Which fall weekend best for visit?

[94bruin]

October 15-16 (Sat & Sun)

Or

November 11-12 (Friday & Saturday)

My older daughter has school holidays next to those weekends, so I'm trying to figure out which weekend would be better.

It'll be warmer in October, but I'm guessing much more crowded in anticipation of Halloween. We were there two years ago before Halloween and remember that it was pretty busy.

I'm guessing that November will be less crowded, but colder. No swimming. No shorts. Less entertainment.

Which would you chose?

 

[Sherry E]

I think that November weekend will be more crowded, believe it or not!

The thing with October is that it's really busy at the beginning of the month. Then the crowds taper off a little bit after Columbus Day but it's still not slow by any means. At about the mid-month point there should be lowER crowds. Then, in the week leading up to Halloween it gets busier again.

This year we anticipate the Christmas holiday season will begin on Friday, November 11. Any opening weekend of a holiday season - especially the Christmas season - draws in tons of people. It will not be slow that weekend IF that is, indeed, the start of the holiday season. The season may also begin on 11/18, and we won't know for sure for a while - but 11/11/11 is the more likely start date. If it is the start date, there will be full holiday entertainment.

With the new Star Tours and the new Little Mermaid ride opening, I think the crowds will be pretty substantial the whole year.

But, yes, November will probably be cooler (although it was in the 80's last year in November, on 11/13!!). October is sometimes incredibly hot. Not always, but sometimes.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Actually your November dates could end up being very crowded. That's the Veteran's Day holiday, so many people will be off work. That also very likely could be the date Disney officially starts the Christmas/holiday time with the decorations, parade, fireworks, snow, etc. I expect many, many locals will want to go right away to check out the decorations and entertainment for this year. I read that Veteran's Day weekend was crazy busy last year, but since I wasn't there to experience it myself I'm not sure how busy it really was. Maybe someone who was there will share their experience.

 

[jenniferrose]

November 11 is Veterans Day which is a holiday for many. Historically that is also the weekend they film the Christmas parade. We have been twice in November and it was always warm enough for swimming. I guess it really depends on what season you want to experience. Halloween or Christmas?

 

[Fire Ohana]

Well, I can't speak for the October dates, but last year we did the Veteran's Day weekend dates. It was the kick-off weekend to the holiday season, and let me tell you, it was the busiest I had ever seen the park. I want to say that on one of those days, they closed the gates to new guests because it was over crowded.

The weather wasn't too bad, and if I remember right, unseasonably warm. To get away from the crowds, we went back to the hotel and spent the afternoon in the pool. We were happy to have swimming as an afternoon alternative.

Hopefully someone will have insight into the October dates for you.

 

[Sherry E]

Actually your November dates could end up being very crowded. That's the Veteran's Day holiday, so many people will be off work. That also very likely could be the date Disney officially starts the Christmas/holiday time with the decorations, parade, fireworks, snow, etc. I expect many, many locals will want to go right away to check out the decorations and entertainment for this year. I read that Veteran's Day weekend was crazy busy last year, but since I wasn't there to experience it myself I'm not sure how busy it really was. Maybe someone who was there will share their experience.

I was there on 11/13 last year - the day after the holiday season began and 2 days after Veterans Day. It was very, very busy! The crowds buzzing around Main Street were substantial enough that it looked like it might as well have been December, right before Christmas!

 

[Brady's Mom]

The good news about the October dates is that they are not Utah Fall break dates. A LOT of people living in Utah go to DLR over the Fall Break. Arizona Fall breaks also seem to bring in a LOT of folks to DLR.

Oops...just looked at Phoenix and they have Fall break Oct. 10-15.

Good luck making your decision.

 

[GrandBob]

I was there on 11/13 last year - the day after the holiday season began and 2 days after Veterans Day. It was very, very busy! The crowds buzzing around Main Street were substantial enough that it looked like it might as well have been December, right before Christmas!

OK, so I believe all you folks about Veterans Day weekend. Really I do. There have been enough firsthand reports that it's definitely confirmed.

But I'm wondering -- who are all these folks that get Veterans Day off? I've never heard of anyone who doesn't work for a bank or the government getting it off. I mean, I think our policy where I work is very liberal -- I'm getting 6 weeks of vacation after working here 15 years. But heck, we don't get Veterans Day. Nor does anybody else I know. Is it more common in SoCal or something?

Also, we're scheduled to take DGD starting Sunday 11/13 this year. We may not even try to get into the park after driving down on Sunday. Assuming Xmas season starts 11/11 (sure hope so!!!), do you think it will still be crazy crowded for Mon-Friday?

-Bob

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

But I'm wondering -- who are all these folks that get Veterans Day off? I've never heard of anyone who doesn't work for a bank or the government getting it off. I mean, I think our policy where I work is very liberal -- I'm getting 6 weeks of vacation after working here 15 years. But heck, we don't get Veterans Day. Nor does anybody else I know. Is it more common in SoCal or something?
-Bob

Yeah, government, bank, and school. See, I think it could be schools not being in session that is the most important part of all. If your kid is off school, then you're more inclined to take the day off work to take the kids to Disneyland even if you didn't get a work holiday.

If you didn't get the day off and didn't take it off but you're local and an AP holder and it's the first day of the holiday time, you might be inclined to head over to the parks for the evening.

So either way, Veteran's Day could turn out to be a really busy day.

 

[Sherry E]

OK, so I believe all you folks about Veterans Day weekend. Really I do. There have been enough firsthand reports that it's definitely confirmed.

But I'm wondering -- who are all these folks that get Veterans Day off? I've never heard of anyone who doesn't work for a bank or the government getting it off. I mean, I think our policy where I work is very liberal -- I'm getting 6 weeks of vacation after working here 15 years. But heck, we don't get Veterans Day. Nor does anybody else I know. Is it more common in SoCal or something?

Also, we're scheduled to take DGD starting Sunday 11/13 this year. We may not even try to get into the park after driving down on Sunday. Assuming Xmas season starts 11/11 (sure hope so!!!), do you think it will still be crazy crowded for Mon-Friday?

-Bob

Bob, you're not the only one who is puzzled by the possibility that so many people are off work for multi-day Veterans Day trips! It's always seemed to me as though, unless you are a government employee or, as you say, a bank employee, Veterans Day did not mean an automatic day off at most businesses (and the same goes for Columbus Day and Martin Luther King Day, as well). It was up to the discretion of the employer whether or not to give that day off.

When I saw the crowds last year on 11/13, in my mind I chalked it up to: 1) it was the starting weekend of the Christmas holiday season; and 2) it was a Saturday. It was only later that it even occurred to me (after reading some stuff on the DIS) that lots of people would take multi-day trips for the Veterans Day holiday too. So I'm not sure about that one - it still baffles me! But it was definitely crowded! Probably not crazy, out-of-this-world crowded, but as crowded as any given day in December that I've been in the parks (not counting my New Year's Eve visit one year, which was another level of crowded!).

I think Monday, 11/14 will be better. I have to think that it would slow down a little bit by that point. If there were any people who were taking a long Veterans Day holiday weekend, they'd have to go back to work and school at some point before the Thanksgiving holiday period begins. Possibly Friday, 11/18 would pick up again in terms of crowds, but I can't see Monday, 11/14 - Thursday, 11/17 being that awful.

 

[Sherry E]

Yeah, government, bank, and school. See, I think it could be schools not being in session that is the most important part of all. If your kid is off school, then you're more inclined to take the day off work to take the kids to Disneyland even if you didn't get a work holiday.

If you didn't get the day off and didn't take it off but you're local and an AP holder and it's the first day of the holiday time, you might be inclined to head over to the parks for the evening.

So either way, Veteran's Day could turn out to be a really busy day.

Good point!

 

[GrandBob]

Thanks Sherry! I knew I could count on you.

And yes, longtimedisneylurker, good point. All I can add is, D'Oh! (smacking head).

 

[Brady's Mom]

Our Utah schools don't have Veteran's Day off.

DH gets it "off", technically, but his company just moves the holiday to the day after Thanksgiving so he gets a long weekend.

I used to get Veteran's Day off of school - but I grew up in California.

 

[RedRosie]

If you can get there just before the Veteran's Day holiday, and probable official Christmas opening, that is a wonderful time. We went that Sunday - Wednesday last year (Vet's Day was Thursday) and it was amazing! Walk on to Pirates, 5 minutes for Space Mountain. Just amazing. We checked out of the hotel on thursday and I forgot souvenir maps, so ran across the street to the maingate to get some. Holy cow! The crowd was unbelievable.