DL/DCA crowds now that blackouts lifted?

[PetePanMan]

There has been lots of speculation that crowds (particularly at DCA with addition of carsland) would be crazy as soon as the various AP blackouts were lifted. I think blackouts were just lifted so....what's up?

 

[SarafinaPink]

So far it doesn't seem that bad, looking at wait times right now and not seeing anything over 45 min in DL. Carsland looks decent, with RSR at only 90 min.

I'm thinking that since it's weekdays it's not really affecting it yet. This weekend I think will be packed, especially because it looks like we are going to have nice weather (low 80's) and it's been super hot for about two weeks. Stay tuned to this weekend.

 

[rokstedy]

I am personally predicting no change to current levels. To me it's a net zero effect. AP's are allowed in, but this is only because this is a time when crowd levels are typically reduced to schools being back in.

 

[Disney Dreams]

Friends of ours were at the Park yesterday and said it was not very bad at all.

Many on DIS believe that when the passes get unblocked, the crowds instantly soar. I personally do not believe that to be true and the last few days have supported my belief. The reason the blocked passes are not blocked any longer is due to the fact that DIsney knows the crowds are going to go down some. As the poster above said, it evens out more or less.

Add in that the incredibly hot weather that has been in Anaheim the last few weeks and lots of locals don't want to be outdoors all day long if they don't have to be.

- Dreams

 

[DLFan]

I have been here since Friday night. Monday and Tuesday have definitely been a lot busier than Saturday and Sunday.

 

[fctiger]

I am personally predicting no change to current levels. To me it's a net zero effect. AP's are allowed in, but this is only because this is a time when crowd levels are typically reduced to schools being back in.

Bingo! Yeah you said it, they are unblocked at this time for a REASON and thats because the bulk of the tourist season is over so they basically just trade places with tourist primarily leaving and more locals coming in. And as someone who has come here this same week every year for the last three years AND is here right now, thats exactly what is happening, zero effect. Today, Tuesday, crowds were so low, there wasnt a single ride at the resort over an hour except RSR of course and even that was a 'low' 90 mins all day long.

Friends of ours were at the Park yesterday and said it was not very bad at all.

Many on DIS believe that when the passes get unblocked, the crowds instantly soar. I personally do not believe that to be true and the last few days have supported my belief. The reason the blocked passes are not blocked any longer is due to the fact that DIsney knows the crowds are going to go down some. As the poster above said, it evens out more or less.

Add in that the incredibly hot weather that has been in Anaheim the last few weeks and lots of locals don't want to be outdoors all day long if they don't have to be.

- Dreams

Yeah just to reiterate, exactly! I go this SAME week every year for the past 3 years. Its NEVER super busy, ever! And this year, even with CL was no difference. Past 3 days have been bliss. Monday was probably a little busier than the Sunday and Tuesday I was here, but it felt like a moderate day on a Saturday in September and not a super busy day like most days in July. And yes, the heat also keeps people away too, but oddly not THAT hot either. The temp says 90, but not humid and a nice breeze the past 3 days, so not bad at all.

 

[HydroGuy]

Friends of ours were at the Park yesterday and said it was not very bad at all.

Many on DIS believe that when the passes get unblocked, the crowds instantly soar. I personally do not believe that to be true and the last few days have supported my belief. The reason the blocked passes are not blocked any longer is due to the fact that DIsney knows the crowds are going to go down some. As the poster above said, it evens out more or less.

Add in that the incredibly hot weather that has been in Anaheim the last few weeks and lots of locals don't want to be outdoors all day long if they don't have to be.

- Dreams

I think many of us view this not that it is certain crowds will increase after AP blockout lifts, but that it is possible. Because it has happened in the past. So rather than deal with that uncertainty some folks plan around it.

I have been on multi-day trips twice around the blockouts and have seen the impact with my own eyes. Most recently was last year around D23. I spent 3 days before the blockout lifted in August and the crowds were moderate. I then went on Sunday afternoon/evening after D23 concluded and that was the day the blockout lifted. The crowds for new rides like LMAUA surged from 5 minutes or less before the lifting to 30 minutes that day. All other rides had lines 5-10 minutes longer.

Were the parks bursting with crowds and every ride had crazy lines? No not really. But there was a very noticeable bump in crowds especially on the new rides.

The final issue as you know with days like that is that a lot of AP holders can have a lot of patience to wait out very long lines for something new - whether that be Cars Land ride, LMAUA, ST or WOC. That can make it particularly hard to get on those rides or see those shows for folks who are regular guests. That is another reason folks around here give cautionary advice around blockout lifting times.

 

[luv2plan]

I have SoCal AP and live in Orange County. We do not go back to school until after Labor Day, so we have 2 weeks to enjoy parks before then. My San Diego friends started school Wednesday, so we waited until today to go back to the parks. Just seemed like a good idea to avoid any SD AP holders who might cram in a day Monday or Tuesday before theystarted school.

 

[Disney Dreams]

...I have been on multi-day trips twice around the blockouts and have seen the impact with my own eyes. Most recently was last year around D23. I spent 3 days before the blockout lifted in August and the crowds were moderate. I then went on Sunday afternoon/evening after D23 concluded and that was the day the blockout lifted. The crowds for new rides like LMAUA surged from 5 minutes or less before the lifting to 30 minutes that day. All other rides had lines 5-10 minutes longer.

This makes me wonder if perhaps it was more an effect of D23 being in town and people extending their stay a few days to enjoy the Parks moreso than the end of the blockout period for many AP holders given that it really wasn't a factor at all this year.

As fctiger said, the crowds have been very low, which would be contrary to the "end of blockout" theory, especially with Cars Land being a GIANT pull right now --- especially for those who have not had a chance to explore and experience it yet.

The final issue as you know with days like that is that a lot of AP holders can have a lot of patience to wait out very long lines for something new - whether that be Cars Land ride, LMAUA, ST or WOC. That can make it particularly hard to get on those rides or see those shows for folks who are regular guests. That is another reason folks around here give cautionary advice around blockout lifting times.

Except that I 100% disagree with that logic, at least when applied to AP holders who live locally. I don't know a single one of my friends who will wait in long lines at DLR to ride/experience new things. They don't have to. They can easily come back another time when the line is not so bad.

It does not surprise me at all the the crowds have not been very bad at all the last few days at DLR.

- Dreams

 

[Cupcaker]

As an AP holder who lives within 30 minutes of DLR, the group that I go with tend not to wait in the long lines. Why wait when we can come back another time when its not so crowded?

In terms of crowds, I went yesterday and had a blast. Granted, I was there at rope drop to get on RSR. Other then the long lines there throughout the day, all other rides had wait times that were not long. I think I saw wait times of 30 minutes at the most? The parks didnt seem too crowded to me. However, I have been an AP holder for the past 10 years and have noticed that over time, the "normal" level of crowds has risen.

 

[zeferjen]

I hope this trend continues. I will be there Monday and will try to report back.

 

[kristenm514]

I will be in the parks Sat til Tues. Expecting a busy weekend with APs unblocked but hopefully we will be surprised!

 

[Rhonna]

I don't know a single one of my friends who will wait in long lines at DLR to ride/experience new things. They don't have to. They can easily come back another time when the line is not so bad.

As an AP holder who lives within 30 minutes of DLR, the group that I go with tend not to wait in the long lines. Why wait when we can come back another time when its not so crowded?

I think there are more than one type of AP holder viewpoint since I have seen posts of local AP'ers and others who blog who admit they have no problem waiting in a 2 hour line for a ride. I've also been in the parks in line next to local AP'ers who dropped in for a few hours and are willing to wait.

We had one local lady we struck up a conversation with who came a couple hours before she had to pick up her son from school. This was in line for ToT and although it was not new at all, they had problems that day and were running only one elevator and so the wait was around 1 1/2 to 2 hours. She was late to get her son but seemed super relaxed about it. Said she does it all the time.

Apparently there are local AP holders like you who will not deal with the crowds, and others who don't mind it at all.

 

[HydroGuy]

Except that I 100% disagree with that logic, at least when applied to AP holders who live locally. I don't know a single one of my friends who will wait in long lines at DLR to ride/experience new things. They don't have to. They can easily come back another time when the line is not so bad.

It does not surprise me at all the the crowds have not been very bad at all the last few days at DLR.

- Dreams

I can't remember the exact number but wasn't it like 10,000 people who spent the night in the Esplanade on June 14? Did you know any of those people because there seem to be lots of them who will wait a crazy amount of time to go on something new.

 

[Disney Dreams]

...Apparently there are local AP holders like you who will not deal with the crowds, and others who don't mind it at all.

Oh, I think those are two very different things. I will deal with crowds. They don't really bother me.

I don't wait in excessively long lines. No reason to. Now... when I'm on vacation at WDW, it's a completely different deal because I can't just come back another day. I think the light queues the last few days really highlight this AP behavior.

I can't remember the exact number but wasn't it like 10,000 people who spent the night in the Esplanade on June 14? Did you know any of those people because there seem to be lots of them who will wait a crazy amount of time to go on something new.

ROFL! I can honestly tell you that, no, none of our AP friends spent the night in the Esplanade. A few showed up for opening day, but none slept in the Esplanade. Now... I DO think however that in that case, you are looking at a different kind of waiting. You gotta sleep somewhere right? Might as well camp for the night at DLR if you're up for the adventure. However, no, I don't know anyone who did.

- Dreams

 

[disneegrl4eva]

I can't remember the exact number but wasn't it like 10,000 people who spent the night in the Esplanade on June 14? Did you know any of those people because there seem to be lots of them who will wait a crazy amount of time to go on something new.

Oh, I think those are two very different things. I will deal with crowds. They don't really bother me.

I don't wait in excessively long lines. No reason to. Now... when I'm on vacation at WDW, it's a completely different deal because I can't just come back another day. I think the light queues the last few days really highlight this AP behavior.



ROFL! I can honestly tell you that, no, none of our AP friends spent the night in the Esplanade. A few showed up for opening day, but none slept in the Esplanade. Now... I DO think however that in that case, you are looking at a different kind of waiting. You gotta sleep somewhere right? Might as well camp for the night at DLR if you're up for the adventure. However, no, I don't know anyone who did.

- Dreams

Dreams are you local??? How close are you to the park and how often do you get to go?? I for one am in disagreement with the upcoming crowd levels...now granted I may be completely wrong and if i am then well that just makes everyones trip even better but I honestly thing as the weather cools down, halloween, followed by the christmas season will bring A LOT more crowds...I think we will see way more crowds than in past years during the same time....at this point all we can do is sit back and see if it happens or not

 

[rokstedy]

Except that I 100% disagree with that logic, at least when applied to AP holders who live locally. I don't know a single one of my friends who will wait in long lines at DLR to ride/experience new things. They don't have to. They can easily come back another time when the line is not so bad.

I agree. The fact that I DO have an AP makes me less likely to wait in a line. There has to be a special reason for me to wait for more than 30 minutes for just about any ride. The only exception I can think of is Toy Story, simply because it's ALWAYS 40 minutes plus. No matter what.

 

[Rhonna]

Oh, I think those are two very different things. I will deal with crowds. They don't really bother me.

I don't wait in excessively long lines. No reason to.

Okay, I worded that part of my post wrong, I shouldn't have said crowds. Obviously reading through all I wrote I was saying there ARE local AP holders who will wait in long lines.

 

[debbiedoo]

There are different levels of SoCal APs. Depending on which one you have how many days you can go in a yr. the premium has NO blackouts. The deluxe AP which many ppl I know have has some blackouts but not many. The SoCal pass has several times blacked out.

My family personally doesn't wait anything over 30. We get a FP. Yes I am local we live 13 miles from park. Most of my friends who have deluxe APs as well are the same as I have stated.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[tinkermomma]

I really think there is so much variability to the types of AP holders and the levels they hold.

First of all you have to think that there are 4 levels of APers, and then factor in the fact that there are the very close so cal and the not so close, THEN factor on top of all of that, varied financial capabilities and you are talking about dozens of different combinations at that point.

Some of us use that AP for ever penny it's worth, some of us don't, I think is the thing that strikes me. I adore DL, but as an APer of three years, broken up by years in between and living 100 miles north, I would say I am a "different kind" of APer from the ones frequently talked about but in some ways not.

Our trips end up a lot more like a multi day pass visitor coming from far enough to, yes, "wait that line out to see something new". I'm not sure if it has to do more with the fact that we don't have the luxury to come right back or more to do with the fact that I'm stubborn and if I want to do something "right now" I am going to do it.

I see a lot of us speaking about the died in the wool, so cal select, ultra close APers (and thus branding the group as a whole one way) and I think it's too complicated to really make assumptions about spikes because in many wats it's just to hard to tell which ones of us are causing the spikes and which ones aren't.

That said I do thinking DLR does a pretty good job of trying to match blackout dates to historical attendance, it's just we all know it's not a perfect science.