How bad is UEA?

[twodogs]

We are planning to visit DLR from 10/18-10/23, which apparently is UEA this year. I've read several threads here about how much this increases crowds, or how it's not too bad compared to any other weekend in October. We usually pull the kids out in May on a non-race weekend so that is the crowd level we are used to. Wondering if it will be terribly worse than that?

We did a few days at spring break this year at WDW and due to several factors, those days were 10/10 crowds, and I am not wanting a repeat of that. So if UEA brings that type of crowd, I will probably cancel and try another time. We have to go those days if we go this year due to school schedules (we don't live in Utah).

 

[lcp9]

I have not personally been that week, but we have many friends that went this past October and regretted it.

 

[chickapin parterre]

The demographic of UEA is that Grandma and Grandpa pay for the trip for all their children and grandchildren. It is a family reunion of sorts and the biggest difference is that you have groups of 10-20 meeting at major intersections and making it hard to navigate the walkways. The plus side is that mornings are really light as well as evenings. We always left Oregon during parent conference/grading times, missing a few days of elementary school and year after year my son was encountering classmates who were there with aunts and uncles and grandparents and cousins, and eventually it became known as UEA. fortunately we were able to shift over Thanksgiving week until that became a national school holiday

 

[DLgal]

What is UAE?

 

[Geemo]

What is UAE?

UEA Utah Education Association
They hold a conference each October. Utah schools are off during this time.

If you check this thread out you'll see how school breaks can make a difference in park crowds.
Along with events scheduled in the parks.
https://www.disboards.com/threads/2017-calendar-of-events-school-breaks-and-dlr.3528760/

If you want time at Disneyland, book and go....
As many say now "the parks are busy most of the time all year now"

If there is an old fashion "slow time" at Disneyland..... It's a well kept secret!

Geemo

 

[twodogs]

Thanks for all of the quick replies. We want to see Halloween and attend one of the parties, and this is our only option for time to go. I am not at all expecting low crowds, at DLR or WDW, EVER anymore, ha ha! I realize that it is always crowded, but I do not have fun if it is "spring break" type of crowded. I am just trying to get a sense of how UEA compares to other majorly crowded times such as Spring Break, and other major holidays. I am trying to tell myself that one state having off can't possibly be as bad as something like Spring Break when many, many states and schools will have off all in one week, or a major holiday like Christmas or Thanksgiving, when just about all schools have off, but I am looking for people who have experience at UEA, as well as other very busy times of year and can compare the madness for me! Thanks if anyone has this experience and can share it!

 

[rentayenta]

It's terrible. It's Spring Break like.

 

[chickapin parterre]

UEA= Utah escapes to Anaheim

Grandparents have children in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada and Arizona, those families from those states all gather together in Anaheim, so it is not just one state, but an opportunity for a demographic to gather together in Sunny California for family reunions.

The Halloween parties have now made October like spring break, Christmas and Thanksgiving, the reason that October does not see 10s, which means gate closures, is that the parties are expensive for large families, so basically the park closes early for the parties and the families go back to lodgings to gather with other families. Having rested during the evenings of the parties, the families are ready for early starts and can take advantage of the empty mornings, go back to lodging to eat and nap and then return to non-party evenings. Folks leaving the park at mid-day ease the 1-6 time frame congestion. When folks don't leave at mid-day, that is when it becomes unmanageable , when the park is cooler, special events, Christmas, Wednesday before Thanksgiving, one day holidays, etc.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

Living in Utah...we call it "Utah Escapes to Anaheim"

I wouldn't. Ever.

IN fact, even if it was a free trip I probably wouldn't.

 

[twodogs]

Ok now I'm getting scared. Maybe we will have to cancel. So bummed.

 

[Cal-Pie]

Actually last year, the week before UEA ended up being way busier than UEA weekend. I planned a trip for my sister's family thinking the week before thinking UEA was a much smarter time to go, but crowds were way intense. All of my friends who went during UEA said it wasn't nearly as crowded as previous years. I don't know if it was an anomaly or if people are finally getting scared off by UEA. I think as more schools take fall breaks and take more time off for Columbus Day, October is getting crazy all the way around. Next time I go back during Halloween time, I'll go in September.

 

[felice]

So this explains why my wife and i end up running into many lovely, talkative couples with or without children from Utah during October !

But in all seriousness though, even though the parks can be busy, the crowds do keep moving fairly well. People are usually relaxed as well, which helps a lot

Traveling from the UK though, I think they like our accent

 

[rentayenta]

Ok now I'm getting scared. Maybe we will have to cancel. So bummed.

If you do rope drop/EMH it will be okay until about 11 am. Break for an early lunch, maybe swim, take a midday break, spend some time in a little less crowded DCA, plan to return after 7-8 pm.

 

[twodogs]

I will not be having a good time if it is Spring Break/Christmas level crowds. Gosh I just don't know. I could maybe pull my kids out the weekend prior, which to my eye does not have a "major" event per the thread mentioned above. The first weekend in October is Columbus day weekend as well as Gay Days. I assume that will be crazy crowded too? The weekend after UEA is right before actual Halloween, so again, I assume that will be crazy?

 

[twodogs]

If you do rope drop/EMH it will be okay until about 11 am. Break for an early lunch, maybe swim, take a midday break, spend some time in a little less crowded DCA, plan to return after 7-8 pm.

We will be staying onsite and definitely do RD/EMH, but if it is just 2 hour waits all around after EMH, I don't want to take time off work, fly there, take kids out of school, and be miserable. Blah....

 

[Utah_Disnerds]

AVOID the week of Columbus Day. The whole week last year was insanely busy due to many fall breaks.

 

[chickapin parterre]

If you do rope drop/EMH it will be okay until about 11 am. Break for an early lunch, maybe swim, take a midday break, spend some time in a little less crowded DCA, plan to return after 7-8 pm.

I support this 100%!!!! This the new way to survive Disneyland

 

[twodogs]

If you do rope drop/EMH it will be okay until about 11 am. Break for an early lunch, maybe swim, take a midday break, spend some time in a little less crowded DCA, plan to return after 7-8 pm.

This is exactly what we did a few weeks ago for our end of April trip, and it worked well. I can handle that. I just don't want to be miserable at 9AM in lines that are 45 minutes or more and then get worse throughout the day. We made great use of FP this trip and got so much done. I'm going to mull it over. If we go the last weekend in September instead, it will have to be one day shorter due to school schedules, so that would be a trade off...

 

[chickapin parterre]

Wednesday will be the best day and super morning, you will not encounter 45 mins till 11, maybe even noon.
Thursday and friday, lines will be at 11 for sure, no 45 mins in the ROA area till 11, though tomorrowland will have those numbers, but it you do tomorrowland on MM, then no problem

Saturday and Saturday will be your rough days,....but being a April visitor, yes there may be issues with crowds in your perspective.

 

[Choirmom]

We have Oct 18 through 22 planned, but have only booked the hotel (free cancellation). Would the following week be better?