How are Disney crowds now? (ongoing....)

[GlennB]

What would be great is if people can take a pic of the wait time board and post it on here.

 

[talie95]

We are going today! We will get there this afternoon and go to DCA and then tomorrow (Sat.) at DL so I'll report on crowds when I get back. I'll try to take a pic of the wait board if I remember!

 

[darose1234]

Can't wait to hear everyone's response this week to crowds as I leave in 1 week!

 

[Wavy Blue]

MySong-- little known fact: you don't have to use the FP within the return time window. It will be accepted till the end of the day. So a lot of people around here just pick them up in the morning (stockpiling) as soon as the next one becomes available-- stick them in their pockets-- take a break-- then come back and use them all one after another in the afternoon or evening. For more tips on how to do this, see Hydroguy's Tips Compilation, a sticky thread at the top of this forum-- specifically the FastPass section: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1520483

This doesn't always seem to be the case. I was in the standby line on Splash near the fastpass entrance and observed a CM turning away three youngsters with fastpasses because their window time had passed.

 

[nutshell]

This doesn't always seem to be the case. I was in the standby line on Splash near the fastpass entrance and observed a CM turning away three youngsters with fastpasses because their window time had passed.

I believe another poster said that this might happen with an inexperienced CM. If it happens, walk around a bit and come back or ask for another CM/the CM in charge. I've never been turned away.

 

[LVdisneyChick]

update update update....34 hrs to go...lol

 

[CAbryan]

In parks from Aug 5th to the 9th (wish I was still there)

Attendance seemed low, almost as slow as our NOV trip two years ago. Don't get me wrong, if you hit certain rides at peak times you will be waiting, but thats why we make a touring plan

Longest wait time we had the entire trip was TSM - 30 minutes 6pm on Thursday. (Note: we did not do nemo). On Wed the wait for TSM was 80m on park opening, I will post more in a trip report

 

[EnnEss]

Was there august 3 - 7.

Had a really different experience than the PP, it is definately far more crowded than november, or any other time really except christmas. I didn't mind, but there were lines everywhere, as I expected. Maybe thanksgiving in November? Thats supposed to be busier, but generally in november lines like now are completely non existent.


California

-TSMM had the longest line at opening, about an hour plus, it decreased to about 45 by afternoon and 35 late afternoon / evening.
-GRR was out of fastpass everyday by noon or 1. Standby at about 45 mins until evening.
-ToT had about 20 - 30 steadily.
-Screamin' was usually about 30 minutes solidly all day.
-Soarin' was up around 45 as well.
-Mullholland was usually 20.
-30 minutes for the ferris wheel usually, but walked onto the stationary cars with zero wait.

Disneyland

-Space, fastpasses gone by early afternoon each day, 1 - 2. 45 mins to 60 min standby, usually 45, only saw it at sixty a few times.
-Indy had a similar situation with fastpasses but one day they were all gone by just after noon! Usually 2 - 3 though. 45 min line from early morning down to 30 around closing.
-Matterhorn had the biggest swings, mid day maybe 30 minutes, night time down to 5 or 10.
-Nemo, longest during the day, 80 and up, dropped to about an hour in the evening, lowest at fireworks each night, maybe 45 minutes. Did this once.
-Splash, 45 minute waits on average, fast passes gone by 3 usually.
-BTMRR, 20 minutes usually, odd spike higher.
-Peter pan, 45 mins almost constantly until closing.
-Other fantasyland dark rides were 10 - 15 minutes with toad usually being 20 - 30.
-Roger Rabbit had abormally long lines, no idea why.
-Pirates, 10 minutes.
-Pooh consistenly had the shortest line it seemed.
-Monorail, complete disaster still, go on it very early or dont bother.
-Buzz, 10 - 20 minute waits.
-Innoventions was usually pretty lined considering, about 20 - 30 minutes during the day, asmo is very cool though.
-Star tours would be about 20 during the day, no line by late evening.

Something I missed? Just ask.

The crowds aren't massive, there are a lot of people there as it is summer, but its not unusually busy, I wouldn't say its unusually slow either though at this point. Maybe the new rides not having fastpass are helping to take make the parks seem to have less people? TSMM is very worth seeing by the way, so much fun.

 

[texaslover]

There from 4th -10th. Found it to be very slow in mornings and very busy from 2:00 till 10:00. Went to magic morning yesterday (8/9) and there were no lines from 7:00 till 11:00 or so.

Hated that Fantasmic totally clogged Adventure and Frontierland and that Fantasyland was closed all night for fireworks. It made 6:00 to 10:30 or so unbearable as far as walking around or getting on most rides.

This was our first trip to Disneyland and we loved many things about it. However, Fantasmic not having it's own theater and causing major traffic and crowds and the fireworks shutting down Fantasyland for extended periods of time would make us choose Florida for our next Disney vacation.

Don't get me wrong, there were times when we walked right on rides and it was fabulous, we had a wonderful time overall. The lack of Fastpasses and crowds for shows do make it much harder to enjoy the whole day, however.

 

[EnnEss]

This was our first trip to Disneyland and we loved many things about it. However, Fantasmic not having it's own theater and causing major traffic and crowds and the fireworks shutting down Fantasyland for extended periods of time would make us choose Florida for our next Disney vacation.

Don't get me wrong, there were times when we walked right on rides and it was fabulous, we had a wonderful time overall. The lack of Fastpasses and crowds for shows do make it much harder to enjoy the whole day, however.

How do you mean lack of fastpasses? I frequent both places, and there aren't less fastpasses at Disneyland, the ride capacity is really similar per ride. There are actually far more rides at Disneyland than any other park in America (disney one), and I always notice how much more you can do there than MK in one day as a result of the capacity of the rides. If you have the same amount of people in each park for instance, you'll get on more rides and there will be less lines at Disneyland because there are more seats.

I agree about fantasmic with you though, the one thing is about the DHS one is that its not as good in my opinion, and I saw the florida first, so no sentimental attachment. The ships are so pathetic in florida, the peter pan fighting and the ending is so much cooler in Disneyland, I felt.

 

[radiatorsprings]

Hi, I'm planning on going to Disneyland in November, right before my birthday. The first day we will be at the parks will end up being Veteran's Day (I didn't notice till I saw the park will be open till midnight that day). Anyway, does anyone know if it will be busy that day and if they have any special events for the holiday?

 

[texaslover]

How do you mean lack of fastpasses? I frequent both places, and there aren't less fastpasses at Disneyland, the ride capacity is really similar per ride. There are actually far more rides at Disneyland than any other park in America (disney one), and I always notice how much more you can do there than MK in one day as a result of the capacity of the rides. If you have the same amount of people in each park for instance, you'll get on more rides and there will be less lines at Disneyland because there are more seats.

There are no Fastpasses for big rides like Toy Story, Nemo, Jungle Cruise, Matterhorn, Peter Pan, Mr. Toad, Star Tours, Pirates, Haunted Mansion, and everything else in Fantasyland. Fantasyland closes after dinner and will not open again till after the fireworks. All the rides, Pinnochio, Mr. Toad, Alice in Wonderland, Dumbo, carousel, Teacups, Snow White, Storybook Boats, Casey Circus Trains....have long lines and not much time to see them all. In addition, Toon Town closes at 8:30 so you better see it and get FP for Roger Rabbit early or you miss out.

In CA there are many silly but fun rides like the Sun Wheel, Orange Stinger, Bug's Life, Monsters Inc., and again Toy Story that have long lines that never let up. I do appreciate that they let guests in early to do Soarin or Toy but that isn't well known to all and we got to the park at 9:00, waited for 30 min to be let in, waited another 30 in line to have the park open, and took 10 min to walk through the line to Toy. By the time we got there we figured it was an hour wait, just not during park hours. In a fast loading ride like that we could have gotten a Fastpass first thing and then gone on to do other things.

We loved DL and will go back again! We just found it frustrating to try to find times that certain rides were not busy and to decide that we could not see Fantasmic and the fireworks (from the park, we watched from our hotel) without committing 2 hours of time to waiting for a spot.

 

[EnnEss]

I see what you're saying but we'll just have to agree to disagree. Most of the rides you listed are fast loaders and fast pass would be kinda weird on PoTC or Haunted considering the lines dont often top 10 minutes even at peak season. Star tours actually has FP but its rarely needed as that ride is past its hey day in popularity it'd seem. Matterhorn waits drop tremendously in the evenings, even during the day the far side is often literally 1/4 the nemo side wait.

Little rides at DCA you mentioned are equivalent to ones at WDW that also dont have FP, so im not sure about the parrellel there. Fantasy land isn't closed, usually, from dinner on, it usually closes pretty late in the evening for the fireworks. Pinochio and Toad are some fan favorites, I love them both and always wish WDW had them. Pinochio though is usually pretty short on the wait time. Dumbo and teacups are the same as WDW, no fastpasses so I dont really see a different, except again far more rides at DL. Toontown is actually good at DL, but at WDW its just a shadow of it.

I think this all speaks to my point that no matter how you slice it you can get on more rides at DL than MK if the attendance is the same, regardless of fastpass. This has been done to death on these boards but fastpass doesnt actually allow you to ride a bunch more rides, if any extra at all, and not having one or two definately creates no noticeable impact. Im not really sure that MK has that many more fastpasses but they do have a lot less rides. They have fastpass on Haunted mansion, which is in use an extremely limited amount of time, I was there early summer and it wasnt in use. Jungle cruise in Disney rarely tops 10 - 15 minutes, so fastpass just doesn't make sense for it. I think this is just all a ressult of all those rides reducing overall wait time. I imagine just Indy sucks in 1000s of people and makes a bunch of fastpasses available and probably makes up the entire gap by itself, a stellar ride WDW lacks.

Fantasmic can be walked up to about 10 minutes before the show, but it does take some knowing where to go.

 

[sugarplumfairy]

***BUMP***
Looking for updated info... we're going on Tuesday! Any predictions for next week since SO CAL AP's are no longer blocked? TIA!

 

[pumpkin5156]

***BUMP***
Looking for updated info... we're going on Tuesday! Any predictions for next week since SO CAL AP's are no longer blocked? TIA!

we're going next Wed (the 20th) b/c we are socal AP holders.


Here we come!!!

 

[Danauk]

We are here now (I'm dissing from my balcony at the GCH watching people on Grizzly!! Anyway the crowds are OK. Nemo was around 45 mins at mid day yesterday and if you pic up fast passes for the main rides you will be fine (FP's didn't seem to be running out.) Toy Story was 40 minutes yesterday afternoon at around 5pm, but the line this morning at park opening was huge. Don't try to ride it then, wait until around 4-7pm and the lines seem to be better.

 

[reeltime]

we're going next Wed (the 20th) b/c we are socal AP holders.


Here we come!!!

ahhh, so it will be packed next week? We are there the 19th and 20th.

 

[canadadisney]

I did know about the So Cal passes. We are coming from Canada 17-22. (4 DAYS!!!!!)What are people's opinions about crowds? Will the So Cal pass situation make a difference?

 

[disneydreamer74]

We are here now (I'm dissing from my balcony at the GCH watching people on Grizzly!! Anyway the crowds are OK. Nemo was around 45 mins at mid day yesterday and if you pic up fast passes for the main rides you will be fine (FP's didn't seem to be running out.) Toy Story was 40 minutes yesterday afternoon at around 5pm, but the line this morning at park opening was huge. Don't try to ride it then, wait until around 4-7pm and the lines seem to be better.

Oh, thanks for the update! I am DLR bound tomorrown morning and was wondering what the crowd level would be!! Yay, finallly!!!!

 

[turtle51]

I was at Disneyland today. I took my goddaughter and we waited aprox 45 mins to see the princesses at the fantesy fair but it is well worth it. We waited about 15 minutes for dumbo and gadgets coaster and 30 minutes for roger rabbit because it broke down. She got pictures with mickey, minnie, goofy, pluto, ariel plus the princesses at the fantesty fair. I would say compred to past summers attendance is down. I am hoping it stays down this weekend when I go back to celebrate my bday. I am keeping my fingers crossed.