Post-Thanksgiving Crowds

[ChloroformSdxn]

We were hoping to go back to Disneyland during HalloweenTime, however, due to coordinating various schedules, it's not going to happen. On the upside, we're likely to be there right after American Thanksgiving (Nov 28th-2ndish.) So a few questions for those more experienced than me:

For those who have been there, the Christmas decorations are in full swing at the point, correct?

Does anyone know where I could find historical park hours?

How are crowds during that week? I'm guessing relatively low since that's generally a slow period for travel anyway.

Last year we were there the second week of December, so it was ok until the last day (Saturday the 12th), which just exploded with crowds. We've also managed to finally coordinate it with my brother, so this will be his first time in Disneyland since we were young teens, which is just over 20 years.

 

[kristabelle13]

I went in 2014 from Candlelight for 5 days (roughly Dec 6-12?) and I thought it was fine crowd wise. Busy but totally manageable.

In 2015 I went for 10 days from Thanksgiving to the following Saturday. It was completely crazy every single day except one, the Saturday after Black Friday. That day was completely manageable. The rest of the days were crowds I'd never seen before. I think I only got on Pirates once in 10 days because the line was always outrageous. Fastpasses were so necessary. And so was rope drop.

That said. Last year, w/60th, launch bay opening like 10 days before that (IIRC), and then the River, train and Fantasmic, Aladdin and jungle cruise and autopia preparing to shutdown for extended periods of time in ~ a month, I think you can't predict what this year will be like when there's probably no fireworks, no 60th and many things still closed.

 

[SMD]

The majority of visitors to DLR probably don't travel, so a slow travel time would make it more likely they'll be there. What do you consider low crowds? If it's waiting less than 20 minutes for non-headliners, probably not.

 

[bearette]

Once the Christmas decorations go up there is no such thing as low crowds. Plan on it being busy especially in the evening when locals get out of work and visit for a few hours.
If you are there the first weekend of December then you get crowds for Candlelight which it looks like you will just miss as it happens on the weekend evenings.


They usually close at 10pm disney and 8 or 9pm DCA during the week, or thereabouts . Not sure when they open because never get up early to go.

 

[ChloroformSdxn]

Ha, I should have specified relative crowds. Last year we were there the second week of December. There were more people than, say, late January, but it didn't get crazy busy until Saturday the 12th - I'm guessing school gets out, or it's close enough that parents are pulling their kids out. The week following Thanksgiving isn't a special travel week compared to the first week or two in December?

We generally avoid the weekends outside of Jan/Feb, just because of the crowds, but that's good to know about the Candlelight.