Newbie Q: How busy in August and October?

[mollies_mum]

Hi everyone,
I'm planning a trip for 2010 but have only just started to consider DLR instead of WDW.
I was toying with the idea of the last 2 weeks of October or the last 2 weeks of August?
Which will be more manageable regarding crowds?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I have read reflecting views of this so I'm a little bit confused.....!
Thanks in advance,
Ruby xxx

 

[maryvh]

mollies_mum,

First of all - I am of no help to you.... BUT I wanted to Thank You for starting this thread.

I hope you don't mind, but I have the same exact question. I am starting to plan my family's first trip to DL in 2009. We originally were planning on Oct 8 to 13, but after hearing about how busy October can be I was wondering about the last week of August (the week before Labor Day weekend).

Again, thanks for this thread - I can't wait to see the responses.

~mary

 

[mollies_mum]

Hi Mary, I'm hoping that someo of these very knowledgable Disers come to our help soon!
In the UK English kids are still off school in August but I believe that the US kids are abck to school already thus being quieter, I am also hoping that most tourists are at WDW therfore making DLR quiter, however I could be completely wrong!
Ruby x

 

[Sherry E]

I won't be of MUCH help, but will offer a little insight. Summertime in general is busier than October. This year, summer attendance has been down at DLR, probably due to the terrible economy and the high gas prices. In two years, or even next year, not sure if crowds will be back in full swing. Yes, some schools are back in session in late August so that will cut down on crowds, but some are not back in school until after Labor Day. October is generally a slower month at DLR, and I would advise you to go in October just to see all the fun Halloween stuff that is up in the parks. Plus, it is usually a little cooler in October - the heat is not so stifling. That said, early October is slower than mid to late October. There is the Columbus Day holiday which is sort of mid-October and then, crowds pick up a bit closer to Halloween. I would still say that October is a better bet for you, and a much more fun time of year to go than in August! Plus, the hotel rates are cheaper in October because that is considered 'off-peak season.'

 

[mollies_mum]

Thanks Sherry,
I'm wondering if instead of the last 2 weeks of October I could go the last week of October and the first week of November instead, maybe the first week of November would be better for lower crowds?
Any ideas anyone?
Thanks again,
Ruby x

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks Sherry,
I'm wondering if instead of the last 2 weeks of October I could go the last week of October and the first week of November instead, maybe the first week of November would be better for lower crowds?
Any ideas anyone?
Thanks again,
Ruby x

Hi, Ruby! Well, here is my thinking. If you are staying at DLR for a full two weeks (whenever those weeks may be), October is better than August, I think, as I said in my last post, and you may run into heavier crowds that first week and light crowds the second. Now, as for your idea of maybe doing the last week in October and the first week of November, my sense of it is that the last week of October will be more crowded than early November because that is Halloween week. However, I think the first week of November will probably be pretty good. I don't want you to miss out on the fun Halloween decorations, food and and other things in the park, and those will be removed right after Halloween (with the exception of the Haunted Mansion Holiday-Nightmare Before Christmas, which is there from the end of September until January of 2009). So if you can deal with one week being crowded and one week not being crowded, then I think it will be okay.

This is what a Cast Member explained to me last year, about the general peak seasons and off-peak seasons (and of course, each year, these guidelines are subject to change due to unforseen circumstances): Summer is high peak season, very crowded, all the way to mid-September. Then, mid-September through mid-October is considered off-peak. The parks get busier from mid-October to early November, but not as bad as in summer. The first few weeks of November are pretty quiet. And then from mid-November on through the rest of the year it is super crowded. Peak PEAK season! October has gotten a little busier in the last couple of years, but it is nowhere near the crowds of December.

Now, that said, there are still ways around hitting the bad crowds, even duing the worst of the peak season. Weekdays are automatically better than weekends. And it sounds like you will have a lot of weekdays to spend in DLR, so you should be fine. Also, because the gas prices are so high and the economy is so bad, people have cut way down on travel, so that presumably has affected the attendance at DLR this year. I mean, there will always be lots of people at DLR. Unless it is pouring rain when you go (and it COULD be), there is no way to avoid some sort of crowds, and just brace yourself for that, but you can get a lot of things done on weekdays in late October/early November when the crowds are lighter.