June or July - or September?

[Belle Ella]

So we were planning to hit DLR this October since neither my friend or I have ever been for Halloween, but out work schedules are proving to be too much of a hassle to work around and we we're debating the other options on our plate.

Option #1: September 9-12 (my birthday too). As much as I loved how [relatively] un-crowded it was when we were there last September (same days as the D23 Expo) I really don't like going right as one of my favorite rides is being closed to get ready for Halloween. That ride obviously being Haunted Mansion. We got lucky in '09 because of the 9-9-09 event and the ride being open a few days later than normal.

Option #2: Summer!! After reading through HG's amazingly awesome threads I've pretty much narrowed down our possible dates to the last 2 weeks of June or pretty much anytime in July (my friend works 4 days, has 4 days off). One of our possible dates is July 15-18 which would put us there on the 55th Anniversary. Is this something you would try to avoid. I've been there on July 17th before and I think I could do it again, but with this year being the 55th and with WOC and all I just wonder if I'm not being realistic.

I will say this though: I love Disneyland in the summer. Even with the heat. Even with the insane crowds.

I would love some people's personal opinions on when they'd go and why. TIA!!! Because you all rock.

 

[blackjackdelta]

We are doing the 2nd week in Aug prior to the unblocking. We like the heat, deal with hopefully normal August crowds this year and is about the only time we can get off from work. My DGF has been complaining how cool it was last August compared to the years before(85 dergrees F),
and all the attractions are going.

Biggest problem deciding where to stay with no real discounts to speak of.

Jack

 

[Belle Ella]

We are doing the 2nd week in Aug prior to the unblocking. We like the heat, deal with hopefully normal August crowds this year and is about the only time we can get off from work. My DGF has been complaining how cool it was last August compared to the years before(85 dergrees F),
and all the attractions are going.

Biggest problem deciding where to stay with no real discounts to speak of.

Jack

Not too many people would complain about how cool it was in August. But I think I would have been right alongside her. I love the heat. But I'm an odd one.

I didn't really think about August. We have one potential 4 day period in August we could do before the Fall semester starts. Hmm.

 

[samkj]

I would go in Summer. Like you the crowds don't bother us much, but then again we always go during school vacations(3 kids in school, plus my husband and I are both teachers) , so we don't know anything but crowds! I prefer to have everything open and deal with crowds, than feel like we are missing out due to ride closures.

 

[Mugglemama]

i'll echo what others are saying and suggest summer, as well.

the last time we went in september, it really was much more crowded than we expected (although you'll probably be better off with your early sept dates than we were with our end of sept dates...). i ended up feeling like we had totally wasted our $ on that trip.

i think one of the best trips we've ever had to DLR in recent years was a M-F trip we did somewhere around mid to late august. it was hot, and there were a lot of people, but the extended hours are so much better to deal with (i for one, love being in the parks late at night, and i also don't mind getting in line half an hour before the gates open), than the shorter hours of september, especially if you happen to hit a crowded day in september.

 

[tholczer]

The last week of August has always been a good time for us. Crowds are reasonable/low and you still have the summer heat. Not the week the AP's are back in effect, but the week after that.

Have fun!
Tracy

 

[blackjackdelta]

Not too many people would complain about how cool it was in August. But I think I would have been right alongside her. I love the heat. But I'm an odd one.

I didn't really think about August. We have one potential 4 day period in August we could do before the Fall semester starts. Hmm.

Home is usually 102-105 while we are gone. If we are not at Disney then we are at the pool.

Jack

 

[Belle Ella]

Thanks for the input everyone.

Looks like September/August will be out for sure since my cousin wants to go and her school schedule is a little more packed than mine. So I'm thinking we're either going July 7-10 or 14-18. I just have to pick which one.

 

[HydroGuy]

One of our possible dates is July 15-18 which would put us there on the 55th Anniversary. Is this something you would try to avoid. I've been there on July 17th before and I think I could do it again, but with this year being the 55th and with WOC and all I just wonder if I'm not being realistic.

There might be a bump in crowds on July 17 itself but if it were me I would totally go on those dates if they worked best for my schedule.

 

[HydroGuy]

I would also add that unless one hits the unfortunate heat wave when temps get to 100F, the summer temperatures work for us. We leave our hotel at 6:20 or 7:20 AM (whether it is an MM day or not) wearing tee shirts and shorts and we come back after midnight wearing the same. No sweatshirts needed. A bit hot mid-day but that is what the pools are for!

 

[NattysMom]

We were trying to pick dates in the summer too and one thing to think about is that the Baseball All-Star game is in Anaheim on July 13th. It might increase crowds a lot. It factored into our decision, so just an fyi!

 

[Belle Ella]

There might be a bump in crowds on July 17 itself but if it were me I would totally go on those dates if they worked best for my schedule.

I would also add that unless one hits the unfortunate heat wave when temps get to 100F, the summer temperatures work for us. We leave our hotel at 6:20 or 7:20 AM (whether it is an MM day or not) wearing tee shirts and shorts and we come back after midnight wearing the same. No sweatshirts needed. A bit hot mid-day but that is what the pools are for!

All I have to say is it can't be as bad as this past summer that I spent out in Texas, so I'm pretty much game for anything that's not 110, lol. That was brutal, but doable.

It's really looking more and more like the 15-17th will be our official dates. Right now I'm thinking the only reason we wouldn't go with those dates is if another that we're keeping in mind comes up at the HOJO with the entertainment rate.