The app has it looking like a ghost town today 9/3

[DLgal]

We were there Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Monday was so much less crowded than the weekend. Next year I’m giving the kids an extra day off and we are staying until Tuesday. Ha. Although I really think the heat is helping too..... it was so frigging hot this past weekend, especially yesterday.

We went Sunday and didn't think it was crowded at all, and it wasn't super hot either. Yesterday and today were absolute scorchers, though. I live nearby and didn't even leave home yesterday due to the heat. I can't imagine how it was in the parks.

 

[Aurora0427]

We went Sunday and didn't think it was crowded at all, and it wasn't super hot either. Yesterday and today were absolute scorchers, though. I live nearby and didn't even leave home yesterday due to the heat. I can't imagine how it was in the parks.

I felt it was crowded Sunday. But not like it was when we went in July. It was crowded in the evenings for MSEP, Fantasmic etc. I thought it was hot, but that’s just because I hadn’t experienced Monday yet. Monday. Was. Brutal!!!!!

 

[shooting4life]

It was certainly warm today but nothing that couldn’t be overcome with planning. It’s gotten busier since the sun went down, but not by that much.

Hope the low crowds last all week!!!

 

[Disney Dad ADL]

In my limited experience, the week after Labor Day had very light crowds in the past as well. I've been to DL twice during this time period, and I remember lines were super short. We went the year where Paint the Night "ended" on Labor Day 2016, and also the year after I think. I don't know how this year compares to prior though.

 

[McNs]

Right???

I still think October is going to be busy. I feel it in my bones from the number of “we’ll wait and go in the fall when things die down” plans I heard (from people in real life and online).

But... yeah. This week, man.

What has me really nervous is what’s going to get cut as a result of all of this.

Yeah I keep thinking that too, we are there 10/8-10/11 and expecting it to be nuts. I was expecting today to be nuts too and when SWGE opened but was wrong on both counts. My luck will be I'm on the money for October...

 

[gpjacobs]

I totally realize it's only 9:12 a.m. but, just checked the app, and the only rides with wait times longer than 5 minutes are BTMR (10 mins), Indiana Jones (10 mins), MF:SM (25 mins), Peter Pan (15 mins) and RSR (15 mins). Most days, right after MM, Peter Pan is AT LEAST 45 minutes in early September. This is bananas!

 

[Cal-Pie]

we are there 10/8-10/11 and expecting it to be nuts

I'm helping a friend plan a trip for the same time frame and having a REALLY hard time finding a walking distance hotel at a half-decent price, I think you're right.

 

[BrandonH]

October has the fall break for many families, Columbus Day, the party events, and the start of Halloween Time, so there are lots of factors that can cause increased attendance.

 

[shooting4life]

Columbus weekend was nuts last year.


Just got done with incredicoaster. Was walk on, got to stay on the rise and run through it a second time even.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Columbus weekend was nuts last year.


Just got done with incredicoaster. Was walk on, got to stay on the rise and run through it a second time even.

Ha! That’s awesome!

 

[Lauren in NC]

We took a last minute trip over Labor Day weekend and were easily able to get a room at Candy Cane less than a week out. I talked to the front desk clerk at check in and he admitted that they still had plenty of availability, which was unheard of for a holiday weekend. We've lucked out so far with two uncrowded trips back-to-back (late June and now Labor Day weekend), but we have another trip planned for October, so I guess that's when the crowds will finally return!

 

[Erin M]

I just did a hotel availability check for hotels near Disneyland. For September, there is still availability at the DLR hotels as well as several hotels on Harbor. The closer you get to October, the more the availability dwindles. Once you actually look at October, it dwindles even more. I know it doesn't say anything about how many locals will be attending in October, but it looks like there will definitely be more out-of-towners. I'm definitely going into my October trip expecting large crowds and will be pleasantly surprised if crowds are lighter than expected.

I just looked at this too, I can see a sharp increase...err decline in available rooms as you head into the third weekend of September. There are still two or three hotels on Harbor with rooms. Then some of the weeks in October there is much less available. We will be there starting the 24th, so if the rooms are any indication that will be about when it starts to pick up a little. But maybe not be crazy just yet.

 

[gpjacobs]

Checking the app again at 4 p.m.ish. The only rides with 15+ min waits are GotG:MB (25 mins), Matterhorn (30 mins, with one side closed), MF:SR (45 mins), Peter Pan (20 mins), RSR (25 mins), Soarin' (30 mins), SM (45 mins) and TSMM (25 minutes). All of those rides, aside from MF:SR and Peter Pan, still have FASTPASS availability for later today. RSR has an almost immediate return time!

If I wasn't up in NorCal (and it wasn't a trillion degrees out), I know where I'd be!

 

[midnight star]

I’ll probably end of jinxing the low crowds when I go Saturday, smh

 

[Disney Dad ADL]

Checking the app again at 4 p.m.ish. The only rides with 15+ min waits are GotG:MB (25 mins), Matterhorn (30 mins, with one side closed), MF:SR (45 mins), Peter Pan (20 mins), RSR (25 mins), Soarin' (30 mins), SM (45 mins) and TSMM (25 minutes). All of those rides, aside from MF:SR and Peter Pan, still have FASTPASS availability for later today. RSR has an almost immediate return time!

If I wasn't up in NorCal (and it wasn't a trillion degrees out), I know where I'd be!

Sounds similar to levels when I was there 2-3 years ago during these dates around this time of say. My kids would take naps, so my wife an I took turns watching the kids while the other went to the oarks. Indiana Jones was about 10 minutes. They shut down the single rider line because the main line was too short. Soaring was 15-20 minutes. California Screaming was less than 5 minutes. I was able to go on Indy / Haunted Mansion / pirates, then came back while my wife went on Soarin / California Screamin and a third ride before they woke up.

Labor Day was busy though.

 

[Chickinvic]

In my limited experience, the week after Labor Day had very light crowds in the past as well. I've been to DL twice during this time period, and I remember lines were super short. We went the year where Paint the Night "ended" on Labor Day 2016, and also the year after I think. I don't know how this year compares to prior though.

Exactly, the kids are back in school. It is a slow time. I'd go at that time if I could (my work would make this week difficult).

 

[MychaelP]

Yes it's a slower time, but slower doesn't mean empty. It's really empty. I was there on Labor Day and the day after 4 years ago and it was packed, and hot. It was about 94 or so and very humid, I have the photos from those two days there. The next day after we went to S.D. and it was 90 on the bay at midnight, one of the hottest evenings ever recorded. Yet Disney was crowded.
People keep extending outward when they say it will be crowded.
For me, I think it's a combo of less passholders overall as they have added more blockout dates than ever before (example, last October so cal select could go about every Friday, this year, zero), reduced entertainment, even at night, no more live music as there was in previous years. I remember just a few years ago the Mad T Party and ElecTronica being packed with huge lines for drinks, now no one there. I personally don't go just for the evening anymore, I'd ridden every ride 1,000 times probably by now and there is nothing in live entertainment to make it a night out anymore. Add to that the day cost is sooo much higher now, this coming Sunday it's about $150 for a single day, with much less to do than just a few years ago.
October will be more crowded, but only because they have an overlapping Halloween Party. After that, ghost town again.
Costs too much with less and less to do.
My pass expired and now I want to get a new one, but for the first time in a long time, wondering if it's worth it anymore.

 

[DLgal]

I looked at the app around 1pm and there was NOTHING in either park with a longer than 30 min wait. MOST RIDES were 5 min waits, by a long shot. Wow.

I just wonder, WHY were today's park hours 8am-12am? Makes no sense...

 

[pblack]

I looked at the app around 1pm and there was NOTHING in either park with a longer than 30 min wait. MOST RIDES were 5 min waits, by a long shot. Wow.

I just wonder, WHY were today's park hours 8am-12am? Makes no sense...

I wish they were open till midnight tomorrow! We won't get down there till about 10:30PM and I was hoping to hit up the park for about an hour to ride Haunted Mansion Holiday.

 

[avalon451]

I looked at the app around 1pm and there was NOTHING in either park with a longer than 30 min wait. MOST RIDES were 5 min waits, by a long shot. Wow.

I just wonder, WHY were today's park hours 8am-12am? Makes no sense...

I'm wondering that, too. Full hours after Labor Day, school back in... ?

Also, I saw that there's another heat advisory today. Looks like it's blazing; that's probably keeping locals away as well.