best time to go?

[ashpinoza]

i have posted before about the best time to go to avoid crowds, i would like may. BUT....im actually REALLY worried about rides being closed for refurb, and all that. so really i guess i want to know when is the best times to go, best chance for all the rides to be open, or most atleast, AND the best time for lower crowds. i dont wanna go in like february because i dont want it to be cold, and also, im worried about rain, in march or whatnot. lol. thanks

 

[teatime]

It all depends on when you want to go. The rides are usually down winter and spring for cleaning and fixing. Summer time is when there all up and running. Over the years we have missed some great rides due to closures. We decided to go during the summer this year as to not miss its a small world, Matterhorn, pirates, and the original haunted mansion since I dislike the Christmas version that lingers from October thru January. We were always missing some great rides. This year we are glad not to I do say I will miss DCA with all the construction in the way, but we still love that park so much. I say go when you want, but if you go off season there will always be rides down and refurbs.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

i have posted before about the best time to go to avoid crowds, i would like may. BUT....im actually REALLY worried about rides being closed for refurb, and all that. so really i guess i want to know when is the best times to go, best chance for all the rides to be open, or most atleast, AND the best time for lower crowds. i dont wanna go in like february because i dont want it to be cold, and also, im worried about rain, in march or whatnot. lol. thanks

IMO, you can't have it both ways. Sorry. If you go in value season, certain rides/attractions/shows will be down for refurbs. If you go in peak season, most everything will be open (except for long term refurbs like what is happening now with DCA) but it will be busier. That's the nature of the beast. Go on the weekdays in the end of June. I would guess that most everything except long term refurbs will be up and running, and weekdays may be slower than weekends. Although I must say that in my experience, we've had some Saturdays that were slower than Sundays and Fridays because in peak season all passholders except Premiums are blocked out on Sats. So there are always going to be variables. No matter when you go, you'll have fun...unless it's Dec 31/Jan1 packed to the gills, claustrophobic & panic inducing crowds.

 

[ashpinoza]

what about early june. like the very beginning? is that good time for rides to be open? i dont wanna go in the middle or late june, i have a lil one and dont want it to be TOO hot. i also like the thought of february, is that a busy season for rides, and is it too cool??????????????? OH AND....flights areeeee cheaper in june. BUT...i think its too hot LOL

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

what about early june. like the very beginning? is that good time for rides to be open? i dont wanna go in the middle or late june, i have a lil one and dont want it to be TOO hot. i also like the thought of february, is that a busy season for rides, and is it too cool???????????????

Did you see these threads about ride closures, DL website not posting info for people to plan in advance, and attractions closures? Everyone posting was scheduled to go in early to mid June. In the end, we found that the Fireworks would be showing on the weekends.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2138741&highlight=june+fireworks+fantasmic
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2153122&highlight=june+fireworks+fantasmic
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2146671&highlight=june+fireworks+fantasmic
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2169278&highlight=june+fireworks+fantasmic

However, you keep asking for conflicting advice. Busy or slow... Rides/attractions open or not.... You will have fun no matter when you go. It's just a matter of what you're willing to put up with: busy crowds and eveything running or less crowds and a bunch of stuff not running. You can't have it both ways, unfortunately. Also, this year has been a bad year for planning due to the downturn in the economy. In years past you could bank on F! and Fireworks showing in early June. This year became the exception. They are only showing it on the weekends and certain weekdays in early June. In February, you can bank on attractions and rides being closed for refurb.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

i dont wanna go in like february because i dont want it to be cold, and also, im worried about rain, in march or what not

i also like the thought of february, is that a busy season for rides, and is it too cool??????????????? OH AND....flights areeeee cheaper in june. BUT...i think its too hot LOL

Do you see how you are asking for conflicting advice?

 

[ashpinoza]

well i read that, the off time for spring is till mid may, so maybe we will go the very end of may before school is out. that wasnt considered off season, so what ya think? i just dont want our favorite rides to be closed, like pirates, space mountain, splash, HM, and all those wonderful rides i supposed we can plan june. how busy does it really get then? i mean kids are out of school and all that, how busy is it REALLY, like wait times on rides, is it horrible?

 

[ashpinoza]

Do you see how you are asking for conflicting advice?

i dont think its conflicting though, at all, im asking what the better temps are? im asking if its too hot or too cool, feb and june months.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

i dont think its conflicting though, at all, im asking what the better temps are? im asking if its too hot or too cool, feb and june months.

No offense, and I'm not going to argue the point. I will simply point you back to your original 2 posts on this thread which lead to my confusion about what you want:

i dont wanna go in like february because i dont want it to be cold, and also, im worried about rain, in march or whatnot.

i also like the thought of february, is that a busy season for rides, and is it too cool??????????????? OH AND....flights areeeee cheaper in june. BUT...i think its too hot LOL

And with that, I will also add that I too was concerned about the heat in the summer. However, I usually go in the winter -- late December to early January. I have found that it's easier to get warm in the winter than it is to get cool in the summer. But, it's also easier to get sick in the cold night air in the parks when temps drop to the high 40s and the wind is blowing so it feels closer to the low 40's, and even worse when it rains. On the other hand, you will be coming from Illinois which should be much colder than California in February, so it should feel warmer to you than at home as opposed to someone coming from a tropical climate or down under -- where the seasons run opposite of ours. So only you can decide what would be better for your family and what you're willing to put up with. I think you need to nail down what you're willing to put up with first -- ride/attraction closures and cold or heat and a little busier crowds. Once you nail that down, then it'll be easier to decide what you want.
If I were you, I would go in mid-late June, and buy one of those spritzer fan things to help cool you and your baby down. They work instantly. Unless DL is having an unusual heatwave, it shouldn't be that bad in mid-late June. It gets hotter later in the summer. Good luck with your decision.

 

[ashpinoza]

okay well i think im gonna choose the END of may, about a week before june. BUT im actualy going to wait till about april to decide for sure because then i can figure out the best flight rate at the last moment as well, and see what they have down for refurb. its quite possible we will actually go in june because usually the flights are much cheaper, so perhaps it will be june after all. i just wish kids werent out of school LOL. but i suppose we wont choose the date till last minute kind of. hehe thanks

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

well i read that, the off time for spring is till mid may, so maybe we will go the very end of may before school is out. that wasnt considered off season, so what ya think? i just dont want our favorite rides to be closed, like pirates, space mountain, splash, HM, and all those wonderful rides i supposed we can plan june. how busy does it really get then? i mean kids are out of school and all that, how busy is it REALLY, like wait times on rides, is it horrible?

Did you read the links I posted? A lot of the refurbs listed in them were throughout May and into early June -- like Peter Pan & Fantasmic. In February and March they had most of Main Street closed down for refurbs so there was no fireworks only Fantasmic as a replacement. All this was in addition to the closures at DCA all those months, and in early Feb Haunted Mansion and IASW. So if you are willing to risk all these ride and attraction closures, then I'd say yes, February would be a good time for you to go. If you are not willing to risk the ride/attraction closures, then February would be a bad time to go.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

okay well i think im gonna choose the END of may, about a week before june. BUT im actualy going to wait till about april to decide for sure because then i can figure out the best flight rate at the last moment as well, and see what they have down for refurb. thanks

Sorry I was posting my previous post at the same time as you I guess. Good that you've made a decision. Good luck on your trip! I'm sure you'll have a great time!

 

[DangerMouse]

To the OP: I have experienced 90+ degree temps at DLR in April, June, September, October, and February. YES February. I know there are averages, but you honestly can't ensure perfect weather no matter when you go. I think you are wanting someone to give you the perfect Disneyland scenario which means perfect weather + no crowds + no ride closures. I don't think it exists.

To try to help you with your question regarding June: early June often experiences "June gloom" where the mornings are overcast, and it burns off around noon. While this can provide for a cooler morning, it often times can heat up significantly in the afternoon.

 

[PinkBudgie]

At this point I will jump in. We almost always go in the summer and I really like it. The hours are long every day. Everything is open and all shows are up and running. (Except for unexpected breakdowns). I also have never found it horribly crowded. It is crowded, but not overwhelming to me.

If you get there first thing in the morning at opening you will find DL uncrowded and nice for the first few hours. I call that the Prime Time.
Around noon we hop over to DCA which tends to be less crowded in the afternoon.

Summer is hot, but I like warm weather because it also means the evenings won't be so cold. Also, the heat is not humid at all so to me that makes it tolerable. We went this past Jan on the first and second. The first was nice weather and some sun. The next day was very cold, like in the 40s which was too cold for me. However, both days, because they were at the end of the holidays, were VERY VERY crowded. I have never seen it so crowded in the summer as it was then. But even on those days, mornings were nice and uncrowded. That is why I emphasize the importance of getting there early.

Anyway, that's why we like going in the summer.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

okay well i think im gonna choose the END of may, about a week before june. BUT im actualy going to wait till about april to decide for sure because then i can figure out the best flight rate at the last moment as well, and see what they have down for refurb. its quite possible we will actually go in june because usually the flights are much cheaper, so perhaps it will be june after all. i just wish kids werent out of school LOL. but i suppose we wont choose the date till last minute kind of. hehe thanks

I just remembered that the last week of May involves Memorial Day. You may want to consider that airfare and hotel costs may be higher on Memorial Day and the day before/after it if you are planning to go that week.

 

[nancy drew]

I just remembered that the last week of May involves Memorial Day. You may want to consider that airfare and hotel costs may be higher on Memorial Day and the day before/after it if you are planning to go that week.

Also, the hotels will likely be booked up and remaining rooms will be at full rate instead of discounted rates. Same goes for flights. I usually find better deals booking in advance. I watch rates for months until they go down, and then book. On our most recent vacation I checked out some alternatives at the last minute because I thought the hotel had lost our reservation and I would have paid twice as much as I did by booking in advance.

Lastly, I imagine the crowds will be high for Memorial Day weekend, as kids will be out of school.

We have gone in early and mid-May and it is lovely. Yes, some rides are closed. This year Pirates was closed the first day of our trip and Peter Pan was closed the last day. There was no Fantasmic, and there was a lot of construction at DCA. We still had a wonderful time, rode everything we wanted to at least once, if not more. Last year we missed Small World because it was closed the entire year (practically). You will almost always miss out on a ride or experience, especially when you travel during off-peak times. But as my mom always used to say, "Save something for next time, that way you will always want to come back."

 

[specialks]

Just wanted to make a quick comment about May. I read that there are a lot of graduation celebrations during May which can cause an influx of large groups. Probably not too many when you look at how many people the parks hold. I think if you read any travel book you will see that there is no "perfect" time to go. You have to choose what is most important to you and go with that. My husband and I cannot stand crowds; too many people would ruin our whole trip for us because it would stress us out. So we choose to go in Sept (after Labor Day) and trade the few closures for the ease of moving around and little to no waits in line. The weather is also awesome in Sept. But that is what matters to us. Pick what matters to you and go with it. Have fun and enjoy your vacation!

 

[MAH4546]

IMO, you can't have it both ways. Sorry.

One can absolutely have it both ways: late August (but not that week before Memorial Day). Peak season hours, no ride closures and only moderate crowds.

 

[ashpinoza]

okay, weve decided. june. crowds suck, but its worth it to have the best chance of all the rides being open. and it will be mid june so im hoping no heat waves. lol. now....im not setting a day till atleast october, and possibly not even till the couple months before, because, im waitin for cheapes air fare to pop up and quite often we can get cheap in june, and more so if we book a couple months before instead of far in advance sometimes. like right now, if we booked june this year, we would get flights for 288.00 roundtrip each, and alllll other months are 350.00 and up! lol. june seems like cheapest travel for us, so thats when were going. yay. thanks for all the help guys!

 

[teatime]

okay, weve decided. june. crowds suck, but its worth it to have the best chance of all the rides being open. and it will be mid june so im hoping no heat waves. lol. now....im not setting a day till atleast october, and possibly not even till the couple months before, because, im waitin for cheapes air fare to pop up and quite often we can get cheap in june, and more so if we book a couple months before instead of far in advance sometimes. like right now, if we booked june this year, we would get flights for 288.00 roundtrip each, and alllll other months are 350.00 and up! lol. june seems like cheapest travel for us, so thats when were going. yay. thanks for all the help guys!

So are these plans for next year? I see something about October? There saying the airfar will go up and gas prices will soon to. I say if you can get cheap air fares go for it sooner then later. We got 99 dollar flights, but we have to drive 2 hours away to the airport, we were very lucky !! things like this never happen and we have never found air fares less then 450.00
I hope your trip comes out perfect and you get just the right time its nice to go all different times of the year, my favorite is October, its cooler but still in the 70's and low crowds. I have gone in April, that was amazing to. August is hot, but we are prepared to bring our misters to keep us cool, and head back to the hotel for a swim days and evenings.