Choosing When To Visit DLR: Summary of High and Low Season and When Each Happens

[WA Kay]

i think half of October is really really busy...

Which half. We are planning on coming October 2012 and would be interested in the week with the lowest crowds. We typically go in late June and do not mind those crowds but would love to see the Halloween decorations.

 

[HydroGuy]

Which half. We are planning on coming October 2012 and would be interested in the week with the lowest crowds. We typically go in late June and do not mind those crowds but would love to see the Halloween decorations.

Hopefully an October expert will respond but since none has so far it is my understanding that the first half of October is busier and the last half is quieter with the exception of Halloween itself.

 

[nemofans]

Really? I don't mind earlier park closings b/c we are coming from the midwest & will be dealing w/a 2 hr time difference w/2 little kids. So we would be leaving the parks around 7 pm anyway. Plus, my DS doesn't like fireworks & we usually don't stay for those. It's the crowds that I am concerned about. What kind of waits are we talking about?

 

[Hound 109]

Really? I don't mind earlier park closings b/c we are coming from the midwest & will be dealing w/a 2 hr time difference w/2 little kids. So we would be leaving the parks around 7 pm anyway. Plus, my DS doesn't like fireworks & we usually don't stay for those. It's the crowds that I am concerned about. What kind of waits are we talking about?

Early to mid October "waits" would range from minimal (early in the AM) to crowded....(55 min. wait for Indy & SM, 45 min. wait for BTMRR) in the late afternoon & early evening. This is partly because of locals coming out for a few hours after school or work to view holiday theming & also because of the holidays or conventions that may be going on.

But.....follow DLR 29's advice:

HOWEVER, this does not mean that it will be a bad time to go. If you plan a lot and use FP you will be surprised at how much you can do even with the high crowd levels. Also, the weekdays will be not as bad (Tuesday-Thursday), but they will also have shorter park hours and might not have Fantasmic or fireworks.

Read & Know all of Hydroguy's FP threads. (Bottom line....get there early every day (it will be empty) & logically collect FPs & ride the slow loaders early.

My link below outlines a one day visit to DLR in mid October.

Have a great time planning a visit to Walt's Park.

 

[nemofans]

Thanks! We will be up really early anyway so we definitely be able to do early morning entry. Sounds doable. The other time we could visit would be mid Nov (veterans day) which I was told is very crowded. So I am hoping columbus day week wouldn't be as bad. Plus, I would love to be there w/Halloween decorations out.

 

[Mouse13]

With the ride openings scheduled for June 3, would you anticipate that this will mark the beginning of the 2011 summer season? If so, do you think that more frequent fireworks and Fantasmic! shows will begin at that time as well? We usually visit during the last week in May or first week in June and the crowds are always low. We arrive on June 3 this year and I'm trying to figure out what kind of an impact the ride openings will have on our trip as we've never been at DLR when a ride has opened. My friend and her family will be visiting for the first time and arriving on June 3 also. I have helped them plan their trip and want to be as informed as I can be under the new scenario.

 

[HydroGuy]

With the ride openings scheduled for June 3, would you anticipate that this will mark the beginning of the 2011 summer season? If so, do you think that more frequent fireworks and Fantasmic! shows will begin at that time as well? We usually visit during the last week in May or first week in June and the crowds are always low. We arrive on June 3 this year and I'm trying to figure out what kind of an impact the ride openings will have on our trip as we've never been at DLR when a ride has opened. My friend and her family will be visiting for the first time and arriving on June 3 also. I have helped them plan their trip and want to be as informed as I can be under the new scenario.

Hard to say. The last few years full entertainment and hours have phased in more in the June 7-17 time frame. Youc an go look here: "Historical DLR Park Hours, Entertainment and Refurbs" - www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2291124

This year they may go full blown summer on June 3 but if I had to guess I would say no. I would guess they will go June 3 weekend big time with ST and LMAUA opening, then on the following weekdays do normal June, then the second weekend maybe go for full summer hours.

 

[WA Kay]

Hopefully an October expert will respond but since none has so far it is my understanding that the first half of October is busier and the last half is quieter with the exception of Halloween itself.

Thank you HyrdoGuy. I am the Queen of getting the most out of even the busiest days but since we are completely flexible with our October dates I was hoping to avoid the worst. I was way off the mark in assuming that the quietest time would be as soon after the holiday weekend as possible rather than later in the month.

Thanks again for your response.

Kay

 

[FireflyJar]

deleted

 

[JennyN]

What a great summary, thanks for putting it all together in one place.

 

[HydroGuy]

Thank you HyrdoGuy. I am the Queen of getting the most out of even the busiest days but since we are completely flexible with our October dates I was hoping to avoid the worst. I was way off the mark in assuming that the quietest time would be as soon after the holiday weekend as possible rather than later in the month.

Thanks again for your response.

Kay

To get a better response to this question than I gave you should start a new thread. This forum has lots of October experts.

 

[Whidby]

Thanks Hydroguy! Great tips for a DL newbie...can't wait for our trip in May, though disappointed that F! does not seem to be showing, but it's ok, we'll still enjoy the best for 6 days!

 

[littlemuffin06]

Wow, thank you so much for all the great information!

I'm wondering if some of the time there is kind of a middle ground? I was thinking about planning our trip for sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas, wanting to avoid really big crowds, but still get a little more than low season has to offer. Is that possible, or is it really either one or the other?

Thanks again for all your great tips, I'm learning so much reading them!

 

[HydroGuy]

Wow, thank you so much for all the great information!

I'm wondering if some of the time there is kind of a middle ground? I was thinking about planning our trip for sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas, wanting to avoid really big crowds, but still get a little more than low season has to offer. Is that possible, or is it really either one or the other?

Thanks again for all your great tips, I'm learning so much reading them!

Here you go - looking to DL park hours as a rough guess...

DL open 8AM-Midnight - high season
DL open 9AM - 10PM - mid-season
DL open 10AM-8PM - low season

Unfortunately mid-season will have all of the potential downfalls of off-season with reduced entertainment and potential ride closures - just with more park hours and a bit more crowds.

 

[littlemuffin06]

Thanks so much for your reply!

 

[PixieGirl4]

Another great thread, the info is invaluable. Will the new rides on June 3 make for a crazy week following these openings? What if they are black out days? Or would it seem like mid-season? Or is it still slow because of the two grad nights the week of June 7-June 11?

Thanks!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Another great thread, the info is invaluable. Will the new rides on June 3 make for a crazy week following these openings? What if they are black out days? Or would it seem like mid-season? Or is it still slow because of the two grad nights the week of June 7-June 11?

Thanks!

I expect high crowds that week and through the entire summer because of the rides. People can't wait to ride and few think about the fact that they aren't the only ones that are anxious to head to the parks and ride them. Kind of like Christmas, everyone thinks they are the only ones to have the brilliant idea of heading to Disney for the holidays.

 

[Saskiwi]

Thanks so much for your great info on these boards.
We visited DL two years ago in April 2009 with our boys (their first ever visit at ages 6 and 9) and despite forgetting about it being Spring Break when we booked our tickets from NZ, thanks to your great Fastpass and "get there EARLY" tips, we never waited more than 20 mins for a ride in our 6 days at the parks!
Our first day, when we used our MM, we got 30 rides in!!

Now we are planning a visit in October to experience Halloween (a holiday we don't really have here) - so no doubt all your advice will be very useful once again in maximising our time in the parks.

We are probably going to get a 14 day pass this time (friends and family thought we were nuts with a 6 day pass last time, so maybe we won't tell them...) it is great value and means we will be able to take in WoC and F! at our leisure - plus of course Mickey's Halloween Party!

Thanks once again from New Zealand - keep up the great work!

 

[HETRICKL]

We are coming for our first visit to DL. We've gone several times to WDW. We are flying in the day before Thanksgiving, but will spend the first couple days in San Diego. We will drive to DL the Saturday after Thanksgiving, with Sunday being our first full day there.

I know Sunday will still be very crowded, but what about the week after (Mon - Fri)? Will that still be busy or back to low/med?

Also, knowing the Sunday after Thanksgiving would be very busy, what suggestions do you have to do that day?

Besides DL, we also hope to do Universal, Hollywood, and maybe LA and/or a beach.

Thanks so much. I feel like a newbie doing Disney all over again!

 

[HydroGuy]

We are coming for our first visit to DL. We've gone several times to WDW. We are flying in the day before Thanksgiving, but will spend the first couple days in San Diego. We will drive to DL the Saturday after Thanksgiving, with Sunday being our first full day there.

I know Sunday will still be very crowded, but what about the week after (Mon - Fri)? Will that still be busy or back to low/med?

Also, knowing the Sunday after Thanksgiving would be very busy, what suggestions do you have to do that day?

Besides DL, we also hope to do Universal, Hollywood, and maybe LA and/or a beach.

Thanks so much. I feel like a newbie doing Disney all over again!

I have not been at that time, but reports are that crowds drop off a lot the week after TG. Usually the park hours and entertainment do as well.

See "Historical DLR Park Hours, Entertainment and Refurbs" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2291124