I remember getting ready for my 2019 trip. I used it for all of 2018 to practice and monitored it. TP was fine back then - even with MaxPass!
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Yep! I found that they tended to err on the side of underestimating what you could do with MaxPass which was nice to be able to tell people, oh yeah, go ahead and plan it all and you’ll run ahead most days. Now it’s like, sorry, the optimizer is drunk, because there’s no way any headliner will be 8 minutes all morning long. I do think it’s ultimately down to a lack of resources/data/staffing. No one tests the plans in DL. But because the crowd is mostly locals, it’s not as lucrative for TP to really amp it up since so few people will pay for it.
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OMG!! 
This is exactly how I used to describe TP for Universal before the pandemic!
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I’ve been binging so many DLR vloggers. Last night I found a couple that stressed, "DON’T COME IN SEPTEMBER! 
I can “handle” the heat/humidity in Orlando during September. It’s a beast though. I’m hoping it won’t be as “swampy / humid” in Anaheim during that month. Ideally, I’d love to go when I don’t have to hide from the sun for 3+ hours everyday. (Noon - 4pm)… I’m still planning on September, but wondering if April (after all school breaks & before summer) might be an option??? 
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Very important question: what part of September? I would advise against the first week, but the later in the month, the better.
Disneyland will never be as hot and humid as WDW at its worst. If you can handle Orlando, you can handle Anaheim. If you’re unlucky and you hit a heat wave, it could be very uncomfortably hot and humid, but at worst it will be comparable to a bad day in Florida.
That said, April is a fantastic time to go, depending on Spring Break schedules / Easter. But you’d miss out on Halloween stuff! Eyes on the prize.
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This is what I’m thinking too! It’s the humidity in Orlando that makes it even more unbearable.
Until the 2025 DLR calendar opens, everything is still academic. (Plus, getting DW to commit to going or not… 
)
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With the very long park hours of DL if you want to go open to close (8am-12am) then I highly suggest at least a 2 hour break in the 2-4pm time of day. That’s when the heat & crowds are both at their peak and it refreshes me so much to be able to stay until 12am. But that break isn’t always back at the hotel. We’ve sat in the GCH lobby with the kids taking a stroller nap, we’ve plopped down in the Animation building watching the clips or at the Disneyland exhibit in lobby of the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln and watched the movie that plays a or a table or bench in the shade with water anywhere we can find or gone 2 loops around on the railroad. There’s lots of opportunity to still be in the parks and experiencing the things. But 16 hours is a long time and I love both the early mornings and late nights at DL so resting in the middle is key to that.
April/May is my favorite weather. It’s sunny with much less chance of rain but still cool in the mornings evenings so it’s not brutal. But it doesn’t have Halloween, for sure.
This.
We did first week of September in Anaheim in 20222 to do a Halloween party and then did Orlando the first week of September in 2023. Anaheim was definitely warm but nowhere near as brutally crushing hot as September in Orlando. If you can do it in Orlando, you’ll be able to easily manage Anaheim.
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Yeah…that’s what I’ve heard too! It’s a fun “dilemma” to have!!
This is very reassuring!!
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I’ve really come around on the idea of going the last week of April 2025. 4/27/25 - 5/01/25.
All the research says the weather is nice, most rides should be operating, the CLs are in the 3 - 5 range. Plus, it would put me at about 8 months between my last vacation and 8 months until the start of my Epic trips…
Thoughts on April in Anaheim / DLR??
I think for all these reasons DW would like it at this time as well - if she can make up her mind!
Oh!! While I haven’t gotten DW to commit to anything related to a California trip she, actually, said she wants to go to Epic with me in February 2026. My last couple of times I’ve gone to UOR in Feb. have always been good weather & lower crowds. I’m hoping that stays true! It’s so hard to get her to commit to trips, so this is a big win for my planning!!
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It would be awesome to go in late April if they have a crossover Season of the Force and Pixar Fest like they do this year! I will warn you that the first two weeks of April are prime spring break season here in the Pacific NW and hordes of us descend on DL at that time. Late April, early May will be much better crowd-wise. Also avoid the week before and after Easter at all costs. (Kidding, but it will be very, very, very crowded. Ask me how I know.)
September can be hot. But you know what, so can October! The hottest I’ve ever been at DL was at the end of October. And that was more than one year. But also, you never know what you’re going to get. We’ve had high 80’s in Jan/Feb and been freezing in April. But you can also get cold, wet weather in Jan/Feb like we did this year. It’s really a crap shoot in a way that I feel like Florida is not. You pretty much just know it’s going to hot and humid in Florida no matter what.
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I feel much better about recommending you go in late April than February. While I know you love the spooky season and would enjoy Ooogie Boogie Bash, for all the reasons you mentioned, late April / early May is a fantastic time to go to Anaheim.
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I’m looking at 4/27 - 5/1. Easter is on 4/20. There would be a full week after the holiday before the start of this trip I will look at the first week of May as well.
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The weather & decor are my most favorite in April/May. The sun is more likely to be shining with less chance of rain/cold (but really it is so busy the week before and after Easter so definitely avoid that like the plague if you are crowd averse). And the flowers are all beautiful that time of year especially & even if they don’t have any seasons that are being used to draw people in, the bunting/decor on Main St. is what is to me, ‘classic’ Disneyland. If you can’t/don’t want to wait until Fall for Halloween, April/May is when I personally feel DL is at its peak form and a great alternative.
(But save up to come back to DLR in 5-10 years so you can experience OBB & all things spooky at DLR, I only moderately like Halloween mostly because it’s in the fall, but could take or leave a lot of the spooky stuff but DLR does such a good job I love it there!)
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That first week of May looks good in regards to CLs and weather as well! It’ll give me options when it comes time to plan/budget. I’m leaning towards May now to fully avoid any Easter crowds. (5/2 - 5/6) Thanks!!
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i’ve been following along because i’d love to plan my first trip to disneyland. your potential new april/may dates are in my area of interest (as was october/november). i’m excited to see how things progress—and i appreciate you sharing your plans and everyone their insight.
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