October crowds

[JasonMak2000]

Are October crowds really a lot worse than September? Would love to plan a trip for Halloween season. I could just as easily do late September but wouldn't mind the trip being later in the fall to assure some cooler weather. If crowds are worse in October, is it mostly locals? If crowds are light during the day and only busy in the afternoon/evening then I could be fine with that.

 

[Geemo]

Are October crowds really a lot worse than September? Would love to plan a trip for Halloween season. I could just as easily do late September but wouldn't mind the trip being later in the fall to assure some cooler weather. If crowds are worse in October, is it mostly locals? If crowds are light during the day and only busy in the afternoon/evening then I could be fine with that.

October seems to be getting busier and busier every year.
While locals do visit the parks and mainly after school and work. Locals aren't all the reason for volume in the parks.

October is a favorite time for us to book a trip to DLR from the Pacific NW. I can come solo or have up to 5 family members tag along.
With the grandkids school and work schedules I never know. My oldest DGS is 24 and the youngest is DGD 14. It surprises me they still want to go to DLR with their Geemo.

With the popularity of Halloween in the parks, I'm not sure if the end of September would be lighter crowd wise.
With the parks being busy all the time now. We pick our dates, book and go.

The App and MaxPass has made a pleasant difference in how we navigate our days in the parks.

As many say "There are NO slow times any more"

Geemo

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Fall and cooler weather don't always go together in Southern California, so don't let that influence your trip planning. October can mean anything from rain to searing heat (think 80*+ at 10 pm!). Weekends in October tend to be very busy in the parks. There are lots of events, e.g. Gay Days, and school breaks (CA, AZ, NV, UT, etc.) throughout the month. Weekdays tend to be a bit better, but don't usually have the full nighttime entertainment schedule, especially now that WOC is down. And with MHP running, you have to check to see which nights DL closes early. I would just pick the dates that work best for your schedule, double check here to make sure that you're not choosing "the perfect storm," then do your research and make your plans for a great trip. With good planning and a positive attitude, even a busy time can be lots of fun.

 

[pennym]

Hope for cooler weather but don't expect it...we were there for a week in late October last year and it was over 100 degrees most days. Way too hot for comfort. Be prepared!

 

[V.I.N.CENT.]

Later October could be marginally better. We went for Halloween night last year and it was a blast. Weekday, crowds were good all day.

 

[tarheelalum]

October is MUCH more busier than September. But having said that, October is still the absolute best time of the year to go to Disneyland. It is an incredible time to go and I can't recommend it enough. Especially if you love Halloween.

 

[JasonMak2000]

So then would the last week of September be ideal in your opinion? You get to experience Halloween and still have slightly smaller crowds?

 

[az4boys]

We thought October was the most busy of any of our trips during our year of AP's that went from July 2017-July 2018. It was crowded, lines were long, and it was warm. We did fine because we had AP's with MaxPass and took afternoon breaks. We didn't feel like we had to do everything because we knew we would be coming back. I would say MP and getting there at rope drop is probably a must if it is busy and warm. That way if you take a break you can load up on fast passes for the evening. We are not local and didn't go in September so I can't compare. (We were there Wednesday October 11th-Saturday the 14th if that makes a difference). We still had a great time, but plan on big evening crowds especially. Lines for everything on Saturday morning were nuts. We didn't stay very long that day because it was just too crowded.