D23 and Crowds - Report

[audrey2580]

I'm mainly writing this trip report with the hopes to help someone in 2017! When we booked our August 13-15 trip I knew it was the D23 weekend but since it was my son's birthday there wasn't much I could do. I searched all over to see if we had made a huge mistake. What would crowds be like? I warned DS that we may only get on a few rides and we could just enjoy the park since we make it back about 2 times a year.
Touring Plans rated the Thursday - Saturday as 5 out of 10.
Mousewait was just giving last years #'s and since D23 is every other year that didn't help
Mouseaddict rated the 3 days as VERY HEAVY - RED

It may have been the expo, it may have been the 95 degree weather but WE HAD AN AMAZING TRIP!
We arrived on Thursday and were in the parks about Noon. Haunted Mansion was maybe 15 min wait, canoes were 5, Buzz was holding at 15 as well so we grabbed FP for Buzz and Big thunder while we waiting for Peter Pan which was 45 (remained that all weekend). That night we saw prime curb spots still open for the 8:50 parade at 7:00. Friday was amazing as well. We hit early entry about 30 mins into it a DCA at Toy Story was walk on and RSR was 30 so we walked on single rider. We walked on Little Mermaid and Monsters then all of Bugsland. We made or way about 8:20 to Disneyland with no line at the gates. Walked on HM, Pirates, Big Thunder and just about everything else. The evening picked up but we were still able to get 7:40 pm Big Thunder FPs at 7:00pm at night. I did a screen shot of the app and here's the actual waits for Friday night:
6:09pm - Big Thunder 15min, Pirates 15 mins, Indy 30 mins, Jungle Cruise 15 mins
9:28pm - Big Thunder down, Pirates 20 mins, Indy 15 mins, Jungle Cruise 10 mins

I was told by people on FB groups that it would be super crowded at night and to expect long waits. I think these people were telling everyone that so they would have the park to themselves.

So if you are reading this because you booked your Disneyland Trip during D23 - don't worry it's going to be awesome!!

 

[wilkeliza]

I found it funny during the expo itself the parks were dead in our opinion. One day Radiator Springs only got up to 45 minutes. The worst was Grizzly River Run at 75 but that was because it had been down during the day and it was 99 degrees.

We were in town for the expo and used split time at parks and expo to our advantage. Monday the 17th was the worst of our entire 5 days. It was the first day standard annual passes and lower could be used and Disneyland was packed as well as DCA. We rode a few rides and then left earlier than planned for our flight because the crowds were just getting bigger and bigger as the day went on.