Horrific crowds Thanksgiving week!

[LisainCalifornia]

I am with Todzwife--(see her similar thread)

It was that bad, people. And you are talking to a hardcore disneyland lover here--we go 2-3 times a year, and this was just beyond everything I have experienced in crowds. Even to get a cup of hot chocolate was a major event that took almost one hour of waiting in line!

We have gone the past few years in early December (like the 3rd-11th ish) and it has been perfect. The crowds are totally managable--the experience magical. This time, not so much! I felt like I didn't even see the Christmas Decorations this time, because there was just too many people to see anything.

Even our beloved Disneyland Hotel was not up to par--it was a big bag of meh with a premium view (oh yes, I paid extra for this) of construction dirt and tarps.

So we are home now, older, wiser, and never to journey to Disneyland Thanksgiving week again.

Oh, and don't even get me started on the Tuesday night fiasco of World of Color that included freezing rain. Let's just say I gritted my teeth with the rest of the moms in the crowd and plastered a smile on my face, all the while thinking "I will pay anyone big money to end this show early and let us all go home". As we made our way back to the DLH, my only saving grace was remembering to call "Mama has dibs on the shower FIRST".

 

[minnieandmickey]

I am with Todzwife--(see her similar thread)

It was that bad, people. And you are talking to a hardcore disneyland lover here--we go 2-3 times a year, and this was just beyond everything I have experienced in crowds. Even to get a cup of hot chocolate was a major event that took almost one hour of waiting in line!

We have gone the past few years in early December (like the 3rd-11th ish) and it has been perfect. The crowds are totally managable--the experience magical. This time, not so much! I felt like I didn't even see the Christmas Decorations this time, because there was just too many people to see anything.

Even our beloved Disneyland Hotel was not up to par--it was a big bag of meh with a premium view (oh yes, I paid extra for this) of construction dirt and tarps.

So we are home now, older, wiser, and never to journey to Disneyland Thanksgiving week again.

Oh, and don't even get me started on the Tuesday night fiasco of World of Color that included freezing rain. Let's just say I gritted my teeth with the rest of the moms in the crowd and plastered a smile on my face, all the while thinking "I will pay anyone big money to end this show early and let us all go home". As we made our way back to the DLH, my only saving grace was remembering to call "Mama has dibs on the shower FIRST".

I have to agree the crowds were crazy. We got in on Sunday night and the park was nice. Got on to everything fairly easy. Got into the park Monday morning first thing. Still not bad. We ate at the Blue Bayou at 11:30 and when we came out it was crazy!!!! Wall to wall people. We rode HM first had about a 30 min wait, when we came out they had the lines roped off from HM all the way to Cafe Orleans, same with Pirates. Waited 40 min for BTM (ok that's not too bad). Thankfully we got a fastpass earlier that morning for SM because they were out when we got in line for that and it was over an hour wait. Never got to IASW. It reminded me of NYE @ the MK @ WDW the year we went. We did have a great time though.....it is Disney afterall

 

[Raindown]

I'd recommend this week or the week prior to Thanksgiving, both are much better.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Turkey Day - Saturday was fine

 

[LisainCalifornia]

Turkey Day - Saturday was fine

I am glad it was good for you on those days! We were there before that--Monday thru Wednesday. The only other time that even remotely compared to this time as far as crowds was a few years ago when we went for spring break--but this was much worse. I am typically pretty adaptable to the crowds (we go in the summer and spring) but this was just was overwhelming.

 

[todzwife]

Yeah, I truly feel like we need a do-over trip. As much as I love DL, the magic wasn't there, I left completely disenchanted, and frustrated. I've never seen crowds like that and although we were able to get almost everything done that I wanted to, just manuvering through the crowds, trying to find food, heck even the bathrooms had lines. It was awful.

And it makes me SO sad. I saved for 2 YEARS for that trip. At least my kids had a ball.

 

[CrazyDuck]

Turkey Day - Saturday was fine

All AP's blocked out on those days!

 

[MattsPrincess]

Wow that's crazy. We noticed it a bit too, but Monday was our last day. We were there from Thursday (the 18th) on and had wonderful crowds and barely waited for anything. When we went in Monday morning, we could see a difference almost immediatley. We got onto Dumbo and the Tea Cups fairly easily, but not as much so as we already had. When we left our Minnie's breakfast around 10:40, we were awe struck at the amount of people.

We also saw the HM line wrapped to Cafe Orleans. We were supposed to stay most of the day and then drive home, but by 1:30 we couldn't take it anymore and left, just so that our last day wouldn't be miserable, not able to do anything. It was so weird to go from 4 days of walking onto practically everything and meeting every character, to all of the sudden waiting in 10+ minute lines for the bathroom! We just could not believe it, and feel very luck to have picked the dates we did.

I'm so sorry your trip wasn't as magical / enjoyable as it could have been.

 

[jory29]

Disney??? Are you listening???? These types of crowds are sheer MADNESS... we experienced horrific crowding last October, and swore we won't go back in October. Disney needs to come up with a reasonable way to manage crowds because right now, it isn't working.

Edited to add, Todzwife, we feel the same, we have to spend so much money for 4 of us to fly in from Alberta, and we have actually planned 2 'do-over' trips due to the crowds.... guess what happened on our last trip? DS and I spent 4 out of 7 days in the hotel room (thank God for Hojo's, it was at least a great room) with an emergency visit from the Doctor, and an $1000 USD bill for both of us. Thank goodness for medical insurance, that's all I can say! I really feel for you and others during the crowded times, it is very difficult to enjoy anything then.

 

[Goofy_Mom]

Disney??? Are you listening???? These types of crowds are sheer MADNESS... we experienced horrific crowding last October, and swore we won't go back in October. Disney needs to come up with a reasonable way to manage crowds because right now, it isn't working.

Edited to add, Todzwife, we feel the same, we have to spend so much money for 4 of us to fly in from Alberta, and we have actually planned 2 'do-over' trips due to the crowds.... guess what happened on our last trip? DS and I spent 4 out of 7 days in the hotel room (thank God for Hojo's, it was at least a great room) with an emergency visit from the Doctor, and an $1000 USD bill for both of us. Thank goodness for medical insurance, that's all I can say! I really feel for you and others during the crowded times, it is very difficult to enjoy anything then.

The last time I was at Disney in October was 2007, it was my absolute favorite time to go, the weather was perfect, crowds were low to moderate, and the only thing that was down was IASW for holiday overlay. We went mid month. Have things changed so much in 3 years that it's sooo bad crowd wise?

OP: I was waiting for fireworks when the rain came down. DH insisted that DS2 get a "good" spot for the show. I staked out my spot 2 hours early. I was a bit cold, but no rain. . . until about 15 minutes before showtime. By then DS2 fell asleep but since I'ld been waiting all this time, I was about to move, besides it was a bit crowded by now. Then the rain really started to come down, I didn't want DS2 to get wet so I put my hoodie over him like a blanket. I toughed out the rain and fireworks in my tee, walked in the rain to stoller rental, unloaded sleeping DS2 and our gear and walked back to Camelot holding 40lbs of sleeping baby. Needless to say, I feel you pain. I second a do-over.

 

[Sherry E]

The crowds you describe from Thanksgiving week are exactly the kinds of crowds I encountered on the day I was at DLR last year in December, and I wasn't prepared for it because I was expecting manageable crowds like what I had seen in 2008 and 2007. It was too crazy, ridiculously, oppressively crowded last year to do much of anything. I mean, I had a good time because I was with friends and was at DLR, but I didn't get nearly the number of photos I wanted, nor did I get into any shops, etc. We couldn't even get back into the alleys of NOS. The line for POTC was the longest I had seen since the early '90s or before. It didn't help matters any that we only had one day last year, and no time to come back and do things later.

The crowds last year are exactly the reason I vowed to switch up my dates this year and make some of them weekdays instead of weekends, not to mention go to DLR a wee bit earlier in the month than I normally would go. I actually think it might work to my advantage that the CM parties are taking place on two of my nights, as it might keep some of the crowds down on those two days.

And if it is crazy crowded again this year, I will switch my dates again next year!!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

All AP's blocked out on those days!

Yep ~ that's why we chose those days

 

[d1sneymom]

yup i agree. The crowds were not fun. We were there Sunday-Wednesday. And the rain did not deter many from leaving. BUT there was a time I went in December, the day after Christmas, and I would never ever do that again! I still remember standing near HM and looking toward Frontierland/NOS and it was just a standstill of people. And though I am not claustrophobic I felt like I couldn't breathe. Last year we went the day after Thanksgiving and it was awesome!

There was another year where I went for New Years Eve and it was great! The crowds were bearable and we got an awesome view for the countdown and fireworks.

The lines were crazy this year. At one point the line for POTC went almost to the start of HM and wound around. Walking anywhere near NOS was a mess. I didn't get near BTMM or that area because it was just too much of a pain in the tush to move. We stood in line for TSMM for 1 1/2 hours. And normally I wouldn't do that but it's DS favorite ride. We will not go again for Thanksgiving. Maybe we'll try the week before for next year. It's really pretty during the holidays and I love the magic during the holidays. But with DH work season crazy busy during the holidays there really won't ever be a time we could. He didn't even come with us this time. Pretty big bummer too since we (DS and I) got annual passes from my IL's as our Christmas gifts.

I'm taking this DL experience as a when you know better you do better.

BUT I am already planning our trip for DS 5th birthday (in May) and one for my BD in September and when we head down to San Diego in June. Then try to squeeze in 1 or 2 more before our APs expire in November. And since this is our first time getting APs we'll see how many times we get to go this year and see if APs are actually worth getting.

 

[pixiewings71]

Turkey Day - Saturday was fine

Last year we went Tgiving-Mon and like you, thru Sat was fine, crowds did get worse on Sat but they weren't that bad at all.

All AP's blocked out on those days!

Yup, except Premium (which we had) & Premier.


OP sorry you (and Todzwife) had such poor experiences. Hopefully your next DL trip will be much better.

 

[tholczer]

We've gone every year on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and had very moderate crowds. The thing that's changed this year is that many, many school districts in California have the entire Thanksgiving week off where they didn't before. So when you combine tourist season with AP's being off work and school, you will always have a nightmare. I'm afraid we'll have to kiss our Wednesday goodbye for years to come. So sorry you all had such a dismal trip. Crowds can ruin things for me, too.

Tracy

 

[LisaCat]

All AP's blocked out on those days!

ALL? Is this a change? I thought the premium AP's had NO blockout days?

 

[LisaCat]

Yup, except Premium (which we had) & Premier.

*phew* I just got mine in October and have trips planned, including one that crosses over the blockout days for the standard AP.....

 

[Dizneydaz]

Sorry it was so bad. I'm not surprised though. Our school district (Corona/Norco) for the first time had almost all schools off all week. They just switched over all but a couple schools from year round schedule to traditional modified. For the first time we had the whole week off. If you're not familiar with where Corona/Norco is it is only about 30 min. east of DLR. A lot of families here have AP. I'm sure that added to the crowds M-W

My DM and DSis were there on Monday, the 22nd for awhile. My DM AP exp. that day so they decided to go for a few hours. They got there about 5 p.m. The parking structure wasn't too bad (they got to park in Chip 'n Dale) but once they got in the park it was crazy. The only rode one ride (the train) but still had a nice time. Almost all FP were gone for the day. Luckily they were there just to see some of the holiday magic.

 

[pixiewings71]

*phew* I just got mine in October and have trips planned, including one that crosses over the blockout days for the standard AP.....

You are good, you will have NO blackout dates to worry about.

 

[Princess Row]

Thanksgiving crowds.....we have gone EVERY year for the whole week and have never seen crowds like this.....it was worse than July crowds.

We stayed at the very tip top of the Dream tower in DLH in a deluxe suite next to the concierge lounge with a view of DTD. We loved it!

Lisain.....to bad I didnt see you! We watched World Of Color on Tuesday too. Let me mention it WAS POOORING! We sat in the VIP section which is roped off in the back. There was six empty benches in front of us and we asked to sit.....they refused us the seat. My mom was angry due to the fact that I cannot stand for long periods of time on my knees and they were in pain. (Still pooring rain) Long sotry short we were not happy with the arrangements and called our VIP coordinator. Well the VIP lost his job due to it. Which was not at all our intention but we should have been able to sit. We were in the VIP section.

Few problems on our trip.....we got locked out of our room, the keys were cancelled, we never recieved a bill, DLH misplaced our 6 day park hoppers which we were able to get back.
All in all we had a good trip. Although my knees are horrible and often in pain my wheelchair pass saved us for the lines this trip.

It also helped that we have golden fast passes.....cut the line tremendously and we were able to get all the rides done at least once and saw many characters!