When we got home I wanted to write a blog post about our vacation right away but there were a million photos to go through and I didn't make it a priority. In a couple of months it will be a year since we have gone so I told myself I had to write about this now, better late than never!
I thought it would be fun to share with you my planning, preparing and fun that we had. There is so much to write and share that I thought I would split this up into a series. So my hope/goal is to add to this series every Sunday. I would love for you to share your tips and ideas as well so please be sure to leave comments!
When your family makes the decision to go to Disneyland one of the first decisions is when to go? For me it is usually "Let's go tomorrow!" and then Ryan has to talk some sense into me and he helps me realize we have to plan and pack.
Every family is different and has to decide what works best for them. For us it is going during the off season - but for others that is not practical because of work and school. So I decided to come up with some pros and cons
Going to Disneyland during the "on" season
Pros:
-Longer hours of operation
-Majority of rides/attractions are open
-Fireworks happen more often *I think*
Cons:
-Long lines
-Crowded
-Eating in restaurants takes longer due to crowds
-During the summer it is usually way too hot (Thanks for the tip from Jackie who commented on my Facebook post - I completely agree with her!)
There are many more pros and cons - but that is what I can think of right now. Can you think of anymore? I will add them to the list.
Going to Disneyland during the "off" season
Pros:
-Not as many crowds so you can get through lines faster
-No crowds! - Yes, that bears repeating twice!
Cons:
-Shorter hours of operation
-More rides will be closed for maintenance
-Kids might miss a little school
Can you think of any other pros/cons for going to Disneyland during the off season?
For our family the off season is clearly the winner. For us we need to make the biggest bang for our buck since we don't get to go that often. So we need to go when there are hardly any crowds so we can experience more rides and attractions. Our kids did miss some school but I arranged everything with the schools/teachers before we left and had our kids do the schoolwork prior to vacation. In fact they even stayed after school a few days to make sure they understood everything. The only downer for us is that we miss the fireworks. We usually arrive on a Sunday and leave on a Friday - so we don't get to see the fireworks they have over the weekend during the off season. I have heard that they are awesome!
So when is the "off" season? Well it's not during the summer time and it's not during the holidays. I have gone to Disneyland in May, June, November and February. Out of all those times June was the busiest. My favorite was in November. They were starting to put out the Christmas decorations but we went early enough in November that we did not have any holiday/Christmas crowds. You can visit the Disney website for to see when their on/off seasons are to get a better idea of what works for your family. Disney also has a fun and free trip planning DVD available for when you start thinking about going on your trip.
Do you have any tips you would like to share on when you choose when to go?
Oh and just so you all know Disney did not ask me to write this post or my Disney series - I just happen to Love Disney and Love to talk about them - all opinions are my own :)
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Jackie commented on my Facebook page on when a good time to go is and I want to share it here - great advice:
ReplyDeleteJackie wrote: "During the summer it is usually way toooo hot for me on top of having crowds! We went a couple of years ago about the 3rd week of June and it was perfect, not tooo hot and not toooo crowded. BUT my absolute favorite time is in October perhaps part of September when it is decorated for Halloween!! You have to see it to be amazed by it!! Pumpkins everywhere looking like Mickey Mouse. Perhaps you can google it to get an idea of what it looks like. THAT'S when people should try and plan their trip. You will get more bang for your money with that added magical feeling. I even think some of the characters wear costumes (but I could be wrong about that.) We did see World of Colors, a water show at night, and that is spectacular!! It is at California Adventure and far exceeds the fireworks. I think it is shown all year long. It is relatively new in the last few years. I LOVE Disneyland!"
I go when i have the money and free time LOL
ReplyDeleteNatalie - I wish I had more money to go more often :)
DeleteThis is the right thing that I've long finding for! We just planned a trip to Disney for May and this information helps me a lot! renting Stroller for baby is helpful for moms too.
ReplyDelete