June, July, or August???

[jennerjoo]

Following! I’m in the same boat (we do Disney World every year, but have never been to Disneyland). We can only go in the summer as well. Which dates did you decide on? I want to go in June but have heard a lot of different opinions about it. Sounds like July might be better from a crowd perspective?

 

[tnzzz]

My biggest concern about the end of June is that SoCal APs aren’t blocked and it looks like the incredicoaster/CS may return on the 22nd (I may be way off base on that date but I believe someone just posted that info from guest services on another thread). If so, it’s possible the rest of the pier will open up that date as well. So as far as crowds go, early July once APs are blocked may be better. Although, there is a four day period that SoCal APs are randomly blocked in June (I think third week Wednesday to Saturday) so that is probably a good time to go in June.

ETA: I can’t find the post with the date of 6/22 for the coaster. Does anyone else recall seeing that, or am I losing my mind (entirely possible)...?

ETA2: it was reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/Disneyland/comments/7o6q47/psa_incredicoaster_back_june_22/
I’m not sure this post is 100% reliable though... but it makes me think that the last week of June could be pretty busy if true.

 

[HydroGuy]

Following! I’m in the same boat (we do Disney World every year, but have never been to Disneyland). We can only go in the summer as well. Which dates did you decide on? I want to go in June but have heard a lot of different opinions about it. Sounds like July might be better from a crowd perspective?

It depends.

DLR has a number of things different from WDW and one of them is the impact of annual pass holders. For more on this see this old thread I wrote: "Understanding AP Blockouts and Impact on Crowds" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2365983. In particular there is a trend related to the "SoCal" AP holders (SCAPs).

These have a summer blockout which begins for good on June 29. See this link and screen shot below https://disneyland.disney.go.com/passes/blockout-dates/#



What happens is that DLR opens new things for the summer and SCAPs try to squeeze in final visits before the blockcout. That causes some extra crowds.

I myself am a Deluxe AP holder (DAP, not SCAP) and am going June 19-22 to avoid the SCAPs (except for June 19, an arrival day for us with half day in the parks) and be there after the Grad nights have concluded. See "The Scoop on Grad Nights at DLR in May and June" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2298400

So June can be good or not so good for crowds. Depends on the exact day. One of my co-workers went in 2017 on the equivalent of Tuesday June 19 and Friday June 22 for just those two days. She said it was a night and day difference on crowds.

The average temperature does increase as the summer goes on. The averages are actually not too bad and not nearly as bad as WDW in the summer. The challenge is when you are there on an above average temperature day. "Detailed Weather Data for DLR" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=23004158.

I myself have gone multiple times in June, July and August and would not hesitate to go in any of those months. If I could choose my ideal time it is late June and it becomes less ideal as the summer goes on.

For the most part it is easiest to manage hot temperatures when you make a good hotel choice (nearby, preferably walking distance IMO), get to the parks early each day and take afternoon breaks. See "HydroGuy's Hotel Rule" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1199862

 

[tlcdoula]

I am hoping to get one more trip in this year at the end of august, my options are Aug 22-27 or Aug 29-Sept 2 which is Labour day weekend. I have the deluxe annual pass and would love to see Pixar Pier before it expires. I am leaning towards the week before labour day but everyone else might also decide that haha...

 

[HydroGuy]

I am hoping to get one more trip in this year at the end of august, my options are Aug 22-27 or Aug 29-Sept 2 which is Labour day weekend. I have the deluxe annual pass and would love to see Pixar Pier before it expires. I am leaning towards the week before labour day but everyone else might also decide that haha...

Uhhh, Pixar Pier will not "expire". It will be a new "land" at DCA.

 

[HydroGuy]

ETA2: it was reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/Disneyland/comments/7o6q47/psa_incredicoaster_back_june_22/
I’m not sure this post is 100% reliable though... but it makes me think that the last week of June could be pretty busy if true.

Thanks for posting this!

 

[tlcdoula]

Uhhh, Pixar Pier will not "expire". It will be a new "land" at DCA.

haha I meant before my annual pass expires

 

[HydroGuy]

haha I meant before my annual pass expires

Ok that makes more sense now!

 

[jennerjoo]

Thanks for all the tips! It looks like October 15-19 is also now an option for us. I hear October is getting just as crowded as Summer. If it were you, would you go in the summer months or October? I can’t decide!

 

[wendow]

We are planning to go to DLR for my dd17's graduation. The original plan was to go right after graduation but that puts us getting there just in time for Memorial Day weekend.

So, now I've pushed it back more into the summer. I was leaning towards end of June/beginning of July. I see those 4 days blocked out in June for AP's.

Is June 20-23 better or worse or same than June 29-July 2? Any thoughts appreciated! We always go to WDW and I feel like I know what to do there but this DLR trip is really stressing me out!

ETA: We are used to WDW in late Aug/early Sept so I am not worried about the heat. We actually like the heat (weird, I know!).

 

[DizMe]

Thanks for all the tips! It looks like October 15-19 is also now an option for us. I hear October is getting just as crowded as Summer. If it were you, would you go in the summer months or October? I can’t decide!

If you're interested in a Halloween party ticket, then Oct is a good choice. I decided a few years back that I would no longer go in October. Used to be our go-to but it's insanely busy compared to what it was and you have to leave the parks early if it's a Halloween party night and you don't have a ticket (which is a separate cost and it's getting pricey IMO). I don't have any interest in the party after having gone multiple times and I find July a much better time for me than Oct. But everyone is different and looking for different things!

 

[HydroGuy]

Thanks for all the tips! It looks like October 15-19 is also now an option for us. I hear October is getting just as crowded as Summer. If it were you, would you go in the summer months or October? I can’t decide!

For me it is still summer. I actually did July and October and December this year. October was as crowded as July. Early December was a little less crowded. Shows in summer are every day. In October they are not. That would tilt me back to summer.

 

[FoxC63]

@lovingeire and @HydroGuy California here we come! August 12-17. DS will be turning 15 on the 13th so that'll be fun! Disney will be celebrating it's 63rd - which was the year I was born, yep I'm that old! Still making plans to visit other places like Port Hueneme which is where my husband's father served in the Navy. Good ol' Popeye passed several years ago.

I'm so new to this California thread, feeling a little lost!

Also I'll be going solo to WDW for a few days, can't miss MNSSHP.

Anyways, cheers! more like this cheers lol!

 

[momof2n2]

It depends.

DLR has a number of things different from WDW and one of them is the impact of annual pass holders. For more on this see this old thread I wrote: "Understanding AP Blockouts and Impact on Crowds" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2365983. In particular there is a trend related to the "SoCal" AP holders (SCAPs).

These have a summer blockout which begins for good on June 29. See this link and screen shot below https://disneyland.disney.go.com/passes/blockout-dates/#

View attachment 292531

What happens is that DLR opens new things for the summer and SCAPs try to squeeze in final visits before the blockcout. That causes some extra crowds.

I myself am a Deluxe AP holder (DAP, not SCAP) and am going June 19-22 to avoid the SCAPs (except for June 19, an arrival day for us with half day in the parks) and be there after the Grad nights have concluded. See "The Scoop on Grad Nights at DLR in May and June" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2298400

So June can be good or not so good for crowds. Depends on the exact day. One of my co-workers went in 2017 on the equivalent of Tuesday June 19 and Friday June 22 for just those two days. She said it was a night and day difference on crowds.

The average temperature does increase as the summer goes on. The averages are actually not too bad and not nearly as bad as WDW in the summer. The challenge is when you are there on an above average temperature day. "Detailed Weather Data for DLR" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=23004158.

I myself have gone multiple times in June, July and August and would not hesitate to go in any of those months. If I could choose my ideal time it is late June and it becomes less ideal as the summer goes on.

For the most part it is easiest to manage hot temperatures when you make a good hotel choice (nearby, preferably walking distance IMO), get to the parks early each day and take afternoon breaks. See "HydroGuy's Hotel Rule" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1199862

Oh man our last DLR day is 6/19... maybe I should relook at my plan