Disneyland = Disappointment

[Kiotzu]

I don't understand what people expect out of Disneyland, obviously there are going to be large crowds. It's in a city where it is summer time all year around, and with quality you pay a premium.

I also don't understand why people come on here and rain on others Disney parade, the majority of us come here to share our love for Disney and just because you a had a bad experience doesn't mean you need to come and put bad thoughts in others head, so as to possibly taint their trips.

 

[LizzyS]

I think people just get frustrated when Disney vacations are not perfect because they are pricey and it's *Disney*, who generally strive for that image of the perfect vacation.

I have been drenched with rain at CA and still considered it an awesome day. The last time we went to DL is the only time I had any hesitation about the time I had there, but a Saturday during the holiday season is going to be super busy. It really just confirmed to me that I don't care to visit when most "special" things are going on.

 

[SMD]

It was pretty bad yesterday. Drizzling off and on, 80+ degrees for most of the day, and humid when it wasn't raining. I don't hold that against Disney though, they don't control the weather.

 

[Sherry E]

When they announced the 60th Anniversary plans, the new parade, the new fireworks, etc; they said right then the holidays this year would not have as much of a presence to focus on the anniversary and give guests a full year to visit and celebrate. Less Halloween and Christmas decor has been planned and announced a year ahead of time. It was even questionable whether they would do any Halloween parties.

I'm sad about the BBQ and Aladdin, but at the end of the day DL is not owned by me and I have no say in what they want to do. I can either roll with the punches or feel bitter and angry. I have more important things to worry about.

As for the crowds Monday, I'm sure a lot of locals took advantage of no school and no more summer weekend blackouts to check out the 60th stuff.

I'm sorry you had a bad time. It's your time and money and if DL is no longer fun for you, you should find somewhere else to enjoy.

I have to respectfully disagree with a couple of your comments. As the person on this forum who is knee deep in Halloween Time and Holiday discussion, details and planning all year long, every year, I know that no one at Disney ever said there would be "less décor" for Halloween Time and the Holidays via any kind of announcement. Believe me, I pay super close attention whenever Halloween Time and the Holidays come up anywhere, as those are my two main areas of interest and information here.

I never really questioned that there would be Halloween parties. I questioned where those parties would be held, and what would be included in them. There is too much money to be made for Disney to not have parties.

What Disney said back in January was that the usual shows (during the holidays) would be skipped to keep the focus on the 60th anniversary. Shows are one thing. Décor is a different story. And, as it is, the Christmas Fantasy Parade is back, albeit in the daytime. Winter Dreams is back. Viva Navidad is back. It's a Small World Holiday is back. Jingle Cruise is back. Lots of things are back, when originally it did not seem like they would be.

The loss of the Jingle Jangle Jamboree and the Halloween Carnival is, I have to imagine, directly related to the sudden Star Wars Land news. They probably figured there was no reason to open up the Carnival or Jamboree at this point, when the whole area is closing in January. I don't think those closures were planned at the beginning of the year.

The Winter Castle may not have the famous "snow-covered turrets" this year, but it could certainly take on a few strands of icicle lights. That Castle is an important sight during the holidays. To see the same Castle that has been there since May is... disappointing. But... hopefully it will be back next year.

 

[HydroGuy]

To all of the comments on rides "being down" and folks checking the DL app and seeing rides down and wondering why, the regulars here I am sure know that in at least some cases rides close because of guest misbehavior and not mechanical problems.

 

[brianerickson]

You know, I thought it was going to be horrible myself, I went in August the day the SoCal passes became unblocked, and I was convinced that I had just wasted a bunch of money and that this would ruin disney for me forever, but, you know what? I ended up having the time of my life anyway, am now hooked and am even considering buying a deluxe pass...I guess it helps to have a high tolerance for crowds and jerks? who knows; I just don't know how it's possible to have so many bad experiences at Disneyland that it ruins the place for you for good; sure I met a few bad eggs, but everyone else I talked to there were wonderful

 

[HydroGuy]

I don't understand what people expect out of Disneyland, obviously there are going to be large crowds. It's in a city where it is summer time all year around, and with quality you pay a premium.

I also don't understand why people come on here and rain on others Disney parade, the majority of us come here to share our love for Disney and just because you a had a bad experience doesn't mean you need to come and put bad thoughts in others head, so as to possibly taint their trips.

I have not posted anything negative in this thread so maybe have more latitude to respond open mindedly than others who have posted something negative.

This is a DLR forum. It touches on many things. Negative experiences posted here are helpful to at least some readers and these definitely belong here just as much as the positive experiences.

It is always helpful though to get context for the negative. The folks who complain about crowds and heat I usually want to know how they tour. Do they sleep in every day and/or eat long breakfasts and show up 1-2 hours after the park opens? Do they stay through the whole afternoon rather than take hotel breaks? Do they leave early every evening because they are so tired from a long afternoon that they miss the late hours at DLR that are usually much less crowded and have nice and cooler temperatures? Do they know how to use FP effectively? Some folks make all the basic mistakes and thus I personally discount their negative experiences.

However, others know how to tour in a smart way and those folks I pay more attention to when they say something negative. Some of the regulars on this forum like bumbershoot I take even more seriously their negative experiences because I am confident they know how to avoid novice mistakes.

As for folks who have bad experiences because of hot weather or rainy/cold weather (in December or January more typically) that happens. Sorry. Most of my summer trips have had moderate temperatures. This summer in mid-August (right before the D23 Expo) we encountered some pretty high temperatures on a couple days. It does make the trip less enjoyable.

In any case, I think the negative posts are welcome here when posted in a thoughtful and constructive way, and even more helpful when it is clear the poster knew what they were doing.

For me personally, the last few years I have had usually two trips to DLR a year - one longer 3-4 day trip in the summer and a shorter 1-2 day trip during Halloween and Holidays. I am nowhere close to being as negative as some on this thread as I have not seen a trend in the negative direction for DLR. On the contrary I see many more positive trends than negative. But if I have a negative experience that I think will help others I will post it here. Where I think it belongs.

Forums like are for posting positive and negative experiences, tips and tricks, new things that are cool (or not), old things that are no longer cool (or still are), rumors, speculation, strategies, etc., etc.

 

[jetskigrl]

I don't understand what people expect out of Disneyland, obviously there are going to be large crowds. It's in a city where it is summer time all year around, and with quality you pay a premium.

I also don't understand why people come on here and rain on others Disney parade, the majority of us come here to share our love for Disney and just because you a had a bad experience doesn't mean you need to come and put bad thoughts in others head, so as to possibly taint their trips.

This is a discussion board and with that comes positive and negative. If you want to keep it positive, one of the Disney sponsored news outlets may be a better option because I think they censor those pretty well so only the positive shows up. Also, you never know if what you are posting here (that you think is positive) is something that is a big negative to others and what is negative for me may be positive for someone else.

Our reason for not renewing our passes after so many years has nothing to do with crowds, weather or rude guests (we have encountered far more nice people than rude people over the years). It is due in part to the changes that are being made around the park. But those changes may be exciting and welcomed for someone else. I'm not happy that we don't get the traditional holiday features this year, but to others, they may be happy that they get to see all the 60th activities during their December visit. Different strokes for different folks. That doesn't mean that I shouldn't be able to share my feelings about the changes.

We have had 15 great years as Annual Passholders. My kids have grown up with Disneyland as their playground and I remind them often how blessed they are to have had that. But we are not feeling the magic as much these days. So better to stop our passes while we still have all the happy memories. I'm sure we will be back again, even after our passes expire. But hopefully by then we will be looking at the parks with a new attitude instead of just seeing all of our old favorites disappear.

 

[luvthiscrzylife]

It was crowded and rides were down? When did you go?

My biggest issues are the cost, the rude people, and changes that make things so complicated.

If the price went down it would make up for the complications or vice versa, but both at the same time are squeezing me out of wanting to go as often.

It feels like the focus is more on the money, and less on the magic.

We had been there since Sunday. Actually left a day early because it was so bad. Rides kept breaking down, yesterday morning, the whole section of Adventureland was down due to electrical issues. Grizzly river run was down for a good part of one of the days too.

 

[luvthiscrzylife]

I want to clear a few things up. We have been to Disney several times. We have gone during spring break as well as for cheer competitions. Ou last trip was two years ago this same time. In all the times we have gone, we have never had the issues with crowds, rides breaking down, etc...No, Disney is not responsible for the weather, but it was simply stated as one reason for our choice not to return in the future. We have always used fastpasses, but you can only hold one at a time, so it really doesn't benefit a whole lot. We always go early in the morning, and leave in the afternoon for a break and stay late. I never saw a decrease in crowds, even with the rain and magic morning. We are not newbies who lack experience.

 

[pindecisive]

I have two points of view.

One: My second trip to DL ever was awful. AWFUL. I made the mistake of going with people who had different interests, a different pace, and I went on a super strict budget. It wasn't fun and it kept me from going back for many years. I love DL, but on my terms with the people I choose to spend time with. My trips with my partner are awesome even with a little 'awful', because we love being together. That being said, I still review the trip honestly and make a point to request they change the awful I do see.

Two: Your good time is entirely up to you. You're in charge of your good time - no one else. You either choose to look on the positive and make it work or you don't. You can have good memories of the time, or you can be upset the whole trip.

Personally, from what you mentioned above it seems like your biggest complaint was crowds. But unfortunately crowds will probably never be helped, so beyond venting or asking about times that are quieter and less packed, I'm with a few others. I'm not sure what this post hoped to achieve.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... Rides kept breaking down, yesterday morning, the whole section of Adventureland was down due to electrical issues...

Orange County in general struggled with blackouts yesterday, so DLR was not an exception here. Again, super frustrating, but not totally under Disney's control.

 

[DizMe]

I've had times of disappointment. I remember some terrible years when Disneyland was left to wallow. But then came some fantastic years and I was lucky to be able to take advantage of low prices, low crowds, and great entertainment. I think everything has a flux to it, from Disneyland itself to our own state of mind. There will be times when the parks aren't going in the direction you would choose, the crowds are higher than you used to see, the prices have gone almost beyond your means, etc. I think the cause for a lot of our disappointment comes from a sense of losing elements that you remember fondly or took for granted. It's always hard to 'lose' something special to you, even if it's just the way you used to be able to walk down Main Street without being run over by strollers and scooters. But it's easier if there are things that make up for it! Lately, I've been complaining about some things myself (quite a bit!). At the same time, I think that Disney has scored big time in other areas and time will tell how it all comes out. Also, when I'm having personal lows I tend to be more critical.

I completely understand your current mood but I think that given some time, you may be able to get your magic back. When I had my low with DL, I decided to stay away for a while and I did. When I returned, I was afraid, but both Disneyland and I were in a much better place at that time. And that's my point, I guess--there will always be an ebb and flow; in your personal life, in your emotional life, in Disneyland, in the world. You just have to hope that things line up again at some point and the magic returns for you.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

Is it bad that my first thought is, "good, more space for me to walk next time I'm there"? I know we've all had less-than-perfect days at the Happiest Place on Earth, but my good experiences far outweigh the bad. Even my worst day at Disneyland still is better than a day at work or a day just sitting around in the real world. I'm sorry that your trip didn't go as planned. I'm spoiled in that I live a couple of hours away, so if a trip goes poorly, I know the next one will be better. I don't know what I'd do if I was from out of the area and it was a once-in-a-lifetime thing. I do know, though, that it's an anniversary year, there's a ton of new entertainment all at night (a mess), the Halloween offerings just started, and this time of year isn't as empty as it was a few years ago. Plus, coming off of the busy season, yeah, a lot of rides do go down. Lots of use the last few months. This was a complaint all summer, too. For the record, I went on 4 trips this summer. I do think it was miserably crowded and that crowd control could have been better. I'm just hoping they get it figured out well in advance of Star Wars Land opening in a few years. The rain was a pleasant surprise to most of us locals who are desperate for moisture of any sort, but I'm sure it's not something tourists want. And the heat...well, September in southern California... We have our good days in the 80s...and we have our bad days in the 100s. At least the Santa Ana winds weren't blowing...It's part of the southern California experience they don't warn you about.

I lost track of my point, which is that I'm sorry you had a bad experience, but was it really so bad that you'll never return? To each their own and I hope you find your own Happiest Place On Earth whether it be Disneyland or somewhere else.

 

[locashaina]

I was there this July ON July 17th. We actually encountered a cashier who said we were the first people he talked to all day who said they had a good time... We were shocked because we had had a great time! I HATE crowds and heat (I am so much more an overcast/rain person!) and that weekend was hot, humid, and crowded! I honestly didn't expect the heat... but I accept that NO ONE, not even Disney, controls the weather... unfortunately. I went in with the expectations that others, like me, wanted to be there so it would be crowded so I didn't expect to get on very many rides... I also worked in Rides at a different theme park for 7 years so I have NO problem if a ride shuts down because I've been on the other end of it and it is RIDICULOUS for guests to blame the company or associates for a mechanical issue (or guest issue). Not their control nor their fault. Sometimes a section of the park loses power... sometimes the braking system is just struggling... sometimes the heat affects the tracks.... so many possibilities! Anyhow, I lowered my expectations for that weekend and had an amazing time... and trust me, I HATE crowds... I generally have very little patience with rudeness but changing my expectations helped so much.

 

[Priory]

Having an ap has helped me. I still only get to go 4-5 times a year but it helps me to relax and if I can't do something I just do it the next time. I could imagine the frustration with current crowds if it was a one time special vacation. I found I was more relaxed at world strangely enough. Even though it's busy, those parks can absorb the crowds.

Edited to add: in response to the post above mine, I had a great time on te 17th too. It was so much less insane than everyone expected, I pretty much felt like we won the lottery just because we could walk

 

[Tyggress]

I do think it was miserably crowded and that crowd control could have been better. I'm just hoping they get it figured out well in advance of Star Wars Land opening in a few years.

The good news on the SW Land point is that it will encompass an additional 14 acres of space....so while it will certainly bring a ton of crowds, I'm hoping it won't feel more crowded because there's more space for them to spread out.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I don't understand what people expect out of Disneyland, obviously there are going to be large crowds. It's in a city where it is summer time all year around, and with quality you pay a premium.

I also don't understand why people come on here and rain on others Disney parade, the majority of us come here to share our love for Disney and just because you a had a bad experience doesn't mean you need to come and put bad thoughts in others head, so as to possibly taint their trips.

Everyone here has a right to post their opinions and experiences, good or bad.

I grew up in SoCal and have been going to Disneyland since the 1960s. I've lived on the east coast for many years and made my first trip back to DLR (and first to CA since it opened) in July 2014. Quite frankly, DLR seems pretty much the same as it has always been, usually crowded, very hot in the summer, and lots of pushy, rude people. The main difference is during our visit, I was surprised at how often rides were broken down. We never had a chance to ride Radiator Springs Racers (despite me waiting over 30 minutes just to get fast passes), because it broke down constantly over the span of two days. A number of other rides broke down as well. I can't remember this happening so often in earlier years.

I also visited this August with a number of family members and we had a great time. Yes, it was very hot and busy, but we had a touring plan which worked well. A few rides broke down (Indiana Jones, POTC), but were fixed fairly quickly, and I finally got to ride Radiator Springs a Racers (twice!)

 

[V.I.N.C.E.N.T.]

I totally sympathize with your experience. We go once a year or year and a half due to our budget limitations, so I try to plan for the best experience possible. Our last trip was two weeks ago on Labor Day week, probably my least enjoyable trip ever (approximately 18 visits). The heat and humidity simply sucked the energy and patience out of us. Looking back, we experienced the same level of rudeness and crowds as we have in the past, but when you are hot, tired, and cranky everything is compounded. I am trying to let the bad go and focus on some of the awesome parts. Riding Big Thunder at night while the fireworks went off was stellar, and my daughter fighting Dart Vader for the first time will not be forgotten any time soon.

One of the CMs told me that Thunder and the Matterhorn were periodically going down throughout the day due to the heat. Trains were running at slower than acceptable speeds. Didn't anticipate that.

 

[Jkpark]

I just have to add this story as it really helped my understanding of "rides being down". I have always heard it usually is because of guests but hadn't seen this in action myself. Last trip (August - crowded) we were in line for Goofy's Sky School. We were the second group in FP line right before they merge. The ride stopped. I was close enough to hear and see what was going on. They were looking for something for a guest that fell off while on the ride. I asked the CM how often this happens and he said more than he can believe. They are instructed on this ride to tell every guest to remove hats/sunglasses and most adults think they know better. Many just leave them behind (he estimated 20-30 are collected a day on this ride alone), but occasionally someone loses prescription sunglasses, or car keys, and they need to stop the ride to retrieve them. He was encouraging guests to wait out the stop b/c it shouldn't be long - of course no promises. While all of this is going on, the same CM is constantly telling kids to stop climbing/playing on the rails. Finally the item is found - a pink sun hat... Anyway - ride is about to be up and running when the child in the group in front me sticks his head up through the gap in the railing where it makes the turn - and he can't get it back out. You can't make this stuff up. So now they evacuate the line to bring in emergency crews to help get this kid (who was old enough to know better and heed to prior 4 times he was told to stop playing) out from the railing. Annoying experience b/c it was our one chance to ride that on a very crowded trip - but we just had to laugh and use it as a teaching moment for our kids.