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View Full Version : How are the September crowds? [merged]



amarvel
08-23-2006, 08:32 AM
I have never gone in September before and i think i may have convinced dh to go to DLR for a few days before we head to Vegas in 3 weeks ....Septeber 16-19th....

I see that the park doesn't open until 10am, i have never been there when it opens that late.....

So my question is......is this a good time to go for less crowds - will there be less crowds mid afternoon/evening and also does having the park open at 10am give you less of that "can do everything in the first 2 hours of the morning" does the park fill up quicker or is it about the same due to smaller crowds???

I usually go in summer or spring break so i am use to the park opening at 8am and running around the first hour or two and getting on as many of my favorites as possible.

Oh i just realized there is a marathon September 16/17th, those were two of the days we were thinking of going, will this effect the crowds then??

Thanks!

annieb727
08-23-2006, 08:43 AM
hey amarvel!

i'm just down the road from you (on McChord AFB).

there will not be an early entry on that Saturday - because of the marathon. i have heard that most marathoners just come and do the marathon. tho i'm sure it will have SOME effect on park attendance. the GOOD thing is that if you do not have Early Entry abilities, you won't have to deal with early entry crowds in Fantasyland on that Saturday morning.

i haven't been in september for years (but I'm going this year YAY!) but from what I remember it was a GREAT time to go. MOST schools are back in session, so crowds are lighter. however, there is another factor going on - this will be the last month of the 50th. so there may be more people there because of that. i know i wanted to try to get in again before the 50th ends (gotta complete my collection of the 50th pressed pennies :p ). however, I DO think that it will be substantially lower than summer crowds. if i'm wrong, I'm sure others will chime in soon :)

olegc
08-23-2006, 09:33 AM
don't forget that many attractions are under refurbishment and closure during september including Haunted Manion and Matterhorn...

amarvel
08-23-2006, 10:33 AM
thanks! Yeah i was thinking it should be a good time to go, i'm use to summer crowds so anything would be better than that right? Hehe

Well i am bummed about the haunted mansion since when i went in April the following week they changed over the story and i have yet to see it, but even though the Matterhorn is my fav ride, i wouldn't be able to ride it anyway since i am pregnant, so that is ok that its down ;)

nursemelis374
08-23-2006, 11:06 AM
Last year we went the Friday following Labor Day and it was the best crowds I have seen in ages. I go to DL all the time and this was by the far the least crowded visit I'd had in a long time.

DianeM
08-23-2006, 12:09 PM
We try to travel in september or october. It is a terrific time for smaller crowds. Even though the park is open fewer hours, you can do so much more that it doens't matter. The best way to travel is to do it mid-week. Wednesday and thursday the parks are practically empty. By friday, the park is starting to get a bit more crowded, and saturdays are always crowded. I've never been on a sunday, but I hear the crowds are smaller.


I see that the park doesn't open until 10am, i have never been there when it opens that late.....

So my question is......is this a good time to go for less crowds - will there be less crowds mid afternoon/evening and also does having the park open at 10am give you less of that "can do everything in the first 2 hours of the morning" does the park fill up quicker or is it about the same due to smaller crowds???

GrumpyUTboi
08-23-2006, 07:23 PM
We ALWAYS go in the middle of Sept thru the mid of Oct, sure the park opens at 10 am and closes at 8 pm, but if we have to wait more than 5 min for a ride then it is rare thing. We spent 2 hours waiting for a ride last Dec and when we had gone the year before we had ridden 8-10 rides in that amount of time.

Less crowds, yea some rides are down but man it is so much more fun. We are tired from riding the rides not tired from waiting for the rides.

amarvel
08-24-2006, 07:50 AM
Thanks for the comments, sounds like its a great time to go!

Darkbeer
08-24-2006, 08:33 AM
I am worried about the SOLD OUT Marathon, it is designed as a weekend event, Saturday morning is the 5K Family event, and I presume will have more people going to Disneyland than on Sunday, when the Half-Marathon will be held.

Since this is a "new" event, you can't compare it to past years.

Disney will also be pushing the fast the 50th is about to end to the locals, many of who have AP's.

Also, I would avoid the October 6th thru the 9th, as many events, including a three day holiday, the CHOC walk and Gay Days will bring in a lot of extra folks. Also, Disney wil be promoting Halloweeen Time, another new event, to locals....

funglu
08-25-2006, 06:56 AM
September 29, 2006 is the first day of the Halloween "season" at DL. We have the option of going an extra day, which would be the 29th, but if it is crowded, not all of our group will be interested (I am going for sure). How crowded do you think it will be? Will the holiday HM have a soft opening on the 27th or 28th? What else do you think that they will have on that day other than the holiday HM?