Any idea why Fantasmic is playing Wed Dec 9th, Thurs Dec 10th?

[vickiea]

Hey, not that I'm complaining or anything, but I was wondering if there was a special event going on that would have them playing Fantasmic on a Wednesday and Thursday at both 9 and 10:30 so early in December.

Seems a little weird.

Vickie

 

[E-orLover]

It's the start of the holiday season. If you look at the rest of Dec. the park will be closing around 11pm/12 midnight even during the week.

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

I had been wondering the same thing! The extension of hours and adding of F! mid-week makes me wonder if they are planning for huge crowds.

 

[S. S. Columbia]

Hey, not that I'm complaining or anything, but I was wondering if there was a special event going on that would have them playing Fantasmic on a Wednesday and Thursday at both 9 and 10:30 so early in December.

Seems a little weird.

Vickie

I think the SoCal Select and SoCal APers will be visiting before they're blocked out for Christmas & New Year's.

Local APers will be blocked out from the 18th/19th of December until the 2nd/3rd of January.

Here's a link to MP's List of Blockout Dates:
http://www.mouseplanet.com/misc.php?pg=blackout

 

[Eeee-va]

Obviously they've been reading the DIS and saw just how many members are going in December!

Wow, so we'll have plenty of chances to see Murphy, then. I'm glad about that...not quite so excited about the huge crowds Disney is evidently predicting, though. Oh well! We will still have fun. Thanks for the info--the last time I had looked I think the park was closing at 10 on Wednesday and Thursday.

 

[PoohBear1988]

The calendar is also showing fantasmic at 9pm and 10.30 on Monday 30th Nov when the park hours are only showing 10am - 9pm

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

I think the SoCal Select and SoCal APers will be visiting before they're blocked out for Christmas & New Year's.

Local APers will be blocked out from the 18th/19th of December until the 2nd/3rd of January.

Here's a link to MP's List of Blockout Dates:
http://www.mouseplanet.com/misc.php?pg=blackout

Looking at the park hours and entertainment posted so far for December, I think S.S. Columbia has it right. I'm guessing that the daytime on Wednesday and Thursday might be what you'd expect for mid-week crowds, but on Wed/Thurs night, the local AP holders will likely be coming in for the evening hours to experience the holiday decor and events before blockouts start.

Has everyone noted that more entertainment is added almost every other day? There's getting to be quite a list even for mid-week! But, again, it seems to focus on the evening hours. We'll just factor that into our plans. We already will have VIP seating for the parade on Saturday after the tour. That just leaves deciding the best nights for trying to watch Fantasmic! and the fireworks. On the other nights, we'll take advantage of the fastpasses we'll have collected all day using HydroGuy's plan, and hop on those rides while local AP holders are waiting for the shows!

 

[jlmarr]

Ah, my favorite - 6pm fireworks on Dec 7th and 8th, Monday and Tuesday. Those are early closing days so DL can have the CM Christmas Party at night.

 

[Leofoenget]

I think the SoCal Select and SoCal APers will be visiting before they're blocked out for Christmas & New Year's.

Local APers will be blocked out from the 18th/19th of December until the 2nd/3rd of January.

Here's a link to MP's List of Blockout Dates:
http://www.mouseplanet.com/misc.php?pg=blackout

great. That's when I am going because it's not supposed to be PACKED. I've been those days many many times before and the crowds were very nice. If they are running F! on Thursday 2x is it really going to be that bad!
School's not out yet not sure why this year would be different?

 

[Leofoenget]

It's the start of the holiday season. If you look at the rest of Dec. the park will be closing around 11pm/12 midnight even during the week.

Monday Tuesday of that same week it closes at 6. Odd I am beginning to feel I can't enjoy DL without all this crazy planning. It feels like the So Cal AP's are dominating the park. What once was a quiet time to go is now PACKED. Maybe I should change my trip dates AGAIN.

 

[Dizneydaz]

Monday Tuesday of that same week it closes at 6. Odd I am beginning to feel I can't enjoy DL without all this crazy planning. It feels like the So Cal AP's are dominating the park. What once was a quiet time to go is now PACKED. Maybe I should change my trip dates AGAIN.

PP a few posts up mentioned that those days are the CM Holiday party nights. I love the idea of seeing the Parade at 4 and the FW at 6. I think I'll have to plan going on Monday 7th and/or Tuesday the 8th. Shouldn't be too crowded and with DD10 getting out of school at 2 we should be able to be there around 3. Sounds like a plan, thanks for mentioning the CM party dates.

I have the SC AP so the last day I can go is Fri., 12-18. I don't we'll go that do since the last day before blockouts is crazy crowded did that in the summer, it was insane!

But we will go on Sunday, Jan. 3rd for the last day of Christmas.

 

[Leofoenget]

PP a few posts up mentioned that those days are the CM Holiday party nights. I love the idea of seeing the Parade at 4 and the FW at 6. I think I'll have to plan going on Monday 7th and/or Tuesday the 8th. Shouldn't be too crowded and with DD10 getting out of school at 2 we should be able to be there around 3. Sounds like a plan, thanks for mentioning the CM party dates.

I have the SC AP so the last day I can go is Fri., 12-18. I don't we'll go that do since the last day before blockouts is crazy crowded did that in the summer, it was insane!

But we will go on Sunday, Jan. 3rd for the last day of Christmas.

I THOUGHT the cast parties were the week before. This will be the 3rd time I have gone the second week of Dec Wed-Fri and I NEVER remember it being "crazy crowded" There is no way I would go if it were. The reason I picked that week is because it wasn't. Not sure why this week they are planning on it being so busy, unless they are adding 2 F! to draw people IN. I know Friday will be super busy it always is, so that's ok but Thursday? that confuses me.

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

I know Friday will be super busy it always is, so that's ok but Thursday? that confuses me.

It's Wednesday, December 9th's hours and 2 showings of Fantasmic that had me confused!

 

[Leofoenget]

It's Wednesday, December 9th's hours and 2 showings of Fantasmic that had me confused!

Well yah that too. I hate second guessing myself. Maybe they are just pre-planning "just in case" Maybe I'll call them and find out if there is something going on that isn't listed like a conventioin. Hmm that's a thought, what's listed for the convention center?
I just checked, there is a phycotherapy convention listed for the whole week. Dec 7-12 maybe that's it.

 

[ttig34]

Well yah that too. I hate second guessing myself. Maybe they are just pre-planning "just in case" Maybe I'll call them and find out if there is something going on that isn't listed like a conventioin. Hmm that's a thought, what's listed for the convention center?
I just checked, there is a phycotherapy convention listed for the whole week. Dec 7-12 maybe that's it.

If you find out any particular reason they have such extended hours, please report back. As they have never been open past 9:00 pm on Wed and Thursday of the second week of December before - at least that I know of.

 

[Leofoenget]

If you find out any particular reason they have such extended hours, please report back. As they have never been open past 9:00 pm on Wed and Thursday of the second week of December before - at least that I know of.

I called and the guy said "it's just the holiday season" Nothing special other than they may be trying to head off the HUGE AP influx all at once and by running F! earlier and staying open later maybe they can spread out the crowds a little.

 

[Pigletlover]

I was just looking at that Mouseplanet link that showed the blockout dates for AP holders and I'm wondering if I should revise our schedule. We're visiting December 10 - 16 with a 5-day Park Hopper.

What do you all think about the weekend of December 12/13? I thought Sundays were supposed to be a little less busy than Saturdays, so I put us at Knotts on Sat and Disneyland on Sun. But with the AP holders blocked on Sat 12th, will that mean that Sun will be really busy , making Sat a better choice for Disney?

Or maybe we shouldn't even do Disneyland on that weekend? I just didn't want to miss out on any extra weekend entertainment/shows etc, but if exactly the same entertainment is also happening on weekdays then maybe we should forego Sat/Sun altogether? Is there any particular reason to visit on that weekend? Oh my this is confusing!!!! Any help much appreciated!

 

[Eeee-va]

For what it's worth, when I went around June 20th of this year, I was expecting that Saturdays and other AP blockout dates would be much less crowded than days when many of the APs were NOT blocked out. I didn't honestly notice any difference between Saturday and Sunday at all. IN THEORY the AP blockout dates were less busy--certainly the park got busier in the last few days before the Southern California passes were blocked for the summer--but I know the only time I encountered guests "mooing" (and unconscionably rude behavior) was actually after fireworks, headed toward Fantasmic, on Friday night that I THINK had some APs blocked. (I don't have a calendar handy to check for sure.)

Our experience with crowds may have just been due to our aggressive plan that night (watch fireworks, then do Fantasmic)...but there certainly are more factors than JUST blockout dates. I would think that on average, late Friday nights are busier than Sunday nights, regardless of blockouts.

I personally plan to go, hope for the best, and plan for the worst.

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

I think I figured out another component of why they are extending hours that week. It's Annual Passholders Appreciation Week where they get special discounts at DTD stores. Disney probably planned it during this week to help disperse some of the local AP crowds to this week instead of just the week before total blockout. To compensate for anticipated local AP holders who will likely come after work to shop while they can get discounts, but stay to take in the holiday decor or shows, Disney is probably adding hours and entertainment.

 

[Pigletlover]

For what it's worth, when I went around June 20th of this year, I was expecting that Saturdays and other AP blockout dates would be much less crowded than days when many of the APs were NOT blocked out. I didn't honestly notice any difference between Saturday and Sunday at all. IN THEORY the AP blockout dates were less busy--certainly the park got busier in the last few days before the Southern California passes were blocked for the summer--but I know the only time I encountered guests "mooing" (and unconscionably rude behavior) was actually after fireworks, headed toward Fantasmic, on Friday night that I THINK had some APs blocked. (I don't have a calendar handy to check for sure.)

Our experience with crowds may have just been due to our aggressive plan that night (watch fireworks, then do Fantasmic)...but there certainly are more factors than JUST blockout dates. I would think that on average, late Friday nights are busier than Sunday nights, regardless of blockouts.

I personally plan to go, hope for the best, and plan for the worst.

Thanks for the info! I was reading a guidebook yesterday that mentioned that AP holders can actually visit the park on blockout days if they pay $20 for admission, which I didn't know. I guess some people will do that if it fits their schedule.