DL attendance question

[Grog]

My girlfriend and I are flying to Seattle in August and are picking up a car to drive back to Houston. We decided to take a couple of days out to go to DL and possibly DCA on the way home. Our first day at DL will be Monday, August 27th. I've noticed that most hotels list that as the first day of the off-peak season and that the park hours are shorter. Here are my questions:

1. Does that mean that most of the local kids will be back in school?

2. Can we expect the crowds to thin out a bit?

3. Has the opening of DCA drawn any of the crowd away from DL?


This is my first trip to DL since 1980 so I am a but psyched right now. I was at WDW the last time in 1997 and am anxious to compare the two. I've heard that DL and MK have many differences that make them both unique expriences. 28 days and counting!

Thanks in advance for any help with my questions

 

[BetsyAnn]

We were at Disneyland mid-July and it seemed to us crowds were down. Stand by lines were about 30 -40 minutes in the middle of the day. We went to DL in late September a couple of years ago and we still had plenty of time to tour the park. I would suggest you do an Early entry day if you can. I think with the Electrical Parade at CA may take some people from DL. The day we went to CA - it seemed crowded to us especially on the Pier compared to DL --IT may because of poor crowd movement design in the park or it could have been crowded. I would go - you will have a great time. Remember Disneyland is the orginal and in my humble opinion the best of all the parks. I was disappointed in CA but to each their own.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Most of the locals go back to school after Labor Day, but by this time of the summer, most of them have already been there and done that several times. Monday should be an OK crowd and Tuesday will be even better.