Disneyland closing extended to midnight tonight.

[perlster]

If you see the Visual Crowd Report, one might argue that the opening should have been pushed back to 8 AM.

 

[eeyoremommy]

We are here right now. DL has been opening at 8am all this week, and for the most part has been staying open until midnight most nights.

 

[disneychrista]

Why is it so crowded?

 

[DangerMouse]

Why is it so crowded?

AZ, NV, NM, UT Spring Breaks.

 

[sonnyjane]

AZ, NV, NM, UT Spring Breaks.

I work at the SD Zoo and we have been absolutely slammed all week. Polls of our groups reveal that it's also spring break for a lot of Texas schools as well. Yesterday all but seven of our 50-person tour were different families from Texas that didn't know each other! Small world!

 

[Disney Dreams]

Why is it so crowded?

"Spring Break" at DLR lasts about 5 weeks. It can be expected for it to be crowded now through the week after Easter.

- Dreams

 

[disneychrista]

"Spring Break" at DLR lasts about 5 weeks. It can be expected for it to be crowded now through the week after Easter.

- Dreams

Yeah I know that but I have never heard of them extending hour, with the exception of actual easter week before/after.

 

[LavenderPeach]

Yeah I know that but I have never heard of them extending hour, with the exception of actual easter week before/after.

I wonder if it's because Easter is so late this year and so more schools are off now, during march, instead of the weeks before and after Easter. I guess DLR didn't realize how many people would be on spring break this week.

 

[DangerMouse]

I wonder if it's because Easter is so late this year and so more schools are off now, during march, instead of the weeks before and after Easter. I guess DLR didn't realize how many people would be on spring break this week.

Makes me wonder if the week before/after Easter will be lighter than normal?

 

[djk]

Makes me wonder if the week before/after Easter will be lighter than normal?

I am wondering the same thing.

What do all you experts think?

 

[Disney Dreams]

Yeah I know that but I have never heard of them extending hour, with the exception of actual easter week before/after.

They extend an hour on random days if the Park extremely busy. It's not something you can count on or plan around, but it happens.

Likewise, if it's pouring rain and attendance is very low, there have been times when they have closed early.

...I guess DLR didn't realize how many people would be on spring break this week.

I think they did. That's why the Parks are open longer this week and there is more entertainment offerings than a few weeks ago. It's also why things like Critter Country opened up again recently, to be ready for Spring Break crowds.

Makes me wonder if the week before/after Easter will be lighter than normal?

I am wondering the same thing.

What do all you experts think?

Well, I don't know if I'm included in "you experts," but I'll chime in. I think the weeks before and after Easter will be very busy. Different people. There are varying Spring vacation schedules across the US between K-12 and colleges. Also, people travel from abroad as well that affect crowds. Just my opinion, of course.

- Dreams

 

[Disney Dreams]

- double post -

 

[mommaU4]

AZ, NV, NM, UT Spring Breaks.

Makes me wonder if the week before/after Easter will be lighter than normal?

Here in Las Vegas, I know the colleges are on Spring Break this week, but the high schools and elementary schools do not have Spring Break until the week before Easter. Not sure about other places, but it still might be busy.

 

[Brady's Mom]

My kids (in Utah - Alpine School District) don't have spring break until mid-April - April 11-15. I expect there will be a LOT of Alpine School District kids/families at DLR that week, helping to make it very crowded.

 

[Krissy Marissy]

I was there wednesday and honestly it wasn't as crowded as I expected. I see lots of people complaining about the crowds?? It was busy...yes. It's spring break season. Was it over crowded? Not even close. I suppose I have been when it's much worse so it didn't seem that bad but hour long waits for main attractions isn't over crowded...it's normal?

 

[Funball]

"Spring Break" at DLR lasts about 5 weeks. It can be expected for it to be crowded now through the week after Easter.

- Dreams

oh yes!! see this just means summer is close! and i love it when it's warm outside and the parks are filled!

Yeah I know that but I have never heard of them extending hour, with the exception of actual easter week before/after.

I have, they do it on occasion like dreams said.

I was there wednesday and honestly it wasn't as crowded as I expected. I see lots of people complaining about the crowds?? It was busy...yes. It's spring break season. Was it over crowded? Not even close. I suppose I have been when it's much worse so it didn't seem that bad but hour long waits for main attractions isn't over crowded...it's normal?

oh mg! I have also been when it was maybe at it's worse with crowds so with people reporting that it's been heavily crowded i take that with a grain of salt, crowds do not effect me and the busyness doesn't even phase me anymore i am just so used to it already! on hour long waits for the main attractions is not uncommon, indy gets a good 50 ish minute wait on a saturday in a off peak time! thank goodness i got an AP so if a ride is to long to wait in i just chill out and people watch! i lsometimes sit and listen to the park guests complain, and man the things i hear

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

I always read the crowd threads with interest because it shows how wildly different people's perceptions (and probably comfort levels) of crowds are. To me, 60 min waits on the major rides seems pretty typical, crowded but not the height of crowds. We have occasionally seen Space and Indy at 75 min, 90 min, and even longer (though rarely). Imagine what Star Tours and Mermaid will be like when they open up; we'll be talking about the waits in hours not minutes. The times that we visit the parks are spring break, summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas/New Year's, and holidays, weekends included. To us "crowded" is "normal" for Disneyland because this is what it's always like for the times we visit and we've gotten used to it. If we find better/faster than "normal" conditions, then it's gravy. There are times when I just can't tolerate the crowds any longer, and that's when we take a break. There are times of the day when we know the crowds are just going to be awful in some section of the park, and we avoid it. We usually have the good fortune to be able to go back again soon so we don't worry about it too much. I recognize that not everyone has that opportunity.

All that being said, I do suspect that this spring break is going to feel more crowded even to people like me for a couple of reasons. The same or bigger crowds are likely to show up this year as for any other spring break period in recent Disneyland history, but there are more attractions closed than usual for this time of year. When Disney expects the crowds, they usually make every effort to have everything up and running and able to meet the demands of maximum capacity, and that just apparently wasn't doable this year. No Star Tours. No Splash. No Disneyland parade. No Mulholland Madness. No full parade in DCA. Those are a lot of activities that are shut down and not absorbing any people. So if the same number of people show up to the parks as at this time last year, they don't have as many places to disperse to and the lines and walkways may very well end up feeling more crowded.