Help! First time to DLR

[HauntedMansionFLA]

We are planning a trip to DLR in 2016. It will be my first time at DLR and need some friendly advice. What would be the best time to go? Kind of looking at after Labor Day or after thanksgiving to take advantage of low crowd levels. We will probably go for 4 to 5 days? Thank you for your wisdom

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

We are planning a trip to DLR in 2016. It will be my first time at DLR and need some friendly advice. What would be the best time to go? Kind of looking at after Labor Day or after thanksgiving to take advantage of low crowd levels. We will probably go for 4 to 5 days? Thank you for your wisdom

Halloween starts the Friday after Labor Day, and Christmas is in earnest well before thanksgiving. You'll only manage to avoid crowds if you confine your visit to weekdays, but it's worth including at least a Friday night so you can experience our incredible Fantasmic (which will only run on weekends during those periods) and fireworks (same). Paint the Night may be limited to weekends only at that point as well, and it's well worth seeing. Our nighttime entertainment really can't be beat.

 

[Bairstow]

4 Days for the 2 Disney parks is reasonable if you're a huge Disney fan, but it makes no sense to fly all the way out there and not check out the Pacific Ocean and do a little driving on the Pacific Coast Highway.
Also, if you're a big theme park fan in general, budget a day for Knott's Berry Farm.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

There are a lot of factors here. Disneyland is different around the seasons, and not just crowd levels. You have the fall/winter holidays with exclusive entertainment and huge crowds, the blissful slower period at the start of each year where the weather is cooler and occasionally rainy but more attractions are closed for refurb (however the parks can be positively dead and thank God Haunted Mansion is back...my favorite time to go), summertime when the parks are packed but everything is open and in its "classic" state (ie no Christmas versions that overstay their welcome or tacky decor), the weather is nice and warm and you don't get screwed by those cold nights.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Pirates and HM are the must see attractions for me. Plus, to take a look at CarsLand. Oh, can't forget Splash. It will be nice to see the difference in the rides.

 

[bosox]

Are both Fantasmic and Worlds of Color weekends only after labor day?

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Are both Fantasmic and Worlds of Color weekends only after labor day?

WOC is nightly year round. Fantasmic goes to weekends only sometime in August.

 

[bosox]

WOC is nightly year round. Fantasmic goes to weekends only sometime in August.

Thank You...

 

[Professor_Jason]

if you can plan your time so can see Haunted Mansion Holiday. Even though I'm in Camp Against It you don't want to miss it. Other than that I'd say go slow and don't rush there's so many little details

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Thank you for your responses it's been helpful.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

We went on Labor Day in 2012, or around then. We were there before and after. We went to Disneyland the first day on Labor Day because I specifically wanted to see some things that were going to be closed immediately afterwards. Indiana Jones and Casey Jr and Storybook Canal boats were all being renovated after Labor Day, so we saw them and then when we went later in the week it was no big deal that we couldn't go on them. So check the Disneyland site, they'll tell you when a ride is expected to be shut down, that's what we did.

The weather was beautiful in Anaheim that time of year, but while we spent three days total in between the two parks we also found time for Hollywood, Warner Bros. Studio tours, the different beaches, swimming in the ocean and Universal Studios. Don't fly down for just 4-5 days, take at least a week, if not more. Disneyland is worth the trip alone but there is so much more.