Best guess/advice for the least crowded week in August?

[kittycruize]

Hi everyone!
We are still trying to figure out what week in August would be the least crowded to come to DL! We have been to WDW many times, and this will be our first visit to DL! What week do you think will be the least crowded? I have looked at the black out dates, and still can't seem to figure it out. And I know with Carsland opening, it throws things off. Anyone have any advice for me? I would really appreciate any thoughts!

 

[scrapshappen]

I don't have any first hand knowledge, but if I had to guess, I'd go with the last week in August. Many schools are already back in session by then.

 

[kittycruize]

Taking into consideration it would be over a weekend, and blackouts, do you think the weekend of August 18, or the 25th would be more crowded? What do you think about Labor Day weekend? So hard to figure this out, although I know its hard to predict!

 

[starshine514]

Taking into consideration it would be over a weekend, and blackouts, do you think the weekend of August 18, or the 25th would be more crowded? What do you think about Labor Day weekend? So hard to figure this out, although I know its hard to predict!

My choice in August would be the week of the 12th. If you're just going on a weekend, I would choose the 18th-19th. I would avoid the following weekend (Sunday may be very crowded) and Labor Day (holiday weekends are usually pretty crowded).

 

[Vexorg]

Me, and my GF (along with my brother and his GF) are currently planning on heading down on August 15-19, although only three days of that will be in the parks. I chose these dates mostly because the Summer AP blackouts on the SoCal passes end the next week after this and they're already talking about the parks potentially reaching maximum capacity during the last couple of weeks in August. I'm still expecting significant crowds for this upcoming trip, but I think it should be manageable.

 

[lk2500]

My choice in August would be the week of the 12th. If you're just going on a weekend, I would choose the 18th-19th. I would avoid the following weekend (Sunday may be very crowded) and Labor Day (holiday weekends are usually pretty crowded).

SoCal Blockout dates are basically through 8/17.
http://disneyland.disney.go.com/passes/blockout-dates/

Orange county schools start back up 8/23.
http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/downloads/calendar/Calendar1213_rev.pdf

I don't know what affects attendance more, school being out of session or blockout dates.

You might also want to see when summer hours/shows end.

I'm no expert but I would think any time from 7/30-8/17 would be about the same attendance.

 

[DLR29]

My choice in August would be the week of the 12th. If you're just going on a weekend, I would choose the 18th-19th. I would avoid the following weekend (Sunday may be very crowded) and Labor Day (holiday weekends are usually pretty crowded).

I agree with the week of the 12th. After those AP blockouts are lifted, people are gonna flood back into the resort to get one last visit during the summer, especially if they missed their chance to see Carsland and BVS this month.

 

[starshine514]

SoCal Blockout dates are basically through 8/17.
http://disneyland.disney.go.com/passes/blockout-dates/

The 18-19 are blocked out for all So Cal APs also,

Orange county schools start back up 8/23.
http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/downloads/calendar/Calendar1213_rev.pdf

I don't know what affects attendance more, school being out of session or blockout dates.

You might also want to see when summer hours/shows end.

I'm no expert but I would think any time from 7/30-8/17 would be about the same attendance.

Schools begin starting up throughout the country the first week of August, so there should be fewer people vacationing at Disneyland as August progresses. Disney knows this as well, which is why they start lifting the So Cal AP blockout dates after the 19th.

My guess would be that the week of the 12th would be slightly less crowded than the week of the 5th. Both will be crowded, though.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

The 1st until AP blockouts lift, once all those APers are allowed back in watch out!! If I was one you bet I'd be there as soon as I could!

 

[dleyel]

SoCal Blockout dates are basically through 8/17.
http://disneyland.disney.go.com/passes/blockout-dates/

Orange county schools start back up 8/23.
http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/downloads/calendar/Calendar1213_rev.pdf

I don't know what affects attendance more, school being out of session or blockout dates.

You might also want to see when summer hours/shows end.

I'm no expert but I would think any time from 7/30-8/17 would be about the same attendance.

Not all Orange County schools start 8/23. The district referenced is for the City of Orange, not the County. My kids attend Placentia-Yorba Linda district schools and don't go back until after Labor Day. With Cars Land opening, it may not make much difference when you go this summer unless it's after Labor Day.

 

[preciouz29]

As an ex-cast member, go with the expectation that it will be crowded no matter what. That said, skip the Labor Day weekend as that will be extra crowded

 

[kristenm514]

I agonized for weeks over this...I eventually chose the time that worked best for us, which is Aug 25-28 (APs will be allowed in, it's a weekend, yada yada yada) ... it's going to be nuts this summer, all summer, no matter how carefully you choose your dates. I figured the only way to avoid the madness would be to postpone our trip until next year, which I am so not doing!

Pack your patience and have fun!

 

[kittycruize]

Hi Kristen-did you just base your timing on best time for you to go, or when you thought the parks would be least crowded? BTW, I see you are from WI, we are neighbors! We are from MN! I see you have been to both DL and WDW-thoughts?

 

[mystic_path]

I dont know if it will matter this year or not when you go. I too was tossing dates and was hoping for after Labor day but work would not allow it. Sooo we got stuck with the end of August.

But it's interesting. If you look on the Dis board "WHO IS GOING IN AUGUST /WHEN/WHERE"

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2900518

You will see a list of which Disboarders will be there and when. The last week o August starts on the 26th, and during that week there will be 20 of us there, and the weeks before in August you will have 38 Disboarders in the park. So during the early parts of August you are going to have schools out and many families on Vacation checking out Cars Land, but on the other hand in later August when families are thinking about slowing down a bit, you will have the Annual Pass holder's become unblocked and may want to take advantage of seeing Cars Land one more time before the summer is officially over. So this year I dont know if there is a week better then the next at all. It will be an interesting summer that's for sure.

 

[kittycruize]

Interestingly, Touring Plans has the parks busy through August 19, then has it down to 4 and 5's through Labor Day. Any thoughts on that? I know I can't bank on that, but any thoughts on that? Also, rooms are very scarce at the DL resorts, does that indicate anything, or is it just marathoners? Do the marathoners typically go into the parks, or just run?

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Interestingly, Touring Plans has the parks busy through August 19, then has it down to 4 and 5's through Labor Day. Any thoughts on that? I know I can't bank on that, but any thoughts on that? Also, rooms are very scarce at the DL resorts, does that indicate anything, or is it just marathoners? Do the marathoners typically go into the parks, or just run?

Touring Plans is generally wrong when it comes to DLR.

 

[mystic_path]

Interestingly, Touring Plans has the parks busy through August 19, then has it down to 4 and 5's through Labor Day. Any thoughts on that? I know I can't bank on that, but any thoughts on that? Also, rooms are very scarce at the DL resorts, does that indicate anything, or is it just marathoners? Do the marathoners typically go into the parks, or just run?

I was wondering about the marathons as well. It's possible that the marathon has an effect on the surrounding hotels. I was hoping to stay at the Carousel but there were no rooms for the dates we wanted, so we had to opt for the Tropicana.