First week of April or First week of June

[momto2js]

I am considering a DL trip with my 4 and 6 year olds and we can go the first week in April (the week after Easter) or the first week of June. I know west coast school usually continue until mid June (in the south we are out late May). Lower crowds, is the main driving consideration. Which is a better bet. I haven't been to DL in 15 years or so.

 

[sonnyjane]

The weeks of Spring Break right around Easter (so the week before and week after) are really heavy crowd-wise. I'm inclined to actually say that early June would be better. Hopefully others will also chime in to give you more advice. I've been during Spring Break near Easter a few times but never in that week of early June, so I can't do a proper comparison.

 

[Butterfly123]

I would also check when grad nights are in June, and consider that when making your decision.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

If crowds are your primary concern, then I would hands down say to go the first week of June. The week after Easter is one of the two prime spring break weeks and will be very busy. We took DS13 and DS11 for the first time when they were 5 and 3, and it was the week before Easter. That was crazy difficult with young kids and me never having visited DL before and DH only having been once or twice as a kid. It was intense and stressful, and I swore off Disneyland after that. It took almost a year for me to have a change of heart, but we've been 30 times now so I did obviously get over it.

Still, I think in your case you will do better with the first week of June. I haven't been then, but my parents went on June 1 a couple years ago. From what they said, they walked on or waited up to 15 minutes for most things they wanted to do (bear in mind they were skipping the thrill rides like Space and Splash but did do Indy and Fantasyland). Even with the increased popularity of the resort, I think early June these days will likely still offer reasonable wait times and less crowd congestion than many other times of the year and certainly far better than spring break. Reports are that 100,000 people showed up at the resort this past Monday (Thanksgiving week), splitting about evenly between the two parks. I expect to see these kind of numbers hold for busy times such as spring breaks and Thanksgiving and probably go even higher for that Christmas/New Year's week.

 

[runmommyrun]

We are going first week in June (kids will be 8 and 9). SOOO excited! (I feel like I've repeated that line a million times on this board. But seriously, even though we've been to WDW a lot, I'm excited to try DL!). From what I could decipher re grad nights, it was starting the second week of June. I'm not 100% on that, but that is what I've been able to piece together from the info re 2012. Mind you, I'm a WDW vet, so whatever I say re DL is purely from info I've seen on these boards! But we avoid WDW for Thanksgiving, Christmas and spring break, which would only make sense that travel patterns are similar at DL. From what I can tell, the first week of June isn't as bad at DL as the major holidays. I guess we will find out in June! Yea!!!!!

 

[danaesacto]

the Orange County news reports that after 50 years grad nights will no longer be held at DL- instead the all-night party will be at DCA:

"Seniors are able to visit both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure during regular park hours. But the most prominent part of the Grad Nite experience the late-night parties will move across the esplanade."



This is the info: Includes: Disneyland Resort 1-Day park Hopper ticket, admission to Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park on the same day, including re-entry privileges. Arrive with your school anytime during the day, Park Hop between Disneyland Park and Disney california Adventure, and enjoy a Private Party in Disney California Adventure after park closing until 3am.

Whenisneyland® Resort: May 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31 and June 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 2013

So you can expect some school groups that first week, but still a far better experience than Spring Break
Oh the memories...
Grad night was fun...we had to wear dresses and blazers or sweaters...ride the bus all the way down, Disneyland all night and the bus ride right back home- 8 hours or so each way...

 

[runmommyrun]

the Orange County news reports that after 50 years grad nights will no longer be held at DL- instead the all-night party will be at DCA:

"Seniors are able to visit both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure during regular park hours. But the most prominent part of the Grad Nite experience the late-night parties will move across the esplanade."



This is the info: Includes: Disneyland Resort 1-Day park Hopper ticket, admission to Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park on the same day, including re-entry privileges. Arrive with your school anytime during the day, Park Hop between Disneyland Park and Disney california Adventure, and enjoy a Private Party in Disney California Adventure after park closing until 3am.

Whenisneyland® Resort: May 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31 and June 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 2013

So you can expect some school groups that first week, but still a far better experience than Spring Break
Oh the memories...
Grad night was fun...we had to wear dresses and blazers or sweaters...ride the bus all the way down, Disneyland all night and the bus ride right back home- 8 hours or so each way...

Wow. How I wish I attended high school in California! The Midwest graduation parties aren't near as exciting! I won't tell my kids that. They will be asking for us to move to CA now! I guess lucky for us, we will be out of DL on June 5th! Thanks for the info.