Disneyland first timer questions...

[Soupermom]

Is there a Touring Plans website for Disneyland where you can check the crowd calendar like you can for WDW?

Coming from the midwest and having only been to WDW, is it as hot/humid in CA as it is in Florida in the summer? Are any of the summer months better/worse than the others? Is there really such a thing as "June Gloom" in LA regarding smog?

Are there days of the week that are less crowded during the summer?

 

[ScooterL]

It is generally NOT as hot/humid at Disneyland as it is at WDW in the summer. Yes, Disneyland gets temperatures in the 90s (and even 100s, though not often), but it's almost always relatively low humidity (especially compared to Florida). There are rare times when we'll get hot and humid, but that is definitely the exception.

"June Gloom" refers to the gray days we get because of the marine layer rather than smog. I don't recall the smog really being particularly bad at DL except when we get those hot/humid conditions that keep it in. If there's a large brush fire in the So Cal area the smoke can get pretty bad, though.

As far as I know there's no days of the week during the summer that are better/worse - it's busy all summer. But definitely I would avoid planning a trip during the last two weeks of August - that's when the blackout dates for the restricted So Cal APs end, and so you get lots of Annual Passholders in the park who haven't been able to go for the previous two months.

My preference would be to go during the last couple weeks of June - the weather is a little cooler than in July and August.

 

[Soupermom]

Thank you! We are thinking of going in June next year...

 

[pjhorton21]

If the local schools are in, the crowds are down. Weekends are always very busy.
The weather in Orlando cannot compare to weather in SoCal, especially in the summer. Although there can be heat at times, it is rarely humid, and even on the two or three days in the summer where humidity is a factor, it doesn't compare with the sauna that is Orlando. On many summer evenings, you may have to wear a light jacket to be comfortable as the seas breeze kicks in. The warmest days are more likely to be in August and September. The "June Gloom" doesn't refer to smog; it's the marine stratus which comes onshore during the late evening and morning hours, most of the time burning off to sunshine by the afternoon. These days are delightful, but it can be cool in the evening. In the summer, crowds will be heavier on the weekends and around the 4th of July.

 

[Soupermom]

Thank you! By any chance, can anyone tell me where I can get rates for the DL resorts? I can't find a simple nightly room rate anywhere!

 

[HydroGuy]

Is there a Touring Plans website for Disneyland where you can check the crowd calendar like you can for WDW?

Nope.

DLR is more of a locals resort. WDW gets only 15% of its visitors from the local Orlando area. DLR gets 70%. Most are on day trips. The need for planning resources is more for people from out of the area. Since DLR gets less than half the attendance as WDW, and of that with so many locals, there is maybe 10-20% of the demand for planning resources as compared to WDW. The market is thus smaller and the resources are less.

Coming from the midwest and having only been to WDW, is it as hot/humid in CA as it is in Florida in the summer? Are any of the summer months better/worse than the others? Is there really such a thing as "June Gloom" in LA regarding smog?

Not nearly as hot or humid in SoCal as Florida. See

"Comparison of Weather For WDW and DLR" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1711098

As Scooter said, June gloom is NOT smog. It is a marine haze.

Further, if you take advantage of some of DLR's unique attributes such as so many walking distance hotels, the weather becomes even less of a factor than at WDW. See "Getting The Most Out of a Summer Visit To DLR" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1345319

Are there days of the week that are less crowded during the summer?

Yes. On average weekdays are less crowded than weekends. And count Fridays (or at least Friday nights) as weekends. Try to stick with Monday-Thursday at DLR in the summer.

 

[Tiggerlover48]

As far as I know there's no days of the week during the summer that are better/worse - it's busy all summer. But definitely I would avoid planning a trip during the last two weeks of August - that's when the blackout dates for the restricted So Cal APs end, and so you get lots of Annual Passholders in the park who haven't been able to go for the previous two months.

Bummer!!! I just got a call from DVC and we are confirmed for Aug 22-29 2010. We are going to stay near San Diego and then spend a few days at DL. I can't wait - I haven't been in 25 years and my DH and DS have never been!!!!

 

[ScooterL]

Bummer!!! I just got a call from DVC and we are confirmed for Aug 22-29 2010. We are going to stay near San Diego and then spend a few days at DL. I can't wait - I haven't been in 25 years and my DH and DS have never been!!!!

How did you manage to make a DVC reservation for August 2010? Or are you at one of the other hotels and not the villas at the GC?

 

[dlander]

Scooter, you can use your DVC points at the GC and the DLH even though they are not villas. It just used a whole lot of points! We are using DVC points at the GC August 2-5.

 

[Eeee-va]

Yes. On average weekdays are less crowded than weekends. And count Fridays (or at least Friday nights) as weekends. Try to stick with Monday-Thursday at DLR in the summer.

But as others have said, the days right before and right after any level of annual pass "blocks out" for the summer will be busy. The weekdays right before the lowest-priced AP (for Southern California residents) blocked out for the summer were very crowded.

And on our trip about a week after that, I felt that Friday and Saturday (blockout days for some to most annual passes) and even Sunday (which actually wasn't a blockout day for the APs that were still "in play" but which WAS Father's Day) seemed to be less crowded than Monday and Tuesday.

So I would recommend checking the Disney site and scheduling away from those periods where passes are about to "block out." I was worried that our trip would be PACKED but we found the crowds quite manageable, so I was pleasantly surprised.

 

[ScooterL]

Really? That's very interesting - I'd read that once the Villas opened, we would no longer be able to use our points for stays in hotel rooms at the GC, though we could still use them at the Pier or the DLH. That's what they've done in Florida - e.g. once the AK Villas opened you couldn't book a stay in a hotel room at AKL, and the same for Beach Club.

 

[Hologram Lampwick]

its always crowded during the Summer. Its our busy season!!!

 

[Sherry E]

The June gloom is starting to burn off, which typically happens. Then July gets a little hotter, then August gets even hotter and sometimes September may be the hottest of them all. While 90 degrees temps are no fun even in "dry heat," you will rarely have to worry about too much humidity here. In fact, it is the dryness of the air that is a huge factor in the dreaded fire season which usually happens around October or so. If we had more humidity, we wouldn't have those awful wildfires.

When my friend in Anaheim (only 45 minutes away from where I am in L.A.) called me yesterday to discuss Michael Jackson, I asked her if it was hot where she is because it feels hot where I am. She said it was about 80 degrees at that point in the day. BUT, it will feel warmer than 80 - or whatever the actual temperature is - when you are in the parks, sun beating down on you.

 

[dlander]

Really? That's very interesting - I'd read that once the Villas opened, we would no longer be able to use our points for stays in hotel rooms at the GC, though we could still use them at the Pier or the DLH. That's what they've done in Florida - e.g. once the AK Villas opened you couldn't book a stay in a hotel room at AKL, and the same for Beach Club.

Sorry Scooter, I just saw they had stated August 2010. I'm sure you are right about that. It is such a bummer that the points for the Villas are going to be really high. I had hoped once they opened the Villas that it wouldn't take as many points as the hotel. No such luck

 

[FairyDust2008]

We just returned from our very 1st Disneyland trip just this past Saturday We miss it sooooooooooo badly already. We had our 1st WDW trip last year but Disneylandwon us over compared to WDW. It was just an AWESOME AWESOME trip When we arrived at LAX, it was quite dreary, cloudy and cool. Hubby was hoping it wouldn't stay this way. I was ok with it coming from the heat/humidity of Louisiana, it was a pleasant surprise. But..........it didn't last as far as the dreary part because we had WONDERFUL weather while there June 13th-20th. It was AWESOME The temps in the day were in the mid to high 70's while we were there which was very pleasant and they don't have the humidity so it is much more pleasant. We had a few days obviously standing in long lines and directly in the sun as with any heat is just plain hot but nothing like the 100's we are getting in Louisiana right now They do go through June gloom as it was when we arrived but it ended while we were there and ended up being as I said above, LOVELY weather. We couldn't have asked for better weather. We rented a convertible on one day and drove the coast to San Diego and it was GREAT California is just BEAUTIFUL. We preferred it over Orlando. We lived in Orlando while hubby was in the military and it was nice but nothing compares to California with scenery and Disneyland in general was just MAGICAL It was pretty crowded on most days we were there as we didn't know about GRAD parties, etc... ahead of time when we were planning. They closed early a couple nights because of grad parties. One day Disneyland closed because it was overcrowded to capacity. That was the day we were walking like compacted sardines on top of people and lines for rides were impossible so we headed to California Adventure on that day and then heard the news that Disneyland had closed because it was too crowded. It was a busy time but we were at Disneyland having FUN so we didn't really care a whole lot. We are already planning our return trip in 2010 to California. We've been spoiled to Disneyland now. When we returned from WDW from our 1st trip, we thought nothing can top this. That was until...........................DISNEYLAND! Have fun planning and have a great vacation!

 

[FairyDust2008]

Oh and by the way, even though we were in the mid to high 70's near 80 at times with plenty of sunshine during the day, when the sun went down, it got pretty cool/chilly so take a light jacket/hoodie of some sort to have when the sun goes down. When we went to San Diego and went to Coranado Beach, it was chilly at night on the beach but not cold.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Thank you! By any chance, can anyone tell me where I can get rates for the DL resorts? I can't find a simple nightly room rate anywhere!

I don't think there is a simple "room rate". They depend on conventions, promotions, etc. In fact for the week I'm going in Sept. the 5 night/6 day vacation package jumped about $500 from April to June. 2010 rates for vacation packages aren't available until Sept/Oct.

 

[Soupermom]

Thanks for all of the information everyone! Keep it coming!

 

[disney4metoo]

Really? That's very interesting - I'd read that once the Villas opened, we would no longer be able to use our points for stays in hotel rooms at the GC, though we could still use them at the Pier or the DLH. That's what they've done in Florida - e.g. once the AK Villas opened you couldn't book a stay in a hotel room at AKL, and the same for Beach Club.

That is true! Once the villas open no more points at the GCH!

 

[HydroGuy]

On average weekdays are less crowded than weekends. And count Fridays (or at least Friday nights) as weekends. Try to stick with Monday-Thursday at DLR in the summer.

But as others have said, the days right before and right after any level of annual pass "blocks out" for the summer will be busy. The weekdays right before the lowest-priced AP (for Southern California residents) blocked out for the summer were very crowded.

And on our trip about a week after that, I felt that Friday and Saturday (blockout days for some to most annual passes) and even Sunday (which actually wasn't a blockout day for the APs that were still "in play" but which WAS Father's Day) seemed to be less crowded than Monday and Tuesday.

So I would recommend checking the Disney site and scheduling away from those periods where passes are about to "block out." I was worried that our trip would be PACKED but we found the crowds quite manageable, so I was pleasantly surprised.

I went over the AP blockout transition in June 2007 and it was noticeable but not huge. This year sounds like it was much worse because of the new shows. Of course there are exceptions but I personally will stick with weekdays in the summer because on average they are less crowded. I agree that one should avoid the AP blockout transition days in June and August if possible. I have always tried to do that myself.