First halloween weekend... Insane crowds, why?

[mysteriouspnai]

I'm currently waiting for fantasmic, but the crowds felt just as large as those during peak season , if not busier. Mouse wait rated it as 100/100. Spots for the second fantasmic show filled up almost immediately after the fireworks show. Waits for indiana jones got up to 70 min, Tangled meet and greet 75 min, star tours at least 60. Anyone have any idea what's up with the sudden crowds? From dis boards, I was under the impression that it would be crowded but not as insane as this.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Halloween time has become extremely popular & with this being the opening weekend, it will bring out those who've waited all year for it. I imagine there are a number of locals there to welcome in the season.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Halloween time has become extremely popular & with this being the opening weekend, it will bring out those who've waited all year for it. I imagine there are a number of locals there to welcome in the season.

We were at DLR the first day the Space Mountain was open after the halloween overlay was added for the first time two years ago. What a zoo! We heard the main parking garage was full to overflowing.

 

[mysteriouspnai]

Update: 80 min space mountain, at least 40 min with fast pass. Line for fast pass return stretched from the first space mountain sign to fast pass distribution. Odd, I haven't even seen that during christmas week. This is after fantasmic and kids are still up with energy

 

[Eeee-va]

Update: 80 min space mountain, at least 40 min with fast pass. Line for fast pass return stretched from the first space mountain sign to fast pass distribution. Odd, I haven't even seen that during christmas week. This is after fantasmic and kids are still up with energy

That could be Halloween craziness, but to me that 40 minute FP wait sounds like Space Mountain may have been down during the day at some point. When that happens, FP lines get even longer at night because the CMs tell all those people who had their 2 PM (or whenever) FPs who came back at 2 to try again later. A closure coupled with the general opening day lines could lead to crazy lines. (Either that or everyone's using fake FPs! )

Sorry it's so busy but it sounds like you're making the most out of it.

 

[MenchieMan87]

Originally I was going to go this weekend but when I saw it was the first weekend of Halloween time I switched it to next weekend. Hopefully it will have calmed down a little!

 

[skiingfast]

Main reason it was busy is not because of Halloween. It is a Friday. That's why Friday's always have longer hours than regular weekdays.

If you really think it was busy today, don't go on Friday the 30th, because it will look crazy because it's the first Halloween party.

 

[smiles33]

If I hadn't been carrying my 28 pound DD2 in one arm and pushing a double stroller in the other (and exhausted), I would have given away the 3 SMGG and HMH FP I didn't get to use. Oh well, great souvenirs!

 

[Sherry E]

I was there at DLR yesterday, too, and the crowds were delightful for the first few hours of the day, then they picked up. When we went on Haunted Mansion Holiday, it was a short, reasonable line.

Honestly, even in the early evening/late afternoon, while we could see that Main Street had filled up with people compared to what it was in the morning, it was still not as bad as I've seen the crowds at DLR before. The crowds did not appear as bad as when I was there on 11/13 last year, for example. But the lines for specific rides will get long.

I have always maintained (when anyone asks about opening day crowds), that people will flock to the parks for the novelty of it - people want to see what is new or different from last year's Halloween stuff (or Christmas stuff), and they want to be there on the first day of the seasons. I have never changed that opinion, and that's what I always tell people. I will say that it won't be New Year's Eve-level busy, and that it will be manageable. However, I think other DIS'ers on the board sometimes tell people that the crowds will not be that bad.

So I guess that I will say it was crowded yesterday, but not nearly as crowded as I have seen the parks on my Christmas holiday trips.

I think that when the Halloween Party begins and October rolls around, it will become even more crowded.

 

[Sherry E]

Forgot to add - we waited only 10 minutes for TSMM yesterday!! In the first several hours of the day, up to late morning, California Adventure was practically a ghost town compared to what it's been recently. I have never waited less than 25 minutes for TSMM, and I usually get in lines for it that are 30-40 minutes. I couldn't believe it that it was a 10-minute line. More people were definitely inside DL than in DCA at that point - because all the Halloween stuff is in DL, with the exception of Duffy's pumpkin patch photo spot.

 

[iKristin]

Even at low days Star Tours and Tangled M&G have been over an hour wait anyway. I went last weekend when the crowds were EXTREMELY low (1 out of 10 for crowds) and all the rides had small waits except for Star Tours and Tangled M&G that were over 60 minutes.

 

[cmwade77]

The first Halloween weekend is ALWAYS crazy busy, but it can be fun if you are prepared for it.

 

[Eeee-va]

I did read here (I THINK it was the superthread?) that Space Mountain went down 3 times, I think it was, yesterday. So that explains that particular Fastpass line at closing.

The rest...yeah, opening day and Friday.

 

[ducky_love]

So is a 75 min wait for Space Mountain considered completely crazy at DL? At WDW it gets 120+ minutes over the summer so I am wondering if I should prepare for those kinds of crowds...

Either way we are having a great time! Can't wait!!

 

[mysteriouspnai]

Main reason it was busy is not because of Halloween. It is a Friday. That's why Friday's always have longer hours than regular weekdays.

If you really think it was busy today, don't go on Friday the 30th, because it will look crazy because it's the first Halloween party.

I think we were just spoiled with low crowds on Wednesday and Thursday. When the Friday crowds came, we were just in awe because all the wait times doubled and such. It's okay because we were on a mission of completion, so we wanted to do every ride on our trip at least once.

It's funny that you say don't go on Friday the 30th because... we're planning on going to the first Halloween party. It's okay, I know the waits are going to be INSANE, but our focus is on character collecting and candy this time around with the occasional ride. We're prepared to wait. Will the crowds be as crazy as NYE? We went for Christmas week one year in DLR, but I don't remember how the crowds were.

 

[ludari]

I was one of those locals at DL for Halloween opening day. I didn't arrive at the park until 8PM and I have to agree it was extremely crowded. Freeway traffic was pack and the offramp to DL was worse, however parking in the structure was fine. Nevertheless, with the large crowds and horrible traffic I had a wonderful time and plan to be back to enjoy more of the Halloween festivities.

 

[wdwfan22]

I was supposed to be there yesterday (trip had to be cancelled), so I was on Mousewait last night checking wait times and being sad. Even though the park may have been crowded, most attractions had very short wait times, with the exception of Space, Indiana and the HM. It is always amazing at DL because the walk ways are so small, that it can be very crowded but still have low wait times. Plus, a lot of the locals that come when a season opens, ride the overlay rides (thus the long waits for Space and HM). But they don't ride a lot of rides generally. They just soak up the atmosphere.