Is there better days at DL then others?

[NicholeB630]

EE for hotel guest and EMH for multi day ticket holders usually follows the same schedule.

DL EE and EMH - T TH SAT
CA EE - SUN M W F

Good to know!

 

[Pamela M]

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Ok Im gonna go back a bit to earlier in June for your opinion. The DH is now considering him going which is great but Im thinking he might wanna go earlier June because of other travel plans this summer. Looking at touring plans and not sure if its really reliable or not. Its showing that June 3-7 isnt too bad. I know some nights are grad nites. But we'd work around those and do DL those days. But my question if DCA is closed for Grad Nites then does that make DL a nightmare? I feel like it would? Theres are still a decent amount of AP blackouts those days. The days of Grad nites theres two AP blackouts at DCA so is it wise to do that park early in the am especially if theres extra magic hours then we can hop over to DL for the later afternoon evening? Id make sure to have a full day dedicated to DCA as well when there isn't a grad nite. I know I'm a mess and Im over thinking it all but its just what I do HA I read that post about the person who did Max pass on that busy day, is amazing. Im nervous about it bc theres so many things to think about when booking them, return window, when you can book another, trying not to book ones later than 90 min away lol ... I like the concept and I think it will be great.

Let me add these are the dates Id consider in Early June the 3rd through 8th. So 5 nights. the 4th and 7th are no grade nites and have AP blackouts the 4th has 2 at DL and 1 at DCA then the 7th has 3 blackouts and 1, we'd only be doing 1 day of a Grad nite probably the 6th bc estimated park open 7am then we'd hop to DL later in the day? Thoughts

2 years ago I had 3 grad nights while I was there. I didn't notice DL being any busier than normal when non grad nighters were kicked out of DCA. The worst day people wise was the Monday I was there. Jungle Cruise was a 60 minute wait!

 

[NicholeB630]

2 years ago I had 3 grad nights while I was there. I didn't notice DL being any busier than normal when non grad nighters were kicked out of DCA. The worst day people wise was the Monday I was there. Jungle Cruise was a 60 minute wait!

Who waits an hour for Jungle Cruise

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... Then I have people on a FB page telling me that June is crazy busy, summer crowds flood in and Grad nites are the worst

Read through this trip report from last June: https://www.disboards.com/threads/trip-report-june-30-to-july-2-many-firsts-mixed-with-old-favourites.3758518/ . @BadPinkTink visits DLR every year (solo!) and doesn't buy MP. Take a look at how many rides she did each day with free FP to see what I mean when I say that it isn't about MP or FP -- it's all about knowing how to use them! Crowds mean NOTHING if you have a good plan, good FP skillz, and a great attitude! Feel free to ask @BadPinkTink any questions about her strategy and planning -- she is generous with her help and very experienced!

 

[BadPinkTink]

waves hi @NicholeB630 just stay away from FB and listen to what @theluckyrabbit is telling you. You are worrying over nothing.

I go at the end of June and never wait longer than 30 minutes for anything. Yes there are a lot of people but its Disneyland, you have to just stop and look around and think wow I made it, let the sun warm your face, listen to sounds of music and laughter and let that unique Disney atmosphere wash over you.

Disney is so far from my day to day reality, not just actual distance, I'm from Europe and fly 10 hours transatlantic to get to Disney but just the whole concert of Disneyland. When I am there, its my happy place, my escape from reality and I am just so grateful to make it back for another year, that nothing and no one stops my enjoyment.

I plan each day on a spreadsheet. I know how long it takes me to get ready, how long it will take to get to the park ,etc etc . I plan backwards from the park opening time. That way I know exactly what time to set my alarm. I study Disneyland website and know what times the shows, parades etc will be on.

This was my plan for one of my days in 2019

Sunday June 30
Main Park
Disney opens 8am Closes at Midnight
Parade at 3.30pm and 6pm
Fireworks 9.30pm
Fantasmic 9pm and 10.30pm
Mickey and The Magical Lamp 12pm, 1.05pm, 2.15pm 4.15pm 5.20pm

Set alarm for 4.45am, get up at 5.00am
Get up and have breakfast before leaving hotel
Need to get first bus at 6.20am

Peter Pan
Snow White
Pinocchio
Toads Wild Ride
Alice Adventures
Check Big Thunder Mountain Fastpass
Pirates
Indiana Jones

I know from the weekly reports of @WonkaKid that rope drop and park opening are when Fantasyland has the lowest wait times, so I get myself to the parks an hour before park opening, to make sure I am at the front of the line at an entrance turnstile.

I study Disney website restaurant section and know that restaurant reservations open at 60 days in advance, so I have marked the exact day my restaurant reservations open in my diary. I know that I need downtime in the afternoon so I make a table service restaurant reservation and then plan to go to a show after lunch, so that I'm out of the sun and in air conditioning between 1pm and 4.30pm.

You work with the crowds not against them. The parades and fireworks are people eaters, huge amounts of people gather in The Hub / Main Street / in front of The Castle. I check the times on Disneyland website and AVOID these areas. The fireworks are usually at 9.30pm, and people start gathering from 8pm. So at around 7.30pm I will go to Tommorrowland, and stay there until about 10pm. I go on rides while the crowds watch The Fireworks. From about 8.45pm and 9.45pm Star Tours, Buzz Lightyear, Space Mountain , Autopia etc can be walk ons.

 

[Mamato4boys]

I'm like you. I over think travel dates like nobody's business. Last time we went was in June of 2018. After much deliberation, we booked our vacation for the week after lower level APs were blocked out.. Only to have Disney open up all but our last day (a Saturday) to most (if not all) the previously blocked out APs shortly before our visit.

I was in a panic, but we were locked in to our dates. It was VERY crowded compared to all of our other trips... BUT, we still had a great trip! We had so many FPs using Maxpass that we couldn't even keep up with using all of them. I would recommend planning to eat at non-peak times, as I think most of our big waits were for food. But even with 4 kids, youngest being 2 and a 4 year old with special needs, things went surprisingly well. I will say, the Saturday that was blocked was magic.

This time, it looks like our dates are all listed as "yup, its packed," but I'm ok with it. I know with a little prep work, we will still have a great time!

 

[Peachy0118]

Since we come from Canada and I'm a teacher, the days we use are the days we use. Like others much more knowledgeable than me have said, it's about an open mind, good attitude, acceptance of crowds, and making whatever works... works.
Plus, you're at Disneyland!

I distinctly remember being in Disneyland on July 4 before the existence of Fastpass. Anything less than an hour and a half wait was "a short line". We had to piggy back my toddler (at the time) brother so he didn't get walked on in the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds. Splash Mountain was a 4 hour wait.

And you know what? We still had a freaking awesome time. (Also pre cell phones!) We taught my littlest brother to people watch while in line, and I'd make up Disney "tests" and quiz my other brother (preteen age) on them. My baby sister got a stuffed Dumbo and we took a bunch of pictures of it in every line. We looked at tiny details around us. We learned to get up early and stay out late. That was 23 years ago and I remember it very clearly.

We had so. Much. Fun.

And your trip is going to be even better, even if it is crowded.

 

[NicholeB630]

I'm like you. I over think travel dates like nobody's business. Last time we went was in June of 2018. After much deliberation, we booked our vacation for the week after lower level APs were blocked out.. Only to have Disney open up all but our last day (a Saturday) to most (if not all) the previously blocked out APs shortly before our visit.

I was in a panic, but we were locked in to our dates. It was VERY crowded compared to all of our other trips... BUT, we still had a great trip! We had so many FPs using Maxpass that we couldn't even keep up with using all of them. I would recommend planning to eat at non-peak times, as I think most of our big waits were for food. But even with 4 kids, youngest being 2 and a 4 year old with special needs, things went surprisingly well. I will say, the Saturday that was blocked was magic.

This time, it looks like our dates are all listed as "yup, its packed," but I'm ok with it. I know with a little prep work, we will still have a great time!

Oh gosh I didn't even realize that could happen with AP blackouts. I think thats kinda sneaky of them. One thing I hate about Disney their are just so worried about getting as many people in the park as possible even if that means people aren't able to enjoy themselves to the max bc of crowds. But hopefully that doesnt happen. We have quite a few blackouts the dates were gonna go.

I know we'll have fun. I think it will be different than the crowds at DW. Its so easy to move around from park to park and take breaks. Im really excited to use Max pass but also nervous Ill mess it up and not use it to its full advantage bc I did something wrong ha.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Oh gosh I didn't even realize that could happen with AP blackouts. I think thats kinda sneaky of them. One thing I hate about Disney their are just so worried about getting as many people in the park as possible even if that means people aren't able to enjoy themselves to the max bc of crowds. But hopefully that doesnt happen. We have quite a few blackouts the dates were gonna go.

I know we'll have fun. I think it will be different than the crowds at DW. Its so easy to move around from park to park and take breaks. Im really excited to use Max pass but also nervous Ill mess it up and not use it to its full advantage bc I did something wrong ha.

The blockout dates were lifted that year because most of DCA was blocked off for construction. WOC was down for an extended hiatus/repair. SWGE hadn't opened yet. That was a very odd time for the parks. So it's not like thousands of passholders were flooding the parks and hogging all the rides -- there wasn't that much to do, there were construction walls everywhere, and as a result, the numbers in the parks dropped. Disney does not look at the park numbers and say, "Hey, the parks are already super crowded, let's make them split at the seams by letting in more APs!! Genius!!" Your continued fear of APs is not realistic or practical -- you are worrying about nothing. If people here (not APs) post that they can enjoy their Christmas Week trips (when the parks can hit capacity on more than one day -- that's how crowded it can be) -- and it is that crowded with very few APs in the parks -- those crowds are day ticket holders like yourself -- then you can have a fabulous time during a much less crowded time of year, no problem.
Start going over the MP Superthread now -- go slow! Give yourself lots of time to ask any and all questions! Get your DH involved -- he might be really good at it! You have lots of time before your trip to practice and get familiar with this.

 

[tsumgirl]

The blockout dates were lifted that year because most of DCA was blocked off for construction. WOC was down for an extended hiatus/repair. SWGE hadn't opened yet. That was a very odd time for the parks. So it's not like thousands of passholders were flooding the parks and hogging all the rides -- there wasn't that much to do, there were construction walls everywhere, and as a result, the numbers in the parks dropped. Disney does not look at the park numbers and say, "Hey, the parks are already super crowded, let's make them split at the seams by letting in more APs!! Genius!!" Your continued fear of APs is not realistic or practical -- you are worrying about nothing. If people here (not APs) post that they can enjoy their Christmas Week trips (when the parks can hit capacity on more than one day -- that's how crowded it can be) -- and it is that crowded with very few APs in the parks -- those crowds are day ticket holders like yourself -- then you can have a fabulous time during a much less crowded time of year, no problem.
Start going over the MP Superthread now -- go slow! Give yourself lots of time to ask any and all questions! Get your DH involved -- he might be really good at it! You have lots of time before your trip to practice and get familiar with this.

I was there during the time the AP blockout was lifted for a couple of weeks and I still had an AMAZING time. I just wanted to add that part of the crowded feeling was due to known bottleneck areas that slowed down movement in certain areas. DL spent a lot of time and money last year on Project Stardust to widen many of these areas as much as possible, and alleviate the bottlenecks. My past few trips (including the week before Christmas) had much better crowd flows as a result.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I was there during the time the AP blockout was lifted for a couple of weeks and I still had an AMAZING time...

You and other posters above have all agreed, based on personal experience, that any crowds and AP calendar changes do not get in the way having a great trip to DLR. No one here has said that their trip was bad. The OP just has to believe you!

 

[ClaraOswald]

Jumping in with my own question.

So we will be in California and able to go to the parks for 5 days. We will actually be there for 6 days. So we will have one non-park day. Trying to decide which day to skip the parks. Either Friday or Saturday?

Days in California =
Tuesday, June 23rd - Definitely a park day.
Wednesday, June 24th - Definitely a park day.
Thursday, June 25th - Definitely a park day.
Friday, June 26th - Parks or break day?
Saturday, June 27th - Parks or break day?
Sunday, June 28th - Last day in town so definitely a park day.

Thoughts?