Which is busier, Gay Days or CHOC Walk/Columbus Day?

[Briarrose1306]

I'm scheduling my Halloween trip earlier this year than in the past and my two options are over the Gay Days weekend or the CHOC Walk/Columbus Day weekend and I'm wondering if one is more busy than the other or if it's just a wash. I would prefer to go the last weekend in September but my FIL is just too busy at work. Any knowledge of crowd levels would be much appreciated.

 

[figment_jii]

I'm scheduling my Halloween trip earlier this year than in the past and my two options are over the Gay Days weekend or the CHOC Walk/Columbus Day weekend and I'm wondering if one is more busy than the other or if it's just a wash. I would prefer to go the last weekend in September but my FIL is just too busy at work. Any knowledge of crowd levels would be much appreciated.

Which days are you going?

For Gay Days weekend, I've found that the crowds are high all weekend (Fri-Sun). For CHOC/Columbus weekend, I've found that the crowds are high on Sat to Mon, with a marked spike on Sunday (CHOC walk day).

I've been during both Gay Days weekend and CHOC walk and I'd say it kind of depends on when you're going and which is harder for you to deal with (steady high crowds or peaking crowds). Gay Days weekend resulted in high, but stable(ish), crowds from Friday to Sunday. The Friday MHP has sold out, but that's not surprising. The crowds were high, but manageable (I felt). The CHOC walk weekend was okay on Fri and Sat, but there was marked spike on the day of CHOC walk. As you can see from mikedoyleblogger's response, what is really busy to one person may still be okay to another. If I had to pick, I would probably avoid going on CHOC walk/Columbus day weekend in the future because it really effected Sun/Mon crowds, whereas Gay Days did effect crowds, but it didn't feel as packed on any one day.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

I'm scheduling my Halloween trip earlier this year than in the past and my two options are over the Gay Days weekend or the CHOC Walk/Columbus Day weekend and I'm wondering if one is more busy than the other or if it's just a wash. I would prefer to go the last weekend in September but my FIL is just too busy at work. Any knowledge of crowd levels would be much appreciated.

I can't speak to Gay Days, but we were there for the entire CHOC Walk weekend last year and it was like Christmas crowded and not very fun because of it. We're going back this year for Halloween and we specifically avoided that weekend. (We're going the weekend before Gay Days.)

 

[Imdboss]

I'm scheduling my Halloween trip earlier this year than in the past and my two options are over the Gay Days weekend or the CHOC Walk/Columbus Day weekend and I'm wondering if one is more busy than the other or if it's just a wash. I would prefer to go the last weekend in September but my FIL is just too busy at work. Any knowledge of crowd levels would be much appreciated.

Right now I would guess Gay Days will be busier just because the MHP on 10/3 has already sold out. Our trips usually fall on Columbus Day weekend and it has become busier over the years due to the growing popularity of Halloween Time at DL but I never find it to be summer crowds crazy! Just to give you an idea of our system for that time of year, if a ride has a wait time over 30 minutes we skip it and wait until later on with a few exceptions.

 

[Briarrose1306]

We will be arriving late Friday night so DBF and I may hit DCA for a little since we have APs but everyone else will go to the hotel. Our main days will be Saturday - Monday. I know there is a MHP on Monday night and with a little Pixie Dust we will be having dinner at Napa Rose Chef's counter (funds willing). It sounds like Gay Days may be a better option.
mikedoyleblogger I'm jealous, you get to go the weekend I wanted to! lol

Thank you all for your advice!

 

[CassieF]

Another thing to consider is both parks will open later on CHOC walk day, 9 I think, vs the seasonal norm of 8am for Sunday, and if you are staying on site there will be no EMH that morning.

 

[figment_jii]

Another thing to consider is both parks will open later on CHOC walk day, 9 I think, vs the seasonal norm of 8am for Sunday, and if you are staying on site there will be no EMH that morning.

Good point...last year, both DL and DCA opened at 10:00 am on CHOC walk Sunday (compared to the 8:00 am opening the Sunday before and after).

 

[DharmaLou]

We only had one day there last year (in town for a wedding) and it was on CHOC walk day. It was horrendous. Of course we had fun because we were at DLR, but the park didn't open until 10 and it was wall to wall people all day long.

 

[whjensen]

Editing due to COMPLETE misreading of the date referenced above for the sold out MHP. DO NOT POST after drinking a couple beers at the airport.

 

[goin' again!]

I was at the parks last year for Sat of Gay Days and the CHOC walk and the day of the CHOC walk was absolutely more crowded.

 

[sweethannah]

doh

 

[Briarrose1306]

Will definitely stick with Oct 4-7 then. Thank you so much for all your advice! whjensen, I'm curious what you responded now. lol

 

[ikaika]

Thanks for the info about the crowds during the CHOC Walk. We had planned to be at Disney for 5 days, but now we will plan to skip disney on CHOC Sunday and go to Knots or Universal.