Sept. or Dec?

[focusondisney]

We are planning a trip for 2012. We have been to DL twice in Aug & twice in Dec( early, not Christmas week). Having a hard time deciding when to go. I'll need to schedule my 2012 vacations at work within the next month. We love WDW in Sept for the low crowds. But I feel like if we're going all the way to DL, we might as well go when we can see stuff WDW doesn't have: Haunted Mansion's Nightmare & Small World's holiday themes.

If we go in Sept, I'm worried Haunted Mansion will be closed for the theme change if we pick the wrong week. When does that usually happen? Don't want to fight massive crowds in Dec. tho. So, what do you all think? How are the crods the first week in Dec? Will the Christmas decorations be all done the week before Thanksgiving if we decided to go then? Would that week be better crowd wise than the week after or the first week of Dec?

I hope for lots of input! Thanks for your thoughts!!

 

[skiingfast]

Have you not seen Disneyland during the Holidays, since you've been in December before?

Halloween will starts on the 2nd of 3rd weekend next September if history repeats itself. It had the Holiday Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy. Weather is hot but nicer in September.

The Holidays start duing mid November so it's in full effect by December.

 

[focusondisney]

Have you not seen Disneyland during the Holidays, since you've been in December before?

Yep, we have & loved it. Can't decide between lower crowds (I'm assuming) in Sept. & the unique Christmas displays (HM & Small World) with larger crowds. We're in NY state, so we only go to DL every 5-7 years, so we want to make the best of our visit. Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[skiingfast]

HMH is not unique to the Holidays, it runs from the begining of Halloween Season to the end of Holiday Season. SM Ghost Galaxy is unique to Halloween. SW Holiday is unique to the Holiday Season. So in either case you get two special rides.

All three times you are wondering about are good for crowds. Some people may say otherwise but few people make a good comparison. When it goes from something to nothing they call it crowed. But it's nothing remotely close to a crazy.


There are a couple super threads on here one for Christmas and one for Halloween with lots of details.


One note about decorations is DL will have lots and DCA may too. It's hard to say for DCA because it hasn't had much given that it's had lots of construction in it the last couple years. Over the summer it will be all done and what they do in it next Fall is yet to be known.

If you choose either of your Holiday dates, you will get to see the Holiday fireworks and parade.

If you choose the early Halloween dates you will see the standard parade and fireworks, which are both very good. If you've never seen Remember Dreams Come True, you should, it's often regarded as the second best firework show Disney has. Also people really like the new, as of last summer, Disneyland parade. If you want to see the best Disney Fireworks it's Halloween Screams, which only show at the Halloweeen Parties. Also at the parties are the Halloween parade. I'd guess the parties will start the last Friday of September. It's possible to see Disney's top two fireworks in the same weekend and special and normal parade. Friday party and the Saturday or Sunday after it. Fireworks and F! don't normally run during the week in the Fall.

The Halloween Parties bring in a lot of crowds on the party afternoon and evening and of course during the party.

Also weekends are much busier than week days and the weekends are more a must in September and not for the Holiday dates.

 

[focusondisney]

Thanks for your replies, Skiing Fast! I'll spend some time on the superthreads. I guess I'm leaning more to Dec, since we're more into Christmas than Halloween. I was just worried about crowds, but you have reassured me we will be fine. Now I'll just have to wait sooo long. Thanks again!

 

[Brady's Mom]

The first week of Dec. should be pretty good. Or, the week right after Thanksgiving. Looking at the 2012 calendar - that week right after Thanksgiving might just be the best week. The crowds are usually low and since it's Holiday season the parade should be running every night and there should be other nighttime offerings.

Have you checked the Disneyland calendar to see what the hours are for your corresponding dates for this year? That might give you an idea of what will be available and what won't. Not ride closures, just nighttime offerings and shows and that kind of thing.

According to this year's calendar the hours for the week after Thanksgiving are 9 am to 8 pm at DLR and 10 am to 8 pm at DCA. AND, they are showing Aladdin (some days), the parade, fireworks and WOC every night. It looks like F! is just a weekend thing so far, but that could change.

Sounds like a great week to go! Good luck.