Crowds sept, nov or beg dec

[DisneyMom234]

First timers here! With young children so wondering what crowds are like end of sept, nov and dec.

Also weather? Crowds are our biggest factor! Lol
Any info you can give on these times is much appreciated!!

 

[figment_jii]

In general, none of the weekends during the time periods you mentioned are likely to be quiet/empty. The crowds will likely vary from moderate to pretty high (although, nothing quite like peak summer or the week between Christmas and New Year). You're looking at periods when the parks are either in Halloween-mode, Christmas-mode, or transitioning between the two.

End of September is part of HalloweenTime, which is fairly popular. Weekends are likely to be busy, but weekdays are probably manageable.

November can be highly variable depending on when specifically you're thinking of going. Early November, after the end of HalloweenTime, but before the official start of the holidays, should be pretty manageable. There may be some ride closures in effect as attractions get their holiday overlays installed (e.g., IaSW and Jungle Cruise). Mid-November has the official start to the Holiday season, the Avenger's Half Marathon, and Veteran's Day. The Avenger's weekend is usually very busy, but the weekdays following (Mon to Thu) are pretty good (I've gone and it was a good time). The weekends will be busy as folks come to see the holiday offerings. Thanksgiving tends to be pretty busy because a lot of folks are off from work/school and traveling.

December gets busier as the month progresses, culminating in one of the busiest periods of the entire year (when capacity level crowds are expected). The week between Christmas and New Year is usually very very very busy. Early December can be fairly nice during the weekdays (Mon to Thu), but weekends are busy. The last weekend before the holiday blockout for APs goes into effect is often very busy.

I try to keep track of the major events and school breaks that may impact DLR crowds in the 2015 Calendar of Events & School Breaks and DLR thread.

In terms of the weather, check out HydroGuy's Detailed Weather Data for DLR thread. September can be great or it can be hot. November can be great or it can be cold and drizzling. December can be great or it can be cold and raining. Basically, any time could have great weather or it could be miserable...

 

[DisneyMom234]

I had a friend go the beginning of nov two years ago and she said they were walking on rides. Is that not how it is anymore? I know it will be more crowded becAuse of the 60th but i was hoping it might still be decent.

What is the least crowded generally? From sept to dec. I want to hit friday once at least for fireworks but dont mind going on weekdays mostly.

 

[Sherry E]

The fireworks (currently, Disneyland Forever) are going to run nightly all through Halloween Time (from Sept. 11th through Nov. 1st), except on Mickey's Halloween Party nights. On MHP nights, Halloween Screams will be presented.

Fireworks usually run nightly all during the holiday season too (from mid-November through early January). I don't know if there will be any fireworks down time between when Halloween Time ends this year and when the Holiday season begins, but if you go during Halloween Time or during the holidays, chances are you won't have to wait for a Friday to see fireworks.

The 60th anniversary events are bringing in extra people. And early November usually involves some sort of taping for ABC, which will bring in people as well. I wouldn't count on any rides being walk-ons, though it's a bonus if it happens.

I live in SoCal, and weather can run the gamut of temperatures between September and December. It could be 118 degrees or pouring rain in September -- I've seen both of those things happen. It could be 90 degrees or pouring torrential rain in December. I've seen that too. December nights could be 30 degrees or 50 degrees. September nights could be 80 degrees or 60 degrees.

Both the holiday season and Halloween Time are extremely popular. So your best bet for lower crowds -- but not low crowds -- would be in between those 2 seasons, so sometime after 11/1 and before the Holidays begin -- but not directly over the time frame when ABC is taping (which would probably be the first November weekend).

We don't know the official start of the holiday season yet, but it usually happens after Veterans Day, so I am guessing 11/12 or 11/13.

 

[figment_jii]

I had a friend go the beginning of nov two years ago and she said they were walking on rides. Is that not how it is anymore? I know it will be more crowded becAuse of the 60th but i was hoping it might still be decent.

I think it depends a lot on what you mean by "decent". If you looking for "walk-on" for most rides, then I think you'll have trouble finding any weekend from end of September through end of December when that is going to be the case. At most, the first few hours after rope drop tend to be pretty quiet in the parks, but after that the crowds ramp up and remain fairly high throughout the day (on weekends).

What is the least crowded generally? From sept to dec. I want to hit friday once at least for fireworks but dont mind going on weekdays mostly.

The Parks Blog announced that the Disneyland Forever fireworks would be presented nightly (except on MHP nights) during HalloweenTime. So if you go at the end of September through Halloween, you could see fireworks on any night of the week (except nights when there is a MHP, which has it's own fireworks show, but only guests attending MHP will be allowed in the park). F! is still running it's usual weekend-only schedule during HalloweenTime, so if you wanted to see F! you would need to work a weekend-day into your trip.

The fireworks schedule for post-HalloweenTime has not yet been announced. Normally, once the holiday season starts, fireworks are presented nightly, but F! remains on a weekends only schedule except during Thanksgiving and during the peak holiday period. I would guess that fireworks will continue to be presented nightly during the transition period (e.g., November 1 through whenever the holidays official start), given that they're presenting them almost nightly during the transition from summer to HalloweenTime.

So, for this year (I wouldn't count on nightly fireworks after the Holiday season) at least, it seems like fireworks are likely to be presented nightly, but F! (and Mad T Party) will be on the weekends-only during the non-peak season schedule. So adding a weekend-day comes down to whether you want to see F! (and Mad T Party) or not.

In terms of crowds, I think you'll find the lowest crowds during the transition between HalloweenTime and the Holidays (so early November), but the trade-off is that there might be attraction closures. If you're willing to forgo the weekend days, then I think there are more options (e.g., end of September, end of October, early November, and early December). None of these are likely to have "walk-on" attractions on all days, but short(ish) lines are not uncommon (except for the biggest rides like RSR, Space, HMH, etc.). I've gone in the end of September, early October, mid-November (after the start of the Holiday season) and early-December in the recent past. Early October was by far the busiest (with Gay Days and CHOC walk). The other three were all fairly similar in terms of weekdays (Mon to Thu). The weather was "best" in mid-November and early-December (cool, but potentially rainy).

 

[Indiana Scott]

I just researched the same time period extensively and we're going the first week of Nov.
Super low crowds and important (to us) rides are open like HM, etc.

 

[OneThree]

I just researched the same time period extensively and we're going the first week of Nov.
Super low crowds and important (to us) rides are open like HM, etc.

This is the same time frame we are looking at. Is there a listing of typical ride closures due to working on the holiday overlays? If its things like Its a Small World I could care less

 

[Indiana Scott]

This is the same time frame we are looking at. Is there a listing of typical ride closures due to working on the holiday overlays? If its things like Its a Small World I could care less

Funny you should say that because IASW was down the last time we were there that time of year.
It's hard to say what else may be getting maint. because Disney just doesn't post that sort of thing out as far as they once did but for the most part this is just before things start picking up and normally there aren't any super important rides down.
But all you can do is plan and hope!

 

[Sherry E]

This is the same time frame we are looking at. Is there a listing of typical ride closures due to working on the holiday overlays? If its things like Its a Small World I could care less

Regarding the holiday overlays on the rides --

Haunted Mansion Holiday opens on September 11th, and will remain open until early January.

If It's a Small World Holiday sticks to tradition, it should most likely soft open on 11/6 or 11/7. If it doesn't stick to tradition, it will open in its holiday form on 11/12 or 11/13.

We don't know if Jungle Cruise will get its Jingle Cruise overlay this year -- I would have to imagine it will return. If so, it might be closed until 11/12 or 11/13, while it gets the holiday transformation.

Right now the Disneyland Forever fireworks and the Paint the Night parade are supposed to be running on a pretty steady schedule through the end of Halloween Time, and most likely they will continue that schedule when the holiday season begins. There may, possibly, be some 'down time' in between 10/31 and 11/13, where the fireworks take a break for a couple of nights, or the parade schedule lightens a bit. We just don't know yet.

 

[DisneyMom234]

So is nov 15th through the 21st generally busy? Seems that may be the best time?

 

[Sherry E]

So is nov 15th through the 21st generally busy? Seems that may be the best time?

Generally, yes, it will be busy. Any time after the holiday season has officially begun will be busy to some degree -- unless it rains -- because the holidays are extremely popular. There are different levels of busy, of course, and different people may view a moderately busy day as being extremely busy or as being not very busy at all. Certain days within that time frame may seem less busy than other days. The time frame between 11/15 and 11/21 is not going to be New Year's Eve-level busy or anything. The park won't reach capacity (more than likely). But, will there be a lot of people in the parks, enjoying the holiday festivities? Absolutely. It should be manageable, though.

 

[egritz]

So is nov 15th through the 21st generally busy? Seems that may be the best time?

Of all the weeks you are looking at I think that week is the best week to go (that's when we are going this year & when we went last year). All the holiday rides with overlays should be open by then, and once the Avenger Marathon people leave on the 16th the crowds should lighten up significantly. The DL hotels won't yet be all dressed up for the Holiday (but the Grand may be in progress, which would be a sight to see!) but the parks will be done (and Santa will be at both parks).

In 2013 we went the 2nd week of December (Dec 9th-14th) and the crowd levels rivaled when we went in June after most schools were out. It was way too busy for my liking! Our first afternoon (a Monday) felt like a Friday or Saturday night. It was pure insanity, difficult to walk through the crowds, I can't imagine being there during the weeks school is out for Christmas & New Year's!!! Our quietest morning was actually that Saturday that we spent in DCA - it was a Ghost Town in DCA for about 2 hours after opening. We went to Knott's that trip (on the Friday) and it was a breath of fresh air with how un-crowded it was. I don't know that we'll ever return in December unless Thanksgiving is early, giving an additional week between Thanksgiving & Christmas.

 

[DisneyMom234]

I just researched the same time period extensively and we're going the first week of Nov.
Super low crowds and important (to us) rides are open like HM, etc.

How did you figure there are low crowds then?

 

[chickapin parterre]

crowds. Is it a mind set?
crowds. What is the park offering for that week?
crowds. In general, what is the culture of the US g during that week?

The above measures is how I figure or expect for crowds. Also my previous October (before and during UTEA and non Halloween parties), many Nov visits and several Dec visits, in addition to March visits all come into play and I measure my experience to what I read about others visiting. And because I sell vintage Disneyland items, I talk to many folks about their trips and experiences.

For that first week of Nov, the Halloween crush is over, many folks visited to participate in that speculator offering. There is nothing spectacular about the first weeks of Nov. so folks are not going to invest those weeks. Nothing is happening in the culture of the US during those weeks. No pumpkin patches, no Oktoberfest, trips to New England or mountain hikes. Beaches becoming colder. NFL and college football at their peak. so early Nov is a time to settle in to home, began preparations for the coming holiday. Early nov is a time to rest, catch up,make new plans.

But a previous poster shared about a 2013 visit. I was there that entire week and because of my MIND SET, I also thought it was crowded. BTMRR was closed for refurb in addition to other attractions. But everyday around 11:00 there would be several E attractions closed at the same time. I remember that Tuesday, I was standing in NOS and Indy, pirates and NBC was closed. the lesson I draw from that visit is that attractions close for unknown reasons to the visitor, and from what I have read on another site, most of the closures are guest behavior. But I also found the evenings to be very light and easy to manage. What I have learned is that I need to change my MIND SET, be prepared to go with the flow and attractions will close at any time. And If I want a large array of attractions available, then I need to go high season

 

[Indiana Scott]

How did you figure there are low crowds then?

We have gone to the parks during that time before. It's a good time because Haunted Mansion is open and Mickey's Halloween parties are over so you can stay in the park later than if you went a week or two earlier.
I checked the schedule for the convention center and schools.
I asked on this forum about the first week and weeks after that and someone with a subscription to another scheduling site (forget name) confirmed that those dates are expected to have very low attendance.
This site is priceless for this kind of stuff!!

Scott