Help a WDW girl out!

[lilolove]

Hello all! I'm a WDW girl through-and-through, having been there 30-some times in my 25-year old life. Yet somehow...recently, I have found myself yearning to go to Disneyland in 2016 instead of the beautiful World...but I've run into a bunch of roadblocks that's making me renege on my quasi-commitment to DLR. So bear with me in this post of rambling but I'm in need of serious advice and persuasion.

The (hopeful) plan is to be within the CA area for about a week in August-September, spending about four of those days at DL, preferably weekdays. Tentative dates: Sat. 8/27-Mon. 9/5


Sat 8/27-other CA stuff

Sun 8/28-other CA stuff

Mon 8/29-Disneyland? Will this Monday be crowded?

Tue 8/30-Disneyland*definite

Wed 8/31-Disneyland*definite

Thu 9/1-Disneyland *definite

Fri 9/2-Disneyland? Would this be worse than Monday 8/29?

Sat 9/3-other CA stuff*Marathon

Sun 9/4-other CA stuff*Marathon

Mon 9/5-Home*End of Diamond Celebration

Crowds! I am worried about crowds. So used to my WDW post-Labor Day time and it is glorious.

I know the Half Marathon is taking place from 9/1 to 9/4, Thursday-Sunday. I've never had any experience with marathon crowds and it's making me nervous. Pretty sure we would not be in the parks on 9/3 and 9/4 in this case, and that leads me to wonder, do DL marathoners stick around before or after the weekend festivities, or is it confined for those four days? How will this affect the four days at the park?

And then there's the Diamond Celebration to contend with, Originally, I thought the idea of catching the end of it to be great one. One of the few times (if not the only time) that we'd ever go to DL. But now I'm wondering if the crowds will be extra packed with people trying to get a last glimpse of the festivities? I also read that Paint the Night and Disneyland Forever would stick around after the Diamond Celebration ends as the new seasonal entertainment. It seems to remain speculation at this point, but everyone seems so sure of it. (If that were the case, I'd be willing to shift our dates to post-Labor Day to avoid the marathon and 60th entirely.) Can anyone confirm?

Refurbs! Studying historical data, Haunted Mansion is sure to be closed when we go and that's one I would really look forward too. But other than that, the schedules are put out so late, it makes a WDW girl like me a tad frustrated. If I do shift our dates to post-Labor Day September, especially with the Celebration over, is everything going to go down? Last year looked good other than Haunted Mansion, but I'm wondering if that was due to the 60th being in high swing.

Refurbs vs crowds...lots of factors in the mix...and I'm confused as ever. I don't want to be a committophobe and I was excited about venturing out to DL...but I need guidance on how to play it.

Thanks so much for sticking with it!

 

[figment_jii]

Depending on when post-Labor Day you would go, they may also have closed Space Mtn. Both Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain close for installation of the Halloween overlays. HM usually closes in the middle-end of August and Space goes down for 4 days before the start of HalloweenTime (information about HalloweenTime tends to start coming out in the summer). So if you go immediately after Labor Day, there is a chance Space would be closed (this assumes that things operate like normal, but we don't know if or when the Hyperspace Mtn overlay will end). Aside from those two (along with the known closures along the Rivers of America, F!, and train), it's hard to say what else will be down in September (usually there are other closures, but there is really no way to predict).

I'm in the camp that things both Paint the Night and Disneyland Forever will remain well beyond the end of the 60th Anniversary Celebration. Remember, the fireworks show for the 50th Anniversary, was presented for almost 10 years and most parades have multi-year life spans (e.g., Pixar Play Parade debuted in 2008 and is still being presented). I think it's possible that by that time, DLR may go back to the more traditional fireworks schedule (weekends only in the non-peak season) and may bring back the seasonal shows (e.g., Believe...In Holiday Magic fireworks). I think the main things that will end with the end of the 60th Anniversary Celebration are the decorations, the merchandise, and the foods. I think there is a good chance that the changes made to the streetmosphere entertainment (e.g., Dapper Dans and Five & Dime's new song list) will also remain.

In terms of your specific question about Friday (9/2) versus Monday (8/29), I would be inclined to say that Friday is more likely to be busier than Monday. In general, Fridays are usually busier than Mondays, unless there is something special happening on that Monday. I haven't heard of any special events on Monday, 8/29 yet (the SoCal/SoCal Select AP Blockout ends on Monday, 8/22). I've been tracking the events that I hear about in the 2016 Calendar of Events thread.

In terms of crowds, at this point, we don't really have any ideas how the closures of River of America (Tom Sawyers Island, Mark Twain, Columbia, Canoes, and F!) and the railroad will impact the crowds. Some think it will reduce crowds in the parks because the RoA area will be an eyesore (potentially boarded up), others think the park will continue to draw crowds regardless. So that all being said, assuming the closures only have a minimal impact, there really aren't many non-busy times at DLR anymore.

It's worth noting that in early-to-mid-September, DLR begins HalloweenTime, which is very popular with guests. I would guess that HalloweenTime will start either on Sep 9 or 16, after which point, the parks become very busy on the weekends (Fri to Sun). So the quietest time is in September, from just after Labor day to before the start of HalloweenTime.

 

[lilolove]

Thank you so much for your detailed response! I did see the Space Mountain trend whilst researching and that too, would be a bummer as it's my favorite WDW ride and I'd love to see what this one is all about. I'd predict it'd go down on the 5th or 6th...ruining my stick-to-DL-on-the-weekdays plan. This has got me thinking, how risky would it be to wait 4-6 weeks til Disney posts their refurb schedules and then book based on that? In WDW, it would be a nono for sure, and I'm definitely the type of person that likes to know where & when I'll be going somewhere. But just wondering if many DL folks plan this way or not.

I'd be okay missing the 50th decorations. As pretty as they are, I wouldn't mind experiencing DL in it's purest form as well.

So besides refurbs & entertainment being up in the air, do you have any assessments based on the marathon crowds or August still being 'summer season' and the end of the 60th make my plans look unworthy of our time?

Thanks again!

 

[figment_jii]

I'd be okay missing the 50th decorations. As pretty as they are, I wouldn't mind experiencing DL in it's purest form as well.

Just to clarify, you probably won't be seeing DL in "it's purest form" because of the Rivers of America closure. No one knows what things will look like in August/September, but we do know (at this point) that the Rivers of America area will be different. Initially, it seems likely that they'll wall off the area, but it's possible that by Aug/Sep, they have have installed berms and be able to fill the front portion of the river (this seems increasingly likely given they've dropped a hint about a special limited-time experience on the Mark Twain and Columbia at some point in 2016 - see the last paragraph in this Parks Blog Post).

This has got me thinking, how risky would it be to wait 4-6 weeks til Disney posts their refurb schedules and then book based on that? In WDW, it would be a nono for sure, and I'm definitely the type of person that likes to know where & when I'll be going somewhere. But just wondering if many DL folks plan this way or not.

It depends on what makes this a "no-no" at WDW. Are you talking about Dining Reservations and FP+? I ask because at DLR, they don't open dining reservations until about 60-days in advance and there is no FP+. Dining reservations aren't nearly as hard to get at DLR; you can often find prime dining reservations with less than a week to go. I still recommend making reservations if you know you want to eat somewhere specific or at a specific time, but getting reservations are much easier. At this point, you cannot reserve FP times. The operating hours are posted about 45-days/6-weeks in advance. Entertainment and other information is added and changed; sometimes refurbishments are added with almost no notice and sometimes they're taken off without notice. I general feel that DLR's schedule (excluding operating hours) is more fluid than WDW's.

So besides refurbs & entertainment being up in the air, do you have any assessments based on the marathon crowds or August still being 'summer season' and the end of the 60th make my plans look unworthy of our time?

I think this largely depends on your outlook in terms of crowds, operating schedules, etc. I've been to DLR in the height of summer and it was busy, but still possible to have a lot of fun. In the end, I do think it's a trade-off. I think August through Labor Day will have good-sized crowds, but there will also be longer hours and more entertainment, while early September may have lower crowds, but shorter operating hours, less entertainment, and more refurbishments.

 

[lilolove]

Thanks. I'm aware of the longstanding refurbishments and while it's obviously not ideal, we knew that part would be down at least. DL isn't a "must" for us, it was just a more recent revelation of, we could... Would have no problem sticking to our annual WDW trips if this doesn't work out. Like I said, we were just thinking of trying something new.

I was thinking more of flights & hotels as the "no-no". I know DL isn't highly-dependent on reservations like WDW is, and from what I thought, DL still does paper FPs (did I miss something ) Just wondering if waiting til a month beforehand to book a flight/hotel to this crazy-tourist place is a bad idea or not. For me, personally, I would like to book in advance and that's probably what I'll do. Just musing I guess.

We're early riser and late sleepers whilst at WDW, so we can outlast a lot of the crowds there. Going in the fall has got us used to shorter operating hours, but we always have a great time. The trade-offs make sense. On one hand, DL isn't an every-year thing for us, and the "oh well, catch that attraction next time" isn't plausible. So I feel that braving larger crowds to have a more wholesome experience may be worth it. On the other hand, I want to let the crowds go away and enjoy being there as opposed to feeling like I have to do everything.

It sounds like I've gotten myself nowhere.

But thanks for your help! This has helped me sift through things some more. Must stew on it...

 

[figment_jii]

DL still does paper FPs (did I miss something )

Yes, DLR still uses the "Legacy" (i.e., Paper) FP system.

 

[ADLFAN]

I also think that the Disneyland Forever Fireworks and Paint The Night Parade will last for years after the Anniversary. They really invested a lot in both shows, and it seems that they need to play for a few years to earn their keep!

It is totally possible to plan on booking a last minute trip, but lodging might be an issue. For one or two nights, you can probably search the Web for last minute deals and get in a place on Harbor for close to 100.00 a night, but that is not at all a guarantee. For a longer stay, the rooms right across the street from the pedestrian entrance on Harbor Blvd. will likely be booked up a month or more in advance, especially if you're butting up against marathon crowds. I would recommend securing a room somewhere and canceling it a few days before if you won't make it. There are so many hotels in the area, but I love the convenience of walking across one crosswalk and through the shuttle drop off to security, it's SO CLOSE! Just use Google maps to investigate the area and Trip Advisor to check out reviews. And follow up with questions for the knowledgeable people on Disboards!

Have fun planning!

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

As for hotels, the further out you book the cheaper they will be, so I would book some tentative reservations for one or more possible time frames. In my experience they all have cancellation policies that will let you cancel up to 48 hours before your trip with no penalty, so it doesn't hurt to lock in good rates now and then cancel later if you decide not to go. I am speaking primarily of the hotels along Harbor Blvd. There are only three on-site hotels and in some cases they aren't any closer to the gates than the Harbor hotels. I don't know what their cancellation policies are. In general, staying on-site at DLR doesn't have the same meaning that it does at WDW.

I don't fly in, so I can't help you there!

 

[lilolove]

Yes, DLR still uses the "Legacy" (i.e., Paper) FP system.

Great, miss those babies!

I also think that the Disneyland Forever Fireworks and Paint The Night Parade will last for years after the Anniversary. They really invested a lot in both shows, and it seems that they need to play for a few years to earn their keep!

It is totally possible to plan on booking a last minute trip, but lodging might be an issue. For one or two nights, you can probably search the Web for last minute deals and get in a place on Harbor for close to 100.00 a night, but that is not at all a guarantee. For a longer stay, the rooms right across the street from the pedestrian entrance on Harbor Blvd. will likely be booked up a month or more in advance, especially if you're butting up against marathon crowds. I would recommend securing a room somewhere and canceling it a few days before if you won't make it. There are so many hotels in the area, but I love the convenience of walking across one crosswalk and through the shuttle drop off to security, it's SO CLOSE! Just use Google maps to investigate the area and Trip Advisor to check out reviews. And follow up with questions for the knowledgeable people on Disboards!

Have fun planning!

Thanks for the reassurance! I've heard good things about both parade and fireworks and I'd love to see them. Also World of Color...oh my gosh! I feel the need to go now...And yeah, I was just musing on the 'booking late' thing. Totally not my style, so if we do go, I'll have things booked ahead of time. Just depends when we go now.

As for hotels, the further out you book the cheaper they will be, so I would book some tentative reservations for one or more possible time frames. In my experience they all have cancellation policies that will let you cancel up to 48 hours before your trip with no penalty, so it doesn't hurt to lock in good rates now and then cancel later if you decide not to go. I am speaking primarily of the hotels along Harbor Blvd. There are only three on-site hotels and in some cases they aren't any closer to the gates than the Harbor hotels. I don't know what their cancellation policies are. In general, staying on-site at DLR doesn't have the same meaning that it does at WDW.

I don't fly in, so I can't help you there!

Thanks for the advice! And yep, done the research and as lovely it would be to stay at a DL hotel, we would definitely be staying at a 'offsite' hotel. Heck yeah I'd love to save money AND be able to walk to the parks! It'll be an adjustment for sure, being outside of the 'Disney bubble', but can't beat the prices and convenience. And yeah, flying in from the East Coast, so I'd rather not book those on a whim.

 

[chrisaman]

We go every year for the marathon weekend and it does get crowded. You should be good Monday through Thursday as the real crowds don't hit till Friday. Now don't get me wrong, it is still summer busy that week but not like it will be the holiday weekend. Space mountain usually doesn't go down till after Labor Day weekend so that should be up and running but haunted mansion is always down Labor Day weekend. Should you choose to go in the parks on the marathon weekend, if you go straight into the parks after the run. It is dead. People don't start trickling in after the run till like 1030 or 1100. After the run it seems like people shower, eat sit down breakfasts, and then go to the parks. However, I think your strategy of Monday through Thursday would be best.

What were you planning on doing outside the parks?

 

[chrisaman]

Also, during run weekend the ART bus system is free for runners. So if you book a hotel that has an ART stop, staying a little further from the park isn't horrible. But that just runs for free Thursday through Sunday I believe.

 

[Flipper]

We are also WDW vets that go every year (last visit was in Aug). We just went to DLR for the first time over winter break and I absolutely loved it (kids still prefer WDW). Only had one day tp experience it (would have preferred to have at least 2 days) and it was a 10/10 crowd level but managed to get a lot done in both parks (rope drop, fast pass, single rider). The parks are very compact, so easy to get from ride to ride. But that also means crowded walkways and lots of outside queues and it was often hard to find the end of the line. The layout of DL is very similar to MK and walking between DL and CA is a breeze. Because it was so busy when we went many FP were gone early in the day (Space, RSR, Indy, etc).

 

[lilolove]

We go every year for the marathon weekend and it does get crowded. You should be good Monday through Thursday as the real crowds don't hit till Friday. Now don't get me wrong, it is still summer busy that week but not like it will be the holiday weekend. Space mountain usually doesn't go down till after Labor Day weekend so that should be up and running but haunted mansion is always down Labor Day weekend. Should you choose to go in the parks on the marathon weekend, if you go straight into the parks after the run. It is dead. People don't start trickling in after the run till like 1030 or 1100. After the run it seems like people shower, eat sit down breakfasts, and then go to the parks. However, I think your strategy of Monday through Thursday would be best.

What were you planning on doing outside the parks?

Thanks for the insight! Very helpful. We have decided to take the summer-route and go pre Labor Day, sticking to Mon-Thurs at the parks and avoiding the marathon/holiday weekend entirely. We figure it's more important to experience all the rides and entertainment, even with more people around. For a potentially once-in-a-lifetime trip, longer hours at a place we're not going to be spending much time resort-hopping or hanging outside of the parks, this seems like the best option for us.

As for other things outside the parks, we were planning to hit up beach for a few days...maybe explore LA...and after our last park day on Thursday, pack up the bags and head to San Diego to hang out with a cousin for the holiday weekend. Any suggestions?

 

[lilolove]

We are also WDW vets that go every year (last visit was in Aug). We just went to DLR for the first time over winter break and I absolutely loved it (kids still prefer WDW). Only had one day tp experience it (would have preferred to have at least 2 days) and it was a 10/10 crowd level but managed to get a lot done in both parks (rope drop, fast pass, single rider). The parks are very compact, so easy to get from ride to ride. But that also means crowded walkways and lots of outside queues and it was often hard to find the end of the line. The layout of DL is very similar to MK and walking between DL and CA is a breeze. Because it was so busy when we went many FP were gone early in the day (Space, RSR, Indy, etc).

I'd definitely like to make this trip work over another visit to WDW (did I really just say that!?) I just want to see some new things. We are early-risers, young couple without kids, and loved the old FP system, so I think we'll be able to keep up with the crowds, if not stay ahead of them. I'm prepared for smaller parks, but I'm also excited to be able to just take time and appreciate all the little details. Not worried about a lack of things to do, that's for sure.

What does everyone think about park hoppers? We're not the park-hopping type at WDW. One, because it wastes time. Two, because we like to keep ourselves immersed in the same world every day. So jumping from animals to movies, or fantasy to the World Showcase doesn't feel as fun to us as keeping with the theme. I know the parks are so close that #1 doesn't matter. So it's up to #2 and I think we can manage without park hoppers. Sound good?

 

[figment_jii]

What does everyone think about park hoppers? We're not the park-hopping type at WDW. One, because it wastes time. Two, because we like to keep ourselves immersed in the same world every day. So jumping from animals to movies, or fantasy to the World Showcase doesn't feel as fun to us as keeping with the theme. I know the parks are so close that #1 doesn't matter. So it's up to #2 and I think we can manage without park hoppers. Sound good?

I'm a big fan of park hoppers at DLR (I do park hop at WDW as well) because they give you flexibility. However, I'm not entirely sure how to answer given what you said about liking to be immersed in the same "world" for an entire day. DLR's two parks do, to some degree, have a mixture of attractions for all four of the WDW attractions. There is no way to avoid jumping from one theme to another in the course of a single day at DLR, even if you stay within one park. DLR doesn't have anything quite like the animal attractions at AK or Epcot's World Showcase, so you don't have to worry about those "jumps." DL is mostly like MK, although you'll find some attractions from DHS (e.g., Star Tours). DCA is most like DHS, but you'll find some attractions from MK (e.g., Little Mermaid), Epcot (e.g., Soarin'), and AK (e.g., Bug's Life). In your shoes, I would probably opt to go without park hoppers at first and then see how the first day goes. In most cases, you can add the park hopper option to a ticket at any point as long as the ticket is still valid (same price regardless of when it's added).

 

[Flipper]

I'd definitely like to make this trip work over another visit to WDW (did I really just say that!?) I just want to see some new things. We are early-risers, young couple without kids, and loved the old FP system, so I think we'll be able to keep up with the crowds, if not stay ahead of them. I'm prepared for smaller parks, but I'm also excited to be able to just take time and appreciate all the little details. Not worried about a lack of things to do, that's for sure.

What does everyone think about park hoppers? We're not the park-hopping type at WDW. One, because it wastes time. Two, because we like to keep ourselves immersed in the same world every day. So jumping from animals to movies, or fantasy to the World Showcase doesn't feel as fun to us as keeping with the theme. I know the parks are so close that #1 doesn't matter. So it's up to #2 and I think we can manage without park hoppers. Sound good?

With 4 days you don't need hoppers especially being able to rope drop each park twice. We knew we would not be getting back to DLR in the near future so hoppers were our only choice to experience both parks. Well worth it for us. I was shocked how much we got done during such a busy time.

 

[lilolove]

I'm a big fan of park hoppers at DLR (I do park hop at WDW as well) because they give you flexibility. However, I'm not entirely sure how to answer given what you said about liking to be immersed in the same "world" for an entire day. DLR's two parks do, to some degree, have a mixture of attractions for all four of the WDW attractions. There is no way to avoid jumping from one theme to another in the course of a single day at DLR, even if you stay within one park. DLR doesn't have anything quite like the animal attractions at AK or Epcot's World Showcase, so you don't have to worry about those "jumps." DL is mostly like MK, although you'll find some attractions from DHS (e.g., Star Tours). DCA is most like DHS, but you'll find some attractions from MK (e.g., Little Mermaid), Epcot (e.g., Soarin'), and AK (e.g., Bug's Life). In your shoes, I would probably opt to go without park hoppers at first and then see how the first day goes. In most cases, you can add the park hopper option to a ticket at any point as long as the ticket is still valid (same price regardless of when it's added).

Thanks for the input. Having four days makes me feel like we'll be okay on the 'needing flexibility' portion, so I'm tempted to stay away from them and stick to our usual touring style. If we want a breath of fresh air from a park, we could always venture to Downtown Disney.

Good to know about being able to add the option on later, though I doubt we will. As long as it's not completely necessary and a mistake to not have it, I'd lean towards sticking with our usual style.

With 4 days you don't need hoppers especially being able to rope drop each park twice. We knew we would not be getting back to DLR in the near future so hoppers were our only choice to experience both parks. Well worth it for us. I was shocked how much we got done during such a busy time.

This definitely makes sense. As I said above, four days eases my mind about needing to hop to do everything. If we only had 2 days or so, I'd definitely go for it. Also with it still being 'summer season', hopefully entertainment will be plentiful on the schedule and we'll be able to catch one great thing each night.

Next question for you all:
Buying tickets - thinking about using aRes. Any experiences? I read the only real downside is that you have to take your voucher to the booth and exchange for your real ticket then, and you may have to deal with long lines. However, say we are already in Anaheim on the Sunday before we hit the parks on Monday. I could definitely obtain my tickets on Sunday without wasting any time, right? And this would mean I could still use my four days starting Monday through the end of the year, correct?

 

[lilolove]

Adding to my last post about ticket questions...I also read about way.com where someone said they printed their vouchers at home and exchanged them for actual park tickets at the gate, not the ticket booth. Is this a real thing? Trying to save money wherever we can, but also don't want to add unnecessary stress to save a few bucks.

 

[figment_jii]

Adding to my last post about ticket questions...I also read about way.com where someone said they printed their vouchers at home and exchanged them for actual park tickets at the gate, not the ticket booth. Is this a real thing? Trying to save money wherever we can, but also don't want to add unnecessary stress to save a few bucks.

I would take a look at this thread: Where to Buy Tickets and then ask over there about how way.com's tickets work. It sounds like they might have switched ticket types recently, so it might be a bit before anyone reports back about how it's working now.

 

[savvy?71]

As Eastcoasters & regular WDW visitors we finally headed West last summer for combo CA/DL trip. I had been needing a change from WDW & had been (as you said) " yearning" to check out DL/DCA.

It was,so worth the heat (jul/aug), the crowds (summer/60th celebration), & the learning curve. I say learning curve because although DL/DCA is smaller, everything was new & we wanted to not feel rushed. "Smaller" definitely didn't mean less time needed (for us); I believe there are just as many rides in 2 parks as WDW's 4 parks.

We had 4 days which was perfect. We stayed onsite, used all the early entries, rope drop, legacy fast pass system (!), & afternoon breaks to swim ( basically same as we do at WDW). Loved the easy proximity park to park & hotel to park. Loved not going through frantic meal reservation planning (we walked in everywhere with exception of 15 min wait for Cafe Orleans ).

Basically if you can fit it in- do it! But by all means do not skip Radiator Springs Racers in DCA and enjoy the differences between DL & WDW's Pirates & Indy & Small World. World of Color water show at DCA is a unique experience as well.