August Advice

[chickyann]

We have been to Disneyland before in off season just after Labor Day and during Halloween time around Columbus Day, this year we are considering a trip in August.
Does anyone have some advice about when in August it is the busiest, how does in compare to Columbus day or Halloween party days for example.
Are we crazy for considering a trip then? All advice is welcomed
Thanks in advance

 

[KeKy4]

The end of the month is slower than the beginning, starts to slow down the 3rd week - once kids are back in school!

 

[chickyann]

The end of the month is slower than the beginning, starts to slow down the 3rd week - once kids are back in school!

Thank you
so do most schools go back around the 3rd week of August? We're from Australia, so not too sure about when school goes back, I was thinking it was around Labor Day

 

[aussie shaz]

We did our first trip in 2011 in August. We were there 13-19 August. We loved it. Loved the long hours, the warm weather, lots of entertainment. D23 was on the weekend just after we left.
Last year we went in May. I think I prefer August. Longer hours, and no Grad nights!

 

[Elk Grove Chris]

Of our last 10 trips, probably half have been in August. We love August, as stated by the OPs, long hours, all of the entertainment, weather is usually pretty nice. It seems like no matter what time of the year we go, if you can rope drop, you will get a lot done before crowds start to swell.

 

[chickyann]

We did our first trip in 2011 in August. We were there 13-19 August. We loved it. Loved the long hours, the warm weather, lots of entertainment. D23 was on the weekend just after we left. Last year we went in May. I think I prefer August. Longer hours, and no Grad nights!

Wonderful, thank you. I'm starting to get excited, i was initially a bit concerned

 

[chickyann]

Of our last 10 trips, probably half have been in August. We love August, as stated by the OPs, long hours, all of the entertainment, weather is usually pretty nice. It seems like no matter what time of the year we go, if you can rope drop, you will get a lot done before crowds start to swell.

Thank you August is looking good

 

[scrapshappen]

We've never been in August before either, but are planning a trip for this August. A lot of schools in Southern California and elsewhere start back the week of the 18th and that is the one week that my kids won't be in school in August for sure (we have had one going on a year round schedule and one a traditional schedule this year and not sure what next year brings yet).

My only concern is heat. I know it doesn't usually get extremely hot in Southern California, but with my luck, it will be. However, I've never really been it Disneyland when it's been warm (lots of trips in June, October and November) so it will be nice to ride Splash Mountain and Grizzly River Rapids and not worry about being cold after.

 

[wakica]

Hi! We have a August 2014 thread going. Be sure to stop by, let us know when your going and join in on the conversations of all things DisneyLand and August. lol.

Here is the link

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3257945

hope to see you there

 

[BriannaRuth]

Our usual time to go is the last week of August. It's no problem at all. The CA kids are back in school so it's not too busy. I've always paid for RideMax to plan a schedule for us, but honestly we've never even needed it during that week, with the exception of when we've been there on a Friday or weekend.

This year we have to go earlier, the week of the 11th, so I'm concerned about it being busier as well. One week before the CA kids go back, but hopefully they'll all be tired by then.

 

[chickyann]

We've never been in August before either, but are planning a trip for this August. A lot of schools in Southern California and elsewhere start back the week of the 18th and that is the one week that my kids won't be in school in August for sure (we have had one going on a year round schedule and one a traditional schedule this year and not sure what next year brings yet).

My only concern is heat. I know it doesn't usually get extremely hot in Southern California, but with my luck, it will be. However, I've never really been it Disneyland when it's been warm (lots of trips in June, October and November) so it will be nice to ride Splash Mountain and Grizzly River Rapids and not worry about being cold after.

Thanks for your reply, it's hard to find dates online when you don't know where to look
So after the 18th is looking good for us now. My daughter got really wet on Grizzly right on sunset in September once & we had to buy here a new top before dinner at Big Thunder BBQ, she was freezing, the rest of us managed not to get as wet.

Hi! We have a August 2014 thread going. Be sure to stop by, let us know when your going and join in on the conversations of all things DisneyLand and August. lol.

Here is the link

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3257945

hope to see you there

Thanks for the invite, i'll be sure to stop by & say hi when we have booked

Our usual time to go is the last week of August. It's no problem at all. The CA kids are back in school so it's not too busy. I've always paid for RideMax to plan a schedule for us, but honestly we've never even needed it during that week, with the exception of when we've been there on a Friday or weekend.

This year we have to go earlier, the week of the 11th, so I'm concerned about it being busier as well. One week before the CA kids go back, but hopefully they'll all be tired by then.

I guess if we go with realistic expectations & don't get frustrated trying to do too much it will be fine, its Disneyland after all

 

[allsaintsatx]

HydroGuy recently did a thread on this. From what I caught of it, the week the SC passports are unblocked (the first time all summer) is mid to late August and it can get busy with all the locals coming back to the parks for the first time since June for one last hurrah. I've never been in August, but we have a trip planned August 10-16th this year!!

 

[CrabbyPatty]

We've gone to DL in mid-August two summers, right before the SoCal passes were unblocked. We thought the crowds were pretty light, in that we got to DL right away in the morning, and then switched over to CA around 11:00, took afternoon breaks in the pool, and then headed back in the evening.

As far as expectations, I guess we really didn't have any - we were happy to ride anything that we walked by without a huge line (as in, I'm NOT waiting for 60 minutes in the afternoon to go on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride), and after a day or so, sort of figured out which rides we could get right away in the morning without too long a wait, or rides that tended to be almost walk-on in mid-afternoon, etc.

Last summer especially was very nice - great weather, the parks were not too crowded, etc. We found we could ride TSM several times right away in the morning without a line, and then had to wait a while to pull RSR fastpasses so we could do a ride in the evening. DH rode RSR several times using the single-rider line and basically walked right on.

This year we're going for a shorter trip right before the marathan / Labor Day and hope we'll have the same sort of trip - August is great!

 

[scrapshappen]

We've never been in August before either, but are planning a trip for this August. A lot of schools in Southern California and elsewhere start back the week of the 18th and that is the one week that my kids won't be in school in August for sure (we have had one going on a year round schedule and one a traditional schedule this year and not sure what next year brings yet).

My only concern is heat. I know it doesn't usually get extremely hot in Southern California, but with my luck, it will be. However, I've never really been it Disneyland when it's been warm (lots of trips in June, October and November) so it will be nice to ride Splash Mountain and Grizzly River Rapids and not worry about being cold after.

I totally jinxed myself with this post. We still have our trip planned for that week, but as of today, my kids start school on August 11. Is it sad that I'm willing to transfer my kids to a school in the next town just so it doesn't interfere with our DL plans?