Did we make a big mistake??

[Stitch35]

We are doing a big trip when my husband gets home from Afghanistan. We will be traveling from WA, down to the redwood national forest, then Santa Cruz and ending in Disneyland. Grandma is joining us for the Disney portion of the trip. We've planned 6 full days at DLR and a day in the middle at Seaworld. Our dates are August 22-28. I just found out that's when the APs are unblocked. Will it be crazier then a typical summer day? I planned the trip because touring had those days lighter. Any tips to still get to see and do everything? I know how to work the fastpass and early mornings. We will be staying at park vue inn. Thanks!!

 

[SplashMo]

Is it possible to move things up by a few days?

 

[Stitch35]

No, grandma is flying in to meet us on the 22nd. No way to move the flight due to her work schedule. It's her first trip in 40 years to DLR.

 

[HydroGuy]

We are doing a big trip when my husband gets home from Afghanistan. We will be traveling from WA, down to the redwood national forest, then Santa Cruz and ending in Disneyland. Grandma is joining us for the Disney portion of the trip. We've planned 6 full days at DLR and a day in the middle at Seaworld. Our dates are August 22-28. I just found out that's when the APs are unblocked. Will it be crazier then a typical summer day? I planned the trip because touring had those days lighter. Any tips to still get to see and do everything? I know how to work the fastpass and early mornings. We will be staying at park vue inn. Thanks!!

It may be busier than typical summer days but nothing to get all worried about. It seems pretty clear so far this summer that the extra crowds are bing soaked up by the new areas of DCA and everything else is pretty normal. Will it be busier for you than the week before? Maybe. Some. But more important than anything else is that you use a good strategy each day of arriving early, collecting FPs and taking afternoon breaks.

 

[lk2500]

We are doing a big trip when my husband gets home from Afghanistan. We will be traveling from WA, down to the redwood national forest, then Santa Cruz and ending in Disneyland. Grandma is joining us for the Disney portion of the trip. We've planned 6 full days at DLR and a day in the middle at Seaworld. Our dates are August 22-28. I just found out that's when the APs are unblocked. Will it be crazier then a typical summer day? I planned the trip because touring had those days lighter. Any tips to still get to see and do everything? I know how to work the fastpass and early mornings. We will be staying at park vue inn. Thanks!!

I think some (most?) of the school districts around DL start up that week so you may have less local school aged kids there those week days. As HydroGuy says crowds should be manageable, just go with all the advice/plans you see in other threads (arrive early, use fast passes, single rider lines, etc...) and you'll be fine.

 

[Girimama33]

Make sure you get there early before RD in order to utilize the morning hours with less people. If you are staying on-site, use the EMH offered. Like Hydroguy stated - Carsland will be busy, but the rest of the parks have been pretty manageable.
Don't stress ~ Have fun!

 

[neiko486]

You sound like me last year, even down to the same hotel.We had booked our dates starting when the blackouts lifted and I began to panic as our vacation got closer.I ended up worrying for nothing, it didn't seem any busier than usual to me. Granted we always visit during high seasons (Spring break, summer, Christmas).It was no worse crowd wise than the other times I had visited , and actually seemed less busy than some of the other times we had visited.I have to say the crowd vibe was a little different.People actually seemed a little more relaxed and not so much in a rush,it was kind of nice

Utilize the park openings and Fastpass like you have already mentioned and you will be just fine.Plus you have time on your side.With your dates you will have lots of days to take everything in.

 

[mystic_path]

I dunno! I am going around the same time as you and I am taking a gamble. There are many who would argue with me on here about the last week of August being really super busy with annual passes being unblocked, but I have personally talked to countless amounts of people who say the last week is a wonderful week to go. Actually besides those I have talked to, two different families very close to me generally go at the end of August and say its a wonderful week to go. Its not as crazy as peak summer and the weather is nice and longer park hours until after Labor Day weekend.

I am making a pre trip report with my predictions and plan to actually post on here my actual experience. (My prediction so far) Those annual pass holders had a few days of opportunity to see Cars Land before they were blocked out a few weeks back. Plus the last week of August I believe that many families (not just locals but also travelers) will have taken their vacations and want to go back home to get ready for school to start. Of course not all schools in Cali will be back in yet and you will still have locals coming into the park, but I don't think it will be as crazy as we are being told. Many disboardsers including a PP have said that the busy areas will be the new areas of DCA which those blocked out Annual pass holders will want to see again. I can see that happening and will suggest to see those new DCA areas very early on in the day, like at park opening and get it out of the way. Also another prediction is that crowds will be much like what you will find in May going into June when schools are just getting out for the summer. This is the time of year I generally go. I have been during stupid busy times of the year, and late May early June is not crazy crazy busy, you aren't being shoved about to make room for the people trying to get by or around you, and your not waiting 120minutes for one ride like Indy. Instead that ride could be a 45-60 minute wait most of the day starting around noon, but if you have a fast pass you generally can walk right in. Expect people in the park yes, but it is also extremely manageable.

If even part of my prediction is correct, I would say you will be totally fine. Your at Disneyland anyway and its impossible not to have a fun day.

 

[HydroGuy]

You sound like me last year, even down to the same hotel.We had booked our dates starting when the blackouts lifted and I began to panic as our vacation got closer.I ended up worrying for nothing, it didn't seem any busier than usual to me. Granted we always visit during high seasons (Spring break, summer, Christmas).It was no worse crowd wise than the other times I had visited , and actually seemed less busy than some of the other times we had visited.I have to say the crowd vibe was a little different.People actually seemed a little more relaxed and not so much in a rush,it was kind of nice

Utilize the park openings and Fastpass like you have already mentioned and you will be just fine.Plus you have time on your side.With your dates you will have lots of days to take everything in.

FWIW, I was at DLR last year on the days before and after the blockout lifting. On the Sunday it lifted the evening was considerably more crowded than it was the days before. That was especially noticable on the new Little Mermaid ride where the lines went from under 5 minutes in the evening before the blockout lifted to over 30 minutes after.

Everything else had lines that were 5-10 minutes more than before the blockout lifted.

Bottom line was it was not horrible. But it definitely had a bump in crowds.

This year I think the bump will be more because of CL and BVS.

 

[HydroGuy]

I dunno! I am going around the same time as you and I am taking a gamble. There are many who would argue with me on here about the last week of August being really super busy with annual passes being unblocked, but I have personally talked to countless amounts of people who say the last week is a wonderful week to go. Actually besides those I have talked to, two different families very close to me generally go at the end of August and say its a wonderful week to go. Its not as crazy as peak summer and the weather is nice and longer park hours until after Labor Day weekend.

I am making a pre trip report with my predictions and plan to actually post on here my actual experience. (My prediction so far) Those annual pass holders had a few days of opportunity to see Cars Land before they were blocked out a few weeks back. Plus the last week of August I believe that many families (not just locals but also travelers) will have taken their vacations and want to go back home to get ready for school to start. Of course not all schools in Cali will be back in yet and you will still have locals coming into the park, but I don't think it will be as crazy as we are being told. Many disboardsers including a PP have said that the busy areas will be the new areas of DCA which those blocked out Annual pass holders will want to see again. I can see that happening and will suggest to see those new DCA areas very early on in the day, like at park opening and get it out of the way. Also another prediction is that crowds will be much like what you will find in May going into June when schools are just getting out for the summer. This is the time of year I generally go. I have been during stupid busy times of the year, and late May early June is not crazy crazy busy, you aren't being shoved about to make room for the people trying to get by or around you, and your not waiting 120minutes for one ride like Indy. Instead that ride could be a 45-60 minute wait most of the day starting around noon, but if you have a fast pass you generally can walk right in. Expect people in the park yes, but it is also extremely manageable.

If even part of my prediction is correct, I would say you will be totally fine. Your at Disneyland anyway and its impossible not to have a fun day.

When you say "last week of August" do you mean the week of Aug 19 or Aug 26? Most of the warnings around here are for the week of Aug 19 when the blockouts lift, not Aug 26. Historically that week is not as bad as the week before. But it also often starts to have park hours reductions and sometimes entertainment reductions. And HM closes during that time.

I suspect one will not find the crowds all that bad the week of Aug 26.

 

[interstate70s]

Don't worry as Pps have said, get there at opening use fast pass and take afternoon breaks and you 'll be totally fine. Maybe you could get a subscription to ridemax to create some touring plans. Even if you just play around it you can sort of get a feel for which rides to do in the morning (ie slow loading no fast pass etc) We are also a military family living in WA so our Disney vacations revolve around when my DH is allowed to take leave so imo anytime is a good time to go to disneyland and a celebrate our family to being together. We've gone in late Aug and thought the crowds were fine. Enjoy your trip.

 

[SeattleRedBear]

Agreed. I wouldn't worry...with some planning you'll be fine. We were there on June 24th (the second day with no AP blackouts after the DCA re-opening) and the crowds were mostly concentrated in CL with some spillover in other areas. DL was also heavy but not unreasonably so. Especially with DCA, get there at rope drop (or earlier...we arrived about 15 minutes before rope drop and were still let in to get in line for RRSR FP's). Arrive early, take a break in the afternoon, stay late (if you can) and use your FP's. Six days in plenty to see everything at least once (if not several times). Have fun.

 

[CalvaryMike]

As a local, I know many people are waiting for the day the SC AP's are unblocked. This is the second wave of locals that were scared off from the grand opening. I believe the crowds will definitely grow for a couple of months starting August 20th, however they're going strictly for CL. As it is now, the rest of the DL and DCA will be fine.

 

[interstate70s]

OP, have you checked for the military discount for your dates onsite ? They might not have any rooms available this late in the game at the military rate but it might be worth the phone call. Last time I looked at the park vue, the rates started in the $140s while the military rates at PPH started in the $180s. If your taking a big extended vacation the few hundred dollar diff might be worth it to have early entry everyday. Just a thought...

 

[S. S. Columbia]

You have six days, so you have plenty of time to see and do most everything that you want!

You're staying at a walking distance motel. You know about "Early! Early! Early!" And you know about FP. So you'll be ahead of most of the crowds. Start collecting FPs just as DL/DCA opens and you will save a lot of time. The parks won't be uncrowded, but the locals aren't early birds.

The SoCal Select APs will have been blocked from June 6 to August 19 (link), so August 20 will be their first chance to visit Cars Land. It's a pretty safe bet that Cars Land (especially Radiator Springs Racers) will be extra busy starting on August 20.

But...

... when Cars Land opened on June 15, there were talks about "Carmageddon." On June 15, as expected, Cars Land was jam-packed, and the standby lines for Radiator Springs Racers were 6 hours long (RSR's FPs were gone in less than an hour and RSR stayed open until 3:00 A.M.), but Cars Land was a "people sponge" and DL had light crowds (except for the Matterhorn which had just opened after a 6-month refurb).

In late-August, I would expect Cars Land to be very busy, and you will likely have to get to DCA pretty early to get FPs for RSR. But I think it's a good bet that the rest of the resort should be fairly manageable (since you're arriving early and using FP).

Be sure to see the Voices of Liberty (link) & Mr. Lincoln.

HTH

 

[Stitch35]

Thank you all for your great advice. We won't have any mm since we are using our APs and military passes, but will be at rope drop daily!

How are the nights usually? We are used to summer crowds leaving after fireworks. Do locals usually head home after fireworks or stay til park close? We've gone in October, February, and mid august. I did an adults only trip at the beginning of spring break when az was on break as well as some CA schools. The first couple days were nice, the next 2 days were so awful I swore never again!

I'm already nervous about Carsland since my youngest has an invisible disability that can make super long lines unbearable for us and all the people around us. I'm wondering if he could get a GAC card if needed? We've never used one in the past but never wait longer then 20 minutes in line.

We can't really stay onsite as we want a hearty breakfast, super close walk for naps and we got a great rate on a double queen and bunk beds. My kids don't share beds well.

Thank you all for sharing your experiences and giving me hope it won't be unbearably stuffed with people!

 

[Girimama33]

Get a note from your son's doctor in order to get the GAC card. If he has trouble staying in line for long periods, I would get one...Couldn't hurt.

 

[pigletforever]

Medical disabilities are covered under ADA and the CM's are not allowed to ask what the disability is. You do not need a Dr. Note. They will ask what accommodations you will need ie out of sun, quiet waiting area etc. I have never needed a Dr. note for a GAC. It is against the law to require something like that.

 

[mystic_path]

When you say "last week of August" do you mean the week of Aug 19 or Aug 26? Most of the warnings around here are for the week of Aug 19 when the blockouts lift, not Aug 26. Historically that week is not as bad as the week before. But it also often starts to have park hours reductions and sometimes entertainment reductions. And HM closes during that time.

I suspect one will not find the crowds all that bad the week of Aug 26.

Ok I appreciate youir feed back, but my predictions are only from what I have been going by when being warned on the Dis on more then one occasion when I have mentioned my dates for my trip. I've been told to be aware that because of the lift it will get busy. However your right I wont be there until the 25th about a week after the lift has been taken off. So maybe that will help me. I dunno. I hope so. As for the Haunted mansion, well it isnt really a concern to me as its not really one of my favorites. I think its a really cool ride tho when the over lay is on at Xmas. LOL I guess im funny like that.

 

[mystic_path]

How are the nights usually? We are used to summer crowds leaving after fireworks. Do locals usually head home after fireworks or stay til park close? We've gone in October, February, and mid august. I did an adults only trip at the beginning of spring break when az was on break as well as some CA schools. The first couple days were nice, the next 2 days were so awful I swore never again!

I said the same thing about the last few days before Thanksgiving. Let me tell you I wanted to go into the Indy temple and look into the eyes of Mara without blinking I just wanted the crowds to end.

As for the summer crowds after the fireworks... Well I have found even during busier days that after the fireworks a good 3/4 of the park floods out of the park. On a few occasions I have got a drink and sat on a park bench with my mom and just people watched. I swear it was a 45 minute title wave of people leaving the park. We then went down to Fantasyland and into Adventureland and things were walk ons. It was pretty great. The later you are in the park the more calm it is.