Excited for Upcoming Trip Despite Current Issues

[Drewski77]

As someone who wishes Disneyland was operating like it was in 2019, I am still super excited for our upcoming return trip!

And I am far from a Disney “can do no wrong” person, as I really think Maxpass and other favorites should be back without changes yet.

However, last year Disneyland and most other things were closed…couldn’t do much of anything.

So we have both adjusted our expectations, AND are also planning for a great return trip to one of our favorite places that has been a year+ in the making.

And with the alternative being a long rainy weekend in the Pacific Northwest…it really is no comparison!

 

[lily_belle]

As someone who wishes Disneyland was operating like it was in 2019, I am still super excited for our upcoming return trip!

And I am far from a Disney “can do no wrong” person, as I really think Maxpass and other favorites should be back without changes yet.

However, last year Disneyland and most other things were closed…couldn’t do much of anything.

So we have both adjusted our expectations, AND are also planning for a great return trip to one of our favorite places that has been a year+ in the making.

And with the alternative being a long rainy weekend in the Pacific Northwest…it really is no comparison!

Right there with ya for my early December trip!! I am fully aware it's not the same but I am so dang excited for some Disney in my life that I will put up with the differences/changes. Also, hoping for some warmth & sun since I'm also coming from the PNW!

 

[vacay77]

Have a great time, both of you! Our recent trip was challenging but we still had a great time. With our 3 day park hopper, we were still able to see/do everything we wanted to.

 

[twitch]

With reasonable expectations and an attitude like that, I’m sure you will have a great time.

I think what helped us was to create a prioritized list of things we wanted to do. It’s not likely to ride 4 headliners 3x each… but you can likely expect to ride 2-3 headliners 1x each, and then fill the day with a bunch of mid-tier and low-level attractions. We actually used a checklist on our phone to list our priorities, and checked them off as we went.

We didn’t do them in order, but of the 15 things on our list (we went on a Thursday), we did 14 of them plus three things that weren’t on our list. (We were literally 1 minute away from getting on the last Mark Twain riverboat departure of the day… so we did something else instead).

 

[bluegrizzlies1]

We had fun last week but it definitely wasn't the best trip.

Just feel like prices of everything is up and we don't get the whole Disney experience with shows and parades not around.

No fast pass sucks
Characters can't be by you sucks

 

[pixiepowers]

Another PNW Disney fan here - we will be there in two weeks, when crowds will likely be even more crazy for a first peek at the holidays. Our family is also setting realistic expectations and heading in knowing things will be different. As long as I hear Christmas music, see holiday decorations, and smell and eat a few holiday treats, my bucket will be full. We are staying at the Grand, which should fulfill my holiday wish list. Enjoy your trip and your time together and a bit of escape from this rainy weather!

 

[DontSpamMe]

I agree with others here. With dampened expectations there is still fun to be had. We enjoyed ourselves despite the challenges the current state of disneyland presents. It's definitely not optimal, but after the last 18 months it will do.

 

[ociana]

Fellow PNW resident here and I agree completely that there is plenty of fun to be had even with the changes and new planning logistics! Our last visit was at Thanksgiving 2019 and we are more than ready to go again. This year we are going for Christmas with a huge contingent of extended family, which makes for a different level of planning, because my son wants one more trip before his upcoming move to New Zealand. There are way more unknowns for me at 60 days out than there have been for many years, but I am also enjoying the challenge of learning the new tricks to having a great visit.

As an aside, it seems that every time I go to Disneyland in the winter I see way more Oregon Ducks t-shirts around the parks than when I visit other times of the year. I think we all migrate south for the winter

 

[DizMe]

What ISN'T a lesser experience these days? As much as we'd like to be, we're still not back to "normal" as a society, so expecting what we used to know as the Disney Experience is setting yourself up for disappointment, IMO. Those who go into it knowing it's not going to be the Disney we last knew are at least starting out with a better shot at having a great trip, but I say that as one who hasn't been back in 2 years. I can't wait for my Nov and Dec trips, and I know I'll find some things disappointing for sure. But right now, it just feels so wonderful to have a chance to go back. I don't know how I'll feel post-visit, so I may have a different opinion at that point, but I have the advantage of being older, not being in charge of little ones, not worried about missing rides, and being pretty open to absorbing Disney rather than having an attack plan.

 

[Drewski77]

What ISN'T a lesser experience these days? As much as we'd like to be, we're still not back to "normal" as a society, so expecting what we used to know as the Disney Experience is setting yourself up for disappointment, IMO. Those who go into it knowing it's not going to be the Disney we last knew are at least starting out with a better shot at having a great trip, but I say that as one who hasn't been back in 2 years. I can't wait for my Nov and Dec trips, and I know I'll find some things disappointing for sure. But right now, it just feels so wonderful to have a chance to go back. I don't know how I'll feel post-visit, so I may have a different opinion at that point, but I have the advantage of being older, not being in charge of little ones, not worried about missing rides, and being pretty open to absorbing Disney rather than having an attack plan.

Spot on with my thinking! Go to a restaurant, go to a movie, travel by plane…what experience is “normal” at this point?

And for us, merely escaping the terrible PNW November weather is a great thing…let alone actually being able to visit Disneyland this year.

Like everything else I hope we get back to “normal” at Disneyland, but for now we are certainly excited for our upcoming trip!

 

[tlcdoula]

As someone who wishes Disneyland was operating like it was in 2019, I am still super excited for our upcoming return trip!

And I am far from a Disney “can do no wrong” person, as I really think Maxpass and other favorites should be back without changes yet.

However, last year Disneyland and most other things were closed…couldn’t do much of anything.

So we have both adjusted our expectations, AND are also planning for a great return trip to one of our favorite places that has been a year+ in the making.

And with the alternative being a long rainy weekend in the Pacific Northwest…it really is no comparison!

I think you have the perfect mind set. This is the best way to go into it.

We are from the West (wet) coast of BC. and I am just happy to be going and get some warmth and get out of the rain. I am preparing for it to be busy and just to people watch and take in the sights when lines are to long.

 

[bcwife76]

I think you have the perfect mind set. This is the best way to go into it.

We are from the West (wet) coast of BC. and I am just happy to be going and get some warmth and get out of the rain. I am preparing for it to be busy and just to people watch and take in the sights when lines are to long.

Totally agree!! I'm just super excited we can all finally go back! I know it won't be what we are used to, but things here at home are different too and we have adapted.

 

[MonocularVision]

We talked to our kids (tween through adult) about the expectations they should have for our trip. We are former AP holders and have visited many times before. They really didn’t care and I think they will mainly just be happy to be back for 5 days, as are we.

 

[vacay77]

Another PNW Disney fan here - we will be there in two weeks, when crowds will likely be even more crazy for a first peek at the holidays. Our family is also setting realistic expectations and heading in knowing things will be different. As long as I hear Christmas music, see holiday decorations, and smell and eat a few holiday treats, my bucket will be full. We are staying at the Grand, which should fulfill my holiday wish list. Enjoy your trip and your time together and a bit of escape from this rainy weather!

I can't wait to stay at the Grand someday for the holidays! It's our home resort through DVC and I've never stayed during the holidays. Bucket list item for me, too.

 

[pixiepowers]

I can't wait to stay at the Grand someday for the holidays! It's our home resort through DVC and I've never stayed during the holidays. Bucket list item for me, too.

We have stayed at DLH for the holidays, but this is a first at the Grand (bucket list item for sure!). We were able to snag Dapper Day rates for our visit. We love attending during Dapper Days - there is such a fun energy from the people that walk through the parks in their finest! I know it will be busy, but we will manage and soak it all in!