September advice

[Haley R]

We are thinking about taking our first trip to Disneyland. I looked at undercover tourist’s crowd calendar and it shows September 17-21 as mostly 3/10 days for crowds, but I’ve read that the end of September has started getting busy with Halloween. I would love to see the Halloween overhaul but not if it means large crowds. I honestly don’t know what to expect so any advice/ experience would be great!

 

[katyringo]

From being around disboards for awhile, the general advice is ignore touring plans. They haven’t been accurate for Disneyland. There isn’t really a slow time anymore. Just less busy.. if that makes sense lol!

 

[Haley R]

From being around disboards for awhile, the general advice is ignore touring plans. They haven’t been accurate for Disneyland. There isn’t really a slow time anymore. Just less busy.. if that makes sense lol!

Yep that makes sense. It’s just really hard for me to plan our trip when I have no idea what to expect crowd wise.

 

[katyringo]

Yep that makes sense. It’s just really hard for me to plan our trip when I have no idea what to expect crowd wise.

I’m not much help since we’ve only been once and we went during the busiest week of the year haha. Anyway there is a thread out there that has a list of all the events going on in the area. If it helps thought we were at capacity crowds our days and still had a beyond amazing trip with some good planning tips we found here.

 

[Haley R]

I’m not much help since we’ve only been once and we went during the busiest week of the year haha. Anyway there is a thread out there that has a list of all the events going on in the area. If it helps thought we were at capacity crowds our days and still had a beyond amazing trip with some good planning tips we found here.

Yep that does help. I bought the unofficial guide and it said September used to be a great time to go but Halloween is changing that a little bit. Tom bricker put on his blog that September is the second best month so Idk lol. I didn’t see any events from 17-21 but I think there were some before and after that.

I’m also not sure how much I should be paying on a hotel (like what’s considered high or normal priced at that time of year).

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Are you set on September? Or were you picking it because you think there will be low crowds?

Keep in mind that if it’s an alleged off-season, hours will be short and entertainment options will be limited. Personally, I’d much rather plan for long hours than gamble on low crowds...

Having said that, the end of September should be relatively low crowds, but you never know for sure. I’d include a weekend if it was me to hedge my hour and entertainment options.

 

[Haley R]

Are you set on September? Or were you picking it because you think there will be low crowds?

Keep in mind that if it’s an alleged off-season, hours will be short and entertainment options will be limited. Personally, I’d much rather plan for long hours than gamble on low crowds...

Having said that, the end of September should be relatively low crowds, but you never know for sure. I’d include a weekend if it was me to hedge my hour and entertainment options.

I’m not set on September if someone can change my mind lol. I mostly picked that week because of the crowd prediction but I also think Halloween sounds fun. Do they not have some kind of show every night?

 

[smartlabelprint]

Halloween you pay extra for a party. It’s not every night.

I’d go in July when all the lower passes are blocked out.

 

[Haley R]

Halloween you pay extra for a party. It’s not every night.

I’d go in July when all the lower passes are blocked out.

July might be too soon for us but I’ll consider it. We’re doing Disney world feb 27-March 4 so wanted to wait a little bit before our next trip. How hot is it in July? And isn’t it super busy then?

 

[Geemo]

I’m not much help since we’ve only been once and we went during the busiest week of the year haha. Anyway there is a thread out there that has a list of all the events going on in the area. If it helps thought we were at capacity crowds our days and still had a beyond amazing trip with some good planning tips we found here.

Here's the thread
https://www.disboards.com/threads/2018-calendar-of-events-school-breaks-and-dlr.3635162/

Trying to avoid crowds is a challenge. The parks are busy most of the time.
Pick the dates that are best for you and go.
Rather than trying to book due to park volumes, book on when attractions will be down for refurbishment.
September is a time some of the attractions will be closed for layovers for Halloween.

You can find Historical Info on this thread
https://www.disboards.com/threads/historical-dlr-park-hours-entertainment-and-refurbs.2291124/

Geemo

 

[Haley R]

Here's the thread
https://www.disboards.com/threads/2018-calendar-of-events-school-breaks-and-dlr.3635162/

Trying to avoid crowds is a challenge. The parks are busy most of the time.
Pick the dates that are best for you and go.
Rather than trying to book due to park volumes, book on when attractions will be down for refurbishment.
September is a time some of the attractions will be closed for layovers for Halloween.

You can find Historical Info on this thread
https://www.disboards.com/threads/historical-dlr-park-hours-entertainment-and-refurbs.2291124/

Geemo

Thanks! I think we’ll just plan based on weather and our own schedules. Have you ever been for Halloween events or at the end of September?

 

[Geemo]

Thanks! I think we’ll just plan based on weather and our own schedules. Have you ever been for Halloween events or at the end of September?

September is fishing season so I haven't been then.
If I were planning a trip in September, I'd see which rides would be closed for the layovers.

I go every year for the Halloween season.
We generally go early in October before Columbus Day or the last week of October.

 

[Haley R]

September is fishing season so I haven't been then.
If I were planning a trip in September, I'd see which rides would be closed for the layovers.

I go every year for the Halloween season.
We generally go early in October before Columbus Day or the last week of October.

Do the crowds get pretty bad that close to Halloween? It’s my favorite holiday so I think it would be cool to be there around that time. Plus my birthday is soon after Halloween.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I loved going 10/31. Parks weren’t busy. We went in 2016 at that time. I think 2015 too but I don’t remember those dates exactly. Not sure how it was 2017. Try to leave before dapper days. That was busy. Although you can get a dapper days special rate at the Disneyland resorts! And many enjoy the event.

July is less busy because the lower ap’s are blocked out.

I agree with everyone else. Skip the crowd calendars. 3/10 happens rarely anymore. And it’s on a random day. Usually when it’s raining.

I look at the is it packed web site. I try to avoid the highest peaks but don’t look for the lowest. I figure a lot of people planning are looking for the lowest and that will make it not low anymore.

 

[Geemo]

Do the crowds get pretty bad that close to Halloween? It’s my favorite holiday so I think it would be cool to be there around that time. Plus my birthday is soon after Halloween.

I'm going to say forget about the crowds. Know the parks will be busy and plan your time there.

I always look at this thread for events and school breaks whenever I'm planning a trip to DLR.
https://www.disboards.com/threads/2018-calendar-of-events-school-breaks-and-dlr.3635162/

Here are the things I'll look at before I pick my dates for my October. I will try to avoid school breaks.






I'll also check Disney's AP blockout calendars.

 

[Disney_Alli]

As for how hot it is in July my basic understanding of the weather there is that it gets hotter the later it gets into summer. June was warm->hot but our August trip was HOT and September was even hotter.

 

[tnzzz]

We did mid September last year and it was 90 degree weather. I would not go with the expectation of lower temps until November.
Like other posters have mentioned, don’t try and find low crowd times, off season may have lower crowds but they also have shorter hours and rides not running at capacity so it doesn’t necessarily feel like crowds are any better. It certainly didn’t to us when we were there in September.
So if you want to see the Halloween decorations I think end of September is a fine time to go. Just go with the expectation that it will be crowded as usual.

 

[Haley R]

Thanks for all of your advice everyone!

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Yep that makes sense. It’s just really hard for me to plan our trip when I have no idea what to expect crowd wise.

Last year I went several times in September. Before Halloween time started was great... after it started it was crowded!

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

We did mid September last year and it was 90 degree weather. I would not go with the expectation of lower temps until November.
Like other posters have mentioned, don’t try and find low crowd times, off season may have lower crowds but they also have shorter hours and rides not running at capacity so it doesn’t necessarily feel like crowds are any better. It certainly didn’t to us when we were there in September.
So if you want to see the Halloween decorations I think end of September is a fine time to go. Just go with the expectation that it will be crowded as usual.

I would say not to expect lower temps until Dec-Feb. and even then, it might be hot. It was in the 90s on Thanksgiving this year and we've had lots of days in December and January in the 80s.