Which week would you choose?

[skellinton]

My husband and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary this year and I have decided we are going to DL. We were actually married on Halloween so Halloween is obviously a very big deal to us and we want to try to get tickets for the Oogie Boogie party and enjoy all the Halloween decorations.

originally I wanted to go the very last week of September. Unfortunately, my husband has a work thing he cannot get out of so that week is not going to work. We are now looking at the week of the 17-23 (5 park days in the middle) or the last full week of October, the 22-28 (again, 5 park days in the middle).
ETA Now we are looking at the 11-17 of September. We can get a hotel for about 400 cheaper if we go then. Any opinions on those dates? Will Halloween be ready to roll then? Especially the HMH.
Crowd calendars are all over the place some say our September weeks or best some say our October week is best. I really don’t know what to do. I know it’s impossible to predict but which one do you think will be the least peopley? My husband has not been in 20 years because he does not handle crowds and lines well.

Thanks for any help you may offer!

 

[mdmost]

Stay as far away from October as you can. October may be the busiest month now as people love Halloween time at Disneyland.

I think the week in September is better for numerous reasons: no fall breaks, most schools are back in session then, most have just come out of summer vacation season so they're less likely to plan a trip to Disneyland in September. I don't believe you have an advantage either week as far as Magic Keyholders being blocked. I would guess most are going to go in October, regardless.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Both will be slammed with crowds, but September might be a little better. Do not expect anything close to "uncrowded" or "less crowded" at Disneyland during Halloweentime.

 

[fly girl]

Both weeks will be peopley. But if I was booking it, I'd go with September.

 

[joseph821]

My husband and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary this year and I have decided we are going to DL. We were actually married on Halloween so Halloween is obviously a very big deal to us and we want to try to get tickets for the Oogie Boogie party and enjoy all the Halloween decorations.

originally I wanted to go the very last week of September. Unfortunately, my husband has a work thing he cannot get out of so that week is not going to work. We are now looking at the week of the 17-23 (5 park days in the middle) or the last full week of October, the 22-28 (again, 5 park days in the middle).

Crowd calendars are all over the place some say our September weeks or best some say our October week is best. I really don’t know what to do. I know it’s impossible to predict but which one do you think will be the least peopley? My husband has not been in 20 years because he does not handle crowds and lines well.

Thanks for any help you may offer!

HAPPY anniversary! Go with the September week. Less crowded than October. October is the one of most crowded months at DL.

 

[skellinton]

Thanks for the replies, September it will be! The reason I was really questioning is because we cannot book either Hojos or the Desert Inn for the September week, it is the Sunday we would be arriving that is blocking us. The October week has cheaper hotel rooms as well. I thought the Friday before Gay Days would be the problem, but it is the Sunday the weekend before. We will be at parks M-F, and I know it will be busy. I am just hoping it will be less busy for my husband’s sake.

 

[skellinton]

Both will be slammed with crowds, but September might be a little better. Do not expect anything close to "uncrowded" or "less crowded" at Disneyland during Halloweentime.

Slammed? Why is that? There don’t appear to be any school breaks either week we chose. Other than Oogie Boogie we won’t be there for any special events. I would assume slammed would be like Christmas vacation weeks or spring break weeks. Why do you think it will be that bad in the mid to late September?

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Slammed? Why is that? There don’t appear to be any school breaks either week we chose. Other than Oogie Boogie we won’t be there for any special events. I would assume slammed would be like Christmas vacation weeks or spring break weeks. Why do you think it will be that bad in the mid to late September?

It's because people are obsessed with Halloween time at DL. Especially locals, but out-of-town visitors too. Disneyland makes a huge deal out of Halloween with special foods, merchandise, and characters.

People also (mistakenly) think fall is a slow time of year, so it must be a good time to visit (low crowds!) but then everyone comes and makes it crowded.

I find Halloweentime consistently busier than the weeks around Christmas (the week between Christmas and New Year's is usually slammed though). September should be less busy than October though. It gets worse and worse as you get closer to Halloween.

 

[mdmost]

Post covid really seemed to flip things a bit. There's not really a slow time. That could change, especially with inflation but I think the Keys all being open make it more difficult now if there's no blockout during your stay. That's why some say weekends are actually better now since a lot of Keys are blocked on weekends.

I would just go into this with expectations that it will be busy but with 5 days, you'll be fine. If you are early risers, I would definitely recommend Rope Drop every day. You can get so much accomplished before 11am. So hit the rides hard while it's not as busy and then take the busier times in stride. With that many days, you can afford to go slow. I think Genie+ is great for infrequent DLR people. We're trying to get a lot done because we don't have the ability to go back like locals do.

If I were in your shoes, I'd do my park days this way: DLR, DLR, CA, CA/DLR, DLR. I would break up DLR into distinct areas depending on what you like. If you're a Tomorrowland fan, hit that on day 1 and then add something close by like Fantasyland for after you've done Tomorrowland. Save the other lands for day 2. Start Day 2 at Galaxy's Edge. I really think California Adventure really only needs a day and a half. With Genie+, CA is so easy.

I strongly recommend on your final day to do what my wife and I did on our final day. Just take it easy. We let the kids go off with Genie+ and we just had a nice breakfast, rode all the Main Street vehicles, rode the train, got on both boats around River of America, and just looked for all the little things that make Disneyland special.

Let us know what you guys are into and we can help you out. But definitely forewarn your husband that it will be crowded. But there's always ways to manage the crowds. Zig when others zag.

 

[skellinton]

Thank you, I have been to Disneyland many times, not as many times, as I would like, but I have been several times prior to covid. I am fine with crowds, and whatever happens. I am also a rope drop till being swept out at night, which won’t be bad since they close early when we will be there. I have been to Disney World more recently and was there from opening until whatever park was open latest, usually 11 or 12 o’clock at night.
my husband obviously hasn’t seen cars land or GE, so I’m really excited for him to see those. neither one of us have seen Avengers Campus.

if weekends are actually slower, I wonder if we should try to be there Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday? I am trying to make sure we get an Oogie Boogie night, that is super super important to us. The theme of our wedding was nightmare before Christmas. We were supposed to go in 2021, but my mother was very ill and I had to cancel the trip. We had Oogie boogie tickets and everything. I’m really hoping we can get them again.

 

[DLgal]

Thank you, I have been to Disneyland many times, not as many times, as I would like, but I have been several times prior to covid. I am fine with crowds, and whatever happens. I am also a rope drop till being swept out at night, which won’t be bad since they close early when we will be there. I have been to Disney World more recently and was there from opening until whatever park was open latest, usually 11 or 12 o’clock at night.
my husband obviously hasn’t seen cars land or GE, so I’m really excited for him to see those. neither one of us have seen Avengers Campus.

if weekends are actually slower, I wonder if we should try to be there Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday? I am trying to make sure we get an Oogie Boogie night, that is super super important to us. The theme of our wedding was nightmare before Christmas. We were supposed to go in 2021, but my mother was very ill and I had to cancel the trip. We had Oogie boogie tickets and everything. I’m really hoping we can get them again.

Yes, weekends are slower. I'd still choose the Spetember week, but if you can maximize weekend days, do it.

Look at the Magic Key blackout calendar. Go when the most passes are blacked out.

September is HOT, usually. So be prepared for that. October is often still hot, and sometimes hotter than September. That very last week of October will be less terrible than other October weeks, but those late Oct Halloween parties are nuts.

 

[skellinton]

Thank you.
Everyone keeps saying how hot September is. Is it Florida September hot? I am from Oregon, will I melt? I can’t change the dates since we want to celebrate Halloween there, but you all have me scared!

 

[Aspencreek]

We were there last October from Sunday the 23rd through Wednesday the 26th - so pretty similar dates to one of your options. Sunday and Monday in DL was very busy but bearable with Genie+. Tuesday we did Oogie (loved it!) Wednesday we went back to DL for the day and thought it might be a bit slower than Sun/Mon -- but it was actually much worse. Even with Genie+ we could barely get on anything due to crazy long wait times and/or return times. It was so busy we gave up and left the parks early (around 4pm). Looking back I'm guessing many passholders being blocked out for Sun/Mon helped those days be not quite as bad. So if you have to do October I'd recommend trying for weekend/blockout days when possible. October use to be our go-to park visit time for low crowds but sadly those days are long gone.

As for heat, unless you get an unusually hot stretch I don't think it will be as bad as Florida. It's just a different hot there without the crazy humidity. Even when very hot in Anaheim it is bearable with shade and indoor breaks now and then.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Thank you.
Everyone keeps saying how hot September is. Is it Florida September hot? I am from Oregon, will I melt? I can’t change the dates since we want to celebrate Halloween there, but you all have me scared!

It is usually really hot in September (and October) but it’s nothing like Florida. I nearly died at WDW in October with the heat and humidity. Our heat is generally dry and the evenings and mornings are cooler, which helps. Although every once in a while we get a crazy heat wave that’s so bad the mornings and evenings are still hot (here’s looking at you Labor Day 2022, 90 degrees at 7am and 108 by 11am ). That’s definitely unusual though it seems like get at least one of those every fall.

 

[skellinton]

We were there last October from Sunday the 23rd through Wednesday the 26th - so pretty similar dates to one of your options. Sunday and Monday in DL was very busy but bearable with Genie+. Tuesday we did Oogie (loved it!) Wednesday we went back to DL for the day and thought it might be a bit slower than Sun/Mon -- but it was actually much worse. Even with Genie+ we could barely get on anything due to crazy long wait times and/or return times. It was so busy we gave up and left the parks early (around 4pm). Looking back I'm guessing many passholders being blocked out for Sun/Mon helped those days be not quite as bad. So if you have to do October I'd recommend trying for weekend/blockout days when possible. October use to be our go-to park visit time for low crowds but sadly those days are long gone.

As for heat, unless you get an unusually hot stretch I don't think it will be as bad as Florida. It's just a different hot there without the crazy humidity. Even when very hot in Anaheim it is bearable with shade and indoor breaks now and then.

Thank you, I have done Florida September 3 times and survived, so I'm pretty sure I can handle anything but the comments were getting me a little scared!
Just went to WDW this last December and it was pretty hot there then, upper 80s most days. The humidity is the worst part.

We cannot get a hotel booked for the original September dates I listed. There's something on the weekend of the 17th that is blocking every hotel we have tried.
We can get a hotel we think we like but it will be quite a bit cheaper if we go the 11th through the 17th. So now I'm considering that.
I am going to update my op and see if anyone has opinions on that. Need to make sure Halloween will still be going on then.

 

[skellinton]

It is usually really hot in September (and October) but it’s nothing like Florida. I nearly died at WDW in October with the heat and humidity. Our heat is generally dry and the evenings and mornings are cooler, which helps. Although every once in a while we get a crazy heat wave that’s so bad the mornings and evenings are still hot (here’s looking at you Labor Day 2022, 90 degrees at 7am and 108 by 11am ). That’s definitely unusual though it seems like get at least one of those every fall.

Omg 108? I would literally melt. I am not a heat person. If I was I would live closer to DL. I guess I will be praying to the weather.Gods that it doesn't get over 100 when we are there. That is nonsense weather!

 

[DLgal]

Omg 108? I would literally melt. I am not a heat person. If I was I would live closer to DL. I guess I will be praying to the weather.Gods that it doesn't get over 100 when we are there. That is nonsense weather!

I am not a heat person either and I live near DL. Those over 100 days are pretty rare here overall. They do happen in waves, but I hear Oregon also gets heat waves like that from time to time, doesn't it?

The great thing about being a DL local is, you just stay home in the pool on those scorchers.

Our weather is generally mild. The fall heat waves are due to Santa Ana winds, most often, which bring the hot desert air over to us.

 

[Aladora]

Thank you.
Everyone keeps saying how hot September is. Is it Florida September hot? I am from Oregon, will I melt? I can’t change the dates since we want to celebrate Halloween there, but you all have me scared!

We've been once in September and I think it was the hottest trip to DLR that we have done!

But, not Florida hot. I think the temps topped out around 32C (90F ish) The biggest difference between FL and CA is the humidity, FL is hot and humid, CA is dry hot.

 

[skellinton]

Yes, we do get 2-3 days of over 100 a year, but everything shuts down and I can stay home in the A/C. Anything over 80 is hot to this born in Alaska lady.
Having dry heat should help a lot, and I can tolerate anything for a few days if I am in DL!!!
Thanks everyone, still trying to hammer out September dates, but have ruled out October.