I'm So Mad At Myself!

[bouncy54]

I just figured out that I planned the first leg of our vacation during Veteran's Day weekend. According to numerous websites, it was so crowded at DLR during this weekend last year, that they actually had to close the park to any new admissions.

We won't be arriving at our Hotel until about 11:00 AM and on Nov. 10th. We were planning on checking in, then heading over to DCA for the day. If we don't get into the park until noon, I don't think we'd even have much of a chance of getting a Fast Pass for Tower of Terror, Soarin' or California Screamin'. I just don't know what to do.

I've thought about going to Knott's and the Medevil Dinner that first Saturday, but I noticed that even they are expecting quite a crowd that weekend by the hours they have posted for November.

I'm also a bit concerned about staying at the Desert Inn & Suites too because of the parking situation. I've read several reviews about people having to park down at the Hilton because this hotel has such limited parking.

I'm usually not a worrier, but when you're working so hard, and for so long, to get the money to go on vacation...you just want things to go right.

 

[hlbtimes2]

Have you already booked, or are you still just planning? Who did you book through? Any chance you could slide the dates one way or the other by a few days? I know that through Disney travel it would only be a $25 change fee to change the dates (plus any additional costs that the new dates may cause).

 

[Cath1967]

We were there Veterans day 2005 and the friday was nuts! i have never seen the park like that. However the saturday was busy, but nothing like the friday. We actually left the park mid day and couldnt bring ourselves to go back. They closed it at noon due to capacity. The saturday though was busy but not so bad, we did EE and FP's and made out fine ... the following monday tuesday were a lot less busy and our friends were there the wednesday, thursday and it was a lot quieter ... so just avoid the friday and it should be ok. We were at the park in 99 and 2000 the same week and it was nothing like 2005 ... so it has definetly gotten a lot busier at that time.

 

[VWCat]

we are going the opening week of nemo,I'm sure it's gonna be nuts too..just think about the positive stuff and plan plan plan around the busy-ness to make the most of your time,or try and switch if ya still can?

 

[Hollyster2]

We have gone Veteran's day weekend for the last several years and always have a great time. Yes it can get crowded, but we plan to get to Disneyland as early as possible and collect fast passes. When the park gets crowded we head over to CA adventure, and hang out. We go back to Disneyland when CA Adventure closes and do all of our fast passes. On another day we enter Disneyland as early as we can, hit some populars stuff we may have missed before CA adventure opens, and then go over to CA adventure close to opening and start collecting fast passes...and ride what we can. We really have NEVER had a bad trip on Veteran's day weekend. It just takes some planning. Your most well used hours will be at the openings of Disneyland. You can always adjust CA adventure around that.

 

[eatmypixiedust]

I went to DL on Veteran's Day last year. My siblings and one of my siblings group of friends wanted to go. I warned them it would be packed but that was the only time they could go. We got to the park early but it was still crowded. It grew worse by the afternoon and late into the evening. At some points when we were trying to cross Main St. to get to Frontierland or Adventureland there were so many people and it felt like we were cows trapped in a huge herd of cattle!

 

[bouncy54]

Thanks to everyone who answered. I downloaded RideMax this morning. (I was going to purchase it anyway before we went)

If this software does what it, and so many others, claims it does...I think we'll be ok with going to DCA that first Saturday afternoon.

I entered Easter weekend as my dates to get a somewhat accurate itinerary for a holiday weekend. We may only get to ride on 2 of the major rides...Tower of Terror and Grizzly Rapids, but this will give us time to take in some of the other things that I have never done there like the Tortilla Factory and Animation. We also have a 5-yr-old going with us and maybe he'll have time to get on some of the "kiddie" rides in Bug Land.

All in all, I'm feeling a lot more optimistic than I was before.