Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread #3!- HOLIDAYS BEGIN 11/12/13!!

[czmom]

To those who regularly visit during the Holiday Season - is it typical for DL to shut down a big ride like this?

Going in Jan-March I expect major rides to be down for refurb - our first couple visits we never went on Splash bc it is closed every March, but in high season it seems crazy to close it down.

This is exactly what I was thinking! My DD7 is SO excited about California Screamin'. I hope that one doesn't get closed too.

 

[lucysmom]

As much fun as it is to see your inside pictures, folks, I can't even begin to tell you how awful it is to wait in a long line to get on a ride and then have the magic disrupted by the flashing of cameras. Please, if your camera needs a flash, just put it away and enjoy the ride.....and let others enjoy it as well. Okay, I am now off my soapbox.

 

[funatdisney]

As much fun as it is to see your inside pictures, folks, I can't even begin to tell you how awful it is to wait in a long line to get on a ride and then have the magic disrupted by the flashing of cameras. Please, if your camera needs a flash, just put it away and enjoy the ride.....and let others enjoy it as well. Okay, I am now off my soapbox.

Yes I completely understand and hate it too. That is why I don't take good inside pictures. Thus my comment about the ride must have slowed down. Otherwise I wouldn't have taken them with a flash. The last picture I posted was taken without a flash.

Thanks for your comment. I do think it needs to be said.

 

[dadofnicholas]

Thanks, Sherry! I really appreciate the information on Christmas break! I can't wait to surprise my son - just have to figure out how

dadofnicholas --

Thank you for joining in!

DISboards is a great place to learn so much -- everything from strategies for tackling crowds and lines, food, hidden gems, Annual Pass info, etc. I have glanced around at other boards and some of them do occasionally have interesting threads on certain topics, but I really feel that this board goes in-depth with details and information and discussions.

See my quoted post to Lucrezia below, from a couple of weeks back, specifically regarding/including links and info that may be useful for your Christmas week trip to DLR. Hopefully that will be of some help.

 

[Phoenixrising]

I never use my flash when on rides, simply as I've got a high enough ISO rating on my camera. So when I do go on dark rides, while some may turn our blurry, I can get some really nice shots, providing I hold the camera very still while taking them. I have only used my flash on a ride once, and that's because I did the ride first thing in the morning, and there was literally no one around to bother with my flash. I also hate people who use their flash on rides, that's why I avoid using it, and if I can't I just put the camera away just before going on any ride. The DISboards, have made many of our trips far more enjoyable, and there are so much info on here, that you can go to DL, knowing a great deal more than your average TA. Our friends if they are planning a trip to DL come to me first for info, before going to a TA, as they know I'll give them solid, reliable info that will help them make the right decisions regarding air, hotel and a variety of other things.

 

[beckykarstetter]

Just a heads up to all you holiday travelers. Space Mountain is going down for refurb 11/4 to 1/17. I am really bummed. With a 50 year old arthritic neck, I can barely do SM at WDW any more. I was really looking forward to doing the superior version at DLR again.

My DH is going to have fit. He was too sick at DW to ride Space Mountain and couldn't wait. I missed it too and was looking forward to seeing the updated version. Man, I'm so bummed. What lousy time to do that. You'd think they'd wait until January and mess up somebody else's vacation. jk

 

[Sherry E]

Liza --

Thank you for posting the additional HMH photos, and for posting the link regarding the merchandise yesterday! I love those details inside the HMH ride. I wonder what will be different this year, in light of the information about the new effects and celebration of the 13 years of HMH. I can't wait to see it!

​

Yeah, between this and the 5 day ticket thing, I'm really starting to think DLR just doesn't want me there this year. SM at DLR is a HUGE draw for us regular WDW visitors.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/plan.htm#rehab

Janet --

Yes, DLR wants you there! I understand the disappointment of missing this ride when you weren't expecting to, but there are going to be sooooo many other things to enjoy.

My mom said she read an article that park attendance is down since the most recent price increase. I wonder if the 5 day ticket thing also played a part in that.

That bites. I mean, I get that they need to take down the Halloween overlay so timing is probably good for them, but to take it down for all of Christmas?

To those who regularly visit during the Holiday Season - is it typical for DL to shut down a big ride like this?

Going in Jan-March I expect major rides to be down for refurb - our first couple visits we never went on Splash bc it is closed every March, but in high season it seems crazy to close it down.

egritz --

I have not noticed any threads indicating that crowds were noticeably lower or that attendance was down. Here's the thing, though -- I suspect that after last year's bonanza o' people who flocked to the parks to see the re-imagined DCA, attendance was substantially up. In fact, we know it was up in DCA -- several reports with numbers to prove it have circulated.

So I don't know if attendance is down from the average, pre-2012 attendance this year - or if it is simply down from last year's attendance. My guess is that is simply down from last year...but that is to be expected. There is a certain novelty factor in new things, like new lands and such. Many people will flock to the parks for those reasons, and then the novelty will wear off as time passes. So the same mobs of people who were packing into the parks last year don't necessarily have a need to pack into DLR again this year...especially when Disney keeps raising prices every single year.

The Halloween Time Ghost Galaxy overlay only takes a few days to remove.

I regularly visit during the holidays and, no, it is not typical for a major ride like Space Mountain to be down during one of the peak seasons! They would typically close a big ride like that in the Fall (pre-Thanksgiving), or early into the next year.

I am guessing that Disney would not prefer to have SM down all throughout the holiday season when they get so many visitors during that time. There must be a reason. It must need some sort of maintenance that cannot wait until early next year. That's my guess. And they can't close SM in September or October because they need it to be open for Halloween Time. If they removed Ghost Galaxy from Halloween Time, that would leave their already slim Halloween offerings even slimmer!

Just based on how we want to do the parks, I know I will think long and hard before choosing DLR again in the future. Once we see Carsland once, I'm not sure we'll feel the drive to spend more to get less again soon.

Yeah, it does seem crazy to have it down over Christmas. I have to say I didn't see that one coming. One of the advantages of doing Disney in December has been that they typically don't have big rides down during December because it's so close to peak season.

SM is a pretty high capacity ride too. It's going to stink having so many more people out on the other attractions too.

Janet --

I know you were already having a hard time getting in the mood to plan your trip -- you've told me that. Please don't let this Space Mountain thing get you down too much. I understand not being able to ride a favorite ride, and it is a huge bummer -- but you're also getting Haunted Mansion Holiday, It's a Small World Holiday, all of the other holiday entertainment, Cars Land, Buena Vista Street, all of the wonderful decorations (which should be obvious just from last week's Theme and this week's Theme alone, not counting the other 18 Themes to come!), etc. There is so much else to look forward to at that time of year even aside from that one ride.

But yes, I agree -- with the ticket prices as expensive as they are (along with every other thing in DLR), it is disheartening to plan a trip and know that one major, major attraction is going to be down. No one wants to pay more and get less (another reason why I am annoyed that the Halloween Time offerings keep getting slimmer!).

As I mentioned to egritz above, I suspect that the SM issue is something that can't wait until early next year, and Disney can't shut it down for Halloween Time as Ghost Galaxy is one of their Halloween selling points. So they were probably left with no choice other than to close it for the holidays.

Thanks, Sherry! I really appreciate the information on Christmas break! I can't wait to surprise my son - just have to figure out how

dadofnicholas --

You're very welcome! The surprise and the revelation of the surprise to your son will probably be half the fun! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas trip.

 

[becd]

Just a heads up to all you holiday travelers. Space Mountain is going down for refurb 11/4 to 1/17. I am really bummed. With a 50 year old arthritic neck, I can barely do SM at WDW any more. I was really looking forward to doing the superior version at DLR again.

I am so disappointed to read this this that I do not believe words can describe it. During our last visit to WDW Splash Mountain and a few of the other rides my kids consider to be "major" were down. I had been bragging to them about how this was the "real" Space Mountain at DL. Oh well - I am sure they will rebound, but what a bummer! However, thanks for the info!

 

[figment_jii]

A few more photos of HMH...so that all of the pet cemetery animals get some attention!

The cat...

The bunny and the bat...

Old Flybait, Rosie, and the Sparky...

Lilac...

And Oogie Boogie...

 

[Pesky]

Just a heads up to all you holiday travelers. Space Mountain is going down for refurb 11/4 to 1/17. I am really bummed. With a 50 year old arthritic neck, I can barely do SM at WDW any more. I was really looking forward to doing the superior version at DLR again.

oh, that really stinks! Not a big disappointment for the kids as not sure they'd be into the ride that much but DH and I were looking forward to it.

 

[mom2rtk]

Janet --

Yes, DLR wants you there! I understand the disappointment of missing this ride when you weren't expecting to, but there are going to be sooooo many other things to enjoy.






Janet --

I know you were already having a hard time getting in the mood to plan your trip -- you've told me that. Please don't let this Space Mountain thing get you down too much. I understand not being able to ride a favorite ride, and it is a huge bummer -- but you're also getting Haunted Mansion Holiday, It's a Small World Holiday, all of the other holiday entertainment, Cars Land, Buena Vista Street, all of the wonderful decorations (which should be obvious just from last week's Theme and this week's Theme alone, not counting the other 18 Themes to come!), etc. There is so much else to look forward to at that time of year even aside from that one ride.

But yes, I agree -- with the ticket prices as expensive as they are (along with every other thing in DLR), it is disheartening to plan a trip and know that one major, major attraction is going to be down. No one wants to pay more and get less (another reason why I am annoyed that the Halloween Time offerings keep getting slimmer!).

As I mentioned to egritz above, I suspect that the SM issue is something that can't wait until early next year, and Disney can't shut it down for Halloween Time as Ghost Galaxy is one of their Halloween selling points. So they were probably left with no choice other than to close it for the holidays.

Well, there you go throwing facts into my perfectly irrational meltdown. I might have handled this a little better if they had given me more than a few days after dropping our son off at college. I mean, didn't they know I was a mess right now already?

When I mention getting less while paying more, I'm really not talking about losing the value of one ride. I'm really talking about a trip to DLR costing more than a much longer trip to WDW. So that's more of a function of the 5 day ticket thing. I'm struggling with whether to move off-site to save some of that additional cost but just don't want to lose that sensation of being in the Disney bubble. And I also didn't want to lose the early entry. We tend to wake early anyway, so having that extra hour would pay off for us. I just don't know if it pays off enough to justify the extra cost.

So yes, I'm sure I'll eventually adjust to the loss of SM. And I imagine I might soon start coming out of my funk and get excited about our trip. I appreciate your efforts to help in that regard.

I'm sure 18 more theme weeks might just be the ticket.

 

[KCmike]

Stay in your funk Janet. I say we march on Disney in Burbank and demand our top rides being functional during Christmas!

 

[Luisa]

So where did the news about SM come from? It's not on the official Disney calendar and Touring Plans are showing it down 9-12 September. Maybe someone heard it from a CMs sisters boyfriends cousins barber...

 

[TinkLoverSam]

So where did the news about SM come from? It's not on the official Disney calendar and Touring Plans are showing it down 9-12 September. Maybe someone heard it from a CMs sisters boyfriends cousins barber...

It is apparently on the call-in line when Tom (admin on the dis) called to check the current refurbs.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

It is apparently on the call-in line when Tom (admin on the dis) called to check the current refurbs.

Does anybody know the call in line number? Not that I don't believe what Tom heard, but it would be a handy number to have for future trips.

 

[danimaroo]

As much fun as it is to see your inside pictures, folks, I can't even begin to tell you how awful it is to wait in a long line to get on a ride and then have the magic disrupted by the flashing of cameras. Please, if your camera needs a flash, just put it away and enjoy the ride.....and let others enjoy it as well. Okay, I am now off my soapbox.

For what it's worth, none of my photos I posted on the attraction used a flash.

A. I really don't like when people ruin dark rides with their flash. Ruins the ride am I'm stuck seeing spots for the next 10 minutes.

B. I think the quality of the photo looks kind of terrible with the flash.

I just jack up the ISO and have a faster lens while trying to be very steady while taking my photos.

 

[mom2rtk]

Stay in your funk Janet. I say we march on Disney in Burbank and demand our top rides being functional during Christmas!

No problem. I'm safely encased in my funk. Katie came home from school with her choir schedule and there are 2 performance dates scheduled that would happen during both of the sets of dates I have in mind. I have no idea how this is going to work out.

I'm thinking a march on Burbank might be just the ticket for me right now.

Can anyone tell me how reliable micechat is?

Today they are reporting that BTMRR will not reopen until February.

I just can't believe they would have 2 of the mountains down over the peak holiday season.

Someone tell me they are completely unreliable please?

 

[czmom]

Can anyone tell me how reliable micechat is?

Today they are reporting that BTMRR will not reopen until February.

I just can't believe they would have 2 of the mountains down over the peak holiday season.

Someone tell me they are completely unreliable please?

No way! I have a hard time believing that as well. Are they saying what is causing the huge delay for BTMRR? I am in denial about this.

 

[figment_jii]

No way! I have a hard time believing that as well. Are they saying what is causing the huge delay for BTMRR? I am in denial about this.

I tend to think that MiceChat is one of the better "rumor" sources, but they aren't always accurate either. Based on the description in their "In the Parks" report, the reasoning makes sense. They need to add safety elements in response to the shut downs earlier this year.

Big Thunder Trail will be closed through the end of August as resurfacing and exterior work on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad continue. But now for the bad news. Now, as it stands, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is not scheduled to reopen until February 15, 2014 due to re-engineering access paths to meet TDA’s new fall protection standards.

http://micechat.com/38720-indiana-jones-gets-updated-at-disneyland-halloween-is-coming/

 

[Lucrezia]

I tend to think that MiceChat is one of the better "rumor" sources, but they aren't always accurate either. Based on the description in their "In the Parks" report, the reasoning makes sense. They need to add safety elements in response to the shut downs earlier this year.


http://micechat.com/38720-indiana-jones-gets-updated-at-disneyland-halloween-is-coming/

Oh, you've GOT to be kidding me! I mean, it makes sense, of course, but I had read it would reopen October 30th... this is so annoying, even if it is for safety reasons. And now Space Mountain, too? That cuts out two of our favorite rides. My birthday's in March so maybe I could get DF to take me back after the reopening...? Probably not, but I dream. Hey, does anyone know if this refurb means the ride will be a lot different? I like it the way it is, so I'll be a little bummed if they change it drastically.