What is the crowd levels on weekends (looking at May)

[disneycountrygirl]

We are looking at a Disneyland trip in May and have some flexibility (planning any given 7 days in May 9-20). We plan to do 5 day park hopper tix bookended by 2 travel days.

But I've noticed at most hotels, picking the right set of 7 days results in hundreds of dollars of savings, but involves a Sat and Sunday. I dread the 7/10 crowd levels on the weekends. We literally just got back from Disney World, and b/c of Fast Pass+, you can mitigate the crowds and have a great day with enough advance planning. Disneyland feels like there is no such recourse. Is there? Is the only recourse running to 1 single FP booth first thing in the AM (with the corresponding con of missing your first ride rope drop opportunity)? In DW, you can have 3 FPs scheduled + rope drop opportunity + closing time opportunity, but in DL it feels like you just get 1 FP (at a time, hoping they don't run out as the day goes on) and closing time. How do you make crowds bearable in Disneyland?

I also know 5 days in the parks is a long time. Usually 3 does it for us, but I thought a super leisurely approach might be kindof nice for a change. We could just come and go as we want, and if the crowds are too much, we can just go swim at the hotel.

OR I can rent a car and we can go do something else in Anaheim for the Sat and Sunday and then enjoy Mon-Wed in the parks.

Input? Help me refine this down to my best choice!

 

[figment_jii]

DLR has introduced MaxPass, which will allow you to book a FP from your mobile device (via the Disneyland App). So you don't have to physically go to the FP machine (unless you're trying to get a FP for WoC or F!), but unlike WDW, it's not free (currently it's $10 per day per person) and you cannot book multiple FPs ahead of time. With 5 days, you'll probably be able to snag FPs for the most popular attractions (e.g., RSR, Space, and GotG) at some point during the trip.

In terms of rope drop, unless you're focusing on Peter Pan, you can usually get a lot done in the first few hours of the day...making that first 10-15 minutes it would take to get an out of the way FP a little critical. Given that most of the attractions have their FP machines near the attraction, it's quite possible to grab a FP, then ride the ride, then use the FP (if you wanted to get in multiple rides). Fewer attractions have FP at DLR, also meaning that you can still get a lot done without having to worry about scheduling FPs. I suppose it's one of those good/bad things...I like that at DLR you don't feel like you have to schedule everything so far in advance if you want to do the E-ticket attractions, but it's also tough because it means you don't know in advance that you'll get to do all of the E-Ticket attractions for certain. I suppose the closest analogy I can think of is, think of DLR as if everything was a Tier 1 attraction. You can only book one of those per day in advance...similar with DLR (except the advance booking part), if you prioritize the big attraction, you should be able to get a FP first thing in the morning (especially if you get there at rope drop) and (with most likelihood), you'll be able to get a second E-Ticket attraction later in the day.

In terms of timing...they've cancelled all of the runDisney events at DLR in 2018, so you won't have to contend with that. Still, I would nominally guess that Mother's Day weekend (5/12 & 13) might be on the busier side. Other than that, at this point we don't know of anything in particular that will be happening in May that might increase crowds on one weekend over another. That being said, if DLR opts to have some special ticket deal, AP activities, etc., those can all result in marked increase in weekend crowds. Being before Memorial Day, which is when the summer season has typically started of late, there is a chance that they might be running reduced entertainment and scheduling during that period. It might mean that fireworks and/or F! are only presented on weekends (Fri-Sun). We won't know until they release their operating calendar (hours are typically released 45 days in advance, entertainment info starts trickles out at point, but it might be complete for several days/weeks).

 

[disneycountrygirl]

Oh good tip about maybe running reduced entertainment. I considered paying the couple hundred more at a hotel to ensure we would get only weekdays in the parks, but then we risk missing World of Color, right? It is my favorite nighttime show in WDW and DL, and I would rather battle crowds than miss that while there.

I read about Max Pass, but I just cannot abide by paying for something that is free in WDW.

Seeing your listing of top rides we may be challenged to get is actually comforting because most of our party would skip Space and GotG anyway. RSR is the only one we would love to get on 3-4 times during the trip. (As a rabbit trail: Space Mountain was SOOOO slow and jerky in WDW that I decided I could live without riding it ever again. I can't remember if DL's is better? Input?)

 

[figment_jii]

Past history isn't necessarily a good predictor of the future anymore at DLR, but WoC typically runs nightly, baring refurbishment.

(Space: Honestly, at this point, I don't really recall the major differences between the two versions. I rode Space a few weeks ago, and it didn't seem particularly slow or jerky. Matterhorn, on the other hand, that's very bumpy!)

 

[BrerMama]

The other thing you need to consider is grad nights, which run in May. I think it's Tues/Wed/Fri for sure. Not sure about that. Anyway, a grad night will drive up attendance. We're going in May as well and have 7 nights with 5 day hoppers. We plan to do Sun/Mon/Tues (with a grad night on Tues and just try to avoid whichever park has those crowds... I think CA) and take Wednesday as an off day (also a grad night), then Thurs/Fri to finish up and redo favorites. Definitely planning to use MaxPass as well to maximize our touring, but we're also 2 adults and an 18 year old so I'm thinking we should be able to move pretty fast and/or use single rider lines as needed.

 

[figment_jii]

Grad Nights: May 4, 5, 11, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19, 22, 23, 29 & 30

Grad Nights can impact both parks. The student groups get to decide which ticket package they want to purchase and the highest tier package is basically a park hopper ticket (good for both DL and DCA). So, while some groups will go with the lower tiers, I'm guessing they'll still be plenty of students in both parks during the day. The main party is in DCA (starting at 9:00 pm and going to 2:00 am).

 

[disneycountrygirl]

Oh my goodness. I cannot escape having 3 out of 5 days there be grad nights!!!! And moving the trip by a few days in any direction doesn't help.

Ug, wondering if it's even worth it! Is it going to be 2+ hour waits for almost everything on 3 of the days?

In doing research, some say you don't notice any difference during the day. It is just at night after the grad party begins. Since we have a 5 year old, our latest nights would likely be till just after WoC or fireworks ends.

 

[figment_jii]

I don't honestly think Grad Nights are all that bad. While, I'm sure some families plan trips around the grad night, a lot of the kids go without their family. I know that a local school around here required that the students travel down to the parks on the school's bus. They were able to stay afterwards if their family wanted to, but almost all came back with the bus (I think the student I know said one kid stayed, but the rest of the attendees came home with their friends).

No, I don't think you're going to be looking at 2+ hours waits for everything because of grad nights alone. Now, if there is some other special event going on (e.g., last weekend for a ticket deal), then you might see long lines, but grad night alone isn't going to do that.

 

[disneycountrygirl]

OK, good, that is reassuring! Maybe it's not a dealbreaker after all!

 

[Geemo]

OK, good, that is reassuring! Maybe it's not a dealbreaker after all!

Generally the parks begin to get busier as the locals come after school and work.
My guess is on the GradNights, they may choose to stay home.

Pick the dates that work best for you and plan accordingly. I wouldn't skip a trip because of GradNights.
Starting at RD and having MP will make it easier for your trip.

Have fun

Geemo

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Just buy Maxpass for a day or two. If they raised 5-day ticket prices by $10 or $20, you'd probably still buy them, right? Pretend that happened.

There's really no way to know what will happen with crowds because there's no way to know what special promotions might be offered, how weather could affect crowds, etc. With a good attitude and a good plan, five days is plenty to have a great time in any conditions.

 

[tarheelalum]

Don't put any stock in those crowd predictors. It will be crowded, as always, but unless there is some special event or holiday, one of the passes get unblocked, it will be just regular crowded. The grad nights are not that bad and coming this year most of them will only be in DCA, (due to new pricing) which will help the crowds in Disneyland. Go and have a great time.

 

[AndreAggie]

We're going the last week of May, because it works for us. Yup, it's grad nights and a holiday weekend. But a day at the parks is still better than a day at work, right? We will probably do MaxPass every day we're there...only 3 in our party so it's worth it for us.

 

[tink89]

With the number of days you are going i would not worry too much about grad nights.