Does anyone have insight as to why it's so incredibly crowded right now?

Last wednesday was busy beacuse many socal schools had the day off for the jewish holiday. There was lots of people but we still got a ton done. The best part was that we were at Californian adventure and its stayed open an extra hour and added another world of colour show. We went to the second showing with just 10 minutes before it started and there was hardly anyone there. We were able to get phenominal seats right in the front center and didnt have to wait forever to secure the spot. The downside was that the show had technical difficulties and stopped when the show still had about 5 minutes left. We felt the tradeoff was worth it though to not have to wait a long time to get seats. I really feel like as long as you have a good touring plan and use fastpasses then you wont wait in lines long.
 
We've been cautioning friends about coming in October for several years now. Yes, there are still a few light crowd days here and there, but I think they're outnumbered by days that are far busier than you would expect for this time of year, and that was before Carsland.

We were at DLR for a couple of hours this morning. At approx 9:40am the line to go through security was all the way back to the front of the tram drop off area. We finally made it into DCA about 5 minutes after the 10am opening and went straight to RSR. Wait times weren't posted yet, but a CM estimated the stand-by line at 90 minutes. We rode SR and our wait time was 35 minutes. The FP distribution area for RSR was already closed when we walked by a few minutes after 11am since FP's for the day were gone. I guess that's not surprising with the shorter park hours though.

It definitely felt more crowded than I was expecting this morning.
 
Not only is it a matter of perception, but also expectations (if you expect high crowds and get medium crowds, they will seem low; if you expect low crowds and get medium crowds, they will seem high).

And sometimes it's just plain good or bad luck. Sometimes even the best planner hits a string of rides or areas at just the wrong time, and therefore would rightfully conclude the park is crowded. (Never mind the poor folks who arrive a few hours after opening and go right to RSR!)

Someone with better luck (or sometimes, better planning) might go the same day and think the park wasn't so bad.

Eeee-va -

I totally, 100% agree with everything you said.

Of course, peak seasons, times of day, days of the week, holiday/school breaks, brand new attractions/lands and AP blackout dates will all play a role in crowds but, as you stated, so much of the whole notion of "crowded" really does boil down to: perception (what one group of folks thinks is horribly crowded will be what another group thinks is "not too bad"); expectations (the people who expect the worst usually come back and say it "wasn't as bad as we thought," while the people who don't mentally prepare for crowds will return and say it was much worse then they expected); and luck/timing (at certain points during the day, there may be more crowds congregated in some spots than in other spots, but if you were to go back to those same spots 2 hours later it wouldn't be that bad).
 
The line to get into CA for early morning entry was so long it was snaking through the hotel lobby at 8:45 for 9 am early entry.
 

It looks like next week will be just as busy. I've been trying to get a hotel reservation for Wed - Sun and NOTHING is available. I have one room--not at a hotel I'd prefer--but I checked every single walking distance hotel, as well as the three Disney ones AND the villas. They have not ONE SINGLE room. :confused3
 
I think it's cars land. We plan our vacations a year or so out and we planned on the fall just in case it was late opening, then you have the people who wanted to avoid summer crowds by wanted to see it and it all lands now. I bet it evens out after the new year, I think most of the hardcore Disneyland people probably wanted to see it opening year. Funny thing is normally we go every two years and that would have put us at fall of 2011, but we decided to hold off until the DCA expansion was finished.
 
princesscinderella said:
The line to get into CA for early morning entry was so long it was snaking through the hotel lobby at 8:45 for 9 am early entry.

You are way better off to go through the front gates...they have more booths and bag checkers there...and more room to hold people after bag check so that won't get as clogged either.
 
I think it's cars land. We plan our vacations a year or so out and we planned on the fall just in case it was late opening, then you have the people who wanted to avoid summer crowds by wanted to see it and it all lands now. I bet it evens out after the new year, I think most of the hardcore Disneyland people probably wanted to see it opening year. Funny thing is normally we go every two years and that would have put us at fall of 2011, but we decided to hold off until the DCA expansion was finished.

I agree with this too, TheZue!

I definitely think that a lot of people were holding off on heading to DLR until (they assumed) the Cars Land crowds had died down a bit. Of course, if a lot of people follow that same line of thinking and avoid Summer just to then pile into the parks in Fall, then Fall will be busier too. I have some friends who were doing that very thing - they had no desire to see CL & BVS in the month they debuted or any time during Summer, so they were going to wait.

Also, I think that a lot of people are coming out to DLR now, not just specifically for Cars Land - I know that it's easy to think that everyone in the world loves "Cars," but that's not necessarily the case - but for DCA in general. My friends (and probably others, too) were not so much excited about Cars Land as much as they were interested in seeing the "finished product" - meaning the "re-imagined California Adventure." Now that the makeover is complete, the idea of no more construction walls is very appealing, and some folks will want to see the park in its completed state.

Add to all of this the fact that Halloween Time (despite its increasingly scaled back decorations) is always getting more popular. I don't recall seeing a slow day in DL on any of my Halloween Time trips since 2007, really.

The holiday season (already an extremely popular time to visit DLR) will likely only get busier this year because of people interested in seeing the themed Cars Land/Buena Vista Street decorations, and seeing anything else that may be new to DCA's array of decorations, and because of the Candlelight Processional in DL occupying the first 20 nights of December!
 
The line to get into CA for early morning entry was so long it was snaking through the hotel lobby at 8:45 for 9 am early entry.

We ran into that last week, right around early entry time. We went out to the main gate and got right in. There were alot of regular guests standing in the early entry line just holding their spot so we went ahead of them and got right in.
 
I agree with this too, TheZue!

I definitely think that a lot of people were holding off on heading to DLR until (they assumed) the Cars Land crowds had died down a bit. Of course, if a lot of people follow that same line of thinking and avoid Summer just to then pile into the parks in Fall, then Fall will be busier too. I have some friends who were doing that very thing - they had no desire to see CL & BVS in the month they debuted or any time during Summer, so they were going to wait.

Also, I think that a lot of people are coming out to DLR now, not just specifically for Cars Land - I know that it's easy to think that everyone in the world loves "Cars," but that's not necessarily the case - but for DCA in general. My friends (and probably others, too) were not so much excited about Cars Land as much as they were interested in seeing the "finished product" - meaning the "re-imagined California Adventure." Now that the makeover is complete, the idea of no more construction walls is very appealing, and some folks will want to see the park in its completed state.


totally agree with you on the first part...and ive been saying the very thing all summer...however, not so much on the 2nd...I have a TON of friends who pretty much just do wdw...hardly ever come here....and since CL has opened, DL is where they are all coming...and Im sure you've noticed how many Disr's from the other side of the boards are coming over here asking questions because its their "first trip to DL ever"! and its all because of CL....
 
totally agree with you on the first part...and ive been saying the very thing all summer...however, not so much on the 2nd...I have a TON of friends who pretty much just do wdw...hardly ever come here....and since CL has opened, DL is where they are all coming...and Im sure you've noticed how many Disr's from the other side of the boards are coming over here asking questions because its their "first trip to DL ever"! and its all because of CL....

Very true - any new lands or major new areas will attract a lot of people - but there are people who are not huge "Cars" fans, who simply want to see the newly re-imagined park post-construction, and not just for Cars Land. I was one of them! To be honest, "Cars" is one of my least favorite of the Pixar movies! I would have preferred all sorts of other themes for lands before the "Cars" theme. When I went to the preview back in June, I was mainly going to see the park with many of the walls down. Buena Vista Street impressed me just as much as Cars Land. My friends are also not huge "Cars" fans, but just want to see DCA in its shiny new state to determine if it's any better than the old version of DCA.

I think that Cars Land symbolizes the "finished product"...the completion of the billion dollar makeover. But I think there are definitely still going to be people who could take or leave Cars Land. It's a great land, very impressive and full of details, sight gags and all sorts of interesting things, but beyond the holiday season I don't know how much time I will actually spend in that land, to be honest. I've taken tons of photos there already, and I've appreciated all the details. At the end of the day, I think I could take it or leave it. I want to see the holiday stuff just because I love all holiday stuff. After that, who knows how often I will hang out in Cars Land?
 
Oh dear.

We fly in on Monday morning from Australia and am doing a bit of a GULP..

I tried to book an extra night at any of the DL hotels but they are all fully booked.

Luckily I had booked 5 nights GCH and then 2 nights candy cane inn, we wanted to change to DLH from CCI, but cannot.

I am a little worried about it all being a bit overwhelming for our family but we will just go slowly and thank goodness we have EE.

Great tip about using the main gate, thanks!

We are very excited now, only 3 sleeps to go :cheer2:
 
Here is my .02.

We have been here sine Monday, Staying thru Sun Morning.

It is crowded. But not bad.

On Monday did DCA after checkin. Got in about 10:30. Did Bug Land with very little wait for anything, Did ToT with Fast Pass 45 mins after we got it. Standby was about 30 mins but I suspect less. Did a few more things including Luigi and Maters and left for Room at 3:30. Got back to DL at 7 even though they closed at 8. Walked onto Dumbo, Peter Pan was about 15 min wait. Did Carousel, And Mr Toad all walk on. Did all of those in an hour.

On Tuesday stayed at Pool all AM and went to MHP at 5. I was wheres waldo some some of you probable spotted me. That night Watched Parade, Did Fireworks, Ate at Coke Corner, Trick or treated and rode IASW, POTC, Did Tiki Room, Jungle Cruise, Start Tours twice, Buzz Lightyear all with little to no wait. Left at 10 as kids were out already.

Today did EMH at DCA and went straight to Cars Land. Did wide right technique which worked awesome. Rode RSR twice. Did maters and Luigi ate at Flos and left Cars Land. Did Little mermaid 6 or 7 times with no wait. Got FP for Goofys, Did Zephyrs and symphony swings. Back and Rode goofys. This all by 1. Did the Ferris wheel, (this was 2nd longest wait after RSR second time.) Ate Corn Dogs. Did Carousel, then this is where things got kinda bad. Went to Screamin and it was broke down went to go do Grizzly and it was broke down. Went and got Soarin FP. Return was an hour later. Went and watched Disney JR live. Came out 10 minutes before Pixar parade and got a curbside seat. After that went back for Soarin FP and also did Child swap so did it twice.

Walked around a it then left for the Hotel for 1yo to get a nap and meet family at Rainforest Cafe for dinner.

3 days left so I hope things continue this way.....

Hope this helps someone feel easier about their trip.
 


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