Postponing Trip - When to Reschedule?

[Kirbie]

Hey all!

I began a new job this week (yay!), but unfortunately there is a 90 day intro period where I really can't miss any work. I had been planning a trip for April 24-29, but my 90 period is over on April 30th.

I am really excited about my new job, but understandably bummed about changing the dates of my trip. The trip was to be a celebration of my birthday, which is actually in February.

When would you all recommend going? I pretty much don't want to go from the first week of May through mid August, due to Grad nights and summer crowds. Should I just wait and go during September when the crowds are supposed to be super low?

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[lalasmama]

I've been the first weekend of May before, and it wasn't as bad as I expected. At least for my dates, there weren't any grad nights, and the summer crowds hadn't started yet. The weather was wonderful, and very few things were under refurb!

 

[Kirbie]

I've been the first weekend of May before, and it wasn't as bad as I expected. At least for my dates, there weren't any grad nights, and the summer crowds hadn't started yet. The weather was wonderful, and very few things were under refurb!

Thank You! Part of the reason for April was because of the weather, and I was super excited to be there for Pixar Fest. (Hopefully they'll release more info on that soon!) I might still try to reschedule for early May, I'm just worried about those darn Grad nights!

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Depending on when in September you want to go crowds might not be low. Halloween time starts in September and the parks get really busy. Summer is nice because you have longer hours and daily nighttime entertainment. I am blocked much of summer but I would stalk the app and many days it didn't seem that crowded at all during the summer, especially when the lower level annual pass holders are blocked out.

 

[Niltiac]

If I were you I would probably wait for late Summer or Fall, but don't expect super low crowds because that seems to be the exception rather than the rule, even in the low season. The reason I would wait is that Pixar Pier is opening sometime in Summer, so the longer you wait the better chance you have to see it, and maybe Fall because you mentioned weather is a consideration. If you go in early May it's really unlikely the pier will be open. Late May (after memorial day) there's a chance, but there's a much better chance if you wait until at least July. Halloween Time is my favorite season in terms of weather and decorations, but it could be crowded. If you don't care about the pier, then early May might be nice (I've never been at that time but I've been in April and it was nice).

 

[sherilaine]

If I had to reschedule then I'd wait for all the reburbs to be done and go after Pixar Pier is finished. We always try to go when it's warm in California but still stupid cold here in Canada - so we've never even considered summer or early fall but I think this year those people will get the most bang for the buck!

 

[disneylover102]

I personally wouldn’t decide to not go because of grad nights- we went in June this last year and loved it. The 2 least crowded days were the least crowded days... but if you want Pixar Pier, that would be open in September. It’s your choice, but I personally wouldn’t wait that long especially if I thought I was going a lot sooner.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I haven't heard of a "super low crowd" time in quite a while. And if there really is one, as soon as it gets published on the internet, everyone will book their trip then, and it will be a super high crowd time in an instant. Low crowd days do happen, but they aren't really predictable any more. Just do your best to plan your trip for the days that work best for you and your work schedule. Then do your research, make your plans and your back up plans, have a good attitude, and go have fun!

 

[VandVsmama]

Crowds are not super low in September.

 

[cruisehopeful]

July is not a bad time to go. I have found July to be less busy than most of the other times that I go in fall or spring. September is an okay time to go and if you enjoy Halloween stuff, it will be extra fun if you wait until later in the month. September has the potential to be hotter than July.

 

[Elk Grove Chris]

I would opt for later August over July or September-all three can be and usually are hot months. Late August you usually get most kids back in school and you can try to time it before most of the passes are unblocked. May is also nice weather wise, I wouldn't worry about grad nights that much.

 

[disneychrista]

It seems that summer is a lowe4 crowd time but then you hav3 to deal with the heat.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

It seems that summer is a lowe4 crowd time but then you hav3 to deal with the heat.

September is just as hot as July and August if not more so. You have a better chance of more comfortable temperatures in June (when we sometimes get June gloom) but you really never know.

 

[VandVsmama]

Crowds are no longer super low in September for a couple of reasons:

1. There's often a Run Disney event on a weekend in September.

2. In late August, the So Cal Select AP block outs end. When that happens, all of the locals who have those APs head to DL in DROVES! Evenings especially can be pretty crowded, especially on a Friday evening. And once those So Cal AP block outs end, every Sunday will be really busy. REALLY busy. I have friends who live 30 min to an hour's drive away and they often report this at that time of year.

The last day of the So Cal Select AP is on Sunday 8/19. So Cal Select APs are NOT blocked out on:
Mon 8/20 - Thurs 8/23
Mon 8/27 - Thurs 8/30

"Legacy" AP like the regular So Cal AP (which are not available for sale, but some AP holders still have them and they're still active APs) are NOT blocked out in Aug or Sept on the following dates:
Mon 8/20 - Fri 8/24
Sun 8/26 - Fri 8/31
Sun - Fri in all of September except for Labor Day weekend

Then in September, they're NOT blocked out pretty much Mon-Fri for the whole month, with the exception of Labor Day.

So if you DO go in August and if you DO go between 8/20-8/30, be prepared on those Mon-Thurs week days for the parks to be MOBBED in the late afternoon to early evenings. It's often around 8/25-8/26 or so that they take Haunted Mansion off line in order to put up the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay. So all of those AP holders who want to go on HM and probably Space Mountain, too, will go to the parks JUST to go on 1 or 2 rides.

I think that you should go in the first half of August. Or at least go BEFORE the So Cal Select & So Cal APs block outs end. So finish your trip before Monday 8/20. Why? For a couple of reasons:

1. Pretty much all of Arizona and I believe a lot of Utah and Nevada kids are back in school in early August. Disneyland gets a lot of tourists from Arizona, Utah, and Nevada.
2. Some So Cal school districts are also back in school in early August. For example, LA Unified goes back to school on 8/13.
3. This leaves you with families being at Disneyland whose kids go back to school in late August or right after Labor Day. OR they're families with young children who aren't in school yet OR they're families who home school.
4. The first half of August (through 8/19) will STILL have daily fireworks and the full schedule of summer entertainment.
5. During the last couple of summers, many people here have reported that Saturdays in the summer were actually LESS crowded and MORE pleasant than a week day in September or October. Crazy, right?
6. A big part of Disneyland's regular visitors are locals from southern California. And because if you are a southern California resident, you can get an AP and pay it on a monthly basis, it has made it a lot more affordable, thus resulting in a lot of So Cal residents getting APs over the past few years.

 

[figment_jii]

As others have said, September may not really have "super low crowds" especially after HalloweenTime has started. The first weekend in September is usually Labor Day, which is a three day weekend so it can potentially mean fairly good sized crowds (no marathon this year, so that will help). They haven't announced when HalloweenTime will start (it probably won't be announced until mid-summer), but I'm guess it'll either be 9/7 or 9/14. Usually, Haunted Mansion closes in late-August and Space for one week before HalloweenTime starts to have their overlay installed. Once HalloweenTime starts, the weekends will all be busy, but the weekdays (Tue-Thu) might still be manageable. However, being September, it might mean no nighttime entertainment (except WoC, which seems to be presented nightly). There may also be Mickey's Halloween Parties to contend with once HalloweenTime starts (I personally think they impact park crowds more than Grad Nights).

 

[VandVsmama]

Another option would be go to in June, but after Grad Nights are done. According to https://disneylanddaily.com/grad-nights-at-disneyland/, the last night of Grad Nights is Saturday, 6/9.

Our family has been to Disneyland on family vacations multiple times now during Grad Nights and we've never had any negative experiences. But I do understand the desire to avoid Grad Nights entirely! A fair amount of schools in CA still end their school year the 2nd week of June, so you could go the week of 6/10...and you'd avoid Grad Nights, but you wouldn't have the mid-July mobs either. And you'd still have pretty pleasant weather (with maybe a day or 2 of higher temps).

 

[10SE]

Crowds are no longer super low in September for a couple of reasons:

1. There's often a Run Disney event on a weekend in September.

2. In late August, the So Cal Select AP block outs end. When that happens, all of the locals who have those APs head to DL in DROVES! Evenings especially can be pretty crowded, especially on a Friday evening. And once those So Cal AP block outs end, every Sunday will be really busy. REALLY busy. I have friends who live 30 min to an hour's drive away and they often report this at that time of year.

The last day of the So Cal Select AP is on Sunday 8/19. So Cal Select APs are NOT blocked out on:
Mon 8/20 - Thurs 8/23
Mon 8/27 - Thurs 8/30

"Legacy" AP like the regular So Cal AP (which are not available for sale, but some AP holders still have them and they're still active APs) are NOT blocked out in Aug or Sept on the following dates:
Mon 8/20 - Fri 8/24
Sun 8/26 - Fri 8/31
Sun - Fri in all of September except for Labor Day weekend

Then in September, they're NOT blocked out pretty much Mon-Fri for the whole month, with the exception of Labor Day.

So if you DO go in August and if you DO go between 8/20-8/30, be prepared on those Mon-Thurs week days for the parks to be MOBBED in the late afternoon to early evenings. It's often around 8/25-8/26 or so that they take Haunted Mansion off line in order to put up the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay. So all of those AP holders who want to go on HM and probably Space Mountain, too, will go to the parks JUST to go on 1 or 2 rides.

I think that you should go in the first half of August. Or at least go BEFORE the So Cal Select & So Cal APs block outs end. So finish your trip before Monday 8/20. Why? For a couple of reasons:

1. Pretty much all of Arizona and I believe a lot of Utah and Nevada kids are back in school in early August. Disneyland gets a lot of tourists from Arizona, Utah, and Nevada.
2. Some So Cal school districts are also back in school in early August. For example, LA Unified goes back to school on 8/13.
3. This leaves you with families being at Disneyland whose kids go back to school in late August or right after Labor Day. OR they're families with young children who aren't in school yet OR they're families who home school.
4. The first half of August (through 8/19) will STILL have daily fireworks and the full schedule of summer entertainment.
5. During the last couple of summers, many people here have reported that Saturdays in the summer were actually LESS crowded and MORE pleasant than a week day in September or October. Crazy, right?
6. A big part of Disneyland's regular visitors are locals from southern California. And because if you are a southern California resident, you can get an AP and pay it on a monthly basis, it has made it a lot more affordable, thus resulting in a lot of So Cal residents getting APs over the past few years.

Great advice here. I definitely agree with #5. Based on my recent experience July and early August are much better than late September and October. I think the one of the busiest days I’ve ever seen in the park was a Tuesday in October.

 

[pharmama]

Crowds are no longer super low in September for a couple of reasons:

1. There's often a Run Disney event on a weekend in September.

While its true that the Disneyland Half Marathon has historically been on Labor Day weekend and definitely contributed to pretty decent crowds on an already busy weekend, that will not be a factor this year.

RunDisney has put all events at DLR on "hiatus" due to extensive construction for the new hotel etc. So no DL Half to contend with this year for September.

 

[tlovesdis]

June is a great time to go, even with Grad Nights! We've been two years in a row in June and it's been less busy then when we went in August & October the same year!

 

[patyoung]

We went in June a couple years ago and liked it a lot. I was scared from the threads and comments about grad nights, but I didn’t have any issues with it at all. If I hadn’t have been doing research, I probably wouldn’t have even realized.