Help me get excited about our trip again

[mad hatter fan]

Please help me focus on all of the fun things we can still do instead of all of the things not available during our trip in January.

DH and I have planned a trip for just the two of us Jan. 15-20. We chose Jan. because our oldest has the whole month off from his first year in college and can stay with our younger two. We chose the holiday weekend on purpose because there would be one less day of high school for our DD to handle (major anxiety issues) while we are gone.

I knew that Fantasmic! is down then but after booking our (free with miles) tickets I found out my favorite show EVER, Remember, would be ending earlier than I realized. Boo Hoo! So I got over that disappointment, only to read on the latest miceage update yesterday that World of Color will be down to be upgraded for the 60th. And Soarin' (one of my favs) closed too.

So now virtually no night time entertainment. (I'm not feeling too encouraged about such an old fireworks show coming back) I know we will have a very good time together no mater what. And we really need this time away. Especially me since it is really draining to put so much time and effort into helping my daughter overcome so much anxiety. (She is improving little by little by the way ) So we can't really change when we go because it would be a $200 a piece fee and we really need the break sooner rather than later

So long story short, (too late) help me focus on the fun things we can do on this trip so I can feel excited about it again!

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Since it's just the two of you, you can focus on riding the rides that are fun to ride at night (for me: jungle cruise, splash, BTMRR, screamin, tot, and the swings are all super fun at night!) instead of the shows.... Go to DTD and have a drink and appetizers and people watch, shop... You will still have a blast and will probably find you have more time to spend doing stuff because you won't be missing out on the shows if they aren't happening anyway! You'll just have to plan another trip to catch them later

 

[Butterfly123]

I think you said it yourself. Focus on all the fun things that you will be able to do. If you start making a list of all the things that you want to do while you're in the parks, you will see that that list is far far longer than the short list of things that you won't be able to do. You and your husband will have a fantastic time and you'll have the chance to refresh just like you need to. Just keep your focus on the positives. You'll have a great visit.

 

[gottalovepluto]

You can definitely still have a wonderful time! I love the DTD recommendation above, it's fun at night and there's so much to explore restaurant wise. Take some more time to explore the shops in DL and DCA. We did that last trip and it's a lot of fun window shopping and seeing all the Disney touches throughout the various in-park stores. If the firework show is just going to disappoint you consider doing something else during that time, try a round-the-kingdom train trip while catching parts of the firework show from a new angle. Or ride BTMRR during that time. You can have a lovely trip even if some of your classic favorites are missing. On the speculative side maybe the crowds will be lighter with people waiting for the refurbs to be completed!

 

[GatorChris]

Oh, that's brutal! Who over at Disney planned that? Morons! There's still plenty to do, though. Especially on your own. You can go and enjoy Downtown Disney as only adults can. Then for some real fun, try staying in the parks for as long as you can. See if you can be one of the last ones out and have Main Street to yourself. Can't do that with kids.

 

[crystal1313]

That stinks! But, I know you will still have a blast! One of my favorite things to do with DH when we are at the parks alone is go to Trader Sams. We love it there and it's so nice to relax with a yummy drink and talk, really talk, without being interrupted! LOL. We also love to stay out later because we don't have the kids, and we love to ride our favorite E-Ticket attractions at night too. Another fun thing we like to do is grab a latte and sit on a bench in the hub and people watch. Plus, with the rides being down that you are missing, makes for a great excuse to plan another trip!!

 

[lalasmama]

Keep in mind that the refurb schedule, as of now, is still subject to change, and while we want to believe they have this all figured out, I remember at the beginning (and middle!) of this year, when everyone was saying, "Pirates is closed this date to that date" and that changed on nearly a daily basis. For weeks after making a Blue Bayou reservation, I kept reading on here that BB would be closed when Pirates was closed for a refurb, and I think that refurb was "rescheduled" about 8 times (thankfully, later and later, until it didn't impact our trip at all!).

As others have said, ride outdoor rides at night for a different flair. If you enjoy an adult drink, visit Trader Sam's or the lounge at Grand Californian. Sit with hubby and enjoy the atmosphere (and enjoy the fact that the only person seeking your attention will be your DH!). Spend some time just walking hand-in-hand. Do things that your kids would hate (LOL, our DD could handle never riding on a dark ride, so DH and I make sure to do a lot of dark rides when we go on our own). Watch shows if you don't normally do that. I'll admit my hubby and I also enjoyed a nightly soak in the hot tub. It was so nice at the end of the day! We also ate at places DD wouldn't like/appreciate.

 

[sunflare]

So now virtually no night time entertainment.

I can't imagine that EVERY night show but fireworks will be down that weekend...not only because it's a holiday weekend, but because it's also the Star Wars marathon weekend, and the first chance for anybody to get their Coast to Coast for the year. The refurb schedule is very flexible.

 

[SMD]

I can't imagine that EVERY night show but fireworks will be down that weekend...not only because it's a holiday weekend, but because it's also the Star Wars marathon weekend, and the first chance for anybody to get their Coast to Coast for the year. The refurb schedule is very flexible.

That's what happened during Tink last year. Fantasmic typically has a refurb after Christmas, the parks close at 8pm during the weekend anyway. And WOC went down to switch out from the Winter Dreams version back to the regular. If they do Winter Dreams again, I'd expect the same refurb period, just like HM and IASW have predictable refurbs to remove their overlays.

 

[mad hatter fan]

the parks close at 8pm during the weekend anyway.

Other weekends during Jan yes. Last year over the holiday weekend DL was open until 12 both Friday and Sat and till 11 Sun and Mon and WOC was up and running starting the Friday.

 

[SMD]

Other weekends during Jan yes. Last year over the holiday weekend DL was open until 12 both Friday and Sat and till 11 Sun and Mon and WOC was up and running starting the Friday.

That's a typo, I meant to say weekday, not weekend. It's typically midnight for DL on Fri-Sat, 11pm on Sun and 10pm for DCA. Yes, on the 3 day weekend it's open later on Monday, but there will be crowds, unfortunately.

I was just basically commenting that while people will be disappointed, January/February are really the best times to refurb Fantasmic because they have the most days when the parks close before the time when it would have started anyway.

 

[adykate]

I swear I am going to stop planning trips to Disneyland..j/k...sort of. We have been very lucky this past year and gone several times, and will be going again for the Star Wars weekend. It seems every time we have gone, whatever my kids are really into at that time are the things that are closed for refurbs. Yes, we still have good trips, but my 3.5yo talks about not being able to do X for months after the trip, lol! We have never gone to Fantasmic because they never had any interest and were always ready for bed by then (they are both under 4). Lately they have been obsessed with Fantasmic. Seriously, we listen to it 15+ times a day, and they will do just about ANYTHING if I use watching it as a reward. Every day they talk about wanting to watch it when we go in January. I wrongly assumed it would be running over a holiday/race weekend, even though I know it usually goes down sometime in the winter for work. I really hope at least WOC is going on sometime over that week/weekend we are there. Maybe I can switch their Fantasmic obsession to WoC...

I know refurb schedules change, and they have to work on things - especially when it is "off" season. But at the same time, when they host big events like a race weekend, or it is a holiday weekend, it is disappointing to have so much down. Yes we know it is winter season when we book in January, but we are going because it's when the race is happening. Kind of frustrating to have Disneyland do events to increase attendance, but not offer a full schedule of events.

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

You could use it as an excuse to plan a second trip!

 

[mgrace79]

When my family went in Early Feb 2013. There was a TON of rides down and no WOC or Fantasmic. Was kind of a bummer since it was DD first trip but we still had an amazing time! Looking forward to planning a return trip to try to get to do some of them but if we miss them again OH DARN another trip I will plan. Lol. Just remember to enjoy the moments you are in and you will find you aren't even missing those other things. If you dwell on the negative then you are only setting yourself up for disappointment.

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