Halloween at DL

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

I think DL has given up on me... it has been sooooo long since I received a pin code... and now I have a room booked, and I am waiting on a code, you think they could get one to me...

I really am having a hard time being patient to hear about the TOTP... I am an uber-planner, come on already, let me plan!! lol!

 

[LifeIsTinkIsLife]

Since this is sort of an October thread, does anyone know what the best weekend is in October to go? Do they still have Gay Days and is there also a cheer thing? I can't remember but I know it can be very crowded!

 

[Sherry E]

Since this is sort of an October thread, does anyone know what the best weekend is in October to go? Do they still have Gay Days and is there also a cheer thing? I can't remember but I know it can be very crowded!

I don't think the cheerleading thing is in October - I may be wrong on that, but I don't think so.

Gay Days always seem to occur on the first weekend of October, and I think this year they begin on October 1st (Friday). Plus, there are also school breaks and things (Utah is one place with breaks at that time, as I recall), and many of those people on break come to DLR. Then there is also Columbus Day weekend.

I am thinking that the first couple of weeks of October will be pretty crowded, based on World of Color and also how crowded it was last year in October. I also would guess that it will be kind of crowded on Halloween weekend. So my guess is that mid-October is probably the least crowded, and mid-week days will always be better than weekends, no matter what the circumstances.

Of course, if you have at least a few days to spend at DLR, you can kind of spread everything out and avoid the crowds at certain times while still getting done whatever you need to get done. It's when you only have a day or two during peak crowds that it can be difficult to manage.

 

[Belle Ella]

I think DL has given up on me... it has been sooooo long since I received a pin code... and now I have a room booked, and I am waiting on a code, you think they could get one to me...

I really am having a hard time being patient to hear about the TOTP... I am an uber-planner, come on already, let me plan!! lol!

I've never gotten them before this year, and now I've received like ... 5 to different email accounts and they're all for the same darn dates, which don't apply to me to begin with. I wish I could be more flexible and go during them. It'll probably be my only chance at staying on site unless I can talk my family into going. But I can't do that unless it's short notice.

 

[Tablefor5]

Since this is sort of an October thread, does anyone know what the best weekend is in October to go? Do they still have Gay Days and is there also a cheer thing? I can't remember but I know it can be very crowded!

I remember a cheer or dance thing the week we were there in 08. We stayed at the Hojo (9/29-10/2) and there was a large group of Aussie girls, dance or cheer. Pretty cute and we cheered them on when they danced in one of the Main Street parades!! Besides the teenage girls around the hotel...I don't think it made it much busier, and we stayed towards the weekday DL visits anyhow. Our last day in the parks was on the Friday and we didn't notice any crowd impact for the GayDays either.
I wish I had recommendations for which days will be best, I too want and need to plan!!! , but without a real schedule and unknown Halloween events_it is hard...good news is we still have 4 months to be patient

 

[Sherry E]

I remember a cheer or dance thing the week we were there in 08. We stayed at the Hojo (9/29-10/2) and there was a large group of Aussie girls, dance or cheer. Pretty cute and we cheered them on when they danced in one of the Main Street parades!! Besides the teenage girls around the hotel...I don't think it made it much busier, and we stayed towards the weekday DL visits anyhow. Our last day in the parks was on the Friday and we didn't notice any crowd impact for the GayDays either.
I wish I had recommendations for which days will be best, I too want and need to plan!!! , but without a real schedule and unknown Halloween events_it is hard...good news is we still have 4 months to be patient

Ugh...I remember that week in late September/early October 2008 very well. It was in the upper, upper 90's all week, even reaching 100 degrees on one day. It was miserable. Absolute hell on earth for me. It sounds like we arrived at DLR just as you were leaving, Tablefor5! I know that on our first night there, I was getting my AP and the line at the DL Bank was hideous and sloooooow. Also, DTD was particularly hoppin' for a Thursday night - no clue why, but it looked like a Friday or Saturday night. However, when we went into DCA on Friday, and pretty much all through that day, DLR was not SO terribly crowded that it was oppressive. It was reasonable. It got a bit more crowded and lively in DLR that night for the TOTP. (One particularly lively fellow yelled out, "I love you, Mr. Potato Head!!" in the TSMM line during the TOTP. His voice could be heard above all others!!!)

BUT, on that Saturday, about half-way through the day, DL suddenly got packed. All these folks descended from somewhere and packed into DL. And then the next day (Sunday) was the Miley Cyrus b-day bash, so DL closed early and people crammed into the parks early that day to get all their rides in. So the crowds were not too bad for the first day or two of our October 2008 trip, and then suddenly they got bad.

Sadly, we only went to DLR for one day during Halloweentime in 2009 and that day was very busy - that was 10/24 (Saturday). From the reports I heard of last year's crowds, apparently there was a noticeable increase in people all around DLR throughout Halloween season, and it did kind of seem that way when we were there on 10/24. My friends - who normally like to go on HMH a couple of times - were totally put off by the crowds around NOS and Frontierland (and it was the same way two months later in December - only worse!!) and opted to stay away from HMH at night.

 

[Tablefor5]

And then the next day (Sunday) was the Miley Cyrus b-day bash, so DL closed early and people crammed into the parks early that day to get all their rides in.

totally remember that now...DS wanted us to stay cuz he reallllly like Hannah Montana at the time (but don't tell his friends)
SherryE, we were totally at the same TOTP then, cuz we stayed for the Friday and checked-out Sat. and from your post I am glad I didn't attempt the weekend
I am hoping for the same itinerary this year, a Mon or Tues - Thurs or Fri all depending on the HALLOWEEN SCHEDULE!!!!!!!!!!

 

[AmyPond]

Oh man, now you all are freaking me out about the dates we chose (Sept. 27th - Oct. 1st)!

 

[Tablefor5]

Oh man, now you all are freaking me out about the dates we chose (Sept. 27th - Oct. 1st)!

I think you will be good. I have the same dates as you. I think the biggest things we need to worry about are:
*when the TOTP is ? and plan DL days based around that and decide if we are going to pay for the TOTP
**Could be early closure for DL park or certain areas only
*how the WOC stuff settles by October
lol both things we have no control over and don't know about yet!!!
*stick to the weekdays, try to avoid weekends, you will get a great experience even with no weekends
No freakin' out now...we will have none of that
just a little dancing...until we know

 

[Sherry E]

Oh man, now you all are freaking me out about the dates we chose (Sept. 27th - Oct. 1st)!

I think you'll be okay! I think those last days of September are better than October in terms of crowds. I think that October 1st will likely be very busy because it will be the first night of the TOTP and also because it's a Friday. And I would guess that September 24th & 25th (if that's the opening weekend of Halloweentime) will probably see some heavier crowds (though probably not as bad as other times of year at DLR). But on your trip, I would expect that only 10/1 would be a date to be concerned about in terms of encountering crowds. I would guess that 9/27, 9/28 and 9/29 will be fine, and then maybe it will start to get a bit more crowded on 9/30, and then 10/1 will be the big crowd day (especially in the afternoon on through evening) The question is - where will the crowds go on TOTP nights? If they don't want to attend the TOTP, will they all pack into DCA and deal with the World of Chaos? Or will they all crowd into Downtown Disney?

If you are arriving on 9/27, you'll have a good few days at the parks before it starts getting really packed, I think. You should be able to get everything done. Of course, we never know for sure. This year, the crowd patterns could totally shift and all bets are off, but I think there are certain factors that apply to October which cause it to be more crowded, and those same factors don't apply to late September (such as school breaks and Gay Days).

 

[tallpkb]

We're tentatively planning to go 9/22 - 9/25, and I was wondering what attractions would be down prior to the (anticipated) start of Halloweentime on 9/24???

 

[iKristin]

Soooo any news on the TOTP AP tickets yet??

 

[Vala]

I just checked the AP site - no movement, no announcement, nothing at all. *sighs*

 

[ukstitch]

Ugh...I remember that week in late September/early October 2008 very well. It was in the upper, upper 90's all week, even reaching 100 degrees on one day. It was miserable. Absolute hell on earth for me. It sounds like we arrived at DLR just as you were leaving, Tablefor5! I know that on our first night there, I was getting my AP and the line at the DL Bank was hideous and sloooooow. Also, DTD was particularly hoppin' for a Thursday night - no clue why, but it looked like a Friday or Saturday night. However, when we went into DCA on Friday, and pretty much all through that day, DLR was not SO terribly crowded that it was oppressive. It was reasonable. It got a bit more crowded and lively in DL that night for the TOTP. (One particularly lively fellow yelled out, "I love you, Mr. Potato Head!!" in the TSMM line during the TOTP. His voice could be heard above all others!!!)

BUT, on that Saturday, about half-way through the day, DL suddenly got packed. All these folks descended from somewhere and packed into DL. And then the next day (Sunday) was the Miley Cyrus b-day bash, so DL closed early and people crammed into the parks early that day to get all their rides in. So the crowds were not too bad for the first day or two of our October 2008 trip, and then suddenly they got bad.

I was there for the same dates - the heat was horrible... Having started in the UK (cold) and then flown to Seattle first (cool) on the way to DLR (HOT!), I was a little surprised.

As for crowds - I think a lot of that could have been down to the combination of haloween, gay days and Miley cyrus all over the same weekend...

Having said that - the park seemed pretty empty at 6am on the Sunday to me - I got into Princess Fantasy Fayre with hardly any waiting

 

[Sherry E]

We're tentatively planning to go 9/22 - 9/25, and I was wondering what attractions would be down prior to the (anticipated) start of Halloweentime on 9/24???

Tallpkb - Unless there are some refurbishments happening that I am unaware of, the only things I would expect to be down pre-9/24 would be Haunted Mansion and possibly Space Mountain while they get their Halloween overlays. Also, I think Star Tours will be closed by that time while it gets revamped and ready to re-open next year.

I was there for the same dates - the heat was horrible... Having started in the UK (cold) and then flown to Seattle first (cool) on the way to DLR (HOT!), I was a little surprised.

As for crowds - I think a lot of that could have been down to the combination of haloween, gay days and Miley cyrus all over the same weekend...

Having said that - the park seemed pretty empty at 6am on the Sunday to me - I got into Princess Fantasy Fayre with hardly any waiting

You are right, Ukstitch! That heatwave in 2008 was horrible. It's really not safe or healthy for anyone to be out, running around DLR, in 100-degree weather.

You know, I had forgotten that DL opened extra early on that Sunday morning of the Miley Cyrus birthday event (and DCA was kept open later in the evening, if I recall). All I remembered was that later in the morning and early afternoon, the whole area (including DTD) started to get crowded as all the Miley party guests arrived, and people who were not attending her party (I assume) began to pack into DL to get all their rides in before DL closed for the party.

Actually, that whole scenario that transpired on the Miley Cyrus birthday party day might be a good indicator of what things will be like in DL this year on those days of the TOTP!! I doubt DL will open at 6:00 a.m. on TOTP days (unfortunately) like they did on Miley's b-day, but that same kind of 'abbreviated' DL schedule that they had to have for Miley's party, and the crowd patterns that formed in DL throughout the day leading up to DL closing early, might just tell us a little bit about what it could potentially be like on every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday in October as the TOTP takes place in Disneyland.

Last year, I think October was just extra crowded in general, even without a Miley party and even after Gay Days and the school breaks were over.

 

[AmyPond]

I feel like we're taking a bit of a gamble with weather going this September. We hate heat so that's why we usually go in January. But it's been a few years since we've been at DLR anytime other than January. I miss being able to go on Grizzly River Run. And I miss the Haunted Mansion too (it's always closed when we go.) So we're just going to brave the heat. I really want to see the fall decorations again.

We were in the parks in late August a couple years ago and Anaheim had, I believe, record highs. It was dreadful but we survived. An afternoon dip in the pool was helpful. And it wasn't so bad in the evenings. I think it was labor day weekend but I can't remember now.

I wonder if I should buy some tank tops before our trip. Lol.

 

[GrandBob]

Oh man, now you all are freaking me out about the dates we chose (Sept. 27th - Oct. 1st)!

That's the week we went last year, and it was a breeze!

Walk-on to POTC, BTMRR, and many others. 10-20 minute lines for Indy & Splash. That's during the week. By Friday, it did start to get crowded. But M-Th, you're gonna have a great time with great weather and short lines. Have a blast!

-Bob

 

[Belle Ella]

You know, sometimes I feel like the only person on the planet who prefers Disneyland (and everything, really) when it's hot. 90-100 weather is my perfect day. Makes me wish my summer trip hadn't fallen through even though I am so excited to get a shot at Halloween season!

 

[ukstitch]

You are right, Ukstitch! That heatwave in 2008 was horrible. It's really not safe or healthy for anyone to be out, running around DLR, in 100-degree weather.

You know, I had forgotten that DL opened extra early on that Sunday morning of the Miley Cyrus birthday event (and DCA was kept open later in the evening, if I recall). All I remembered was that later in the morning and early afternoon, the whole area (including DTD) started to get crowded as all the Miley party guests arrived, and people who were not attending her party (I assume) began to pack into DL to get all their rides in before DL closed for the party.

Actually, that whole scenario that transpired on the Miley Cyrus birthday party day might be a good indicator of what things will be like in DL this year on those days of the TOTP!! I doubt DL will open at 6:00 a.m. on TOTP days (unfortunately) like they did on Miley's b-day, but that same kind of 'abbreviated' DL schedule that they had to have for Miley's party, and the crowd patterns that formed in DL throughout the day leading up to DL closing early, might just tell us a little bit about what it could potentially be like on every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday in October as the TOTP takes place in Disneyland.

Last year, I think October was just extra crowded in general, even without a Miley party and even after Gay Days and the school breaks were over.

Yes - also, anybody who had single park tickets had them upgraded free of charge to a hopper after DL closed, making DCA quite busy afterwards...

I really hope that pattern isn't too similar, otherwise Tuesday and Friday could end up being quite busy - losing two of the "quieter" midweek days

I wish TOTP was staying at DCA - as much as I'm looking forward to WOC, I think they could have dropped it or shown it earlier on TOTP days and I wouldn't have been too disappointed.

 

[Tablefor5]

You know, sometimes I feel like the only person on the planet who prefers Disneyland (and everything, really) when it's hot. 90-100 weather is my perfect day. Makes me wish my summer trip hadn't fallen through even though I am so excited to get a shot at Halloween season!

I am with you! I love heat...so a hot day at DLR doesn't bother me much
And maybe that is why I can't remember it being that hot when we went, like SherryE and ukstich had mentioned
Besides, to make full use of the PiratesCove at HoJo, you want it to be warmer
I think our crowds for that last week of September will be GREAT!! I am not worried! (and hoping it's hot...for me and Belle Ella )