Two Disneyland Questions About This Page:

[AGentlRose]

I would like to plan a Disneyland trip sometime in the fall and need some help.
Last year, we were there the first week in October, and Disneyland was ultra crowded, and I later found out it was because the schools in California were out on break. During that visit, we had our first experience of Haunted Mansion Holidays and my DH loved it. So my questions:
1) Does anyone know when the Haunted Mansion opens in the holiday version?
2) Is there anyone who knows when when the schools will be closed, so I can avoid that time?

November is not option, as we already have plans for WDW in Florida for DH's birthday.
Thanks in advance.

[chezp]

We went last year the last week in October and it was great - the crowds were exceptionally low and the Haunted Mansion Holidays was in place. I'd recommend that as a great time of year to visit.

[HeatherD]

I thought the Haunted Mansion Holiday opened just before Halloween, but if you were there the 1st week last year and it was open, there goes my theory! However, I would time it to be around the same time as any Halloween parties starting (Mickey's Not So Scary). It stays open through December (and a bit into January).

The crowds have been really hard to figure out. We go every year at Christmas (1st week in December). The weather is always great (only one trip was "rainy" but it was mostly just drizzly and misty) and we get both Haunted Mansion AND Small World Holiday versions. Starting in 2005, when they were celebrating the 50th anniversary, crowds took a turn toward peak levels (they closed the park the Saturday we were there that year, unheard of for a December day!). Ever since then, the crowds have been higher than they were pre-2005.

And this year, with the birthday promo and all the other promos, it's hard to predict based on history. I looked at the Anaheim School District site, to see about days off. It turns out that they are a year-round district (and possibly many others in the immediate area). What that means is that 20% of the student body will always be "off" on their track breaks (Track A is off for October). So, there isn't a specific time of the fall season where the kids would ALL be in school.

Are you set on going in the October? Take a look at the crowd trends and go with those. Prepare for the worst (busy, crowded) and hope for the best (low crowds, short waits).

[Indyost]

I think I remember reading somewhere recently that the Haunted Mansion Holidays was open from September to December. We had found out about it after we had gone to Disneyland in March, when I was googling something about the Haunted Mansion and came across the information about the holiday overlay. Needless to say, now that we've found out about that, we'll need to make a return trip to DL in the fall to experience Haunted Mansion in it's full holiday glory

As far as the schools go, I'm not from around there, so I'm not any help there. Sorry

[AGentlRose]

Thanks everyone, for your very informative information.

Haunted Mansion Holidays is great, and in all honesty, as much as I love WDW (was a cast member there in the 1990s), when we returned there for our anniversary trip last December, I was so disappointed that WDW did not redo the Haunted Mansion in the Holiday theme. MY DH was even more disappointed.

I think we might have to plan our December 2010 Anniversary trip to Disneyland because I've never been there for Christmas. Can't do it this year, we're going to celebrate our annivesary in Hawaii!

[AGentlRose]

Originally Posted by HeatherD

Are you set on going in the October? Take a look at the crowd trends and go with those. Prepare for the worst (busy, crowded) and hope for the best (low crowds, short waits).

Thanks for all your info about the schools.

We were kind of hoping for October because we have a trip planned already in December in Hawaii to celebrate our anniversary. I have reservations for WDW in November to celebrate my DH's birthday, but don't have plane tickets so maybe we might switch out our WDW for Disneyland. I also have to coordinate my vacations with my son and daughter-in-law because they take care of my pets while we're away, and we take care of theirs, and they're going to WDW the first week in October.

Again, thanks, I do appreiate all the information gathering you did about the schools.

[SoCalAndersons]

Hi -
Here is the school schedule for Riverside Unified School District, which is here in Southern California (about 1/2 hour drive from DL), so will be very similar to all schools in the area:

RUSD Master Calendar

Hope this helps.

[DopeyGirl]

Originally Posted by Indyost

I think I remember reading somewhere recently that the Haunted Mansion Holidays was open from September to December.

Haunted Mansion is closed in September to do the HM Holiday overlay then opens the first week of October. It typically closes after the 1st weekend of January to remove the overlay.

I actually like the fact that WDW doesn't do HM Holiday, though. It is just another thing that is unique to Disneyland.

[monica31671]

The weekend around Columbus Day was super busy last year.

We went during that time because most schools in Oklahoma were out for Fall Break.