WWYD GCV August or Off-site Labor Day Weekend?

[Novatrix]

I'm doing a solo California trip this summer/fall with a split stay Yosemite/Disneyland. (Not at all interested in the major cities.)

I'm DVC, and to my utter surprise spotted 3 day availability at Grand California Villas for 3 days in August so booked it (20-23)! Originally, I was planning to tie in to the Labor Day weekend holiday, but now that I'm looking into it, it seems like I would run into fewer park hours and Haunted Mansion being closed. I would treat this as my only visit to Disneyland, and I noticed the August dates are cheaper than my currently booked room in Yosemite.

So what would you do? Stay at Grand Californian Villas in mid August or potentially off site over labor day weekend but have an extra day?

 

[Kender]

I'm definitely an off-site person (cost plus I travel with my cat so on-site isn't an option as she's a pet and not a service animal) especially when it means an extra day or more I can add to my trip.

Those August dates there is indeed a chance Haunted Mansion will be closed to get its holiday overlay. There's also a chance it'll be closed over labor day weekend (it usually is looking at the historical data for the overlay closure). Without knowing when they plan to start the Halloween season for 2020, both date ranges are a risk if HM is important.

If I were making this decision for me? I'd go with longer hours and more possible days (and just cross my fingers for HM). Also looking at the calendar, the August dates have fewer pass block outs. Labor day weekend has Deluxe, SoCal, and SoCal Select blocked to varying degrees (Flex requires a reservation).

As an aside, I know you said you're not interested in any of the big cities and you've likely already considered this, but there is the Disney Family Museum in SF. I think it's truly worth a visit for a Disney fan if it fits in your schedule and you've never been. Or something to consider for a future trip.

 

[Novatrix]

Does labor day weekend also have longer hours? Based on what I've been reading they seem to end in mid August.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Does labor day weekend also have longer hours? Based on what I've been reading they seem to end in mid August.

Check here for the hours for LDW last year: "Historical DLR Park Hours, Entertainment and Refurbs" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2291124
DLR does tend to go the the low season/non-peak schedule around the third to fourth week of August, but does bring back the nighttime entertainment and longer hours for LDW. No guarantees, but that is the way things usually go.

 

[stlrod]

Same thing happened to me except I only had two nights in a row. I changed my dates by two weeks to stay at GC. Over the next couple of weeks, I was able to get 4 nights in a row by waitlisting. You just never know when these chances are going to come around as a DVC member.

 

[Aurora0427]

We went Labor Day weekend 2019 and it was great. Sunday was actually the busiest day, and Monday was super light. Haunted Mansion will almost definitely be closed, unless they start Halloween season early.

 

[Jimsig]

I have pretty much done those Aug dates the past two years in a row. IIRC DCA closed at 9p each night and DL was either 11 or midnight depending on the day. In 2018 the Haunted mansion was closed. It closed later then normal in 2019 for it's holiday overlay. Only reason it seems it closed later was that D23 was going on and being that it was celebrating it's 50th they probably wanted the D23 crowd to experience it. So I would not necessarily go by 2019 thinking that it will stay open later this year, but stranger things have happened.

I found the crowds were very manageable and we got to ride everything we wanted at least once and most cases twice or even four of five times.