Which day is better--June 29 or June 30?

[esc38372]

We bought DAP vouchers and were planning on activating them on June 30, which is a DAP blockout date.

However, we could drive to LA on Thursday, June 28 (yes, I know this is the last day for the So Cal AP holders), check into the Carousel Inn, and activate our DAP vouchers that evening--maybe watch fireworks. If we did this, we would go to the parks on Friday, June 29. We would then be blocked out on Saturday, but we'd be back in the parks from Sunday to Tuesday.

If we activate our DAP vouchers on Thursday, there's a possibility that we may be able to register for APEE on Monday and Tuesday (if there are still slots available), but we know there are no guarantees.

Do you think there would be enough for us to do on Saturday without going to the parks? We thought we could explore DTD (we have never been to DTD) and visit the various Disney hotels (look at the lobbies/public areas). We could also let the kids go swimming and watch the fireworks from the Carousel's viewing room or from the rooftop pool.

Or would Saturday be significantly less crowded than Friday because DAPs are blocked out on that day? Would it be better to stick to our original plan of activating the DAPs on Saturday and not worry about the possibility of getting APEEs?

Thanks for your input!

 

[esc38372]

Anyone?

 

[taaren]

So are you currently planning on checking in on the 29th, activating on the 30th? If so, I'd stick with that plan simply for the hotel savings.

Either way you're going to get 4 full park days, plus one evening, and that evening of arrival you could do a character meal and watch the fireworks from the Esplanade rather than paying an extra nights hotel to go into the parks on the 28th and finding something else to do on the 30th.

Unless you had something else in mind you really wanted to do instead on the 30th (ie Knotts, SeaWorld, etc).

If you're planning on checking in on the 28th either way, then yes, just activate that night. Clear as mud?

 

[HydroGuy]

First, it is probably too late for the OP but it might have been better to have bought 3 day park hopper tickets. Then you could have done DLR on Friday and Saturday, could have attended the MM at DL on Saturday, and converted your ticket to a DAP on Saturday and just paid the difference. For that matter you could have used the ticket on Thursday as well.

I am saying this for your future info and anyone else who happens across this thread.

As for registering for APEE on Thursday, that is a tough one if you do not know if APEE is full yet before you register. I am going to guess those days will be full because it is so early in the program and you will not be able to use APEE. Is there anyway you get your AP fully functional and then register on June 15? That would make it worth it for the APEE on Mon/Tue. Otherwise I suspect you are out of luck.

So there is no correct answer here. If it were me and I already had the AP voucher and can't get the 3 day PH ticket any longer, I would do Saturday the 30th at DLR and not Friday. The only way I would do Friday is if I had plans on Saturday like a beach day so I could sit out DLR.

If however I already was planning to be at a DLR-area hotel on Thursday night and Friday was going to be an open day anyways, then I would think about doing Friday at DLR and taking Saturday off for the beach. That would give a rest day in between park days. And if I was going to this I would at least try the Thursday activation for APEE.

 

[esc38372]

First, it is probably too late for the OP but it might have been better to have bought 3 day park hopper tickets. Then you could have done DLR on Friday and Saturday, could have attended the MM at DL on Saturday, and converted your ticket to a DAP on Saturday and just paid the difference. For that matter you could have used the ticket on Thursday as well.

Thanks for your input, HydroGuy! Unfortunately, we wanted to take advantage of the DAP prices before the increase. Otherwise, we would have bought the parkhopper tickets and upgraded at DLR as you suggested.

As for registering for APEE on Thursday, that is a tough one if you do not know if APEE is full yet before you register. I am going to guess those days will be full because it is so early in the program and you will not be able to use APEE. Is there anyway you get your AP fully functional and then register on June 15? That would make it worth it for the APEE on Mon/Tue. Otherwise I suspect you are out of luck.

We also can't activate the DAPs any earlier than Thursday, June 28, since we won't be in Southern California until then.

Our primary reason for driving down on Thursday instead of Friday is to try to avoid some of the holiday weekend traffic on I-5.

So there is no correct answer here. If it were me and I already had the AP voucher and can't get the 3 day PH ticket any longer, I would do Saturday the 30th at DLR and not Friday. The only way I would do Friday is if I had plans on Saturday like a beach day so I could sit out DLR.

Is this because you think Saturday will be less crowded than Friday or because you would want to save paying for a night at the hotel, as taaren suggested?

If however I already was planning to be at a DLR-area hotel on Thursday night and Friday was going to be an open day anyways, then I would think about doing Friday at DLR and taking Saturday off for the beach. That would give a rest day in between park days. And if I was going to this I would at least try the Thursday activation for APEE.

This is what we're leaning towards since we think Friday driving traffic will be horrible although DH thinks it might be okay if we leave early in the morning. We are also thinking about going to Knotts Berry Farm on Saturday. But if Saturday crowds are better than Friday crowds, then we could go to Knotts Berry Farm on Friday and wait to activate our DAPs until Saturday.

 

[esc38372]

So are you currently planning on checking in on the 29th, activating on the 30th? If so, I'd stick with that plan simply for the hotel savings.

Either way you're going to get 4 full park days, plus one evening, and that evening of arrival you could do a character meal and watch the fireworks from the Esplanade rather than paying an extra nights hotel to go into the parks on the 28th and finding something else to do on the 30th.

Unless you had something else in mind you really wanted to do instead on the 30th (ie Knotts, SeaWorld, etc).

If you're planning on checking in on the 28th either way, then yes, just activate that night. Clear as mud?

Thanks for the input.

We're leaning towards checking in on the 28th since we think the drive down to Southern California will be better on the 28th than on the 29th. We're also thinking about visiting Knotts Berry Farm. Not sure about Sea World--we'd prefer to minimize driving to avoid traffic on the holiday weekend. Knotts Berry Farm is appealing since it's so close. But again, my primary question is regarding the difference in crowd levels (if any) between Friday and Saturday. Still trying to figure it out...

 

[rtfelt]

I've actually never gone to DLR on Saturday during the summer because I've never had the premium AP and always been blocked out, so I can't talk to that, but I do know there is a difference at Knotts between Friday and Saturday. We've been AP there before and weekdays can be downright empty (DLR is never empty ) and packed on Saturday. It probably won't be as noticeable at the end of June because all the CA schools are out by then, but there is a difference.

 

[MrsPinup]

Do you think there would be enough for us to do on Saturday without going to the parks? We thought we could explore DTD (we have never been to DTD) and visit the various Disney hotels (look at the lobbies/public areas). We could also let the kids go swimming and watch the fireworks from the Carousel's viewing room or from the rooftop pool.

Brave comes to theatres on the 22nd so you could see that in DTD! We will be there the Saturday before (and blocked out ) so this is our plan. DTD may also have live bands the Saturday night you are there too

 

[esc38372]

I've actually never gone to DLR on Saturday during the summer because I've never had the premium AP and always been blocked out, so I can't talk to that, but I do know there is a difference at Knotts between Friday and Saturday. We've been AP there before and weekdays can be downright empty (DLR is never empty ) and packed on Saturday. It probably won't be as noticeable at the end of June because all the CA schools are out by then, but there is a difference.

Thanks for the tip about Knotts Berry Farm! It sounds like activating our DAPs on Saturday might be a better way to go since the likelihood of getting APEEs during the 4th of July week is probably small.

 

[esc38372]

Brave comes to theatres on the 22nd so you could see that in DTD! We will be there the Saturday before (and blocked out ) so this is our plan. DTD may also have live bands the Saturday night you are there too

Hmm...that would be fun too!

 

[HydroGuy]

Is this because you think Saturday will be less crowded than Friday or because you would want to save paying for a night at the hotel, as taaren suggested?

Yes, because DAPs are blocked on Saturdays. OTOH, a Saturday is a weekend day of course which tends to draw more. In the end it probably will not matter too much between the two and I would do whichever works for you.

If you are planning to arrive at DLR on Friday anyways, then I would for sure to DLR on Saturday so you can get in a whole day with no driving. If you arrived Thursday then you could do a whole day Friday and rest Saturday which will make everything feel fresher the following week.