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.