So...how do the weeks BEFORE or AFTER Thanksgiving Week look for the parks?

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Just got back from WDW and 4 days on the Magic. After 2 DCLs in 2 years, I'm starting to feel less like I HAVE to get on a Disney cruise (last minute deals notwithstanding), and with 6 days at WDW in 3 trips 2013-2014, I'm starting to feel like WDW was just MASSIVELY full of people and was just overwhelming and missing a bit of the Magic. I'm going to let them fix their FP+ issues (mainly the Tier1 problem) and put more up for AvatarLand...

In the meantime, we have never been to DLR, and it is starting to pique our interest, so I'm looking into to planning a late fall or early Dec 2015 DLR trip out there. This will give me time for rewards to build, pay off some of the DCL stuff (their 6 months no interest is really handy!) and have something fun to look forward to next year to plan.

Seems to us that if you go to the parks the immediate week after Thanksgiving, the parks are pretty quiet? We used to go to WDW in January, and it was great. Lately we have gone in Feb/Mar (ok), mid April (not too bad) and this year, first week of May (YIKES!!!!!). I'm now crossing all weekends off my list for that time.

What about going during the week either the week before Thanksgiving (has to be after the election) or one week after? I think I remember seeing a lot of Nov/early Dec specials for card holders, so I wondered about booking something for them in hopes of a much quieter crowd this trip?

But I don't know if its different for DLR than WDW? Just looking for thoughts on timing?

 

[figment_jii]

When you say the week before Thanksgiving do you mean 11/16-11/22 or the week that includes Thanksgiving (11/23-11/29)? Those are two very different weeks in terms of crowds.

Assuming you asking about the week before the week of Thanksgiving (11/16-11/22) and the week after Thanksgiving (11/30-12/6), I think they're going to be fairly similar. Both have some things going on that might impact the crowds, primarily on the weekends. I think the weekdays (mainly Monday to Thursday) are pretty manageable. So in the end, I would pick whichever week works best for your schedule.

The Avenger's Half Marathon is running on the weekend of 11/14-11/16, so I would expect relatively high crowds then.

While it has not yet been announced, the best guess is that Candlelight Processional will probably run on the weekend of 12/6-7, which means higher crowds on Main Street in DL during the show. It doesn't necessarily effect the rest of the park or DCA, but it can impact getting around Main Street.

The blockouts for AP holders are the same for both weeks, so that won't really make a major difference. The big blockout 12/19, so you won't necessarily see the folks coming in one last time before their passes are blocked for the Holiday season that early in December.

In terms of entertainment, assuming this year is like last year, Fantasmic will only run on Sat and Sun, but the Christmas Parade, Believe in Holiday Magic fireworks, and WoC Winter Dreams (assuming they do this again this year) will all be running nightly for both weeks.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Thanks for the info! It sounds like the early November week is the better time to go? (Although they will all probably have their holiday decorations up, but frankly, for us holiday stuff is a DEtraction, so the less holiday stuff, the better.)

As for the timing, I most DEFINITELY do not mean the days leading up to T-giving. Did that ONCE in WDW in 2005, never again. (And we all go camping that week now.) Also, this is for 2015. We are considering Nov 15-21. Although you have my interest in the half marathon, (with the exception of crowds, eek)

We are also trying to figure out if the extra magic hours for every day makes it worthwhile to stay ON property...if its going to be crowded, right now, I'm thinking that it would be... but its still too early to price out since we are over a year out. Which I'm ok with, because I was just at WDW. I just like to have a plan and know something fun is on the horizon...

I think we are going to do a day at Universal too. For once, we won't be smacked in the face constantly with Harry Potter (another potential detraction for us) plus they still have Transformers etc. (miss MIB tho!)

I'm kinda excited! It's like all new territory to explore and everything I've seen so far makes it seem less overwhelming...

 

[figment_jii]

We are also trying to figure out if the extra magic hours for every day makes it worthwhile to stay ON property.

Keep in mind that EMH is only for one hour each morning and for only one park. So while it can help, you aren't going to get a lot done in only an hour.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Keep in mind that EMH is only for one hour each morning and for only one park. So while it can help, you aren't going to get a lot done in only an hour.

I see what you mean, still that hour makes a BIG BIG difference for things like TSMM?

 

[figment_jii]

I see what you mean, still that hour makes a BIG BIG difference for things like TSMM?

In that way, yes, I would think that EMH can help you ride at least one of the big rides each morning. I just don't want folks thinking it's like WDW where there are AM and PM EMHs and it's possible to get a lot done.

Over in DCA most folks talk about going to RSR or TSMM. In DL, it's usually Peter Pan or Space.

It's also worth noting that things might change in the next 18 months. So what works now, might not be the same by next December.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Also, does everything think that 3 Day Hoppers are enough to experience DLR? We can't drive it as easily as WDW (not that 14 hrs is a breeze) so I want to leave know I have DONE. IT. ALL. I would bump it up to 4 days if I needed to. Just not sure, since I'm used to 4 huge parks at WDW with long lines...

 

[figment_jii]

Also, does everything think that 3 Day Hoppers are enough to experience DLR? We can't drive it as easily as WDW (not that 14 hrs is a breeze) so I want to leave know I have DONE. IT. ALL. I would bump it up to 4 days if I needed to. Just not sure, since I'm used to 4 huge parks at WDW with long lines...

It depends a little on what you mean to "Done it All"...does that include the shows and all character meet and greets?

Overall, I don't think you can do it all in three days. There will have to be choices made and some things will have to be scarified. I think you can get most things done in four days, but even then you might have to miss a couple of things. While DLR is smaller than WDW, there is a lot of stuff crammed into the two parks.

Some if it will also depend on the operating hours for the parks. Last year (2013), DLR ran from 10-8 on weekdays and 9-midnight on weekends in November, while DCA ran from 10-8 on weekdays and 9-10 on weekends. In December, DLR ran from 9-8 on weekdays and 8-midnight on weekends, while DCA ran from 9-8 on weekdays and 8-11 on weekends. So if you're only going on weekends, you'll miss Fantasmic (and Mad T) and the parks will be running short hours.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

I see. I'm less in to meet and greets (we get the one Disney rewards one with no or little line anyway), but we LOVE LOVE LOVE rides. And shows! I want to feel like we have checked everything off the list AND got to hit a few favorites.

(For instance, we had 5 day WDW hoppers once and we said NEVER AGAIN! It was just way too much, too tiring, too much walking and we were disney-ed out. So that's why I was wondering about the 3 day Hoppers for DLR, but if its all close together, it might not be as tiring as 5 days in WDW.)

Can we upgrade to a 4 day if we need to, just pay the difference? I still want to make sure we have time for Universal too... I guess I just want it all!

But we only had 2 base days at WDW this year, and the entire time, it felt like the clock was running out! I really don't want to feel this way when we make the trip out in the fall...

 

[Drusilla99]

Just to give you some reference, my daughter & I went last Thursday to dlr. we r ap's & to us, it was super crowded. We were only there 11 am- 8 pm & we did all the rides we wanted to in both parks, all the big rides included. The fast pass system obviously helps, but so does the closeness of the parks compared to wdw. We had a nice lunch & a leisurely dinner at the plaza. We even walked through the shops and did the grand tour on the train. I think you'll be fine with 3 days especially if you have the magic morning hours, where you can get one more than a single ride. If space & pan are your top picks, jam to space for fast passes, then head to the line at pan, it's always long, so there's nothing you can do about that. Good luck

 

[figment_jii]

Just to give you some reference, my daughter & I went last Thursday to dlr. we r ap's & to us, it was super crowded.

It's always fascinating how one person's perception of crowds can be very different. I was also there last Thursday (5/22) and the parks felt only moderately crowded to me. We got there at opening and stayed until closing, but the lines were fairly manageable. We rode several of the big rides and opted to have a sit down lunch and dinner. We could have gotten more done but we opted to have relaxing meals instead.

I think you'll be fine with 3 days especially if you have the magic morning hours, where you can get one more than a single ride. If space & pan are your top picks, jam to space for fast passes, then head to the line at pan, it's always long, so there's nothing you can do about that. Good luck

I thought I read where they do not hand out FP until the park opens to the public, so you cannot grab a Space FP before heading to Pan during EMH/MM. I would probably opt to ride Pan and then head to Space and either wait in line or grab a FP when the park opens (it all depends on how long the line is at Pan when you get there).

 

[pinksand]

I think the week before Thanksgiving is one of the lower attendance weeks that you can get...I went on the Wednesday of that week and it was tremendous; there was just so much SPACE.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Woohoo! That sounds perfect! We will be going mid week (no more weekends for me, this last trip did me in for crowds) so it sounds like its shaping up to be a good plan.

If there are less crowds, we might be able to get away with a 3 day (although its only like $25 to add a 4th day) but I still want to fit in a Universal Day too...

Gettin pretty excited. Its all new but feels like coming home at the same time.