Help Schedule multiple trips this fall

[shooting4life]

Hello -

My wife and I have planned our first trip 9/3 through 9/6. We are going to start with a 3 day ticket and convert it over to a flex pass. We don't have any kids and try to go to Disneyland during the slower (relatively) periods of time. We always take days off of work and go during the week, usually for 3-4 total days (Monday to Wednesday/Thursday) which includes flying down from the bay area. Generally this strategy gets the cheapest flights and hotel rooms. I would like to see the park with all the Halloween decorations (but no need to go to the Halloween party) and the park with Christmas decorations while avoiding the busiest times.

With that in mind, what weeks in October/November/December do you think would fit these goals? We can take any days off of work needed. We get a lot of paid Holidays (10/14 Columbus day, 11/11 Veterans day) but our experience in the past is it gets crazy Monday and Tuesday of those weeks. Last year we went the week before veterans day in November but then missed some of the xmas decorations, xmas parade and IASW changeover. We certainly will stay away from Christmas/New Years weeks. Going during the week also helps mitigate the need to make reservations with flex pass.

Thank you for the help.

 

[figment_jii]

A lot of the events/conferences/meetings/special days tend to be slated for weekends (Fri to Sun), so if you're able to go on the weekdays, there might not be as big of a reason to avoid any specific time period. As you noted, Mondays (and potentially Tuesdays) of 3-day holiday weekends are often tough, so those might be times to skip.

HalloweenTime: Slated to start on 9/6, so there is a good chance you'll see some of it if you're going to the parks on 9/6 (Friday). Otherwise, I would aim to be back either in late(ish) September. At a minimum, I would avoid Columbus Day weekend and maybe the week leading into 10/17 (UEA Convention) in October.

Holidays: They haven't announced when the Holiday season will start, but probably in early November. I'd avoid Thanksgiving week and Veterans' Day week as well. I think that crowds tend to pick up with each week in December, so the earlier you can go in the season, the better.

 

[shooting4life]

A lot of the events/conferences/meetings/special days tend to be slated for weekends (Fri to Sun), so if you're able to go on the weekdays, there might not be as big of a reason to avoid any specific time period. As you noted, Mondays (and potentially Tuesdays) of 3-day holiday weekends are often tough, so those might be times to skip.

HalloweenTime: Slated to start on 9/6, so there is a good chance you'll see some of it if you're going to the parks on 9/6 (Friday). Otherwise, I would aim to be back either in late(ish) September. At a minimum, I would avoid Columbus Day weekend and maybe the week leading into 10/17 (UEA Convention) in October.

Holidays: They haven't announced when the Holiday season will start, but probably in early November. I'd avoid Thanksgiving week and Veterans' Day week as well. I think that crowds tend to pick up with each week in December, so the earlier you can go in the season, the better.

Thanks. When we did Columbus last year it was crazy.

Is the week between Veterans Day and thanksgiving relatively slow as it is a full week between two weeks with holidays? And would that normally be Christmas season? If I remember last year Xmas started right on the Veterans Day weekend.

 

[Geemo]

Hello -

My wife and I have planned our first trip 9/3 through 9/6. We are going to start with a 3 day ticket and convert it over to a flex pass. We don't have any kids and try to go to Disneyland during the slower (relatively) periods of time. We always take days off of work and go during the week, usually for 3-4 total days (Monday to Wednesday/Thursday) which includes flying down from the bay area. Generally this strategy gets the cheapest flights and hotel rooms. I would like to see the park with all the Halloween decorations (but no need to go to the Halloween party) and the park with Christmas decorations while avoiding the busiest times.

With that in mind, what weeks in October/November/December do you think would fit these goals? We can take any days off of work needed. We get a lot of paid Holidays (10/14 Columbus day, 11/11 Veterans day) but our experience in the past is it gets crazy Monday and Tuesday of those weeks. Last year we went the week before veterans day in November but then missed some of the xmas decorations, xmas parade and IASW changeover. We certainly will stay away from Christmas/New Years weeks. Going during the week also helps mitigate the need to make reservations with flex pass.

Thank you for the help.

figment_jii didn't mention the thread for 2019 Calendar of Events& School Breaks and DLR which they maintain.

As you are looking to pick times for a trip this thread will give you an idea of what might be happening at the parks.