Walt Disney World - November events and ride closures during your upcoming trip

Jersey Week - The New Jersey Public schools all have November 5th & 6th off for teacher-in-service days. This has a huge impact on attendance during the first week of November as thousands of families take the opportunity to take a few extra days and head to Disneyworld. Expect moderately high crowds for the whole first week of November.

Thanksgiving Week - "Holiday Season" is even more crowded than "Peak Season" so expect very high crowd levels November 21st - 28th. Heavy crowds can be fun because Disney extends park hours and adds extra show times but you'll need a good touring plan to help you avoid horrible lines.

Pop Warner National Football, Dance & Cheer Events at Walt Disney World - November 30 - December 12. These events take place at Disney's Wide World of Sports and the events themselves won't affect you but you may encounter groups of young athletes (and their families) in your resort and - during their spare time - in the theme parks.

Fantasmic! (Disney's Hollywood Studios) -This great show is no longer presented every night. It will be offered November 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30 . This is a very popular show and we highly recommend it - arrive 60-90 minutes early, if you do not have a Fantasmic! Dinner package. Disney may add a second, later performance on certain evenings during the busiest times - if they do, the later showing of Fantasmic! will always be less crowded than the earlier one Warning: When there are limited performances, you know Disney's Hollywood Studios is going to be busier on days featuring a Fantasmic! show. Afternoons will be especially busy as those with Park Hopper tickets come over to see the show. A good touring plan will help you manage this. Warning: This show is excellent but it does feature villains for a good 8-10 minutes. The scene is fairly intense and can be frightening to small children.

SpectroMagic Parade (Magic Kingdom) - This wonderful nighttime parade is not offered every night and the Magic Kingdom will be more crowded on days featuring a SpectroMagic Parade. The SpectroMagic Parade will be presented on November 2, 5, 7, 8, 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 3o. If Disney offers a second evening parade, the later parade will be less crowded than the earlier.

Extra Magic Hours - (Special hours only available to Disney resort hotel guest) We recommend that everyone avoid the Extra Magic Hour park(s) of the day. Disney has 33,000 hotel rooms and no one goes to Disney alone - that means too many people are pointed in the same direction at the same time. You'll have a much nicer time by going to a less busy park. This is doubly important if you are not staying at a Disney resort - you don't want to get to the theme park and find a bunch of Disney guests in line in front of you.

TIP: Everyone should avoid the Magic Kingdom on Thanksgiving Day - try Animal Kingdom or Disney's Hollywood Studios instead. You absolutely, positively need a good touring plan to keep you ahead of the crowds and out of the long lines. Make any dining reservations right away!

The 34th Annual Festival of the Masters (Downtown Disney) ~ Nov. 13-15; 9:30 to 5:30 PM. The works of over 150 visual artists will be on display at this event. No charge.

Epcot International Food & Wine Festival (Epcot) ~ Sept 25 - Nov 8. This is a wonderful event with food and music. TIP: This event draws a lot of annual passholders and local residents on the weekends so try to visit Epcot on a week day to avoid crowds.

Children's Miracle Golf Classic (Disney's Palm and Magnolia Golf Courses) - November 12 - 15.

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (Magic Kingdom) 7 PM to Midnight - November 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, & 29, December 1, 4, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, & 18. This event requires a special ticket ( $49 - $63 per person, depending on your age and the date) - you cannot enter using your Magic Your Way or Park Hopper tickets. Please contact us if you want additional information or tickets. TIP: It is important for you to be aware of this event even if you do not plan to attend because the Magic Kingdom will close early (7PM) on these dates and there won't be a SpectroMagic Parade or Wishes Fireworks these nights.

Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights (Disney's Hollywood Studios) - Evenings November 10, 2009 - January 4, 2010. An amazing display of hundreds of thousands of shining holiday lights.

Candlelight Processional (Epcot) - November 27, 2009 - December 30, 2009. Performances at 5:00, 6:45, and 8:00 PM. Retelling of the Christmas story with mass choir & full orchestra. Very, very popular - arrive early for the 5:00 performance for your best shot at getting in. Candlelight Processional Lunch and Dinner packages that guarantee a spot are still available on select dates.

This year's celebrity narrators:
November 27-29 Isabella Rossellini
November 30 & December 1-2 John O'Hurley
December 3-5 Steven Curtis Chapman
December 6-8 Anika Noni Rose
December 9-11 Andy Garcia
December 12-14 Vanessa Williams
December 15-17 Abigail Breslin
December 18-20 Whoopi Goldberg
December 21-23 Brian Dennehy
December 24-6 Edward James Olmos
December 27-30 Angela Bassett / Courtney B. Vance

Holidays Around the World. (Epcot) - November 27 - December 30th. The World Showcase pavilions will each feature a special holiday storyteller that tells about Christmas (or other holiday) festivities in that country. No extra ticket needed - included with your park admission. Check your Epcot times guide.

Celebrate Tonight - Downtown Disney's West End Plaza. Mini Street Parties featuring a DJ and stilt walkers lead dances, the limbo, party games, and sign-alongs. They only last about 20 minutes each but are a lot of fun. Sunday - Thursday: intermittently 5:00pm- 11:00pm. Friday - Saturday: intermittently 6:00pm- Midnight. Check on the hour and half hour.

* Space Mountain will be closed from April 19th - November 21st, 2009 for refurbishment. (Magic Kingdom)

* The Tomorrowland Power & Light Company Arcade will also be closed until November 21st. (Magic Kingdom)

* Liberty Belle Riverboat is closed to guests until January 4th, 2010 due to the Tiana' Showboat Jubilee.

* Liberty Tree Tavern (Restaurant - Magic Kingdom) the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner but no longer offers character dining.

* Typhoon Lagoon Water Park will be closed for its annual refurbishment for the entire month of November.

* Cirque Du Soliel is always closed on Sundays and Mondays but there will also be no performances on November 17th. Contact us to buy your Cirque Du Soliel tickets.

* Disney's Magical Express (Airport Shuttle Service) - New luggage procedure for late night arrivals. Luggage service will no longer be available for arrivals to Orlando International Airport after 10:00PM. Collect your luggage at baggage claim and take with you to the Disney's Magical Express check-in desk.

Disney recently released a "free nights" promotion that includes select dates in December. There is very limited availability for December but the savings can be significant. Guests staying at a Disney Value resort for 5 nights can receive two additional nights free. Guests booking a qualifying Magic Your Way package at a Disney moderate or deluxe resort for four nights can receive up to three nights stay. Your ticket length is also increased but you still have to pay for the dining plan for those nights, if you are using a Disney Dining Plan Did you book your reservation under the "Free Dining Promotion"? For value & moderate resort guests, that is usually the better value. Depending on the length of your stay, Deluxe resort guests may save more with this promotion.

f you find this report helpful, please consider using us to book your vacation reservations or for custom theme park touring plans. We are authorized Walt Disney World Vacation Planners and book directly with Disney so you never pay more than if you booked the reservation yourself. Then we provide lots of help and advice designed to take the stress out of vacation planning.

1) Help with building a Best Days Itinerary - a daily schedule that puts you in the best park for each day of your trip

2) Help with dining reservations (subject to availability)

3) Theme Park touring plans that keep you ahead of the crowds and out of the long lines. At no extra cost to you, we will provide either a subscription to Tour Guide Mike or the newest edition of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World when you book through www.buildabettermousetrip.com.

At Build A Better Mouse Trip, we are convinced that everyone can benefit with good touring plans. During busy times, a good plan will absolutely keep you ahead of the crowds and out of the lines - our clients typically wait less than 20 minutes for rides, even thrill rides and headliners. During less crowded times, a good plan factors in shorter park hours and fewer performance times. But the most important benefit of a good plan is that everyone gets to ride and see the things that they are looking forward to because everyone's priorities are included in a plan that tours the parks efficiently and effectively.

Are you wondering how we can provide these services for free? We accept Disney and other hotel commissions as payment for our planning services. If you've already booked your own reservation, it may be possible to have our name added as the agent of record. Your rate, confirmation, and benefits all stay exactly the same. In this situation, Disney just pays us the commission they would've kept for themselves. Then - free to you - we provide you with the help you need to take the stress out of vacation planning and itineraries that let you enjoy more attractions with less lines.