CarsLand Crazy into Fall 2012?

[4xMommy]

My family prefers to go to Disney in mid-September. We don't mind missing out on Haunted Mansion or Space Mountain, and we're more than willing to trade lighter crowds and cooler weather for the possible refurbs.

So, my question is, assuming CarsLand is finished by June, will the craziness surrounding it still be going strong in September? With five children, we'll definitely be wanting to head over there, and even if we didn't, I'm not sure about crowds in the rest of the park due to the popularity of a new area. Might the crowds die down a bit with the start of school? We're willing to wait another year if it looks like things will be too hectic. Any predictions are welcome. TIA!

 

[HydroGuy]

Well the simple answer is... we don't know.

But we have history to guide us. This year we have Little Mermaid and Star Tours. Last year there was World of Color. In 2008 there was Toy Story Midway Mania. In 2007 Finding Nemo Subs.

Most every year there is something new. However I think cars land and the finishing of the DCA park refurb will go beyond the normal. Some.

My prediction is (drum roll please) that September 2012 will not be that much more crowded than the last few years.

 

[pinktink83]

A whole new land is going to get a lot more attention than one new ride or show IMO. Especially since CARS is SOOOOOOO popular!!

 

[PinkBudgie]

One thing about local is that many of them don't arrive until later in the day. So if you get there first thing you will have the advantage.

 

[Mugglemama]

I'm with HydroGuy on this one...regardless of whether or not Cars is popular, kids still have to go back to school - and that restricts when many people are able/willing to visit DLR. I would venture to guess that mid-September will be a good time to visit...it's close enough to the beginning of the school year that even those who are willing to pull their kids out of school for a trip to DLR probably won't be doing it at that time. And, it's early enough in the year that the Halloween crowds probably won't have picked up too badly yet (I'd shoot for the week following Labor Day, or the week after that, if it were me). Weekends and nights might still see some heavy traffic from locals, but like the PP said, there's a fair chance that weekday mornings and early afternoons are probably not going to be crazy.

 

[mousterpiece]

When you say mid-September, I presume you mean right before the Halloween Time promotion starts. If memory serves correctly, it kicks off this year on September 16 (pretty much exactly mid-September). Certainly, having kids in school will lower crowds a bit, as long as you're visiting on weekdays, but I still think the new land will be very popular. (Presuming the word from people who visit in the summer isn't disastrous, which seems unlikely.)

 

[4xMommy]

Thank you! This helps a lot. I know that no one has a crystal ball here, but having some educated guesses is good. We like to head down the Sunday after Labor Day. From what I can recall, HalloweenTime starts either the last or second to last Friday of September usually, right? We do not like to be around for HalloweenTime, but also don't want to catch the end of summer crowds, so that early/mid-September timeframe usually works for us. We homeschool, so we can head down whenever we want as far as school schedules go. We also like to hit DCA in the morning/early afternoon anyway, so hopefully we'd miss the local crowds. I guess I'm just trying to figure out the likelihood of the planets aligning so that we can head down at that time next year without much fuss.

Thanks again!

 

[HydroGuy]

Thank you! This helps a lot. I know that no one has a crystal ball here, but having some educated guesses is good. We like to head down the Sunday after Labor Day. From what I can recall, HalloweenTime starts either the last or second to last Friday of September usually, right? We do not like to be around for HalloweenTime, but also don't want to catch the end of summer crowds, so that early/mid-September timeframe usually works for us. We homeschool, so we can head down whenever we want as far as school schedules go. We also like to hit DCA in the morning/early afternoon anyway, so hopefully we'd miss the local crowds. I guess I'm just trying to figure out the likelihood of the planets aligning so that we can head down at that time next year without much fuss.

Thanks again!

Halloween Time was moved up a week in 2010 and will start mid-Sept this year and probably in 2012.

 

[Sherry E]

Thank you! This helps a lot. I know that no one has a crystal ball here, but having some educated guesses is good. We like to head down the Sunday after Labor Day. From what I can recall, HalloweenTime starts either the last or second to last Friday of September usually, right? We do not like to be around for HalloweenTime, but also don't want to catch the end of summer crowds, so that early/mid-September timeframe usually works for us. We homeschool, so we can head down whenever we want as far as school schedules go. We also like to hit DCA in the morning/early afternoon anyway, so hopefully we'd miss the local crowds. I guess I'm just trying to figure out the likelihood of the planets aligning so that we can head down at that time next year without much fuss.

Thanks again!

This is correct - up until this year, Halloween Time has always begun on either the last Friday in September or the next-to-last Friday in September (but it's usually the next-to-last Friday). This year they are breaking tradition and starting even earlier in the month, but I assume that's because 9/24 and 9/30 seemed too late for a season start date and 9/16 was a better fit. So the starting dates of the season will change every year.

Next year, there are 3 options for when the Halloween season could begin:

1. Friday, September 14;
2. Friday, September 21; or
3. Some other date that is not a Friday, such as, perhaps, Monday, September 17.


Personally, I think 9/14 seems too early for a Halloween start date, but you never know. As for 9/21 - I have actually been to DLR when Halloween Time began on 9/21 in the past (2007) so I know it has happened, and they very well could start it on that date again in 2012.

But based on how popular Halloween Time has become, and based on what DLR is doing with their Christmas/holiday season start date this year, I would not be at all shocked if they decide to start Halloween Time on Monday, 9/17 next year. This year, the Christmas/holiday season is starting on a Monday (11/14), which is very, very, very unusual based on history and tradition...but perhaps 11/11 was too early a start date and 11/18 was too late, so DLR compromised and made the start date a Monday! I could definitely envision the same sort of date 'compromise' possibly occurring in 2012 for Halloween Time.