Difference in weeks in June?

[tessieg]

Hi!
We are choosing vacation slots for the next calendar year. We are planning to come to CA in June. Basically we could be at the Disneyland portion of our trip either June 11-14 or June 18-21. We'd prefer the later dates as choosing the earlier ones would involve the kids missing a few days of school. However, we are worried about crowds at two of our destinations: Yosemite and Disneyland. We've never been to California so this will all be new to us! Would one week be better than the other? I have read something about local Disney passes and blackout dates--would one of these weeks be better in that regard? How about with CA school vacations?
Thanks for any help! We have been to WDW twenty times but we have a lot to learn about Disneyland before we get there next summer!!!

 

[HydroGuy]

Hi!
We are choosing vacation slots for the next calendar year. We are planning to come to CA in June. Basically we could be at the Disneyland portion of our trip either June 11-14 or June 18-21. We'd prefer the later dates as choosing the earlier ones would involve the kids missing a few days of school. However, we are worried about crowds at two of our destinations: Yosemite and Disneyland. We've never been to California so this will all be new to us! Would one week be better than the other? I have read something about local Disney passes and blackout dates--would one of these weeks be better in that regard? How about with CA school vacations?
Thanks for any help! We have been to WDW twenty times but we have a lot to learn about Disneyland before we get there next summer!!!

AP blockouts are a big deal in June. Read up on it:

"Understanding AP Blockouts and Impact on Crowds" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2365983

June 2012 is a big question mark right now. And you should be fully informed about it before locking in dates.

DCA (Disneyland Resort's second gate) is undergoing a massive $1 Billion refurb that will conclude in the summer of 2012. Rumors are that Cars Land will be complete by June 2012 (but maybe not until late June) and that Buena Vista Street may not be complete until later in the summer.

You might think "so what?". The reason this is important is because 1) the park is massively disrupted right now and since late August with construction walls and the normal entrance completely closed down and 2) these things will be very cool new additions to the park. Disney is going to roll out a kind of grand opening to unveil it. And I have seen up close what Disney is doing with these things and am convinced they will be game changers.

Read more about the work at DCA here:

http://micechat.com/blogs/dateline-...n-street-menus-building-buena-vista-more.html

Bottom line is no one will be able to answer your question - probably not even Disney itself could answer it because they themselves do not know yet.

If Cars Land and Buena Vista Street open in June 2012 then the crowds will be massive beyond belief on days the AP's are not blocked - and then just crowded on days they are blocked.

Don't let the crowds scare you though. Working around crowds at DLR is easier than at WDW and a good strategy will help you have a great trip.

I would strongly encourage you and everyone else to do the following:

1) If you have flexibility and can change your dates later, then go ahead and plan for June.

2) If you do not have flexibility then plan for August.

See

"Getting The Most Out of a Summer Visit To DLR" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1345319

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

So reading through that and comparing to the dates we're going, there are two days that all the passes have unblocked..the rest are mostly blocked. I'm guessing one of those days would be good to use as our 'beach' day instead of hitting the park.

I've never tried to plan around AP's.

OP We're going the first week in June. From all of the research I did, if we WEREN'T going that first week we were planning on the second week (But we don't care if carsland is open..in fact we're sorta hoping it isn't so the crowds MIGHT be a little lighter..might being huge keyword here) I'd hit the second week if I were you because some schools still aren't out yet.

That's COMPLETELY my only partially educated opinion. Keep that in mind

 

[joelnkelly]

we are planning to go in the begining of June as well the week of June 10-16. While it would be nice to have those new attractions open I am pretty sure it will be a mad house if they are opened. I almost hope they arent fully opened yet either. Crowds are what the crowds are. We live in orlando and travel to Disneyworld often with our passes, so we arent to concerned with crowds.

 

[HydroGuy]

we are planning to go in the begining of June as well the week of June 10-16. While it would be nice to have those new attractions open I am pretty sure it will be a mad house if they are opened. I almost hope they arent fully opened yet either. Crowds are what the crowds are. We live in orlando and travel to Disneyworld often with our passes, so we arent to concerned with crowds.

It is a bit of six of one, half dozen of another.

After they open it will be crowded which can be annoying. But before they open the construction will be disruptive which will also be annoying. We are talking about funneling people through construction walls which causes a lot of congestion. Just ask the folks visiting now. I experienced a bit of it this past summer.

 

[CrazyMe]

Looks like we are going to be there the first week of June as well. I will have to look into dates the park might be closed... didn't even think of that.

Or we could change things around and be there the last part of May, maybe?

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

Looks like we are going to be there the first week of June as well. I will have to look into dates the park might be closed... didn't even think of that.

Or we could change things around and be there the last part of May, maybe?

I was looking at the history of the parks and the first week of June is sorta offseason but not as much as May. The rides that are down for refurb haven't been as multiple in June. Also, looks like there's more entertainment during the week in June?? That's my only opinion as far as helping you decide

 

[skiingfast]

Looks like we are going to be there the first week of June as well. I will have to look into dates the park might be closed... didn't even think of that.

Or we could change things around and be there the last part of May, maybe?

It may not matter between the two given the unknowns.

I'd prefer June to avoid Memorial Day weekend. First week in June most kids are still in school.

The biggest problem may be early closings for Grad Nights and these you can plan around.
http://www.disneyyouth.com/grad-nite-disneyland/catalog/

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

It may not matter between the two given the unkowns.

I'd prefer June to avoid Memorial Day weekend. First week in June most kids are still in school.

The biggest problem may be early closings for Grad Nights and these you can plan around.
http://www.disneyyouth.com/grad-nite-disneyland/catalog/

We have three of those dates during our trip. How early is early park closing??

 

[CrazyMe]

We had planned on leaving home as soon as the kids were out of school and that would have put us at Disney over Memorial Day weekend... that is why we changed things around a bit! WE all just wanna have some fun!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

So reading through that and comparing to the dates we're going, there are two days that all the passes have unblocked..the rest are mostly blocked. I'm guessing one of those days would be good to use as our 'beach' day instead of hitting the park.

I've never tried to plan around AP's.

OP We're going the first week in June. From all of the research I did, if we WEREN'T going that first week we were planning on the second week (But we don't care if carsland is open..in fact we're sorta hoping it isn't so the crowds MIGHT be a little lighter..might being huge keyword here) I'd hit the second week if I were you because some schools still aren't out yet.

That's COMPLETELY my only partially educated opinion. Keep that in mind

Looks like we are going to be there the first week of June as well. I will have to look into dates the park might be closed... didn't even think of that.

Or we could change things around and be there the last part of May, maybe?

First week of June should still be good. "Summer" season doesn't typically start until the second week of June.

We have three of those dates during our trip. How early is early park closing??

9pm for Disneyland. I think earlier for DCA.

 

[skiingfast]

We have three of those dates during our trip. How early is early park closing??

It's not aweful, they've been 11pm closings, so at most you loose an hour. It can make the Esplanade busy and louder when you leave. And staying nearby you can be woke up by the fireworks in the early morning.

 

[HydroGuy]

9pm for Disneyland. I think earlier for DCA.

Read my grad night thread. The format has changed. No more 9PM closings...

 

[joelnkelly]

Looks like they use the entire month of June for Grad night...here at disneyworld they only have a night or two dedicated to grad night...ughhh...typically when do they shut the parks down at night, and are there high schoolers everywhere during the day? this might really throw a monkey wrench in our plans.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

Man there's a grad night thread? How did I miss that? Off to find

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

Ok so no early closings anymore...but there might be droves of teens. Wonder which is worse..droves of teens or AP holder days. HmMMmMMMm

 

[skiingfast]

Looks like they use the entire month of June for Grad night...here at disneyworld they only have a night or two dedicated to grad night...ughhh...typically when do they shut the parks down at night, and are there high schoolers everywhere during the day? this might really throw a monkey wrench in our plans.

While they curtailed Grad Nights at WDW they have kept them going at DLR.

During the day not really. A basic difference is the grads are not coming from North Carolina to spend a day at DisneyWorld. They are coming from 10 miles away for the night and not spending extra to go during the day. They are welcome to, but but because it adds so much more to the simple cost it's not a viable option for many of them.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

They are welcome to, but but because it adds so much more to the simple cost it's not a viable option for many of them.

Do you mean foodwise/etc or are they paying extra for that full day park hopper?

 

[joelnkelly]

so it sounds like with DLR grad nights they break it down by some type of district? only allowing kids in that area to signup? or once they reach the quota of kids for that night they shut down the registration and force them to pick another night?

 

[skiingfast]

Do you mean foodwise/etc or are they paying extra for that full day park hopper?

Previsouly they had a special early option too, but it was for the late evening in DCA before the exclusive party in DL. Now, for 2012, they are giving Seniors the option to go all day, park hopper during the day, DL exclusive during the night(more specifically the AM hours). Last year when they had the early option there were little reports of problems with crowds.

so it sounds like with DLR grad nights they break it down by some type of district? only allowing kids in that area to signup? or once they reach the quota of kids for that night they shut down the registration and force them to pick another night?

They can be from any high school, but SoCal has a larger population than anywhere else in the USA so it doesn't need to draw from schools that are states away to operate Grad Nights. Because of the close proximity this makes it much more affordable to all of the near by schools and a more viable option for a senior trip.