Busy this coming week (week afterThanksgiving)

[ChloroformSdxn]

We're going to be at Disney on Monday. So excited, but I'm getting a little worried about the crowds. It can't be as bad as last week was, can it?

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

This upcoming week has historically been "relatively lighter" than other holiday weeks. However, with this question being asked year after year, with the same response, it might also be a busy week because everyone is looking for that light week. If Monday is busy, Tuesday/Wednesday might be lighter days.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[chickapin parterre]

the upcoming week will be the litmus test. What if Thanksgiving was crowded because of school closures solely? Or what if the american culture is turning more and more to the non-traditional holiday family gatherings. That Disneyland is a vacation and in turn a great Christmas present also. Or what if a Holiday Disneyland is indeed the pentacle of any visit to Disneyland and must be accomplished by all. I know that I started my Thanksgiving visits because it was trip from the pacific NW to a warmer california, I mixed in with trips to the desert east. It was a good time to pull my son out of elemetary school. Because my son and i were a non-traditional family. And as the years went on, the holiday festival became bigger and bigger in decor and festivity, to the point that one my prize photos is my wife dancing with Mickey in DCA, I had only seen Mickey stiff and posed in his interactions, but there he was , Dancing. As though both parks had come alive in the Christmas holidays. Back then it was easy, it wasn't crowded.

Then as my son turned older and it was time to take along fellow employees, we moved it to the first week of december and I was surprised how crowded it was out in the middle of nowhere in the holidays. And I as read on the sites about the holidays, the one common thought was.."don't people stay home for the holidays??"

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I don't know if this is an indicator of the coming week's crowds, but Thanksgiving wasn't too bad in the parks. Yes, it was crowded, but more like a Saturday crowded, not like NYE. And even if there are more crowds than expected, you'll be at DLR! That's way better than being in crowds somewhere else.

 

[WonkaKid]

I'm heading out the door for DL shortly. I'll post this evening if there are any anomolies.

 

[WonkaKid]

Just got here and -- so far -- the lines aren't bad. Hopefully the rain keeps people away, but I think that unlikely.

 

[WonkaKid]

First one in. Not a ton of people here. Yet.

 

[TLM2015]

@WonkaKid great pic
I'm going to DLR for the first time on Friday Dec 2nd and hoping it will be light. Is the official DL app wait times accurate? If so thanksgiving week wasn't as bad as I thought. When I was checking out the wait times I was expecting to see much longer wait times for everything so I'm feeling optimistic???

 

[ButterflyKisses77]

First one in. Not a ton of people here. Yet.View attachment 207819

Awesome picture!!

 

[ButterflyKisses77]

@WonkaKid great pic
I'm going to DLR for the first time on Friday Dec 2nd and hoping it will be light. Is the official DL app wait times accurate? If so thanksgiving week wasn't as bad as I thought. When I was checking out the wait times I was expecting to see much longer wait times for everything so I'm feeling optimistic???

I don't think it should be too bad. Have fun!!

 

[Darkbeer1]

IMHO, Monday through Thursday should be decent.

Friday night will be crazy, as many AP holders can access the park and see Paint the Night.

Then the Candlelight Processional will make a mess of Main Street both Saturday and Sunday.

So enjoy the weekdays, doubt it will be a ghost town, but better than last week.

 

[chickapin parterre]

love those antique photos of an empty Disneyland....did not know that it rained in the morning.....it has been so long to have a street that empty....what did you do? Did you grab a castle photo with you

 

[cptmemo]

IMHO, Monday through Thursday should be decent.

Friday night will be crazy, as many AP holders can access the park and see Paint the Night.

Then the Candlelight Processional will make a mess of Main Street both Saturday and Sunday.

So enjoy the weekdays, doubt it will be a ghost town, but better than last week.

This scares me a little bit. But I guess knowing that ahead of time is good

 

[Darkbeer1]

This scares me a little bit. But I guess knowing that ahead of time is good

Sorry.... Think about using the Monorail to enter/exit Disneyland to avoid a lot of the Main Street Mess.

Take advantage of the Monday through Thursday and get every ride and show you can do then, and use the weekend for catching a few rides, and do the slower things and shopping.

 

[WonkaKid]

Yesterday (Sunday) crowds were exceptionally light. It's the least crowded I've seen it in years. This was likely due to the rain -- on and off for the most of the morning and early afternoon -- and unseasonably cold temps -- upper 50s. To give you an example, at 2:00 I got in line for POTC. The line ended (began?) at the tree inside the Pirates courtyard. Usually at that time of day it wraps around outside at least once before even entering the courtyard. Crowds in the common areas -- Central Plaza, Adventureland. etc -- were light as well. A little wet, a little cold. But still a great day.

 

[WonkaKid]

Awesome picture!!

Thanks!

 

[Cirlonde]

Sorry.... Think about using the Monorail to enter/exit Disneyland to avoid a lot of the Main Street Mess.

Take advantage of the Monday through Thursday and get every ride and show you can do then, and use the weekend for catching a few rides, and do the slower things and shopping.

So...silly question! This will be our first trip to DLR and we are arriving on Sunday, December 4th and will probably hit the parks around 11am. I know about the Candlelight Processional, and you're the second person I've seen who recommended using the Monorail to get into Disneyland in order to avoid Main Street.

Could you give me a little more detail about that process? We would board the monorail at Downtown Disney? We are staying at Park Vue Inn...do you think would it still be worth the extra distance to walk to Downtown Disney?

 

[SMD]

So...silly question! This will be our first trip to DLR and we are arriving on Sunday, December 4th and will probably hit the parks around 11am. I know about the Candlelight Processional, and you're the second person I've seen who recommended using the Monorail to get into Disneyland in order to avoid Main Street.

Could you give me a little more detail about that process? We would board the monorail at Downtown Disney? We are staying at Park Vue Inn...do you think would it still be worth the extra distance to walk to Downtown Disney?

No. You'll go through security twice if you do that. Just stay to the right as much as possible, go through stores if you have to (less recommended if you have a stroller or large group). If you're lucky, the bypass will be open and you can just go through the tunnel and exit near Plaza Inn. At 11am it shouldn't be too bad, but unless you're planning to stay at the back of the parks all day, I'd consider just making that a DCA day. Getting back out of DL in the afternoon or into the evening becomes more difficult.

 

[vault19dweller]

No. You'll go through security twice if you do that. Just stay to the right as much as possible, go through stores if you have to (less recommended if you have a stroller or large group). If you're lucky, the bypass will be open and you can just go through the tunnel and exit near Plaza Inn. At 11am it shouldn't be too bad, but unless you're planning to stay at the back of the parks all day, I'd consider just making that a DCA day. Getting back out of DL in the afternoon or into the evening becomes more difficult.

Actually I'm in a similar boat as Cirlonde - we're visiting from 3rd to 6th December, we have to be in DLR on the 3rd due to PTN reservation (and this being our one & only chance to see it.)
We're also staying at PVI.
We'll try to avoid the hub down to main street from lunch time onwards on this Saturday.

We may see if Sunday we can have as a DCA day, however if there are any cancellations or something with PTN on the Saturday then Sunday is our fallback to seeing it (which is in DLR) - and the Sunday has the same amount of entertainment, thus crowds, as the Saturday I'm guessing.

I had heard to avoid main street & was planning to use the monorail - until I heard what you said about having to do security twice.
I'm assuming this going through security twice would be both ways (ie: PVI to DLR and back)?

On closing, considering these weekend days have christmas parades, PDT, Candlelight, fireworks, etc I'm assuming Main St will be gridlocked for quite a while - could it still be worth doing security twice (post monorail) to avoid the closing/post entertainment crush on Main St?

Also, how does the bypass work? You mentioned one end opening near Plaza Inn, where is the other end of it?
Just wondering if this could be an option for the closing/post entertainment crush to avoid dual security?

 

[Cirlonde]

No. You'll go through security twice if you do that. Just stay to the right as much as possible, go through stores if you have to (less recommended if you have a stroller or large group). If you're lucky, the bypass will be open and you can just go through the tunnel and exit near Plaza Inn. At 11am it shouldn't be too bad, but unless you're planning to stay at the back of the parks all day, I'd consider just making that a DCA day. Getting back out of DL in the afternoon or into the evening becomes more difficult.

Thanks! It will just be my husband and I, so weaving through crowds/stores isn't really a big deal for us. I'm probably blowing the crowds far out of proportion in my head...but if I set my expectations for really. really, really insane, then I'm pleasantly surprised if it's just really insane. Our plan is pretty much exactly that...to just stay in areas away from Main Street all day, rather than try to leave and come back. We thought about going to DCA first, then hopping to DL later in the afternoon but I wasn't sure how late we could push it...so I thought we might be better off to just start in DL and save park hopping for later in the week.

This bypass tunnel, is it obvious when it's open or do I need to look for it/ask someone?

Actually I'm in a similar boat as Cirlonde - we're visiting from 3rd to 6th December, we have to be in DLR on the 3rd due to PTN reservation (and this being our one & only chance to see it.)

Yep, this is us! If it wasn't for Paint the Night, we would absolutely just do DCA instead. But I am determined to see PtN, even if I can't get anything else accomplished on Sunday. I've got Monday through Thursday to do everything else!