Thanksgiving in Orlando 2026: A Family Guide to Events

Quick answer: Thanksgiving in Orlando falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026, and families can spend it at a theme park, at a hotel Thanksgiving buffet, at the Lake Eola Turkey Trot, or by cooking dinner at a vacation home. Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, LEGOLAND Florida and Gatorland all post Thanksgiving Day hours, and Disney, Universal, SeaWorld and LEGOLAND have Christmas events on their calendars before and during the week. Kennedy Space Center and Orlando Science Center are closed on the holiday.

We checked each fact below against the official page on October 12, 2026. Dates, hours and prices change, so confirm before you go.

Key Takeaways

• Orange, Osceola and Polk county schools are all on break from November 23 to 27, 2026 (the Orange and Polk calendars also list November 23 and 24 as possible storm make-up days), and holiday events at Universal, SeaWorld, LEGOLAND and Walt Disney World are already on their official calendars.
• Thanksgiving Day buffets at Orlando resorts post dates, times and prices on their own pages, and they take reservations.
• Walmart says its stores will be closed on Thanksgiving, and Publix, Aldi and Costco say they close too, so shop by Wednesday, November 25.
• If you cook at your vacation rental, check the kitchen early. USDA says a turkey needs at least 24 hours in the refrigerator for every 5 pounds to thaw.
• Families with little ones can build around naps. Most parks post long days, so you can split a day between the park and the rental.

Thanksgiving week 2026 events at a glance

Theme parks during Thanksgiving week

Walt Disney World

Disney's holiday page lists Holidays at Walt Disney World from November 13 to January 6 (Disney holidays page). Magic Kingdom is open 9 am to 10 pm on Thanksgiving Day, and its posted hours are 9 am to 6 pm on November 24, 25, 27 and 29, the nights Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party runs. Disney lists those party tickets at $189 to $229 plus tax by date, with $10 off per ticket for children ages 3 to 9 (Disney event page). Military families should know that Disney's 2026 military promotional tickets are blocked out November 22 to 28, per Disney's military ticket page, and our Veterans Day guide covers other offers.

Universal Orlando

Universal lists its holiday lineup from November 14, 2026, including Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Grinchmas and Universal's Holiday Parade featuring Macy's (Holidays at Universal). On Thanksgiving Day, Universal Studios Florida is open 10 am to 8 pm, Islands of Adventure is open 9 am to 8 pm and Epic Universe is open 10 am to 8 pm. Universal Volcano Bay is closed for season (Universal park hours).

SeaWorld Orlando

SeaWorld's Christmas Celebration is included with park admission and lists a Sesame Street Christmas Parade in Sesame Street Land, plus Winter Wonderland on Ice on select dates (SeaWorld Christmas Celebration). The park is open 9 am to 9 pm on Thanksgiving Day. SeaWorld's own pages disagree on whether the event starts November 6 or 7, so check the calendar for your date. Our SeaWorld with toddlers guide covers the park itself.

LEGOLAND Florida

LEGOLAND's Christmas Bricktacular is on November 21, 22, 27, 28 and 29, and the park lists a drone show with LEGO Santa, a first-ever rap battle show and an interactive light trail as new for 2026 (LEGOLAND holiday page). LEGOLAND is open 10 am to 6 pm on Thanksgiving Day, and the Bricktacular is not listed for that date.

Thanksgiving Day activities beyond the parks

• Seniors First Turkey Trot: the City of Orlando lists it for Thursday, November 26 at Lake Eola Park (City of Orlando event page). The organizer lists the 5K at 8 am (the 5K has entry fees) and a free Tot Trot at 9:15 am, with kids' runs of 100 to 400 yards free for all children (Track Shack event page).
• Gatorland: open 10 am to 5 pm every day, holidays included (Gatorland hours and prices).
• Wekiwa Springs State Park: open 8 am to sunset, 365 days a year, with a $6 per vehicle fee listed (Florida State Parks).
• Closed on the holiday: Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and Orlando Science Center. Our what is open on Thanksgiving Day guide has the full list.

Thanksgiving dinner out: buffets and how reservations work

If you do not want to cook, several resort buffets post 2026 details. Prices are as posted on each page. The three Rosen pages say their prices exclude 6.5% tax and a service charge (27% at Rosen Plaza, 26% at Rosen Centre and 20% at Rosen Shingle Creek), so budget for the extra. The Four Seasons page does not say whether tax and service are added.

In all three Rosen listings, children age 3 and under are free. At Walt Disney World, Disney describes the Patriot's Platter at Liberty Tree Tavern in Magic Kingdom as a traditional family-style Thanksgiving dinner with roasted turkey, pot roast and oven-roasted pork, and recommends a confirmed dining reservation (Liberty Tree Tavern). Disney's dining guide says reservations can be made starting 60 days before arrival (Disney dining guide). Universal's dining reservations page did not list 2026 Thanksgiving menus when we checked.

Cooking Thanksgiving dinner at a vacation home

A vacation rental lets toddlers eat early and nap in a real bed, which is one reason to cook at the house. The catch is the kitchen. Walmart says its stores will be closed this year on Thanksgiving, and Publix says its stores close on the holiday (Walmart news, Publix Q&A), so buy everything by Wednesday, November 25. Publix also lists a Thanksgiving order-ahead page for dinners, sides and desserts, so you can pick up a cooked meal before the holiday. The page we read says to order ahead by November 24 for in-store pickup, but it shows no year and still links a 2025 delivery page, so confirm the 2026 deadline with Publix.

If you cook, our Thanksgiving vacation rental kitchen checklist has a timeline, USDA food-safety basics and a table of what rental kitchens may lack. Honest Sherpa rents refrigerators and freezers, grills and propane, small appliances and tables and chairs, delivered to your vacation rental with delivery and pickup dates chosen at checkout.

With little kids: naps, strollers and splitting the day

This section is advice. Park days that run to 9 or 10 pm are easy to split. Go to a park at opening, return to the rental for lunch and a nap, and decide in the afternoon whether the evening is worth it. Animal Kingdom's 8 am to 6 pm hours suit a morning-only day, and Magic Kingdom's 6 pm close on party nights means the evening is mostly gone. Disney's park rules allow strollers up to 31 inches wide and 52 inches long, and they prohibit wagons and stroller wagons (Disney park rules). If you do not want to fly with a stroller, see Honest Sherpa's stroller rentals and our Universal stroller guide. For school breaks and park hours day by day, read our Thanksgiving week guide.

If your trip runs into early December

The City of Orlando lists its 2026 Tree Lighting Celebration for Friday, December 4, from 5:30 to 9:30 pm at Lake Eola Park. The city's page lists no admission price, and it says the event will include holiday performances at the Lake Eola Amphitheater, food trucks, snowfall and a visit with Santa (City of Orlando event page). The city encourages alternative transportation, including SunRail and the free downtown LYMMO circulator. For more holiday events, see our Christmas in Orlando guide.

Weather and what to pack

NWS Melbourne's climate table lists a normal high of 77 degrees F and a normal low of 56 degrees F on Thanksgiving Day, and a November normal of 1.79 inches of rain (NWS Melbourne Orlando November climate summary). Pack layers and a light rain jacket, and see our Orlando packing list.

A sample Thanksgiving week for families

These are suggestions, not forecasts. The hours come from the official calendars above.

FAQ

What to do on Thanksgiving Day in Orlando? Options with posted hours include Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, LEGOLAND Florida and Gatorland, the Seniors First Turkey Trot at Lake Eola, Wekiwa Springs State Park and resort buffets with reservations.

Are the theme parks open on Thanksgiving? Yes. Disney's four parks, Universal's three theme parks, SeaWorld, LEGOLAND and Gatorland all list Thanksgiving Day hours. Kennedy Space Center and Orlando Science Center are closed.

What is the weather like in Orlando during Thanksgiving? NWS Melbourne lists a normal high of 77 and low of 56 degrees F on November 26.

Is Universal Orlando crowded on Thanksgiving? We do not predict crowds. Universal posts 10 am to 8 pm at Universal Studios Florida that day, and its holiday events run from November 14. See our Thanksgiving week guide for the school calendars.

Is Thanksgiving a good time to visit Orlando? It depends on your family. Local schools are on break and holiday events are running, so use the official hours to choose your days.

Where can I buy a Thanksgiving dinner to heat at home? Publix lists an order-ahead page for dinners, sides and desserts, and Publix says its stores are closed on Thanksgiving, so plan pickup before the holiday. Confirm the 2026 order deadline, because the page we read shows no year.

Can I get Thanksgiving dinner at Disney World? Disney describes Liberty Tree Tavern's family-style dinner as a traditional Thanksgiving dinner and recommends a reservation. Book through Disney's dining reservation page or app.

How much are Thanksgiving buffets in Orlando? The resort pages we read list adult prices from $68.95 at Rosen Plaza to USD 170 at the Four Seasons Ravello buffet, before the tax and service charge that the Rosen pages say are added. See the table above.

Make the holiday easier. Honest Sherpa delivers strollers, refrigerators and other gear to your vacation rental, free of charge, seven days a week. Enter your zip code or city on the site to see if your address is covered.