Disneyland crowd effect when Disney Cruise in port?

[onlyoneash]

I was wondering if anyone knew the effect of crowds on Disneyland when the Disney Wonder is porting in LA/San Diego? I know they have Disneyland packages for before and after your cruise dates. Do people usually do this? The last time I went to Disneyland, touring plans predicted a very low crowd (a 1) but it was crazy even compared to the middle of summer! The response was "a Disney cruise just ported so everyone must have gotten off and went straight to Disneyland". Anyone else experienced this?

 

[figment_jii]

This is the first time I've heard that mentioned...it makes sense that a lot of folks that go on a Disney Cruise would be interested in going to Disneyland. I think there are very few non-DLR specific things that can have an impact on park crowds by themselves (e.g., D23 Convention), but taken with other things, it's possible that the tour ship docking could impact crowds.

When did you last go to Disneyland? Touring Plans had a period when they were having considerable difficulties with their crowd estimates and were generally way off on a consistent basis.

 

[onlyoneash]

This is the first time I've heard that mentioned...it makes sense that a lot of folks that go on a Disney Cruise would be interested in going to Disneyland. I think there are very few non-DLR specific things that can have an impact on park crowds by themselves (e.g., D23 Convention), but taken with other things, it's possible that the tour ship docking could impact crowds.

When did you last go to Disneyland? Touring Plans had a period when they were having considerable difficulties with their crowd estimates and were generally way off on a consistent basis.

It was in September the week after Labor Day. Typically a very slow week! We are doing the same thing this year, but again, I noticed the Disney Wonder will be here so I am just trying to have more realistic expectations of what our days will be like with small children. Last time we got all excited thinking we would be able to ride a lot (which normally I think we would have) but due to the cruise being here, it was insane. I would have preferred a crazy spring break day because at least with the crowds it wouldn't have been as hot as September!

 

[ImDMous]

The Wonder only holds 2400 people, I don't think that would really make much of a difference in terms of the whole theme park. Also, during the rare times that the Wonder is on the West coast, the many of the passengers are locals. We're going so we don't have to fly to Florida. There definitely are people who do a cruise and go to Disneyland since they are here but I don't think it has much impact.

 

[DLgal]

No noticeable impact. Crowds are high regardless.

 

[SMD]

There are twice as many people living within walking distance of the parks. The are exponentially more within a short drive. And a certain percentage of people on a cruise are locals who will just go home. There are larger cruise ships coming in and out of both ports every day, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot going right to Disney.

 

[Nevada Jen]

I think you might have hit Phoenix schools fall break that week, I know that was one of the times touring plans was massively off. It was basically 3 days with a weekend. The perfect time for a quick Disney trip (or so half the city thought)!

 

[Winnowill]

I think you might have hit Phoenix schools fall break that week, I know that was one of the times touring plans was massively off. It was basically 3 days with a weekend. The perfect time for a quick Disney trip (or so half the city thought)!

Phoenix schools' fall breaks are typically in mid-October, not early September.

 

[sheetz]

The difference in attendance between a slow day (3 or below) and a busy day (8 or higher) is on the order of tens of thousands of guests. I would guess that the number of people on the Wonder visiting Disneyland would be a few hundred at most.

 

[onlyoneash]

Interesting. I wonder if touring plans and other crowd calendars have worked Disney cruises specifically into crowds into their "calculations". They seem to always be tweaking what makes their crowd numbers go up and down. Other cruises probably have no effect, but a Disney cruise specifically may have effects on Disneyland. But if the California cruises are mostly filled with locals, then maybe not.

 

[onlyoneash]

I think you might have hit Phoenix schools fall break that week, I know that was one of the times touring plans was massively off. It was basically 3 days with a weekend. The perfect time for a quick Disney trip (or so half the city thought)!

Nevada Jen, you are right! I just looked at Phoenix Central's school calendar for next year and guess what? The Friday before Labor Day and the following days in the week after Labor Day are off! Go figure. Combine that with the Disney wonder in port and there you go. I bet that is what happened last time we went.

 

[westcoastminnie]

We were on the Wonder last August when it repositioned from Vancouver to San Diego. We tagged on a day at Disneyland before flying home but we met a lot of people on the ship that didn't - they were either going straight home, staying in San Diego, or they were locals and were already home.