Hey there! This is my first time posting here, so just thought I'd say hi!

My hubby and I are planning a trip to DL in October or November for our anniversary.

I'm just wondering of the following dates, which would get us the best rate on a room (direct booking through DL, w/AAA rate), and also which of the dates would be conducive to short wait times due to park capacity!

Any help would be so appreciated. :D

October 14-18
October 21-25
November 4-8

Thanks again!! :)

I would suggest either calling a AAA Travel agent that has a lot of knowlege regarding Disneyland (verses the one I always got that knew WDW and not DL) to let them look at the dates and have them find out what would be best OR you call Walt Disney Travel Company and ask them those questions. Make sure you ask them the direct questions though, or they won't tell you anything. Like of these three dates, which would get me the best AAA rate? They won't volunteer information.

I have never gone during those times, so I can't really help you with that.

We are going Nov.4th - 10th. I find this the best time to be in the park about 20min wait on the most pop. rides. Except nemo. Election day is the best the park is a tomb and almost walk on all rides! Last time we rode POTC 3times without getting off and GRR 7times before we called it quits! We had to finally hit the gyser! There is no gauentee that it will be this way this time.
The rates are in off peek at the times so a little cheeper. I would deff. talk to a AAA agent that KNOWS DL. will get better service. ALSo look for book 3 nights 4th free through Disney travel at that time too. Have no Idea what the fall rates will be yet they are not always released early. sometimes not till SEpt.
Yellowrose has great advise! I'd follow it. If you are in the fresno area contact the clovis AAA branch a lot of those agents are big DL fans and will help out a lot. Go in person to talk to a travel agent then over the phone. You will get better service that way and better info.

good luck
kat

I've gone both early in October and late. We never seem to have crowd problems in October. Last year I went the week of Halloween and it seemed busier than it was in the past. I think because they started doing more stuff for Halloween like the Mickey's Halloween Treat at DCA. The decor is cute if you like Halloween, otherwise I would take foolishmortal's advice and go in November. I think that the they start to put the Christmas layover on right at the begging of November, and I would personally enjoy that more than the pumpkins and costumes.

Keep in mind that both Arizona & Utah have breaks in October so that can sometimes make bigger crowds. The Halloween decor at DLR is also bringing in more crowds. We went on Halloween last year also and it just seemed pretty busy. Early Nov. is a good time. They are usually taking down Halloween and putting up Christmas decor. It's kinda fun to see the new things they put up each morning. You will not see all the Christmas decor, but some. Have fun.

Amanda and tinker are right. the xmas stuff goes up a little at a time each day right after Halloween. Neat to watch! Each night we notice a section of the park all lit up from our room at PPH and then "look" to see what has changed in that area the next day!
You get to see both the fall and some of the christmas decor at the same time! A 2 for 1 deal!!
I think the offical day is the 16th for the xmas stuff, but not sure and then the crowds will pick up over that time esp. on the weekends to see all the decor up.
Early Nov. seems to be the best time in the fall to go. We that time of year because we farm and have to go between grape and cotton harvest. It has worked out well over the last 5yrs. I like it better then spring. and the weather is better too.

hope this helps
foolishmortal/aka kat

I would have to bounce it off of my wholesalers tomorrow that honor AAA to be 100% sure, but I would lean toward November just off the top of my head. (And maybe the wild fire smoke will have died down.) So Cali is always on fire when I am there the week of Oct 16th (our anniversary).

Thanks for all your advice everybody!!

I'm leaning toward that first week of November now, although it's election week, I bet I'll be burned out by political stuff by then anyway...LOL

What better way to escape than to be at DL?!

Oh, and jazzysmom...our anniversary is Oct 14th! (Hence the date dilemma!)

Last year, we were at DLR 10/16-10/19. It seemed pretty crowded to me. Not terrible, except for that Friday night 10/19. The crowds we fought to see Fantasmic were some of the worst ones I had seen (and I have been during Spring Break!) I think the Halloweentime stuff has really changed October. I would go in November, if I were you. Of course, this year, we are going in September.

BTW, our anniversary is 10/12...Lots of October anniversaries in this thread.

Keep in mind that both Arizona & Utah have breaks in October so that can sometimes make bigger crowds....

Utah's UEA (Utah Escapes to Anaheim) is October 16 and 17, 2008.

http://www.utea.org/newsEvents/ueaConvention/index.htm