Best time to go to DL between May and Sept?

[OregonDisneyFanatic]

I was just on the Alaska Airlines site and to my surprise they have extended the kids fly free until the end of September. We have never gone in the summer months. So my question is when would be the slowest time/ best time to go between May and Sept

We have motel reservations to go in Dec but I was thinking with the kids fly free extention maybe we should move it up.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

My picks:

1st two weeks of May (avoiding Memorial weekend), last three weeks of September (avoiding labor day weekend, and after all the kids are back in school.)

--Lisa

 

[OregonDisneyFanatic]

What do you think would be the best if we end up not taking the girls out of school I usually don't think about that and just take them out of school but this is my DD11's first year in middle school and she is not wanting to skip school. Not even for Disney is she my child I just want to get options in case she throws a fit

 

[audrabolster]

I would say the middle of may or middle of september. or possibly early june. If you have to go when the kids are out of school, I would go earlier in the summer, and away from any holidays. the later the summer gets, the busier it is.

 

[OregonDisneyFanatic]

how busy is it during the summer is it horrible and I should just give up on this idea

 

[BillyFan]

Get there ealry. Use FP wisely. Take mid-day breaks. Keep cool and hydrated.
Do all of these and you'll be fine in the Summer.
I try going during less-crowded times, but we usually end up in the park at least once during the Summer. Yes, it is more crowded, but virtually everything is up and running, entertainmnet is everywhere, and the hours are extended. Plus you're in Disneyland!!!!! You'll have a great time, no matter when you go!

 

[OregonDisneyFanatic]

Thanks everyone! I went over my DH schedule for the summer and it looks like the only time we would be able to go is either July 21-26 or July29- Aug 2nd. But you all are right it is Disney so it doesn't really matter when we go we will still have a great time. We have been so much that I would like to think that we sort of know what we are doing to avoid some of the crowds.

 

[bethy]

Just FYI, I spent hours pricing everything out for our trip next week (this was back in Februrary). At that time the Alaska kids fly "free" thing was never as good a deal as booking everything seperatly. Part of the issue I noticed was that the tix booked via that system were always labled "refundable" which generally means a significantly higher fare . . .

 

[OregonDisneyFanatic]

Just FYI, I spent hours pricing everything out for our trip next week (this was back in Februrary). At that time the Alaska kids fly "free" thing was never as good a deal as booking everything seperatly. Part of the issue I noticed was that the tix booked via that system were always labled "refundable" which generally means a significantly higher fare . . .

If we did it seperate it would be without any discounts $2625.00
If I book on the Alaska website with kids fly free it is $1940.00

I didn't think that was a bad deal. We have done the kids fly free twice already. I do price things out and it seems to come out cheaper for us to do the kids fly free

Am I doing something wrong when I price it out individually? Any tips are greatly appreciated.

 

[KBG]

My personal favorite is the first week in May or the second week in September, Mon-Wed.

However, those times are off season, which is a bummer in some ways. You have to decide whether you want to deal with the park not being open long, only one parade, dark shows, no fireworks, and crowds. To me DL is not fun when it’s crowded (weekends), esp with small children.

 

[bethy]

If we did it seperate it would be without any discounts $2625.00
If I book on the Alaska website with kids fly free it is $1940.00

I didn't think that was a bad deal. We have done the kids fly free twice already. I do price things out and it seems to come out cheaper for us to do the kids fly free

Am I doing something wrong when I price it out individually? Any tips are greatly appreciated.

I'm sure you probably did it right. There are tons of variable's to consider. For the times we were flying 2 refundable tickets were way more than twice the price of 4 Webspecial fares. But I'm sure it depends partially on the various fares at time of travel and booking. The difference at the time for us was at least a couple hundred dollars depending on which hotel I checked (Disney and Good neighbor.) Also there are some perks that come with the packages that might be worth $$ to you (like Mickey's toontown morning madness, for example.)

I just wanted to make sure you had at least checked b/c the term "Kids Fly Free" sounds pretty awesome. Sometimes it's just like other sales tactics - they get your money from you one way or another.

 

[OregonDisneyFanatic]

I'm sure you probably did it right. There are tons of variable's to consider. For the times we were flying 2 refundable tickets were way more than twice the price of 4 Webspecial fares. But I'm sure it depends partially on the various fares at time of travel and booking. The difference at the time for us was at least a couple hundred dollars depending on which hotel I checked (Disney and Good neighbor.) Also there are some perks that come with the packages that might be worth $$ to you (like Mickey's toontown morning madness, for example.)

I just wanted to make sure you had at least checked b/c the term "Kids Fly Free" sounds pretty awesome. Sometimes it's just like other sales tactics - they get your money from you one way or another.

Thank you for your help! the air fare from Eugene to LAX ( we always go to LAX because then we can have a direct flight, it makes my DH much happier ) is running $286.00 with fees

 

[bumbershoot]

Thank you for your help! the air fare from Eugene to LAX ( we always go to LAX because then we can have a direct flight, it makes my DH much happier ) is running $286.00 with fees

Yowza. If I were facing that one-way airfare I'd be thinking about the few hour's journey up to Portland! (silly of me, I realize now, but I didn't even realize Eugene had an airport. how can I adore it but not know that? ah, it's b/c I don't think of it as a college town, that's why)

About your calculations, don't just compare the price without discounts to Alaska's price, compare all the discounts you can find.

So see if the entertainment book rate applies for hojo while you're there (if you want to stay there), see what tickets cost through a place like getawaytoday, compare a package through a place like getawaytoday plus airfare to Alaska's deal, and so on. Find all the info you can, all the discounts you can, so you know you're paying the best price!

 

[smilnjen]

Thank you for your help! the air fare from Eugene to LAX ( we always go to LAX because then we can have a direct flight, it makes my DH much happier ) is running $286.00 with fees

I'm in eugene too....the kids fly free seemed to always come up about the same for us as booking seprately....and when I book thru costco u get $20 gift card, a character b-fast, plus all the normal perks...WE also go LAX....gotta love direct flights! plus LAX comes out cheaper....I think I am going to go price out a couple individual things for sept....I'll let you know how it goes!

 

[OregonDisneyFanatic]

Yowza. If I were facing that one-way airfare I'd be thinking about the few hour's journey up to Portland! (silly of me, I realize now, but I didn't even realize Eugene had an airport. how can I adore it but not know that? ah, it's b/c I don't think of it as a college town, that's why)

About your calculations, don't just compare the price without discounts to Alaska's price, compare all the discounts you can find.

So see if the entertainment book rate applies for hojo while you're there (if you want to stay there), see what tickets cost through a place like getawaytoday, compare a package through a place like getawaytoday plus airfare to Alaska's deal, and so on. Find all the info you can, all the discounts you can, so you know you're paying the best price!

Oops! It is round trip. Sorry about that.I will check those web sites. Thank you for the info

I'm in eugene too....the kids fly free seemed to always come up about the same for us as booking seprately....and when I book thru costco u get $20 gift card, a character b-fast, plus all the normal perks...WE also go LAX....gotta love direct flights! plus LAX comes out cheaper....I think I am going to go price out a couple individual things for sept....I'll let you know how it goes!

Neighbor. I love the direct flights also.

 

[smilnjen]

The trip I want to do in dec, I am thinking of changing to sept because of the extension of kids fly free. So here is what I priced out for DD and I...5 nights in Hojo at $59 ent rate + tax comes to about ..i think it was around $350. 5 day park hoppers the cheapest I could find $189adult and $159 child. and the CHEAPEST airfare I could find from EUG was $311 including tax. So that totals around $1,310.

If I were to go in sept...stay @ carousel 5 nights with 6 day park hoppers and fly to lax and get a shuttle its about $1,480. Plus it includes TTMM, landyards, a pin, $20 gift card, and a character bfast...and I want to upgrade to an AP while I'm there so a 6 day PH would credit me more than the 5day....It could go even cheaper if I wanted to stay at motel 6 or Anaheim quality inn (but costco.com doesn't offer those hotels)....anyone stayed at any of those?

The only thing I don't like about booking on alaskaair is, I think you have to pay for the whole thing right when you book instead of in increments if you wish...like you can on costco.com or dl website...
anyone else know of any other sites offering kids fly free?

 

[OregonDisneyFanatic]

The trip I want to do in dec, I am thinking of changing to sept because of the extension of kids fly free. So here is what I priced out for DD and I...5 nights in Hojo at $59 ent rate + tax comes to about ..i think it was around $350. 5 day park hoppers the cheapest I could find $189adult and $159 child. and the CHEAPEST airfare I could find from EUG was $311 including tax. So that totals around $1,310.

If I were to go in sept...stay @ carousel 5 nights with 6 day park hoppers and fly to lax and get a shuttle its about $1,480. Plus it includes TTMM, landyards, a pin, $20 gift card, and a character bfast...and I want to upgrade to an AP while I'm there so a 6 day PH would credit me more than the 5day....It could go even cheaper if I wanted to stay at motel 6 or Anaheim quality inn (but costco.com doesn't offer those hotels)....anyone stayed at any of those?

The only thing I don't like about booking on alaskaair is, I think you have to pay for the whole thing right when you book instead of in increments if you wish...like you can on costco.com or dl website...
anyone else know of any other sites offering kids fly free?

I was just looking at the getaway site and it doesn't offer the pay for 3 days and get 5 and the Alaska site did.

I had to laugh when I read this it sounded so familiar. We have reservations at the Hojo at the entertainment book rate for Dec. I am thinking about moving it up to July with the kids fly free I also wish on the Alaska site that you just had to put a down payment down. I am waiting to hear what our accountant says about our taxes before I book anything. I hope he call soon I need to look at the Costco site if they have all those extras.