When Will it Be Busy at Disneyland - 2009 Edition

[FolsomFan]

Originally Posted by Darkbeer

Some schools do give a week off in February, sometimes referred to as Ski/Rodeo week. Not sure when they will be held in 2009, with Presidents day being held on Febraury 16th. They might be that week. But then some schools could go with the week of February 24th....

It is always nice to get feedback from Darkbeer, so thanks!

We were trying to avoid the President's Day crowd, which is why we were going to go the following week.

Maybe I will check some Orange County school websites to see when they are off.

[sediment]

Those "week off in Feb" are usually in cold states, where cabin fever has set in and the homicide rate goes up.

[Luke Manning]

Anyone know what the crowds are like on New Years Day?

[disneyfann121]

Read post #9, Luke.

[BassBone]

Thanks for this!

[SusieP.]

Originally Posted by sediment

Those "week off in Feb" are usually in cold states, where cabin fever has set in and the homicide rate goes up.

Not always. I know of at least one district in Orange County that has one fulll week off, instead of 2 three day weekends. Unfortunately I don't work in that district anymore-d'oh! Most schools will have both Monday 2/16 and 2/24 off instead.

[passholder]

We have had annual passes since the fall of 2006 (we live in no.cal) and come down 3-4 times a year, plus my wife has taken our daughter a few times when she went down for Cheerleading comp and Distinguished Schools ceremony.

We mostly go on weekends except for a few summer trips in 07 and 08 and anytime during summer its crowded. Weve gone around the holidays went the weekend before Christmas in 06, went Jan 1-4 in 08 and 23-27 of December this year. Of those the 23-24 this year were the least crowded but the 25-26-27 were the most crowded of the holiday trips. But we had done everything we wanted the first two days, so the lines crowds were not that annoying to us.

Best weekend trip in those three years though was this fall, weekend of Sept 27-28, no F!, and Saturday night not even late maybe 9PM we were walking onto Matterhorn with no wait and just staying on for another ride, Space Mountain we walked right on...and we actually rode Nemo with just a 10-15 minute wait.

Even during the day on Saturday, normal rides which are longer that my daughter loves to ride like Peter Pan, Tea Cups and Alice were much shorter than normal....
This year I was talking to a former Cast member while waiting for the Rose Bowl event in front of the castle, and she was telling me that a month or so after returns to school like September and January are pretty good because many parents are focused on going back to school and dont usually plan vacations.

[Katebell1977]

There is no way to tell when it will be busy because they now accept payments for passes! i was really mad because yesterday was crowded because it was the first day of the payment plans for passes. Last couple yesrs new years day has been dead dead dead except yesterday. So now thepeople who have so cal passes will upgrade to the more pricey ones and people who wouldnt get a pass at all will get so cal passes

[DevilSaint]

Originally Posted by Katebell1977

There is no way to tell when it will be busy because they now accept payments for passes! i was really mad because yesterday was crowded because it was the first day of the payment plans for passes. Last couple yesrs new years day has been dead dead dead except yesterday. So now thepeople who have so cal passes will upgrade to the more pricey ones and people who wouldnt get a pass at all will get so cal passes

Or it's just gotten to the point where so many people have found out that it's supposed to be slow, so they plan on going. Over the past decade or so, that seems to have happened to most of the previously "secretly slow days"

[mykidsmom2]

Great thread!

We are going THIS Sunday Jan 4th. Will it be crazy busy or just regular busy? We are taking our 4 yr old for the first time so will be sticking to the kiddie rides and princess activities. We plan to go from 9:30am - 4 or 5 pm.

Thanks!!

[jcruise86]

Originally Posted by mykidsmom2

Great thread!

We are going THIS Sunday Jan 4th. Will it be crazy busy or just regular busy? . . . Thanks!!

Friday, Jan. 2, was reportedly "crazy busy" and Sunday, Jan. 4, is a weekend and the first day in two weeks that the California AP's can get in after a two week block. And it's the last day with Christmas activities and decorations.
(I wonder if Santa will be in Big Thunder Ranch so kids can complain about what they didn't get.)

See ya in a long line tomorrow!

[Lulubelle]

I agree it's getting harder and harder to find a "slow and uncrowded" time of year to go.

Thanks for the insight, Clinks!

[mykidsmom2]

change of plans. Not going Jan 4th anymore but wanting to go January 10th.

Any predictions on how this date will look?

[sediment]

Originally Posted by mykidsmom2

change of plans. Not going Jan 4th anymore but wanting to go January 10th.

Any predictions on how this date will look?

Saturday offseason. Should be ok. Weather will be a factor in crowds.

[ryan88]

Does anyone know when the Spring 2009 Disneyland College Program begins? I know in January but I don't know a specific date. Thanks!