It’s crazy here!!!

[Bossy22]

We have been at the parks for 2 days and it is crazyyy!!! We read that genie plus was good but you could survive without. We’ll it is really bad!!! We got in RSR when it said 55 mins (was suspicious as other rides were longer) and waited over 2 hours. All the headliners are 1-2 hours in huge heat. That we were prepared for, what surprised us was that the parks are slammed within an hour. We thought we could get some stuff done in the first couple of hours, but no. Slammed right away. The other thing is that rides that use to always be e 5 minute waits are even 1/2 an hour. There is nothing to do except wait in lines. They have literally made the parks unusable without genie + but even with genie + you want get much else done. We have 3 more days ard are making the best of it but it’s tough sledding.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I have found the in-park experience to be very poor lately, especially the rides. I honestly don’t have clue as to why all the rides lines are so insanely long. It was never this bad during the free fastpass/MaxPass days except on very very crowded days.

 

[Pluto468]

I'm sorry it's been so difficult to get much done. I wonder if it could be because of closures? When we were there in June lots of big rides were down multiple times during the day which of course has a ripple effect on everything else.

Have magic morning hours started? That could explain the morning being more crowded. Hopefully it gets better for the last few days of your trip.

Are you using Genie+? That made a huge difference for our trip.

 

[wonderfuller]

Yeah, I was there Saturday thru Monday. Saturday am was super great but Sunday and especially Monday were insane in both parks. I can’t even imagine not having Genie plus. I even depended on it for Small World and Buzz (was there with just my four year old). Also, very few breakdowns (at least on genie plus rides) much to my chagrin since I was fishing for MEPs!

 

[DLgal]

I have found the in-park experience to be very poor lately, especially the rides. I honestly don’t have clue as to why all the rides lines are so insanely long. It was never this bad during the free fastpass/MaxPass days except on very very crowded days.

Has it really gotten bad in the last couple weeks? Maybe they are low on staff on the rides due to covid and can't run as many vehicles? We were last in park on July 2 and 3 (covid has kept us away since) but the parks were really enjoyable those days. No super long lines, not many breakdowns. But Covid is RAMPANT right now and I have to imagine CMs are calling in sick in droves.

 

[haileymarie92]

Has it really gotten bad in the last couple weeks? Maybe they are low on staff on the rides due to covid and can't run as many vehicles? We were last in park on July 2 and 3 (covid has kept us away since) but the parks were really enjoyable those days. No super long lines, not many breakdowns. But Covid is RAMPANT right now and I have to imagine CMs are calling in sick in droves.

I think this is probably a huge factor. My organization (granted I work at a hospital) requires 10 days off work when you test positive for Covid. Imagine that at Disneyland- it can go from 2 people to 20 very fast. And if each of those cast members is required to be off a certain amount of time, its going to end up in a very sticky situation.

 

[DLgal]

I think this is probably a huge factor. My organization (granted I work at a hospital) requires 10 days off work when you test positive for Covid. Imagine that at Disneyland- it can go from 2 people to 20 very fast. And if each of those cast members is required to be off a certain amount of time, its going to end up in a very sticky situation.

That's what I'm thinking. I mean, I don't work outside the home, and I had "mild" symptoms, but didn't get a negative test result until day 9. I'm sure the union has pretty strict return to work guidelines for CMs that require a negative test and resolution of symptoms.

I can't think of any other reason that the parks would be particularly slammed right now.

 

[gelatoni fan]

I have found the in-park experience to be very poor lately, especially the rides. I honestly don’t have clue as to why all the rides lines are so insanely long. It was never this bad during the free fastpass/MaxPass days except on very very crowded days.

Maintenance has been really bad post-reopening. If every day, multiple major attractions are going down for hours at a time, those people will be filling the other lines. Today, RSR was down so Soarin' went to over 100 minutes.

For some rides like Autopia and especially Monsters Inc, the Genie+ rules have definitely made wait times worse.

I also think the reservation system has something to do with this. Imagine an Annual Passholder who would be perfectly happy going into the parks every day after work, seeing a night show, going on a couple rides and then going home. But now, they only have limited reservations so they'll instead use those limited reservations for the weekend and stay in the parks all day. Not only are they forced to wait in longer lines because they aren't going when wait times are low, but they're contributing to the elevated wait times on peak times when people want to go.

 

[GoingSince1990]

On our recent trip we found that Monday through Thursday was noticeably more crowded than Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Out of curiosity I looked at the ticket offers and sure enough there is a Southern California ticket with a very generous discount valid only Mondays through Thursdays, which could explain this.

 

[DLgal]

On our recent trip we found that Monday through Thursday was noticeably more crowded than Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Out of curiosity I looked at the ticket offers and sure enough there is a Southern California ticket with a very generous discount valid only Mondays through Thursdays, which could explain this.

Mondays-Thurs are always the busiest days. That's not new. Although, yeah, these ticket offers make that like 10x worse than it normally is.

 

[disneyerin]

Mondays-Thurs are always the busiest days. That's not new. Although, yeah, these ticket offers make that like 10x worse than it normally is.

Oh great

 

[Aurora0427]

That's what I'm thinking. I mean, I don't work outside the home, and I had "mild" symptoms, but didn't get a negative test result until day 9. I'm sure the union has pretty strict return to work guidelines for CMs that require a negative test and resolution of symptoms.

I can't think of any other reason that the parks would be particularly slammed right now.

Yes and you can test positive for months….. my sister has a coWorker who tested positive for 30 days. So if they’re requiring a negative test to come back to work, you may have people testing positive past the ten day mark who are stuck at home.

 

[Aurora0427]

Ugh I’m so sorry to hear this. We were there July 4th and it was great until late afternoon, and then it was pure madness. I’m taking my mom tomorrow…. Was hoping it wasn’t horrible. But we’ll get as much done as we can that first hour and then Genie Plus it. We’re locals but we’re staying in a hotel so we can take a mid day break and then come back for the parade. Sounds like we’re going to need it!

 

[DLgal]

Yes and you can test positive for months….. my sister has a coWorker who tested positive for 30 days. So if they’re requiring a negative test to come back to work, you may have people testing positive past the ten day mark who are stuck at home.

On a rapid antigen test?

 

[By-Tor and Snow Pup]

It seems like to me that it has been -packed- since February (I go about once a month).

 

[DLgal]

It seems like to me that it has been -packed- since February (I go about once a month).

Nah. I go every week. If ebbs and flows.

 

[Jgc014]

Mondays-Thurs are always the busiest days. That's not new. Although, yeah, these ticket offers make that like 10x worse than it normally is.

Is this true all year round, or just the summer months?

 

[China Expat]

I'm a DL local, but won;t go to the parks until the experience is worth it. Haven't been since 2019.

 

[DLgal]

Is this true all year round, or just the summer months?

Mondays are always super crowded, year round. The only times that Tuesday-Thursday are less crowded than weekends are those traditional "slow times", mid September, early November, early December, mid January, early February, late April through mid May. However the So Cal promo tickets typically come around Jan-May so the early half of the year sees higher weekday crowds than September through December (excluding all of October, which is crazy busy).

 

[kikismom]

Mondays are always super crowded, year round. The only times that Tuesday-Thursday are less crowded than weekends are those traditional "slow times", mid September, early November, early December, mid January, early February, late April through mid May. However the So Cal promo tickets typically come around Jan-May so the early half of the year sees higher weekday crowds than September through December (excluding all of October, which is crazy busy).

Oh that's good to know. I have December 8-12 booked, a Thursday to Monday. I'm thinking about changing it to the 3 - 7, a Saturday to Wednesday. Prices are about the same for both times. This will definitely factor in to my decision. I haven't been in December for 8 years. It used to be a yearly trip for us but then I discovered Halloween.