Question about Veteran's weekend

[kelmac284]

Hi, I have a quick question for those who have been during this time before.

I have gone over the veterans week, meaning the entire week proceeding veterans day including the actual day itself and it was fairly crowded but we always left before the weekend.

I have always tried to plan my trips to NEVER include weekends as I know they are the worst.

Well we had a trip planned for the week prior but my daughter is starting high school in the honors program and we were informed by her teachers that it was NOT a good idea for her to miss a whole week of school. SOOO we were trying to find a 3 day weekend to go down and decided to go that weekend.

Now I KNOW it is going to be packed but what I was wondering is how bad will it be. Will it be unbearable or just as packed as most weekends?

We are going no matter what and are prepared for packed but I just wanted a heads up on whether we are going to be wishing we had stayed home.

Our theory is we will get up at the crack of dawn and try to get there the minute the park opens both days and get as much done as possible and then save the stuff that isn't quite as popular for the afternoons. We also figure we just plain won't get to do as much as a slower time but we know that going into it. We have no intentions of seeing any parades or fireworks or fantasmic as we have seen all of these many times over so I figured those would be good times to do rides.

Any suggestions, comments or hints? Are we crazy? LOL

OH and since the hours aren't posted is it safe to assume it will be open till midnight on Fri and Sat and possibly late on Sunday?

We are driving down on Friday and hope to be at the park by the afternoon and if it is open late then we might actually get close to 8 hours.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[iceskatejen]

Just and FYI--that weekend was crazy busy last year, with the Friday being the worst of it. Don't know if the fact that the 50th will be over will lessen the corwds or not.

 

[KelsiesMommy]

Last year, on that Veteran's Friday, DL hit capacity before noon and the park closed (even if you already had a ticket- and if you left the park to hop or anything you weren't allowed back in)... you only had DCA to go to and it was CROWDED! I won't do that again! Lucky for us we have APs so we just waited till the next day, and Saturday wasn't as bad (though still VERY busy)

 

[jocotter]

We were there last year and it was an absolute madhouse. We couldn't get in, but had been earlier in the week, so we weren't terribly upset. However, we saw families screaming at cast members who were saying the fire marshall shut it down. We actually saw a father hit a cast member. The whole atmosphere was unpleasant on that Friday.

We got up really early on Saturday and went in and it wasn't too bad until about noon. The worst, by far, was Friday.

 

[azgal81]

It will be packed don't be too disappointed on friday afternoon if you can't get into DL because it's already at capacity. Spend the day in DCA instead until the crowds go down in DL.

It will be more packed then typical weekends since when there is a three day weekend people think that is the perfect time to go.

I'm sure you will still have fun just get there at opening and use fast pass as much as you can.

 

[kelmac284]

I figured as much. Do you think this past veterans was worse then normal cuz of the 50th or do you think it is just plain bad? I knew it was going to be bad but I never thought about it getting to capacity. UGH. Well I already booked and paid for it so I am stuck now. I think you are right in that we may as well go to DCA Fri night instead of DL. That's a bummer too cuz I would rather go Friday saturday morning, and spend the rest of Saturday at DCA and then all day Sunday but it sounds like that probably won't happen.

Thanks in advance for the info and anyone who has gone on that weekend in the past when it wasn't the 50th? Was it still just as bad?

 

[ZeusNike]

That is the weekend we usually try and go and have usually found it to be not too bad at all. We were there last November for the 50th and Friday adn Saturday were busier than I have ever seen it...even in the summer! Despite it being busy, we still had a great time. We used EE, played at DL until it became too nuts for us to enjoy, grabbed a fastpass to use later and headed to DCA. DCA was busier than usualy but still perfectly manageable (unless you wanted something to eat...the lineups were nuts). We left DCA, cleaned up at the hotel (we had been on GRR and got wet) then headed to DTD for a dinner reservation. We headed back to DL in the evening to catch the fireworks and do rides until closing. It was lots of fun despite the crowds. Our mantra at DL is GO EARLY!

 

[kelmac284]

I totally agree and while I usually don't like to do the commando thing ie there when it opens till closing I think for this trip that may be necessary. We are however staying at one of the hotels right across the street so I told hubby we could always take a midday break. I am a bit nervous but my main goal is for hubby to see the christmas decs and special christmas themed rides such as HM and IASW so if we don't get to go on a lot it is no biggy. My girls and I were just there in June and we are hopefully going again in February so whatever we can do we will do.

Thanks everyone for the info.