Too busy on Saturday in summer?

[MickeyMoush]

So, I just bought the 3 day pass for DL and CA Adventure (not park hopper) to use. The main reason is for my daughter's bday- she is 6 turning 7 end of August. She and I will go two times- once to each park and then one time we'll go to CA Adventure with my two toddlers as well. If that all goes well, then I will upgrade to AP on our third visit.

Anyway, in order for my daughter and I to be able to go full day and stay in evening to watch shows (fireworks and Color Wonder show- is that what it's called?), we will need to go on a Saturday so my husband can watch the toddlers and not have to work the next day. We live about 2 hours away from DL so won't get home till midnight-1ish.

So I am considering going Saturday August 27th (close to her bday) but of course since we have tickets in hand, we are itching to go NOW- so were thinking of this coming Saturday. Is it just too insanely busy to go on a Saturday now in the summer? I know that once we upgrade to AP (if we do) then we'll only be going on weekdays and things will be more calm. Not even sure if it would make that much of a difference between going this Saturday (6th) or the 27th. Are Saturdays just bad? Thinking of heat, lines, and crabby people?

Thanks!
Andi

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

All passes but the highest level are blocked on this Saturday, and Deluxe is unblocked the 27th. I'd go this weekend.

 

[skiingfast]

I would go on the 27th because school is starting and less people vacationing. That is why the Delux APs(who are small in numbers anyway) can be unblocked.

 

[BeccaG]

All passes but the highest level are blocked on this Saturday, and Deluxe is unblocked the 27th. I'd go this weekend.

I agree. It seems like now soooooo many folks have APs and so the best time to attend the parks is when the most APs are blocked, or weekdays in September, early November etc. when most schools are in.

 

[MickeyMoush]

Oh dear- thanks for answering you two (3Minnies1Mickey and Skiingfast), but since you gave differing answers- I'm still confused I knew that the pass people were still blocked this Saturday, but I just didn't know how crazy it was just for vacationing people- so thought like you said Skiingfast- that maybe if I waited till later that out of towners were back home and that kids were busy getting back in school. Didn't know if that mattered much since it was a Saturday though.

You know from my other post last week- I had asked about upgrading the 3 day pass to an AP and doing that on the 3rd day... will my AP start from the first day we attend or from the day I PURCHASED the passes last week at the grocery store? I would think from when we attend the park, right? If it will be from purchase date, then I would think I'd better get there this Saturday.

Thanks!

 

[MickeyMoush]

Oh- your post wasn't up when I replied, Becca G... so are you my tiebreaker??? Go this Saturday?

 

[wdwfan22]

Im not sure if you're considering going this weekend and then again on the
27th, which you couldn't, cuz the tickets expire 13 days after the initial use. So dont know if that helps or not.

If you were not considering that, I would say get started on your Ap's as soon as possible. Why not??

 

[skiingfast]

You know from my other post last week- I had asked about upgrading the 3 day pass to an AP and doing that on the 3rd day... will my AP start from the first day we attend or from the day I PURCHASED the passes last week at the grocery store? I would think from when we attend the park, right? If it will be from purchase date, then I would think I'd better get there this Saturday.

Your AP will backdate to the first day you enter using you 3day tickets.



Why not worry about the APs?

1. Delux makes up a small number of APholders, nothing like the Socal AP groups.
2. The concern with APs is when they become blocked or unblocked, causing a bunch of demand to visit right before or after the blockage. But Delux APs have been able to go all summer except for Saturdays. So if they can only visit on weekends they probably went on Sundays and maybe some could have been going on weekdays and are not waiting for that one Saturday.
3. Considering AP blockages can be confusing and poorly used to choose days. Why are APs blocked anyway? Because the park will already be very busy, Disney doesn't need to stuff extra guests in. So Disney holds off AP holders and let people buy tickets to visit.. So blocked days are often busier than unblocked days

I think #3 best applies to your situation. Understandably you might want to use the tickets you are staring at right away.

But you should consider what AP you are getting too, is it a Socal pass I would definately wait since going now will backdate the pass, and you won't be able to use it all next summer. If a Delux, well, if Saturday are your thing then wait also so you can possibly get in a last Saturday next summer. If Premium it won't matter with the back dating, but you then should be upgrading on the first day to get benefits, and probably wouldn't have these questions.

 

[MickeyMoush]

Hi wdwfan22 (and the rest)... I'll answer you first, and then tell you what I decided to do...

I was actually considering going both times, but not necessarily- but the quick story is that I have the 3 day passes- which say that you have to have your first use by Sept 5th, but then have 45 days to go the second and third time, no later than Oct 19th... so not sure about the 13 days you are referring to? Anyway, I did not want to buy AP straight out, cause I wasn't sure that I would be able to handle taking all three of my kids all on my own on a regular basis... 6 year old and then two toddlers (those are the ones I'm worried about). So I wanted to check it out- take my older one to CA Adventure and see what I could expect with the little ones, then take my older back to DL and then the little ones with us to CA Adventure. If all went well, then that's when I'd upgrade to the AP. So, that's the reason to wait. I am really, really hoping to upgrade and think I will, based on other posts people wrote to me last week regarding taking the wee ones.

The other reason to not change to AP yet, is cause can't go on Saturdays with AP, but can with the 3 day pass, and I need at least two Saturdays to take my older one so my husband can be take care of the toddlers.

Now, I think I figured out what I want to do as far as going this weekend or on the 27th. I would LOVE to go this weekend. I love DL and have never been to CA Adventure... so dying to get there... but I realized something... if my first trip is on the 27th, and then I upgrade sometime in Sept with my 3rd pass, then I will be able to take my daughter again at least once next year in that last week of August where the dates aren't blocked out. If I go this Saturday, then when we upgrade, they would expire in the beginning of August next year and we wouldn't be able to go at that time- just the first week of June one time. So if I wait, at least I could get in one more visit for my daughter close to her birthday again after not being able to go in the summer. Make sense? That is the way I am seeing it- I think. I'd rather hold off three weeks so that I could get another day next year later on.

Thanks!

 

[MickeyMoush]

3. Considering AP blockages can be confusing and poorly used to choose days. Why are APs blocked anyway? Because the park will already be very busy, Disney doesn't need to stuff extra guests in. So Disney holds off AP holders and let people buy tickets to visit.. So blocked days are often busier than unblocked days

I think #3 best applies to your situation. Understandably you might want to use the tickets you are staring at right away.

But you should consider what AP you are getting too, is it a Socal pass I would definately wait since going now will backdate the pass, and you won't be able to use it all next summer.

I was typing while you were Skiingfast....

Yes, I am going to get the Socal AP, so you are confirming what I was saying in the last post- better to wait.

I had taken into consideration what you said about why dates were blocked out- figuring they were busy days already. I am fine with going on some busy days, if I will be having the AP and know we will have a lot more relaxed days to come. Like I said- due to the situation of just needing my husband here with the little ones on a non work day is what is determining my going on Saturdays. I will only have to do two of those out of my 3 day passes. The day I take the little ones can be a weekday. Also, for the year with the AP, I can go whenever, as my 6 year old is homeschooled- so weekdays are just perfect for us. So in a way, it is actually better for me to have the 3 day passes, allowing me to go on Saturdays, while I do my "trial" trip with the toddlers.

Yes, I'm so excited to go, but I can wait a few weeks. We'll just do a countdown.