4th of July...Yikes!

[nv_disneyfan]

Hello
We are planning our trip during the 4th of July (july 3rd thru 9th)...my friends think I have lost my mind because it's going to be super busy. We usually go to Disneyland during spring break. We were going to go during spring break this year but so many of our favs were closed. Has anyone gone during 4th of July? Is it really that bad? I know the 4th will be busy but will the whole week be bad?

 

[MonkeyDishwasher]

Yes, 4th of July really *is* that bad. Also, the fireworks aren't guaranteed to happen (everytime due to weather), so in the past few years when there have been cancellations there have been many a disappointed crowd.

Also, don't even bother trying to leave the park for at least 2 hours after the fireworks happen, there is gridlock all around the resort (On Ball, Katella, and Harbor). I haven't dealt with the parking structure itself on those nights, but I wouldn't even dare to think of trying it.

Good luck,

 

[S. S. Columbia]

The last couple of 4th of Julys have not been super-crowded. Last year we visited during the week of the 4th, and the crowds really weren't that bad.

Both SoCal APs will be blocked-out from July 3 to August 21.

DL will still be busy, so I would still arrive 30 minutes early; take advantage of the Magic Morning; and use FastPass.

I recommend the following threads:

"Understanding AP Blockouts and Impact on Crowds" by HydroGuy
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2365983

"Getting The Most Out of a Summer Visit To DLR" by HydroGuy
www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1345319

HTH

 

[nv_disneyfan]

Thanks for the links...lots of good info! I'm not worried about the traffic since we are staying at the GCH.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

We'll be there with ya ~ the 2nd *late* through the 6th - DD's B-day is July 3rd! I'm hoping it'll be like last year - not too crowded. We'll get there early each day *we get 2 MMs* take our mid day breaks and go back for the evenings.

 

[stitchy626]

I was there last year July 6-9. The crowds were nothing like I have experienced in early August or Thanksgiving week. Even without MM's we all had a blast and got everything in that we wanted and then some. Enjoy yourself and remember that no matter how bad the crowds are or aren't you are in Disneyland and that's all that matters. Enjoy!

 

[onestepcloser]

I'll be there with my best friend over 4th of July weekend as well (though we'll be hitting the parks on the 2nd and 3rd, not ON the 4th) and this is all encouraging to hear! We're both WDW vets and I've only been to DLR once, so it'll be nice to be able to enjoy the atmosphere instead of rushing everywhere as fast as we can!

Does anyone have any suggestions on which parks will be better to visit on which days on and around the weekend?

 

[Sherry E]

I remember reading reports on the DIS last year and the actual day of July 4th was not crowded at all, according to the DIS-ers who posted about it. This is believed to be because the large number of SoCal AP holders were blocked out on that day, and for much of July, I think.

Now this year - even though I imagine the SoCal AP holders will still be blocked in July - may be different because of World of Color in DCA, which debuts soon. This is still a big question mark for us, and we are all eagerly awaiting early reports of crowds in both parks and all over DLR due to the hype and buzz swirling around WoC. We just don't know how interested people may or may not be to see this new show right away.

The scenario seems like it could go several different ways:

1) WoC could attract more people overall to the entire resort (hotels and DTD included) as soon as it begins, and thus, all of DLR is more crowded all day long, every day;

2) WoC could push a lot of people away from DCA (those who don't want to deal with it yet) and over into DL, especially at night, making DL much more crowded than it already has been;

3) DCA might get significantly more crowded and DL crowds could thin out quite a bit, as everyone packs into DCA to see WoC; and

4) WoC could have the opposite effect on the whole resort, and many people may stay away from DLR for a while, until the hype and chaos dies down, making both parks substantially less crowded than they would normally be in summer.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

I'll be there with my best friend over 4th of July weekend as well (though we'll be hitting the parks on the 2nd and 3rd, not ON the 4th) and this is all encouraging to hear! We're both WDW vets and I've only been to DLR once, so it'll be nice to be able to enjoy the atmosphere instead of rushing everywhere as fast as we can!

Does anyone have any suggestions on which parks will be better to visit on which days on and around the weekend?

Visit both parks each day ~ park hop park hop park hop *from someone who didn't PH once last year in WDW! It's very likely that the 4th will be better crowd wise then the 2nd ~ some APs are not blocked on the 2nd.... You might want to read ~this~

 

[onestepcloser]

Visit both parks each day ~ park hop park hop park hop *from someone who didn't PH once last year in WDW! It's very likely that the 4th will be better crowd wise then the 2nd ~ some APs are not blocked on the 2nd.... You might want to read ~this~

Thanks for the advice! Our not visiting on the 4th has more to do with personal preference than crowd levels, but that's definitely something to think about... Any tips on whether DL or DCA would be more crowded on the 2nd? The 3rd? I thought I had read in another thread (that I can't seem to locate now...) that the 2nd would be better for DL and the 3rd for DCA, but now I'm beginning to question that!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Thanks for the advice! Our not visiting on the 4th has more to do with personal preference than crowd levels, but that's definitely something to think about... Any tips on whether DL or DCA would be more crowded on the 2nd? The 3rd? I thought I had read in another thread (that I can't seem to locate now...) that the 2nd would be better for DL and the 3rd for DCA, but now I'm beginning to question that!

Again ~ it would be silly to not visit both parks each day - start at DL, visit DCA in afternoon *before or after your break *if you take one *you'd be wise to do so* and then back to DL in the evening.

So knowing that 7/2 will likely be more crowded than 7/4 why would you choose to go on the 2nd? Really I don't see why you don't get a 3 day hopper *you can upgrade if you've already purchased a 2 day ticket* and visit all 3 days 7/2-7/4

 

[onestepcloser]

Again ~ it would be silly to not visit both parks each day - start at DL, visit DCA in afternoon *before or after your break *if you take one *you'd be wise to do so* and then back to DL in the evening.

So knowing that 7/2 will likely be more crowded than 7/4 why would you choose to go on the 2nd? Really I don't see why you don't get a 3 day hopper *you can upgrade if you've already purchased a 2 day ticket* and visit all 3 days 7/2-7/4

Well, we're only there for 3 days and my friend has never been to SoCal, so at least one day we're gonna spend doing other stuff. Maybe we'll switch that day to the 2nd, though...

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Well, we're only there for 3 days and my friend has never been to SoCal, so at least one day we're gonna spend doing other stuff. Maybe we'll switch that day to the 2nd, though...

Have you already purchased your 2 day ticket? If not maybe you could get a 3 day hopper if it's not that much more *if you have you can upgrade to a 3 day PH* and visit the parks for a little while on either the 2nd or the 4th, before or after you do whatever else you do - you would also get a MM to use which would be great, I'd use it on either the 3rd or 4th ~ MM days are Sat Sun Tues Thur. What else do you plan to do when you visit S CA?

 

[onestepcloser]

Have you already purchased your 2 day ticket? If not maybe you could get a 3 day hopper if it's not that much more *if you have you can upgrade to a 3 day PH* and visit the parks for a little while on either the 2nd or the 4th, before or after you do whatever else you do - you would also get a MM to use which would be great, I'd use it on either the 3rd or 4th ~ MM days are Sat Sun Tues Thur. What else do you plan to do when you visit S CA?

Other than visiting a beach, we haven't gotten very far on the non-Disney planning for that trip, haha. I've actually got a 10-day WDW park hopper (no expiration) that I was gonna use 2 days from for this trip, so I'd rather not use up a third to go for a half day, but if that wasn't the case, this would be something to consider as well. I wouldn't get MM privileges with that, correct?

 

[23bw]

Hello
We are planning our trip during the 4th of July (july 3rd thru 9th)...my friends think I have lost my mind because it's going to be super busy. We usually go to Disneyland during spring break. We were going to go during spring break this year but so many of our favs were closed. Has anyone gone during 4th of July? Is it really that bad? I know the 4th will be busy but will the whole week be bad?

We'll be there as well on the same week. Like Sherry, I read similar crowd reports from last July 4th and it didn't sound bad at all. Judging by the reports of wait times, July sounded better than our prior experiences in June when we tried to "beat" the summer crowds. Then factor in SoCal AP blackouts and 40% off onsite hotels.....all togheter were enough reasons for us to go against convention thinking and go have fun.

Now if someone could just predict the weather that week, I wouldn't have anything left to worry about.

 

[pilot04]

We'll be there from 7/4-4/9 so hope the crowd stays reasonable and weather is not too hot. Kids are already counting down the weeks till the DL trip

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Other than visiting a beach, we haven't gotten very far on the non-Disney planning for that trip, haha. I've actually got a 10-day WDW park hopper (no expiration) that I was gonna use 2 days from for this trip, so I'd rather not use up a third to go for a half day, but if that wasn't the case, this would be something to consider as well. I wouldn't get MM privileges with that, correct?

I'm not sure but I'm thinking you're right ~ no MM privelage when you trade in WDW tix for DLR tix, in fact I'm 99% sure that's how it is. If all you have planned is the beach, I'd start in one of the parks, visit the beach in the afternoon and head back to the parks in the evening *with all the FPs you collected earlier*

 

[Hambletfamily]

We went July 4th holiday a couple of years ago and it was like 90 degrees out. It was busy but not super crowded. July 4th wasn't that crowded until the afternoon and the evening when everyone was packing into disneyland for the fireworks. There was so many people that the two of us ended up standing near the entrance to watch the fireworks and there were people outside the park gates not able to get in because the park was full. It was crazy.

 

[FFdisney24]

I'm spending July 2nd to the 6th with all of y'all! I'm coming straight from Afghanistan can't wait to see my family and wdw again!!

 

[tinksdreamwishes]

I will be there from july 2-4 as well! Just trying to pick a day for WoC was hoping for Friday night... prolly just wing it! This weather has got my brain going in circles- I live in Nor Ca and at nightime it has been very windy and cold. Wonder what it will be like once we get there?