Walt Disney World Holidays are always fun. With our tips you’ll find navigating Thanksgiving at WDW to be memorable. Turkey dinner has a variety of options; look for quick service meals featuring a traditional menu or full service restaurants offering special plated entrees.

From carriage rides, movies, and fishing to shows, rides, and shopping, Walt Disney World serves up a bounty of Thanksgiving fun!

We’ll be in Walt Disney World for the Thanksgiving week. We hope you’ll follow our holiday explorations; we plan to dine at Tusker House for our holiday dinner!

Share your Thanksgiving holiday experiences at WDW with us.

Ten Ways to Increase Your Magic Kingdom Experience

Ten Ways to Increase Your Magic Kingdom Experience

Ten Ways to Increase Your Magic Kingdom Experience

Let’s face it. Any day at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World is… well, a really good day. With thrill-seeking rides and family-friendly entertainment, the park never fails to amaze first-time visitors and multi-visit veterans.

Whether you are on your first or fiftieth visit, there are always more ways to increase your Magic Kingdom experience, including Overlooked and Underrated Attractions.

Ten Ways to Increase Your Magic Kingdom Experience

Your Magic Kingdom experience can be enhanced with these ten suggestions. Read on!

Take a Tour

Behind the scenes tours (from a Family Magic outing to a complete VIP extravaganza) cost extra but can really add to your Magic Kingdom touring experience. Call 407-WDW-TOUR to find the perfect add-on tour for your family!

VIP Cast Member

VIP Tour Guide at Walt Disney World

Reserve a Fireworks Dessert Party

Tomorrowland Terrace features dessert parties on select evenings of the year. Choose from patio seating on the terrace or Plaza Garden viewing where guests stand in a priority location. This add-on experience includes delicious desserts. Theme park admission is also required so you’ll want to add this party to a day and/or evening that you know you’ll be touring the Magic Kingdom.

Desserts at Wishes Fireworks Dessert Party

Desserts at Wishes Fireworks Dessert Party.

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom

Free with your Magic Kingdom admission, Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom is an interactive game that takes guests of all ages on a scavenger hunt. By casting Merlin’s magical spells at Magic Portals, you’ll help conquer Hades and become an apprentice sorcerer. Sign up at the Firehouse on Main Street, U.S.A. for your starter pack. If you get hooked on the game, you may want to purchase extra sorcerer cards.

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom Interactive Game at Train Station

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom

A Pirate’s Adventure ~ Treasures of the Seven Seas

Help Captain Jack by discovering 5 treasures hidden throughout Adventureland. Sign up at The Crow’s Nest to begin your raids. Collect all 5 treasure finder cards and you’ll receive a collector card signed by Jack Sparrow! Fun for all ages.

A Pirate’s Adventure Treasures of the Seven Seas Map Magic Kingdom

Get your treasure map!

Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Tutorial

Speaking of that famous pirate, Captain Jack hosts a pirate tutorial throughout the day in Adventureland. Check your Times Guide or My Disney Experience app for times.

Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Tutorial in the Magic Kingdom

Nic participating in Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Tutorial.

Apprentice Pirate at Captain Jack Sparrow's Pirate Tutorial  at the Magic Kingdom

Apprentice Pirate certificate.

If your child wants to learn sword fighting, I suggest arriving early and have your child enthusiastically wave their hands to join the fun! If they aren’t picked the first time, go back for a later show. You’ll have better luck at the first show of the day as well as the show that takes place while crowds are waiting for or viewing the afternoon parade.

Attend a Holiday Party

After-hours parties are a terrific way to see the Magic Kingdom from a new perspective. All decked out in holiday decor with special treats and shows, the Magic Kingdom becomes even more unforgettable on party nights. Try Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. We like to attend on a day that we’ve taken off from the parks; visit Disney Springs, relax at our resort, and then be sure to stay to the party until the end when crowds are at their lowest.

Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom

Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party.

Seek Out the Nooks and Crannies

If you race from ride to show without soaking in the details of the Magic Kingdom, you’ll have missed out on some of the most magical qualities of this iconic park. Even the quick-service restaurants have some special nooks — we love sitting upstairs at Columbia Harbour House and Pinocchio Village Haus. In the back of the Crystal Arts shop, you’ll find fascinating glass blowing demonstrations.

Columbia Harbour House in the Magic Kingdom

Sit upstairs at Columbia Harbour House for a relaxing respite.

Rocking Chairs in Magic Kingdom's Liberty Square.

Relax in rocking chairs in Liberty Square.

Street Performers

Be sure to stop and watch some of the street performers throughout the day. The Dapper Dans, Main Street Philharmonic, and Citizens of Main Street are extremely talented and worth watching.

The Dapper Dans in the Magic Kingdom.

The Dapper Dans performing during the holiday season.

Skip the FastPass… what?!

Sometimes you should skip the FastPass+ for the iconic rides with stellar queues. For instance, Peter Pan’s Flight has an interactive queue that will be missed if you only go on this ride via the FastPass entrance.

Peter Pan's Flight Interactive Queue

Watch for Tinker Bell!

Electrical Water Pageant

Think the fun is over as you exit the gates? It doesn’t have to be. Time your exit to coincide with the Electrical Water Pageant. Taking place on Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon, the barges pass by the Magic Kingdom (usually about 10:35PM) when the park is open late.

Electrical Water Pageant on Seven Seas Lagoon

The iconic Electrical Water Pageant.

What extras does your family enjoy in the Magic Kingdom? Contact Us, Follow Us on Twitter or comment below to share your ideas!