Do You Think 2nd & 3rd Weeks of August are the Same?

[Mugglemama]

Hi!

This will be our first trip back to DLR in just over 4 years. A lot has changed since then due to Cars Land opening, etc. - so I'm just trying to get my bearings so I can start planning. I used to have DLR planning down like a boss, but now I'm pretty much lost.

My first task is to pick a week. The last few times we've visited, we visited as in-state homeschoolers. This time we'll be visiting from out-of-state (driving), and my kids (the ones still young enough to be in school, that is), will be heading back to public school this year - so, obviously that affects our options for scheduling.

I've narrowed it down to the 2nd or 3rd weeks of August. We'll do a Tues-Wed-Thurs in the parks (possibly Friday morning - not sure yet).

We've been once before in August, but it was the last week, and that was almost a decade ago.

Anybody here have an opinion on whether or not there's any measurable difference between the 2nd or 3rd week of August, in regard to crowds? I'd love to hear it! Which would you choose?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Indiana Scott]

I'll (probably) get flamed for this but you can pull them out of school for that time period.
My parents did so with me and 50 years later I can say it was the most memorable trip we ever took. My teacher at the time gave me some assignments to do and I completed them going down the road.

 

[tigerlilly]

Hi Mugglemama... I would chose the third week of August. Most schools in Central California and State Universities start school the second/third week of August and LA Unified single tract begins on the 15th based on what I have found online. Also the third full week So. Cal AP are still blocked out. They should be relatively good dates to go! We are frequent DLR visitors...you will have a great time!!!

 

[Frozen2014]

Would Haunted Mansion likely be shut down for both weeks? Or would it still be open week 2? (If that matters to the OP)

 

[Mysteryincorp]

I would say the third week. Schools around here are going back to school earlier and earlier.

 

[Mugglemama]

I'll (probably) get flamed for this but you can pull them out of school for that time period.
My parents did so with me and 50 years later I can say it was the most memorable trip we ever took. My teacher at the time gave me some assignments to do and I completed them going down the road.

I'd have NO problem pulling them out of school...except that schools are FAR less tolerant of that sort of thing than they used to be. These days, you need a doctor's note for them to come back if they're gone for more than 3 days, schools will send resource officers to the homes of kids who aren't at school (I've had it happen before, the FIRST day my daughter missed, even though I had called the school that morning! It's ridiculous! A cop showed up at my door literally the same morning. I doubt 2nd period was even over yet.) I have a friend who had to go to court (court!!) over her son's 3 tardies (not even absences!). So, yeah - we're not pulling them out of school for this one (though I'd love to).

Hi Mugglemama... I would chose the third week of August. Most schools in Central California and State Universities start school the second/third week of August and LA Unified single tract begins on the 15th based on what I have found online. Also the third full week So. Cal AP are still blocked out. They should be relatively good dates to go! We are frequent DLR visitors...you will have a great time!!!

Hi, Tigerlilly Thanks for this super helpful info! I found last year's L.A. start date which I think was the 18th, so the 15th would mean we could go even earlier. My kids start on the 24th, and I need 2 days to drive home. 3rd week will work!

Would Haunted Mansion likely be shut down for both weeks? Or would it still be open week 2? (If that matters to the OP)

Thanks for asking this! I tried to look up scheduled refurbs, but I only found those related to the Star Wars build. I don't think HM being closed would be a deal-breaker for us, but it's still good to know what will be closed.

I would say the third week. Schools around here are going back to school earlier and earlier.

I thought that, too - but then saw that L.A. Unified actually moved their start date last year due to pressure from parents who were unhappy with the earlier start times (I don't blame them - I'll never get used to kids starting school in August... :/ ).

 

[Gisele]

The only difference really is just one week.

 

[mad hatter fan]

I'd have NO problem pulling them out of school...except that schools are FAR less tolerant of that sort of thing than they used to be. These days, you need a doctor's note for them to come back if they're gone for more than 3 days, schools will send resource officers to the homes of kids who aren't at school (I've had it happen before, the FIRST day my daughter missed, even though I had called the school that morning! It's ridiculous! A cop showed up at my door literally the same morning. I doubt 2nd period was even over yet.) I have a friend who had to go to court (court!!) over her son's 3 tardies (not even absences!). So, yeah - we're not pulling them out of school for this one (though I'd love to).

WOW! Where do you live? Here in MN we get 10 days unexcused for grade school, 7 for middle, and 3 or 5 for highschool before getting a warring letter. I'm not sure about high school because my oldest almost never missed and my middle daughter has a 504 plan for severe anxiety which as allowed more leeway.

 

[figment_jii]

I don't know that there is going to be a huge difference between the second week (starting August 9) and the third week (starting August 14) in terms of crowds, operating hours, and entertainment schedules. As mentioned, there might be a slight reduction in crowds the third week because LAUSD goes back into session on August 15th, but there are still plenty of other Southern California (and Northern California) school districts that are on summer break at that point (e.g., San Diego does go back until August 29). I've got some of the dates tracked in the 2016 Calendar of Dates thread.

In terms of Haunted Mansion, it depends on when HalloweenTime is slated to start, but we probably won't know that until early-to-mid summer. The best guessing at this point is that the Haunted Mansion will likely go down in the second half of August (mostly likely somewhere around August 22 assuming a HalloweenTime start of September 9).

 

[mcm574]

I can tell you that in the Bay Area, many of the kids will be back in school in the 3rd week of August, which may well mean slightly lighter crowds - either way, have a great time!

 

[kathy884]

The later week would be better IMHO. Many schools and colleges start early or many families include a teacher or a school employee or a child who is on a special sports team who have to be back in town the week before school starts. Our trip last August was not to Disneyland, but to Estes Park/RMNP and from what we heard from the locals, our week, the third week in August had significantly fewer people than the earlier week.

 

[Butterfly123]

Welcome back to the boards, Mugglemama!

 

[Mugglemama]

I don't know that there is going to be a huge difference between the second week (starting August 9) and the third week (starting August 14) in terms of crowds, operating hours, and entertainment schedules. As mentioned, there might be a slight reduction in crowds the third week because LAUSD goes back into session on August 15th, but there are still plenty of other Southern California (and Northern California) school districts that are on summer break at that point (e.g., San Diego does go back until August 29). I've got some of the dates tracked in the 2016 Calendar of Dates thread.

In terms of Haunted Mansion, it depends on when HalloweenTime is slated to start, but we probably won't know that until early-to-mid summer. The best guessing at this point is that the Haunted Mansion will likely go down in the second half of August (mostly likely somewhere around August 22 assuming a HalloweenTime start of September 9).

Thanks for this. i was hoping it wouldn't go down before that last week. Hopefully it will be running

We'd really like to go at Halloween-time, but we're moving to a new school district so until I know whether or not they are of the "militant about attendance" variety, we won't be able to plan a Halloween visit :/ .

I can tell you that in the Bay Area, many of the kids will be back in school in the 3rd week of August, which may well mean slightly lighter crowds - either way, have a great time!

Thanks!

The later week would be better IMHO. Many schools and colleges start early or many families include a teacher or a school employee or a child who is on a special sports team who have to be back in town the week before school starts. Our trip last August was not to Disneyland, but to Estes Park/RMNP and from what we heard from the locals, our week, the third week in August had significantly fewer people than the earlier week.

Great to know, thanks! One of the best DLR visits we ever had was near the end of August...it was hot and packed...but still super fun. But since we will only have 3 days (as opposed to our typical 5 - or more when we have AP's), we're trying to plan around the worst of crowds if at all possible. I realize things have changed a lot just in the 4 years since we've been there, so I'm not sure the planning will pay off...but we'll see!

Welcome back to the boards, Mugglemama!

Thank you, Butterfly!