I think the magic has fizzled....We were disappointed.

[cmputerdazed]

We got home last night and are really glad to be here. I know we come from a small town and don't do crowds very often but an hour wait for dumbo on Wednesday afternoon was our first experience. The lines were long all three days but Friday was totally out of control. 1/2 hour in line for a Churro, and an hour to get the golden mickey ears embroidered. There were not many characters out and those that were were walking somewhere fast. Or had lines too long to bother with. The only princess we saw had a line of a half block to talk to her. As you can see I don't stand in lines very well.

Friday for the fireworks the crowd was so large I couldn't believe the fire marshall wasn't having a heart attack. After the fireworks the crowd was so large there was no wiggle room. I prayed no own fell down or lost hands with a little one. I don't know how that can happen night after night. If it is worse than this in the summer I am suprised that people keep coming back.

On the bright side I loved California Soarin, Candy Cane Inn was great, We were together as a family and disney takes care of their property. The weather was really nice and sometimes the fast passes worked. We had them for autopia and they said they weren't using them so we were in that
line for about 35 to 40 min.

Sorry for the vent but we have been planning this trip for 4 years and it was too busy and crowded to really enjoy.

 

[BurleyGirl]

What dates were you there? We were there from the 13th-15th, and we experienced the same kind of crowds. We hadn't planned for 4 years, but since March, thinking that October would be a great time to go. So, when you go expecting one thing, and get another, it does take away from the magic. I never want to go again when it's that crowded! We were, however, able to find some magic (in the early morning hours), and I hope you were able to find some as well. I don't begrudge you your vent--I just hope you can remember the magic

 

[Janomi]

I'm sorry to hear that you planned for something for so long, and it wasn't up to snuff. I think the 50th Celebration this year has been making crowds bigger than usual (almost unbearable). Unfortunately, I think it will continue, even throughout the "slow" months. I hope that you have some good memories to cherish and consider DL again sometime.

 

[cmputerdazed]

we were there the 19-21st and I guess I was just really disappointed with the crowds. I wasn't expecting it. What was suprising in a crowd that large is that almost everyone was polite and fairly good natured. Being that crowded we were not able to see everything in that amount of time so I guess that is good for disney as more people stay longer. The smaller kids didn't let the crowds deter their good time and it was good for them. the 6 yr old danced all the day and into the night so I guess she will remember it as a magic time. The smaller one thought the shuttle ride to and from the park was the highlight of his days. As I said before disney takes great care of their gounds.

 

[AFMom]

That's really too bad - October is usually a great time, crowd and weather wise. It must have something to do with the 50th - so many more people are going to DL this year. I hang out on the DVC side of the DIS- boards, and most of them only go to WDW - but many have planned 1st time ever trips to DL because of the 50th - and of course, they are all trying to go during slow times. You probably also hit many of CA schools Fall Breaks they all have at least a week out there now off in October - and that would fall right in the middle of it. Anytime the schools are on fall break out there it's no longer a slow time - but since Oct used to be a slow time to go - it's going to be a tradition we'll have to break! I'm glad your kids had a great time and we LOVE the Candy Cane Inn! Hope you'll try to go again - after the 50th!

 

[iceskatejen]

CA schools don't have fall breaks (not in S CA anyway). Many do take a full week of at Thanksgiving, though.

It has been more crowded than normal the last few weeks. I do think it has to do with the 50th.

 

[caimakale]

Schools throughout Utah were out on Thursday (Oct. 20) and Friday (Oct. 21). When I plan trips during the school year, I plan them during weeks like this when my kids will actually miss less school time. We weren't in California however, I was in Denver on Thursday and Miami on Friday.

 

[Tink&SquirtsMom]

I don't know of any school in NoCal that has fall breaks (in OCT) either. Only break coming up anytime soon is a week for Thanksgiving, followed by Christmas vacation.

My mom just returned last week, and she had been there with my family at this time last year, and said the difference was insane. We have pictures from last year of my kids standing 20 feet away from us in Fantasyland with tons of background behind them and they are the ONLY people in the pic. My mom said that would never have happened this time, that crowds were just as bad as our summer trips.

That said however, Dumbo will almost always be crowded in the afternoon. Certain rides are the epitomy of DL to people and Dumbo happens to be one of those that people feel they have to ride to properly do DL. It also happens to be the slowest loading and holds the smallest number of people of any ride in the park. If you want to ride Dumbo do it first thing in the morning. Grab snacks and lunch at off hours (like lunch at 11 when the places first open) and you can avoid 1/2 hour churro lines. I've done alot of trips during very crowded times and it is doable and FUN (if you know how to avoid the lines) with the right amount of planning.

 

[moniquem]

I was just there the 13th thru the 17th? And I was talking to a few ppl I had met there and they said that Arizona had Fall Break the entire month of October - ALOT of people were there from Arizona. She explained to me that most of AZ is on a modified Year Round schedule now.
On Thursday the 13th, I think that Disney was also surprised with the crowds. It was supposed to close at 8, but a big announcement was made that DL was extending their hours to close at 9 instead....
There were a lot of people, but we still had an incredible time. I felt the magic, I just wish the fireworks could have happened every night! We are planning on going back in March!

 

[Kayla's Mom]

I was just there the 13th thru the 17th? And I was talking to a few ppl I had met there and they said that Arizona had Fall Break the entire month of October - ALOT of people were there from Arizona. She explained to me that most of AZ is on a modified Year Round schedule now.

I live in Phoenix and I don't know of any schools in my area that are year round. I know they did have one week of school off for Fall Break--but not the whole month. Maybe some of the schools in other parts of AZ are that way though? Not sure. Anyway....hope it's not crowded when you go!

 

[tlovesdis]

I live in the far East Bay of CA and in Brentwood & Oakley, the kids go year round and have the first two weeks of October off every year. I know a lot of people that go to DL at that time!

I think the 50th has really brought a lot of people to DL. We were there the 15th-18th and it was crazy busy! Saturday was the worst. It was miserable!

 

[ratmom]

We were there the 10th through the 13th. The school district that my children are in has year round schedules for most elementary schools. We live in Northern California. I hate to say Elk Grove, because of the whole Newdow thing, but we are in the Elk Grove district. Let me just tell you, that guy doesn't even live in Elk Grove......I regress.

My children have October, February and June and half of July off. The next track will have November, March and July off. The track after that has December, April and July off. See the pattern?

Anyway, we thought it was terribly crowded as well, since we usually visit the parks in October. I attributed the crowds to the 50th celebration.

As a nice little side note, my father in law is pictured on the 1957 Disneyland Guide Book, walking across the drawbridge away from the castle! I saw it in the book I picked up while I was there, and just purchased that guide book from ebay! My kids are thrilled to see Papa in print.

 

[Michelle2]

I think the 50th Celebration this year has been making crowds bigger than usual (almost unbearable). Unfortunately, I think it will continue, even throughout the "slow" months.

I totally agree.
We used to go in October every year ever since I was a child...started at the end (31st) and when I started going with my own family we worked our way closer and closer to the beginning because when we went, every year seemed to be more and more crowded....It is big for conventions, it is a great time weather wise...it was just getting to be THE good time to go for everyone.

We tried September this last time, and although it was busier due to the 50th, it was awesome! Hardly any lines anywhere, even though the streets seemed kinda busy. But as far as weekends go, any weekend will be busy at DL. The lines to get into the parks around the time for Fantasmic and fireworks was incredible (they were only held on the weekends when we went), I had never seem them so long before. I know locals show up especially to see the fireworks, so weekend evenings will always be packed for the 50th....

 

[yeartolate]

We have been twice during the 50th and the crowds have been nuts. We have had alot of luck with strategic planning and being ultra flexible. We went in early - hit and destroyed riding everything we could get onto in short order .....grabbed fastpasses for later that evening and left the parks from 2 - 6 pm.

I refuse to go back in Fantasyland after 10 or 11 AM. That place is nuts!

We were lucky on our second trip this year to have AAA unlimited passes, so that made life less stressful.

We will be going back in 3 weeks and our plan still sticks - seek and destroy early with strategic fastpass grabbing - rest and relax mid-day. Luckily, we have seen Fantasmic "enough" and the Fireworks "enough" and the Parade "enough" so we can concentrate on the other stuff! The only "special thing I would have made time for was the Electric Parade, and believe it or not, it is actually a relief that we do not have to plan around it!

 

[AFMom]

My MIL was a school teacher (and my 2 Aunt-in laws currently are teachers) in Northern CA - and they have one of the 1st three weeks of Oct off every year (just depends on what district you're in as to what week it is). They now make a joke that if you go to Disneyland one of those weeks you can't go 20 feet without bumping into a teacher from your school. So Cal may not - but the upper half of the state sure does have Fall Break!

 

[lark]

I live in Phoenix and I don't know of any schools in my area that are year round. I know they did have one week of school off for Fall Break--but not the whole month. Maybe some of the schools in other parts of AZ are that way though? Not sure. Anyway....hope it's not crowded when you go!

Yuck -- school in June and July in August would be awful in Arizona. I think you're right -- I don't know of any Arizona schools with year round attendance. It would be very very expensive to keep schools cool during the summer.

Many Arizona schools have recently been starting one week earlier in August and then taking an October week. This last week was definitely the break for Scottsdale School District and also I think several other large districts -- maybe Mesa.

I would think that Scottsdale and Paradise Valley being out of school would have a fairly significant effect on DL attendance. Definitely something to look for. Not that it will make or break, but could definitely add into the 4 or 5 figures in terms of additional attendance.

 

[gary403]

We just got back - were there from the 15th thru the 22nd. It was crowded on the weekends, but the weekdays (Tues/Wed/Thurs) weren't bad at all. There was a AAA convention the 1st weekend we were there and the 2nd weekend there were several other big groups. They even opened DL at 9:00 during the week instead of 10:00, so we knew by DL standards, the crowds were bigger than normal.

So sorry you were disappointed!! We had a great time, but have to admit we didn't do any rides on Friday, just shopped!!

 

[mickey4ver]

We just visited from the AZ area last week and found crowds heavy...

Also, the Queen Creek area of AZ has year round school and the week prior to last was a break for those kids.

 

[Eeyorecln]

I'm not sure what you mean by planned for 4 years? I'm sorry you didn't enjoy yourself, but next time I would include in the planning researching ride lines and come up with an itinerary. We used ridemax this summer and didn't wait in any long lines. There are also guidebooks that have tour schedules. I have used The Unofficial Guide for WDW with good results, they also have one for DL. They would tell you to do FL first at opening, especially Dumbo. We rode Dumbo in the morning and after 11 PM both with waits under 5 min. Disney can be crowded but with the a good itinerary, you can avoid some of the crowd and enjoy the magic.

 

[wackywexler]

We live 20 minutes from Disneyland. We were at Disneyland on October 13th. Why? Because yes, the kids had the day off from school. The school district next to us had the 13th and 14th off. Other local districts may have as well. It is a brief fall recess. I believe our teachers were having training. It is also the Jewish High Holiday, Yom Kippur.