Sptember 17th

[sarah017]

I was planning our day trip on 09/17 so we could see the Halloween decorations. After reading the Sept 2010 check in thread, I am worried it will be busy! I was hoping for a slower day as its after school is in and Halloween isn't really in full swing till Oct...Anyone been on the 1st day of Halloween decorations? HELP!!!

 

[VictoriaAndMatt]

It's only a guess, but I'm not expecting major crowds that weekend. I DO think it will be more crowded than the typical weekend in September, but I expect the first weekend in Oct. will be busier with Gay Days and the first MHP. I could be totally wrong here, and in for a surprise come Sept. 17th, but I think the crowds will be managable.

 

[DisSarahK]

It's only a guess, but I'm not expecting major crowds that weekend. I DO think it will be more crowded than the typical weekend in September, but I expect the first weekend in Oct. will be busier with Gay Days and the first MHP. I could be totally wrong here, and in for a surprise come Sept. 17th, but I think the crowds will be managable.

This is what I'm thinking too...but I'm not a Disneyland expert.

 

[Nala83]

I'm there on the 17th as well. I expect the evening will be crowded, if only because it's a Friday evening (and Friday evenings are always more crowded than weekdays). My plan is to get there bright and early and see SMGG and HMH first thing!

 

[letthembelittle]

We will be there also. We booked before we knew it would be day 1 of Halloweentime but I too figure we will see the holiday overlays early in the morning and hope for the crowds to not be too bad.

 

[Sherry E]

I think that in terms of general crowds planning their vacations around being there for a HalloweenTime 9/17 start date, it will probably not be too bad because kids are in school and it's an early start to Halloween season. A lot of people can't accept that early date as being HalloweenTime yet, and won't feel the need to be there until October.

But because it's the start of an official holiday season such as HalloweenTime, the novelty of it will probably attract more people to be there than there might have been if HalloweenTime were not starting that day. Also, in all likelihood, a lot of AP holders will probably come to the parks after they get off of work that day to see the HalloweenTime fun. (That's what tends to happen when Christmastime starts.)

I actually was at DLR for the start of the Halloween season 3 years ago - and it was another early start date just like this year will be. It was quite by accident - we didn't plan to be there for HalloweenTime, and we had already planned our dates. It just happened that HalloweenTime was starting while we were there. I want to say that it was not very crowded and that it was manageable, but I know that was largely because it was raining on and off that weekend. The threat of rain will scare people away. If there had been no rain predicted for that weekend at all, I'm sure it would have been more crowded.

October has a lot of variables that contribute to higher crowds in the first two weeks of that month and at the end, closer to Halloween. There are various school breaks and events that will make the crowds heavier - that and the fact that October just seems more 'Halloween-ish' than September. September doesn't have those same elements to contribute to crowds, so it's always a bit better.

 

[bumbershoot]

I haven't paid much attention to when things open, so I don't know...but IF that's the first day of Haunted Mansion Holiday, expect lines for that to be rather long...

 

[sarah017]

Thanks so much!! I appreciate the insight