October 12th event?

[kkendle]

I posted this in the October thread but wanted to get opinions about this so posted here as well.....

Our DL and Southern CA trip is planned for Oct. 9-18. We are flying into LA and flying out of San Diego. Most of our trip is already planned with hotel reservations etc. except for the last 3 nights.

We are planning on being at DL on Sat. Oct. 11-Mon. Oct. 13th so 3 full days. I wanted to go over a weekend as I know in the fall Fantasmic isn't always offered.

I read somewhere that there is some sort of charity type walk on Sunday Oct. 12th like with doctors or something like that.

Does anyone know if this will be the worst time to be there? I could change our plans but it would be quite the ordeal considering I have airline etc booked. I thought it best to be there at least partly over a weekend since we want to see Fantasmic.

By the way, we are used to spring break type crowds at Disneyworld so are able to handle crowds...I have only been to DL once so am not that familiar with crowds/events.

Any thoughts?? Thanks!!

Kelly

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

I posted this in the October thread but wanted to get opinions about this so posted here as well.....

Our DL and Southern CA trip is planned for Oct. 9-18. We are flying into LA and flying out of San Diego. Most of our trip is already planned with hotel reservations etc. except for the last 3 nights.

We are planning on being at DL on Sat. Oct. 11-Mon. Oct. 13th so 3 full days. I wanted to go over a weekend as I know in the fall Fantasmic isn't always offered.

I read somewhere that there is some sort of charity type walk on Sunday Oct. 12th like with doctors or something like that.

Does anyone know if this will be the worst time to be there? I could change our plans but it would be quite the ordeal considering I have airline etc booked. I thought it best to be there at least partly over a weekend since we want to see Fantasmic.

By the way, we are used to spring break type crowds at Disneyworld so are able to handle crowds...I have only been to DL once so am not that familiar with crowds/events.

Any thoughts?? Thanks!!

Kelly

If that is indeed CHOC Walk Sunday, then, yes, the crowds can be quite big. It is a charity event that draws a lot of participation and a lot of locals. Also, the park opening that morning will be impacted by the event. It may only open an hour later and/or have no early entry offering, I don't remember what the usual practice is, but that does affect touring plans and crowd patterns. Also, that Monday is Columbus Day. While it's not a holiday for my school-aged children, apparently it is a holiday for federal employees so may also be one for some states and school districts; I think California state workers may have lost that holiday though. Anyway, if more people have the day off, that can affect crowds as well.

 

[kkendle]

If that is indeed CHOC Walk Sunday, then, yes, the crowds can be quite big. It is a charity event that draws a lot of participation and a lot of locals. Also, the park opening that morning will be impacted by the event. It may only open an hour later and/or have no early entry offering, I don't remember what the usual practice is, but that does affect touring plans and crowd patterns. Also, that Monday is Columbus Day. While it's not a holiday for my school-aged children, apparently it is a holiday for federal employees so may also be one for some states and school districts; I think California state workers may have lost that holiday though. Anyway, if more people have the day off, that can affect crowds as well.

Thanks for the reply. We were there on Columbus Day a couple years ago as well. Have to plan the trip around school breaks so don't have much choice. I wonder if the walk is at both parks or just one?

 

[figment_jii]

I wonder if the walk is at both parks or just one?

AFAIK, CHOC walk goes through DTD and both parks. As longtimedisneylurker said, it does result in large crowds in the parks that Sunday.

 

[kkendle]

AFAIK, CHOC walk goes through DTD and both parks. As longtimedisneylurker said, it does result in large crowds in the parks that Sunday.

Thanks. Maybe people will get tired of walking and go home early. If not, we will just need to use our commando style fast pass system and get the job done..haha.

 

[Astylla]

Thanks. Maybe people will get tired of walking and go home early. If not, we will just need to use our commando style fast pass system and get the job done..haha.

I would not count on dying crowds at ALL. We didn't know what the CHOC walk was and got stuck there one time during a quick trip. It was holiday/peak season crowded so be well prepared.

 

[figment_jii]

If not, we will just need to use our commando style fast pass system and get the job done..haha.

Just in case you haven't been to Disneyland in a while, they are now enforcing FP return times.

 

[SMD]

Last year the walk started in DL they did a 9am MM at DL with a 10am opening. There were massive crowds waiting at the turnstiles and then the hub was packed. People were angry to wait, there was a woman near us screaming into her phone about it, lots of cursing. The actual opening was definitely one of those scenarios where people with strollers were using them to cut people off. I was trying to get to POTC and it felt like people were pulling me back by my shoulders. The crowd basically pushed me over towards HMH instead, it was ugly. If we didn't have lunch reservations I wouldn't have gone in the park. Never again.

 

[crystal1313]

We went this exact weekend last year and it was packed! We only went to the party on Friday and the parks on Saturday. But Saturday blew us away how crowded it was! We didn't realize it was CHOC walk or Columbus day. You can read my trip report in my signature. Needless to say we still had a great time, but are planning on going a different weekend this year.

 

[kkendle]

Wow..all this sounds bad. Maybe we should just go Friday and Saturday and forget Sunday and Monday. I was going to get the city pass which gives you a 3 day park hopper. I also wanted to do a studio tour and thought doing that on Friday before Columbus Day might be better than on Columbus Day. Since it is a holiday..maybe nothing will be filming.

All my trips end up like this it seems...I plan and then find out something like this is going on. I will have to re-evaluate.

Thanks all for your responses.

 

[Cheshirecatty]

Last year the walk started in DL they did a 9am MM at DL with a 10am opening. There were massive crowds waiting at the turnstiles and then the hub was packed. People were angry to wait, there was a woman near us screaming into her phone about it, lots of cursing. The actual opening was definitely one of those scenarios where people with strollers were using them to cut people off. I was trying to get to POTC and it felt like people were pulling me back by my shoulders. The crowd basically pushed me over towards HMH instead, it was ugly. If we didn't have lunch reservations I wouldn't have gone in the park. Never again.

That is HORRIBLE!!!

We've been during the week leading up to CHOC Walk(which has always been very nice), and found the Saturday before to be manageable(though busy), but left the Resort on the Sunday morning of the event(without entering the Parks).

Upon seeing the Esplanade on Sunday morning, as we walked by, we were in complete disbelief of the massive crowds---it reminded us of the July 4th evening crowds waiting to view fireworks---massive, and scary(in our opinion)!

 

[SMD]

That is HORRIBLE!!!

We've been during the week leading up to CHOC Walk(which has always been very nice), and found the Saturday before to be manageable(though busy), but left the Resort on the Sunday morning of the event(without entering the Parks).

Upon seeing the Esplanade on Sunday morning, as we walked by, we were in complete disbelief of the massive crowds---it reminded us of the July 4th evening crowds waiting to view fireworks---massive, and scary(in our opinion)!

I had been on CHOC Sunday when there was no MM before, and also not at park opening, and it was crowded, but not as bad as last year. We weren't expecting the MM, so when we walked up to the turnstiles and were sent packing we were shocked. Add the people standing around with us, because it wasn't like a regular opening where people are in actual lines, I'm sure that many people who could have gotten in early couldn't get to the front. I'd like to think that if they don't do the MM this year it won't be as bad, but then I think about this:

-The parks used to be dead on Super Bowl Sunday, now it's one of the worst days to go.
-Christmas Eve used to be a ghost town, now it's 10/10 crowds.
-Marathon weekends used to be lightly attended, now they sell out in hours and draw crowds.

I hesitate to say that CHOC Walk or any 3 day weekend is going to have less crowds year over year, because that just isn't the way it's been working out for the last decade.

 

[cseest]

What are everyone's thoughts on the Tues thru Friday following Columbus Day? We are hoping for lower crowds as it is our first DL trip!

 

[letthembelittle]

What are everyone's thoughts on the Tues thru Friday following Columbus Day? We are hoping for lower crowds as it is our first DL trip!

The weekend following Columbus Day (the 16th - 20th) is UEA which is the Utah Educators Association meeting, or in DIS terms Uthans Entering Anaheim, it will be busy this year especially because our school district which is in the top three in size is taking our break then for the first time in several years. And us crazy Utah people LOVE Disneyland!

 

[SMD]

You should also check the Halloween party dates when they're released, because DL will close early on those nights.

 

[CateinPhoenix]

We were there last year over CHOC walk weekend. We went to the parks on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Sunday was nuts but we were first in line at DL so we still got a lot done early. You could skip Sunday and go Monday instead.

 

[kkendle]

We will have 3 day tickets....so will be going Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. I think we will just stick with the original plan and deal with crowds. We have to leave the following Saturday so even if I tried to turn the whole trip around, we wouldn't be able to go on a weekend and see Fantasmic..which we really want to see.

We are doing the Southern CA City Pass most likely and are flying into LA and doing Disney and Universal and then heading to San Diego where we will go to Sea World and fly out on the following Saturday.

I thought about not doing the city pass and just buying 2 day park hoppers and going Friday and Saturday and NOT Sunday so we would miss the event....but buying the tickets by themselves will cost more than buying the city pass ticket.....so worse case scenario if it is too crowded and awful on Sunday...we will just leave. I know Monday is also a holiday but that is OK.

Thanks everyone. When you only have a certain week to go, you just have to make do and considering the other things we want to do, I think our original plan is probably the best plan for us.

 

[SMD]

What's your Universal day? You could do Fantasmic on Saturday, do Universal on Sunday and then Disney on 2 other days. The CityPass hoppers do not need to be used on consecutive days. Obviously going when it's crowded is an option too, people do it, that's how it gets so crowded. As long as you have realistic expectations and are willing to deal with it, it's not impossible.

 

[kkendle]

What's your Universal day? You could do Fantasmic on Saturday, do Universal on Sunday and then Disney on 2 other days. The CityPass hoppers do not need to be used on consecutive days. Obviously going when it's crowded is an option too, people do it, that's how it gets so crowded. As long as you have realistic expectations and are willing to deal with it, it's not impossible.

I thought about breaking it up like that but would have to drive an hour to get there and then an hour back. I guess I am just thinking doing Anaheim stuff, then moving on towards the Universal area makes more sense...and way less driving time when we are tired from parks.

Our Universal day will be Tuesday....we arrive Thursday evening and Friday will see Hollywood and hopefully the Warner Bros studio tour....then drive to Disney until Monday. After the park on Monday driving to Universal, I think the Hilton but I have reservations at the Hilton and Sheraton and need to decide which one we will stay at. Tuesday we will do Universal and then Wednesday we can do whatever we like and eventually head to San Diego. Probably do Sea World either Thursday or Friday with maybe the zoo..or just exploring the area the other day. Flying home Saturday morning.

Thanks for the suggestion though! I just have lots of stuff crammed into this 8 full day adventure!!

 

[SMD]

WB and Universal are really close and Hollywood Blvd is easily accessible from Universal. If your plan was to do Hollywood while staying in Anaheim, I'd switch that and add an extra day at your Universal hotel for Hollywood and WB.