Crazy security line!!!

[shooting4life]

Here trying to get back into the park, Saturday evening around 7pm. Security line is backed up halfway down the buss loading area on the harbor side. Absolutely crazy. I have never seen it like this before.

 

[midnight star]

Saw that the parking had filled up earlier too. I read on a disney fanpage/blog that there are 3 conferences so that may be the culprit.

 

[SoCalDisneyFan2708]

It’s also the first Saturday that the deluxe pass holders are unblocked

 

[gottalovepluto]

It’s also the first Saturday that the deluxe pass holders are unblocked

That’s the culprit imho!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I think it was a combination of the Deluxe AP block being lifted and M&F being shut. Everyone got detoured to TS, so that meant everyone having to go through Harbor bag check. That is a tidal wave of guests slamming into the east side of the resort at once. We got stuck in it, too. Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as it could have been (we've seen much worse), but it did catch us by surprise. Bag check did move fairly quickly -- CMs weren't being too picky about checking and the metal detector lines moved fast. Lines for the turnstiles were very short!

 

[grannyminnie]

Why was M&F shut? Does that happen often?

 

[midnight star]

It’s also the first Saturday that the deluxe pass holders are unblocked

Oh yeah! Forgot about that too. I guess that's why it opened at 8 am.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Why was M&F shut? Does that happen often?

My guess is that M&F shut because of the Deluxe APs getting off work and heading to the parks. Friends of ours arrived at M&F around 5 and got in just fine. We arrived around 7 pm and were detoured to TS. This happened to other dancers who were heading to PFF. M&F reopened later that night.
M&F closures aren't uncommon -- the structure has experienced closures often enough this summer, usually correlating with AP visitation patterns, e.g. Friday evenings, Sunday afternoons -- especially when an event happens, like the opening of Pixar Pier or the first day of a special promotion.

 

[mom2rtk]

I feel so bad for my friend visiting Saturday for the very first time since she was 12. I told her to brace for the impact of the SoCal passes being unblocked next week but missed the Deluxe being unblocked on the weekend.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

It really wasn't that bad once you were inside the parks, only that one crazy period at the Harbor bag check in the evening. The crowds did feel noticeably heavier for a Saturday, but only because we've been so used to lighter crowds most Saturdays this summer. If your friend didn't have anything to compare it to, this past Saturday might not have felt bad at all. For example, the longest standby line we saw around 9 pm was about 45 minutes (we were going over the Information Kiosk board) -- that's not too horrible. So, not the lightest Saturday crowds we've seen lately, but definitely not the worst.

 

[mom2rtk]

It really wasn't that bad once you were inside the parks, only that one crazy period at the Harbor bag check in the evening. The crowds did feel noticeably heavier for a Saturday, but only because we've been so used to lighter crowds most Saturdays this summer. If your friend didn't have anything to compare it to, this past Saturday might not have felt bad at all. For example, the longest standby line we saw around 9 pm was about 45 minutes (we were going over the Information Kiosk board) -- that's not too horrible. So, not the lightest Saturday crowds we've seen lately, but definitely not the worst.

My friend said it felt busier than her last trip to WDW the week before Christmas.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

My friend said it felt busier than her last trip to WDW the week before Christmas.

Perceptions and expectations are so different! When I was able to walk right up to City Hall in the evening, and there was NO line (that hardly ever happens on a weekend), it was really surprising. Given the crowds at bag check (and the fact that it took us about 90 minutes to get from M&F to TS due to the massive congestion around the parks), I was fearing wall to wall people in both parks. But the lines at the turnstiles were very short and things inside the parks weren't as bad as the ill signs outside the park were boding. Special merchandise was plentiful and CMs were saying the day hadn't been too bad. Now, when the lower 2 passes are unblocked... that's going to be CROWDED, no doubt!

 

[mom2rtk]

Perceptions and expectations are so different! When I was able to walk right up to City Hall in the evening, and there was NO line (that hardly ever happens on a weekend), it was really surprising. Given the crowds at bag check (and the fact that it took us about 90 minutes to get from M&F to TS due to the massive congestion around the parks), I was fearing wall to wall people in both parks. But the lines at the turnstiles were very short and things inside the parks weren't as bad as the ill signs outside the park were boding. Special merchandise was plentiful and CMs were saying the day hadn't been too bad. Now, when the lower 2 passes are unblocked... that's going to be CROWDED, no doubt!

Her comment came to me mid-day. So maybe it was different from later in the evening. I'll be curious to hear her full feedback when she has time.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Her comment came to me mid-day. So maybe it was different from later in the evening...

That's often true -- the parks do feel more crowded when it's hot! (And the recent high-for-us humidity isn't helping...)

 

[KPeterso]

I went Saturday and was there for opening. I was able to do the 5 big rides (Guardians, Racers, Incredicoaster, Toy Story, and Soaring) all in the first 2 hours. 1 via standby Guardians rope drop, 1 single rider (Racers), and 3 via MaxPass (Incredicoaster, then Toy Story with nearly immediate fastpass, and then Soaring with another almost immediate fastpass). I then wandered the shops before heading across to Disneyland which was noticeably more crowded. I only did a few things (Small World, met Tink, Space Mountain w/ fastpass, Star Tours w/ nearly immediate fastpass, and Buzz with another near immediate fastpass) there before heading out around 12 to shop in DTD and then have lunch before heading home. Overall, I honestly did not think it was too bad for the first Saturday deluxes were allowed back.