need expert opinion

[michelle1]

I still can't decide between Aug 19-27 in WDW or DL. Can anyone give me a fairly good estimation of crowd size in DL? I've been to WDW during this time frame and wait times are no more than 20min and fast passes rarely needed. Kids in Florida are generally back to school then and hurricane season so I guess that accounts for the low crowds....I know people describe crowds as manageable, moderate etc but compared to what?? Could someone help me in terms of wait times because I really want to do DL but my dh likes the free dining deal at WDW. Thanks for helping!!!

 

[hlbtimes2]

Well, I must say, I would pick Disneyland this year. The 50th celebration is almost over. Its a magical time to be in the park. Its never looked better! And there are so many neat little things- like the 50th movie with Steve Martin, the original rides have a car painted gold, the characters have special costumes, etc. Plus, just the whole feeling of nostalgia that comes from being in Walts park.

However, if you arent interested in that part of the experience, you probably will be better off in WDW. The park will be crowded. Some of the 50 decor is set to come down in early Sept. People will be trying to get in one last visit. Many schools will not be back in yet, so you'll still have summer crowds. Here is a graph that shows what its like at various times of the year http://www.scottware.com.au/theme/feature/crowds.htm You'll see the crowds dont really drop until after the holiday weekend.

 

[HydroGuy]

Can't answer you specifically. We went early August 2005. But here is some info.

As everyone knows. the summers are milder in CA than FL. So summer is a busy time at DLR, and people do not get drained as quickly at DLR than they do at WDW, and hence can hang at the parks longer creating additional crowding.

Also, DLR has Annual Passes with blackout dates. See link here:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/misc.php?pg=blackout

Notice the left and middle column. You see how these are blacked out July and August, and then lift in late August? What this means is that people in Southern Cal with these Annual Passes will be blacked out for two months and when the blackout lifts in August they will come back to DLR before the summer ends and schools start. One of the reasons DLR does this is because they know the crowds will start to go down, so the impact of the AP folks will be less. In addition, that is when DLR starts to shorten park hours. So what you will likely see are lower crowds than the preceding weeks, but reduced park hours. So you may not be able to get a lot more done than you could earlier.

In general, no matter when you go to DLR (and WDW as well), you can get a lot done if you set your schedule to take advantage of other people's tendencies. People come to the parks a few hours after opening and then leave early. See my link here summarizing this conventional wisdom that applies at both DLR and WDW during busier times.

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=12294563&postcount=7

In late August you will need FastPasses, and lines will be longer than 20 minutes. Not trying to discourage you from going. I think DLR in the summer is a great experience. But if you are a late riser and early departure person, you will only experience a fraction of what you could with a better plan as summarized in the link.

 

[CalGal]

I went to WDW in mid-August a few years back and found the crowds at WDW around as heavy (if not heavier) than crowds at DL at the same time of year BUT -- WDW had offered a great resort promo at the time (7 nights for the price of 4), and it was before the 50th celebration. Most schools throughout California start anywhere between around the 20th through the second week of Sept (a little later than most schools on the East Coast), so you are likely to have noticably fewer crowds at WDW than at DL. However, I often go to DL in August, and almost never wait longer than 15-20 minutes for any ride, because I go early and use FP wisely.

As another poster noted, the weather at DL is far superior to WDW at this time of year. If you are most interested in (slightly) lower crowds, better promos, and other resort offerings that only WDW provides, I would recommend WDW. If you want to avoid thunderstorms and 90+ temps nearly 24 hours a day while still having a great Disney experience, try DLR.