November Crowds? (Avengers 1/2 weekend)

[Angel Ariel]

DH and I are thinking about making our Nov. 2015 trip a DLR trip instead of WDW. We aren't entirely sure yet...waiting to price out SW's airfare when it's released. We were wondering, though, what the crowds will be like? We're looking at Nov. 12-19th - maybe not all of those days, but definitely starting the 12th. It looks like that's the weekend of the Avengers 1/2 marathon at DLR?

Does anyone know what crowds were like last year during this time? DH would likely *not* be running the race, so we're mainly interested in how the run affects the crowds in the parks. Is it going to be insanely busy?

Also, is that considered slow season for DLR? I know fro past trips that DLR doesn't run nighttime shows every night in "off" times - is that true for this time period?

They have a Christmas party, right? Is it being put on during those dates like WDW's is? Is it worth it? (better than WDW's?). And the 60th anniversary stuff will still be happening, right? Anything else we should know about visiting DLR at that time?

 

[mom2rtk]

Can't help you on the crowds, but I'm sure others will be along soon with their own experiences.

There is no Christmas party yet though. Lots of speculation on whether that will happen this year or next year, but so far no party and no word that it's happening.

Up until now, the Christmas parade just replaced the regular parade when the holiday season started, and holiday fireworks replaced regular daily fireworks.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Up until now, the Christmas parade just replaced the regular parade when the holiday season started, and holiday fireworks replaced regular daily fireworks.

Ahh ok! Do you know when they start that? Do they start the holiday season when WDW does, or is it more in December? I recall somewhere that they have a Candlelight Processional (that's why I was thinking a party) with their holiday offerings?

Ooooh...if we went in November, would HM be the overlay? We've never seen that, and would like to! Should we expect iasw will be down for refurb while it gets it's Christmas overlay?

 

[mom2rtk]

It started sometime in the neighborhood of the 11th/12th of November, but I'm thinking it might start a few days ahead of the official start day of the holiday season.

Candlelight Processional is very different at DL. It's one weekend (first weekend of December) and done on Main Street in DL, so no seating (except for VIPs) or dining packages.

 

[mom2rtk]

IaSW does get an overlay that requires some down time. Not sure on the dates.

Here's the link to this year's holiday thread. It really is the best source for all things holiday at DLR.

 

[kim3339]

I was there last year for that weekend for the race and there were a lot of people. The race weekend coincided w/ the 1st weekend of the decorations like the previous poster mentioned. The lines were on the longer side, not Thanksgiving or X-mas but longer than if no races that weekend, and there were a lot of people in the parks. Also, this year they're adding another race so the race weekend will be starting on Thurs instead of Fri and another race means more people.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Thanks . I have to say...remembering that HM will have the NBC overlay has made this idea even more enticing, lol...

 

[Angel Ariel]

I was there last year for that weekend for the race and there were a lot of people. The race weekend coincided w/ the 1st weekend of the decorations like the previous poster mentioned. The lines were on the longer side, not Thanksgiving or X-mas but longer than if no races that weekend, and there were a lot of people in the parks. Also, this year they're adding another race so the race weekend will be starting on Thurs instead of Fri and another race means more people.

Is it like WDW run weekends, where the crowds start to peter out around monday/tues after the run?

ETA: For context, we've been to DLR in March and early april (spring break-ish season)...so we have an idea of what DLR is like with some longer lines. We have no desire for Christmas like crowds, but as you said I wouldn't expect crowds that high for the race.

This would be our DD's first trip to DLR - she'll be 3. It would only be her 2nd cross country flight, though (her first will be to CO a few months prior), which is part of what's giving us pause. East coast to west coast flying with a 3 y/o is a daunting thought...

 

[ludari]

Race weekends just adds to the normal park crowds not to mention the holidays and the diamond celebration going on. If you are planning on staying a day or two after the race things should quite down a bit.

 

[SMD]

Usually the decorations on Main St will be up the week before the announced official start of the holidays. And the park Christmas parade and fireworks start. They shoot the television Christmas Day parade, so the castle will be decorated but blocked by a stage. Then when the stage comes down and tree goes up, that's when the holidays officially start. So it's not a total overnight switch over.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Oh I know it's not an overnight switch or anything.

When do they usually do the DLR Christmas parade taping?At WDW it's usually in December. Would we need to worry about it over NOv. 12-19th (ish)?

 

[kim3339]

Is it like WDW run weekends, where the crowds start to peter out around monday/tues after the run?

ETA: For context, we've been to DLR in March and early april (spring break-ish season)...so we have an idea of what DLR is like with some longer lines. We have no desire for Christmas like crowds, but as you said I wouldn't expect crowds that high for the race.

This would be our DD's first trip to DLR - she'll be 3. It would only be her 2nd cross country flight, though (her first will be to CO a few months prior), which is part of what's giving us pause. East coast to west coast flying with a 3 y/o is a daunting thought...

I left Mon morning so can't really help there, sorry. DL isn't as bad as the WDW weekends, b/c there the races are smaller out here. I was late getting in to the parks on Sun, around 11:30, Jungle was around 35 min, POC was around 45 min and HM was about 45 min waits. Indy was close to an hour, but you mentioned the age of your DD and don't think she'll be on that one.

 

[SMD]

Oh I know it's not an overnight switch or anything.

When do they usually do the DLR Christmas parade taping?At WDW it's usually in December. Would we need to worry about it over NOv. 12-19th (ish)?

Probably not. It's usually earlier than that. It was the week before Avengers last year. It was the 8th & 9th the year before. By the way, have you thought about trying to register for one of the Avengers races?

 

[Angel Ariel]

Probably not. It's usually earlier than that. It was the week before Avengers last year. It was the 8th & 9th the year before. By the way, have you thought about trying to register for one of the Avengers races?

Dh is thinking about doing the 1/2. I don't know if I'll do the 5k. We know registration opens soon...I hope it isn't as insane as wine and dine was!

 

[ten6mom]

I was there this past year for Avengers and I was so pleasantly surprised that Christmas decorations were up! I am sorry I can't speak to crowd levels (I did notice that Saturday was substantially busier than the weekdays, of course) or the fireworks shows but we thought it was a great time to go and get the Christmas experience without having to deal with some of the Christmas insanity.

OH... and yes registration will probably be... competitive.

 

[kirstie101]

Dh is thinking about doing the 1/2. I don't know if I'll do the 5k. We know registration opens soon...I hope it isn't as insane as wine and dine was!

Last year it actually sold out faster than wine and dine did this week so I'd expect the same this year especially with the rumored addition of a 10K and a challenge. Good luck!

And last year we found the parks to feel VERY crowded this weekend. I think the combo of the race and it being the first official weekend with the Christmas stuff going on is what caused this. That being said, despite the way it felt, the lines for rides were actually not bad at all. 30 minute waits for most things. Sometimes 45 minutes for the big rides. But not as bad as I thought they would be based on the size of the crowds.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Last year it actually sold out faster than wine and dine did this week so I'd expect the same this year especially with the rumored addition of a 10K and a challenge. Good luck!

And last year we found the parks to feel VERY crowded this weekend. I think the combo of the race and it being the first official weekend with the Christmas stuff going on is what caused this. That being said, despite the way it felt, the lines for rides were actually not bad at all. 30 minute waits for most things. Sometimes 45 minutes for the big rides. But not as bad as I thought they would be based on the size of the crowds.

Thanks for the report on how fast it goes. We need to decide what he will do with the 1/2 for sure.

30-45 min waits aren't terrible, but we are going for long enough that I would consider maybe not spending as much time in the parks on Sat/Sun, and concentrating on Mon-thurs for the parks.
I actually had a thought that maybe we could do the walk in Walt's footsteps tour one day..it looks like that's all ages friendly? Do they run that on sat or Sundays? I haven't had a ton of time to look stuff up yet. That would be an awesome birthday present for me

Has anyone stayed at the Camelot Inn? Or the tropicana recently? We have stayed at the Tropicana before, but it was 2011. I think they redid the rooms right after our trip then (we saw them replacing.furniture in rooms as we checked out). We have never stayed at the Camelot. We arent sure if we want to.just do a regular room, or try for a suite so we have a separated place for DD to sleep. Not sure if it is worth it or not.

I have to say I really am liking this idea more and more, lol.