DL Closing at 8:00 p.m.

ronandannette

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May 4, 2006
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...every night of our visit next week. Is this out of the ordinary? I can't find any other days on the posted calendar where it closes so early. DCA is only open 'til 9:00 p.m. the same nights. We booked this trip months before the schedules were posted and I can't help being disappointed. :sad2:

If anyone has experienced a day at DL with this schedule, does the crowd die down in the early evening at all? Would you still recommend leaving in the afternoon for a swim and a rest? I don't think the kids will be able to power through for the entire day without a break, and now it seems like we'll end up wasting a lot of opportunity if we need to go back to the hotel. And I am NOT enjoying visions of spending long evenings cooped up in our hotel room with a couple of little ones who are wired up after an afternoon nap...

If there's any hidden upside to this situation at all, please tell me. I'd really like to get my pixiedust: back on.

:wave2: Annette
 
...every night of our visit next week. Is this out of the ordinary? I can't find any other days on the posted calendar where it closes so early. DCA is only open 'til 9:00 p.m. the same nights. We booked this trip months before the schedules were posted and I can't help being disappointed. :sad2:

If anyone has experienced a day at DL with this schedule, does the crowd die down in the early evening at all? Would you still recommend leaving in the afternoon for a swim and a rest? I don't think the kids will be able to power through for the entire day without a break, and now it seems like we'll end up wasting a lot of opportunity if we need to go back to the hotel. And I am NOT enjoying visions of spending long evenings cooped up in our hotel room with a couple of little ones who are wired up after an afternoon nap...

If there's any hidden upside to this situation at all, please tell me. I'd really like to get my pixiedust: back on.

:wave2: Annette
This is typical off-season hours...

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/park-hours.cfm?month=5&year=2010
 
I was there last week and both parks closed at 8:00pm Mon-Thurs. The upside was most lines were short. World of Color was @ 8:30, wasn't over until about 9:00.
 

We were just there the first week of May and it closed at 8pm except on Friday. Crowds were very low and even things like Space Mountain and Toy Story only had 20-30 minute waits and often less. Most rides took 5 minutes or less, including Pirates...in fact most times it was simply a walk up to the loading and they were almost instantly asking you how many in your party. Haunted Mansion was wait while the group in the pre-show room get done and then we were next.

And...even though the parks closed early it was still plenty warm for a swim (although getting OUT of the pool was sometimes a bit challenging, lol).

I'd say play it by ear....get there at rope drop and do your favorites to be sure to get them in.....and if the kids get tired, go back and take a nap. If they don't then keep going. Sometimes kids will surprise you...and think of it this way....you could get there at 9am stay until 1, come back at 3 and stay until closing....or you get there at 9 and keep going until 5 or 6pm and you've done the same number of hours so it's not a big difference. Now...I say that because during our week there was no parade, no F! and no fireworks...so staying until closing wasn't a big priority, though I think we only went home early one evening. Typically we try to pace ourselves to be sure we make it until closing.

There are several shows that are great to do in the middle of the day as a way to relax (and maybe for a little one to nod off)....Aladdin, Lincoln, etc.

As always, head for the Must Do rides or attractions or characters first thing in the morning...crowds will be lowest and get those done so there are no regrets. Then just have fun! If that's 8 hours, great if it's 10 fantastic....even if it's only 5 or 6, the thing to remember is that you got in your Musts and everything else is gravy. The last thing you want is to push kids too hard so they're miserable, you're miserable and everyone around you in sad to see it. Unless this is absolutely the one and only time you're ever going to be at Disneyland....well, hit the highlights and save something for next time.

Enjoy!
 
Even though they close early you will gets lots done since it is off season (that's why hours are short, because less people are expected to be in attendance) in January the park closed at 8 both nights I was there. And we actually got more done in those 2 days than my Spring Break visit, when the hours were 8-midnight at DL and 10-10 for DCA.
Sure, it would be nice to stay in the parks all day and go on rides over and over, but maybe you can find some fun stuff to do outside of DLR those nights?
 
...maybe you can find some fun stuff to do outside of DLR those nights?

Any ideas? We weren't planning to rent a car, although I guess there's nothing stopping us. Something ART or cab-able would probably be better though. Do you know how far Medieval Times is from DLR? Thanks in advance.

:wave2: Annette
 
Any ideas? We weren't planning to rent a car, although I guess there's nothing stopping us. Something ART or cab-able would probably be better though. Do you know how far Medieval Times is from DLR? Thanks in advance.

:wave2: Annette

There is a movie theatre in downtown disney, and I think there's a bowling alley at Gardenwalk, which is just down Harbour.
 
Any ideas? We weren't planning to rent a car, although I guess there's nothing stopping us. Something ART or cab-able would probably be better though. Do you know how far Medieval Times is from DLR? Thanks in advance.

:wave2: Annette

Medieval Times is about 7 miles away from Disneyland. From what others have posted bus or cab do-able.

But...keep in mind that you originally posted worrying that your kids will need a mid-day nap. If you do Disneyland all day without a nap, you may want to consider whether a second amusement event would max them out!

Since part of your original post talked about swimming....personally, I'd plan a full day of Disneyland and an evening of swimming....and not be at all surprised when they konk out back at the room, lol. My kids (ok, and me) do this quite often, lol.

Medieval Times is a lot of fun, but I would really suggest that you schedule a half day (opening to early afternoon max) at Disneyland, head back to the hotel for a rest and then hit Medieval Times. Or, if Pirates be more to your kids' liking, remember that Pirate Adventure is about a block away from Medieval Times. Same theory, just set on a Pirate Ship instead of a Medieval Josting match. For great deals, be sure to check out Goldstar.com. We get a daily email from them and almost always one or the other (and sometimes both) of these events are advertised at a reduced rate.
 
Depending on what days you are there there is one thing to watch out for.

The 19th is a Grad night. This will make the entrance from Harbor to the central Esplanade really busy from closing to midnight. Tons of buses of screaming teens showing up.

So while going to DTD is fine idea, don't do it on Thursday if you have to get back to Harbor. It's just a scene to avoid.


But delaying dinner to eat late is a good idea. Delaying your break to swim in the evening is a great idea. Bowling in Gardenwalk is a good idea. Movies are ok, though usually odd to do on vacation. Go to a place you don't usually experience doing somthing you can do at home. There are theaters in gardenwalk and DTD.
 
Hi Annette,

How old are your kids?
We went when ours were 4 and 7, and the park closed at 8:00 for all but one of our days there. We still had a fantastic time!
We always arrived at opening (and we had one magic morning), then went back to the hotel in the afternoon. The kids really enjoyed a quick swim in the pool, and a bit of a rest, watching TV in our room. Then, we could go back to the park and enjoy lots of rides and evening entertainment.
If you arrive at 8:00am, stay until 12:00, take a 2 hour break then head back to the park at 2:00, that's still 6 HOURS in the park until closing time! That's 10 hours total each day!:eek:
We were at the park for 5 days, and we rode every ride, saw every show, and had time to do our favorites several times!
I highly recommend taking that afternoon break every day. Trying to stay at the park from opening to closing is just overwhelming, especially for kids.
Enjoy your trip!

Edited to add: our kids went to bed very easily after our days at the park. There is no way we could have planned for another activity after being at Disneyland all day. I wouldn't recommend adding another activity unless your kids are teenagers.
 
Hi Annette,

How old are your kids?

Hi!

They're 7 and 8 and are actually my DSis's grandchildren. I'm taking the 3 of them for their first trip ever. My only advantage here is that none of them really have any firm expectations. I'll be the only one that misses the fireworks and F!

On the downside, I've never spent enough time with either of the kids to know exactly how they'll respond to anything. They are cousins - not siblings, and are 2 very, very, different personalities. Because of this I actually haven't done too much real planning. I guess we'll just be going with the flow...

:wave2: Annette
 
You'll have a wonderful time. :goodvibes If you go from opening to closing that's a long day, even if closing at 8 p.m. Plus with WoC at 8:30 and Main Street being open until 9 p.m. you could still be there until 9 if you want.

Since local schools are still in session the crowd levels will be low. :goodvibes Have a wonderful time.
 
Dizneydaz, since you are local, perhaps you can answer this question for me:

Are the jacaranda trees in bloom? One of the reasons I chose this time to come to SoCal is so my DSis can see them. She is a horticulturalist and I know they would blow her away - so completely unlike anything we can grow in the Great White North. I remember them so fondly :cloud9: from our first ever trip to DL, which was in early May, 2004.

:wave2: Annette
 
We experienced the same off-season hours in early November. Trust me, if you get up to be at the gates early (or for MM), the kids (and probably you) will not have the energy to do anything other than sleep when you get back after the parks close. I'm a night owl--but after being at the parks all day, I had no problem falling asleep at 9:00 or 9:30. If you do feel like you need to kill some time in the evening, visit DTD or your hotel's pool. Hope you have a great time!
 





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