October 2012

[cari12]

With talk of Halloweentime getting busier and busier each year and with the opening of Carsland this year, DIS experts, do you think it will be insane this year? And is it mostly busy on the weekends so if we stick to M-F trip, should it be more manageable? What do you think based on past experience?

 

[Sherry E]

I think it will be pretty crowded. I have personally seen Halloween Time at DLR get more and more crowded over the years. October is no longer the slow, off-peak time that it used to be and it hasn't been for a while. Some folks say they won't go back in October because it has gotten too crowded - like on par with what you'd expect to find during the Christmas season. Of course, keep in mind that what is considered "too crowded" to one group of people may not be all that bad to another group of people.

I also think that Cars Land and the completion of all the work in California Adventure (after a 4-year billion dollar makeover) will likely draw many people. The novelty of it will attract lots of people for a while, until the novelty of it wears off.

Sure, there will still be certain school schedules and basic crowd patterns that apply, and there will be times that are busier than others, but I think the overall crowd level will increase a bit for the year and then there will be times when it is even more crowded, and times when it is less so.

I don't think it will be safe to say that a full 5 days - Mon-Fri - will be uncrowded. What is happening is that so many people are trying to avoid the crowds that they are planning trips for times that used to be relatively slow and quiet...which, in turn, is making the former 'off-peak' times much more popular and busy!

I am guessing that Fridays in October will be busy - those will likely be Halloween party days/nights. Many people have said that Tuesdays are busy - those have also been Halloween party nights for the last 2 years. Wednesdays are generally not too bad. By Thursday, the people taking long weekend trips are arriving.

So I think the best thing to do is to stay tuned to any news coming in on Cars Land crowds and the overall crowd level in California Adventure once they unveil Buena Vista Street and all the new stuff, and if it sounds like things are too crazy crowded then at least you'll be prepared.

Otherwise, you may hit some crowds. You may not. You may hit really big crowds. You may not. Just kind of plan and prepare for whatever comes up and it will be fine!

 

[skiingfast]

I doubt CL will make anytime past Summer insane on its own merits.

In October there are several insane times. They all occur between 5pm and 7pm on party nights. So even with a quiet day it gets busy on part evenings. Traditionally most parties have been on Tuesdays and Fridays and Halloween evening.

I wouldn't do a M-F trip because you will miss F! and fireworks. I would try to do some weekend days for that and a party. Probably something like a Thurday to Saturday or a Sunday to Tuesday. This would give you a slow day, slow morning, a part night with special fireworks, and a busy day to see F! and fireworks.

October does have some small crowds days due to Fall school breaks and special events. Nothing huge to worry about except those hours I mentioned above.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Ive seen way too many posts about people avoiding the Carsland rush this summer and waiting until October.

 

[Sherry E]

Ive seen way too many posts about people avoiding the Carsland rush this summer and waiting until October.

Yep - I can totally picture that scenario happening. I would guess that a lot of people will be of the mindset that if they wait a few months to visit DLR, all the Cars Land mania will have died down. Whether or not that will be true and the mania will die down quite so quickly is yet to be seen (personally, I think the whole DCA completion will increase business for a while, as long as there is some newness & novelty to it all), but I bet that what you mentioned will come to fruition to a degree. People will hold off on visiting and try to go during the times that they think will be less crowded (never mind the fact that the October crowds have increased tremendously in the last few years even without Cars Land), and that will make those supposed 'less crowded' times more crowded.

It should be interesting to watch it all unfold and see how it goes, that's for sure!

 

[iKristin]

I'm going in October as usual...I really like going at that time of year It's my time! hehe

 

[larina]

Well, now I am seriously leaning towards September, even knowing about the possible Carsland crowds!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Well, now I am seriously leaning towards September, even knowing about the possible Carsland crowds!

We love September. If you don't mind missing HM, then go after Labor Day but before Halloween starts.

 

[larina]

I don't mind missing it knowing that if we wait until October it will be HHM anyway (I'm not a fan). We'll have to do a March trip someday so we can see HM in its original state.

 

[nbliss]

I absolutely hate crowds. That's why we went Monday through Friday this last October (24th-28th). I'm not familiar with crowd levels at DL, but Mon-Wed was AWESOME. Barely any lines, it was just perfect. Thursday was more crowded, and Friday was certainly the most crowded. I highly recommend Monday-Wednesday. Be careful of Columbus day weekend, though. I see people write about how crowded it is in October, but I will take the shorter hours, miss the fireworks, etc anyday over the summer crowds. That's just me.

 

[mt mommy]

I've been wondering how the crowds in October will be also. I've been planning a trip, but I see many people talking about an Oct. trip as well......

Mon-Wed. is looking like a great idea!

 

[cari12]

I absolutely hate crowds. That's why we went Monday through Friday this last October (24th-28th). I'm not familiar with crowd levels at DL, but Mon-Wed was AWESOME. Barely any lines, it was just perfect. Thursday was more crowded, and Friday was certainly the most crowded. I highly recommend Monday-Wednesday. Be careful of Columbus day weekend, though. I see people write about how crowded it is in October, but I will take the shorter hours, miss the fireworks, etc anyday over the summer crowds. That's just me.

I am totally with you on that! We went Oct 2009 and did Mon-Wed in the parks and made sure we were there at park opening (with one Early Entry) everyday and were heading back to the hotel for the pool and dinner by mid afternoon when the parks were getting busy. It was amazing, little or no lines (plus we followed some of the when to do what ride plans from the DIS) My kids were 4 and 6 at the time and went to bed around 8:00pm so the only evening we went to the parks was the night of the TOT party. We watched the fireworks from our room the other nights.
This year they are 7 and 9 so we may do a couple of evenings in the park to experience that part of it.