It was busy last week?!?

[Albertan mom]

We were at Disneyland/CA last week, Feb 4, 6, 7, 9, 10.

We had read how this time of year was Value/Low season. I was shocked at how busy it was there!
Toy Story mania constantly had a 30 minute wait. The other rides were all between 10-20. Is that considered 'not busy'??

We didn't expect lineups, and the having to careen around people walking down the streets, or the busyness of the restaurants etc...
I really thought it would be quiet. Especially considering it rained mostly all the time that we were there!

It was frustrating that some of the rides were running only half way. Like BTMR, only one track was going. At Autopia, there were only about 10 cars going. When I asked (after a 30 minute wait--first thing in the morning) why all the other ones weren't running, the CM told me they were short staff. I don't understand that??! I told her I heard Disney just laid off 600 people. She said she didn't hear that, and in fact had just started there.

So was it busy because Disney was unprepared for the amount of people showing up and only had things running at half or is this normal for this time of year?

Anyone else there last week and think it was busy or am I out of it?

 

[MommyWithDreams]

30 minutes for a brand new ride? I'll take it. There were times that last year Nemo was over an hour long when we were there in March. 10-20 minutes on other rides doesn't sound bad either. My DBF went during Spring Break once and waited a little over 2 hours for Space Mountain.

 

[LittleWoodenHead]

Toy Story mania constantly had a 30 minute wait. The other rides were all between 10-20. Is that considered 'not busy'??

Only a 30 minute wait on Toy Story Mania? Other rides 10-20? Sorry, but that doesn't sound too busy to me.

At Autopia, there were only about 10 cars going. When I asked (after a 30 minute wait--first thing in the morning) why all the other ones weren't running, the CM told me they were short staff.

I've always found Autopia to have an exceedingly long line, even first thing in the morning. It's the nature of that particular beast, I'm afraid.

 

[LavenderPeach]

I would love to find the Toy Story Mania line at only 30 minutes! We're local (sort of) and have had our APs since November. I have yet to ride toy story because the line has always been at least an hour when we've gone.

 

[momrek06]

I would love to find the Toy Story Mania line at only 30 minutes! We're local (sort of) and have had our APs since November. I have yet to ride toy story because the line has always been at least an hour when we've gone.

ME TOO!!! We have had our AP's since September and every single time we go by TSM there is always at the least a 45-60 minute wait. And TSM has no FP. One day soon I am sure we will get to see TSM.

Ya, OP, the weather was very rainy last week.

 

[goofycathy]

I would have to say that you guys were definately there on a good day! 10-20 minute waits??? 30 for TSMM?
Way to go! Im jealous!

 

[marsrunner]

I was there on Saturday the 7th for one day at Disneyland Park and it was dead, at least for a Saturday at a Disney park. I got there at 7am (Magic Morning staying at Disneyland Hotel) and there were about fifty people at the gates at 7am. It never got busy all day long. The only rides with any real wait were Nemo and Autopia, and they always have long lines because they are popular and load SO slowly. I didn't wait more than twenty minutes all day long, and that was for Space Mountain. Good grief, I rode Space Mountain twice in a row without getting out of the rocket during Magic Morning.
I counted it up, and this is what I rode from 7am-9pm (the park was open till midnight, but I'd done so much I decided to leave EARLY...I never do that!)
Disneyland Railroad: 1
Autopia: 1
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters: 1
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage: 1
Space Mountain: 9 (!)
Star Tours: 1
Alice in Wonderland: 2
it's a small world: 1
Matterhorn Bobsleds: 6
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride: 2
Peter Pan's Flight: 1
Pinocchio's Daring Journey: 2
Snow White's Scary Adventures: 2
Storybook Land Canal Boats: 1
Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough: 1
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: 4
Enchanted Tiki Room: 1
Indiana Jones Adventure: 5
Jungle Cruise: 2
Pirates of the Caribbean: 6
Splash Mountain: 2
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: 1
Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin: 2

I didn't even use a FastPass once all day!

We were at Disney World Jan. 20-27, and though not "BUSY" it was WAY busier than Disneyland. The wait for Space Mountain was always 40+, and Toy Story Mania there always had a line of 60+. Even Peter Pan was usually 45 minutes.

 

[MommyWithDreams]

LOL I love the 9 for SM. How fun is that!

 

[marsrunner]

LOL I love the 9 for SM. How fun is that!

Yeah, I'd never been to Disneyland before (been to WDW bunches of times), and was just blown away by the place, especially Space Mountain. Even the two times I rode it in the morning without getting off they were going to let us ride again, but I figured I better get over to Nemo and Autopia before the park opened to the general public as I didn't want to wait 30 minutes to an hour for them!

 

[pixiewings71]

It was definitely not busy when we were there. We did walk ons for most of our rides too. Loved the TSMM 30 min. wait, not expecting that this weekend but it would be nice. lol

 

[Krissy Marissy]

I agree with PP's...that sounds like off season to me! Go during the peak season and you'll easily see hour waits everywhere. I would be super happy with only a 10-20 min wait!!

 

[Teki]

yes that's not busy. On a saturday in July were talking 3 - 4 hour line ups!

 

[Disney Dreams]

We were at Disneyland/CA last week, Feb 4, 6, 7, 9, 10.

We had read how this time of year was Value/Low season. I was shocked at how busy it was there!
Toy Story mania constantly had a 30 minute wait. The other rides were all between 10-20. Is that considered 'not busy'??

That is considered VERY not busy. A 30 minute wait on Toy Story is a fantasy anytime 15 minutes after opening. It is often close to an hour wait, if not more.

It was frustrating that some of the rides were running only half way. Like BTMR, only one track was going. At Autopia, there were only about 10 cars going. When I asked (after a 30 minute wait--first thing in the morning) why all the other ones weren't running, the CM told me they were short staff. I don't understand that??! I told her I heard Disney just laid off 600 people. She said she didn't hear that, and in fact had just started there.

Few things going on in your observation here. A 30 minute wait at Autopia is nothing. You say you don't understand them being short staffed when you just heard 600 ppl were laid off. Wouldn't that make them short-staffed?

DL staffs based on expected crowds. During the "off season" they don't plan on having both sides open as there is no need to do so. Like you observed, there was only a 30-minute wait at Autopia with only one side open. Why is there only 1 side open? 1) Money (1/2 the cost to pay CMs) and 2) No need for 2nd side if there is only a 30 min. wait with 1 side

There is no reason for DL to pay add'l staff when the wait time is already within a relatively low time. It's economics.

So was it busy because Disney was unprepared for the amount of people showing up and only had things running at half or is this normal for this time of year?

Sounds to me like they were staffed just right. You honestly had very short lines.

Anyone else there last week and think it was busy or am I out of it?

We were there twice (?) and it was pretty empty.

Again, 30 min. wait on Toy Story tells you everything. That is a dream line. Hopefully you can look back on your visit through a different perspective now and have good memories of a very non-crowded DLR experience.

- Dreams

 

[Michelle2]

I have started changing my park visiting times due to all of the cut backs that Disney is and will be doing. To me, I have noticed that it's not the AMOUNT of people in the park, it's the capacity they are running at.

When we went in August, it was great because everything was running at full capacity. Sure there were more people, but I was pleasantly surprised at wait times. I am hoping to go during slow times, but I am not even as scared to go during busier times than I used to be, probably because the wait times seem almost similiar with good planning.

 

[evandmp]

We were there at the same time and it wasn't busy

 

[MichaelColey]

We were there from 2/3 (Tue) - 2/5 (Thu) and it wasn't bad at all. NO line at Buzz (my favorite). 10-20 minute waits for Toy Story Mania. 15-20 minute waits for Nemo. Walked right on MANY rides.

 

[HydroGuy]

I have started changing my park visiting times due to all of the cut backs that Disney is and will be doing. To me, I have noticed that it's not the AMOUNT of people in the park, it's the capacity they are running at.

When we went in August, it was great because everything was running at full capacity. Sure there were more people, but I was pleasantly surprised at wait times. I am hoping to go during slow times, but I am not even as scared to go during busier times than I used to be, probably because the wait times seem almost similiar with good planning.

That is the thing that some people do not always grasp. When all rides and shows are running, that sucks people away. POTC can handle 3000+ people an hour. When the line is 30 minutes long that is 1500 people in line, and the ride itself is almost 20 minutes long, which means there are 1000 people on the ride. So 2500 people are sucked into POTC on a busy day with a 30 minute line. On a busy day at DL you will have maybe 50,000 people tops inside the park at one time. So 5% of those people would be in the POTC line or on the POTC ride when the line is 30 minutes.

Fantasmic can handle 16000 people at a time, or up to 30% of everyone who might be in the park when there are 50,000 people there.

When you go in off-season, there are less people in the park but they may be only running half the capacity of POTC and other rides (lke Autopia). Plus, a number of rides or shows may be closed for refurb. When POTC is closed that throws 5% more people into other lines. It does not pay for Disney to run at full capacity when the crowds are light, so lines are often not as short as you might think even though there are fewer people in the parks. Further, the park hours are shorter. So although the lines may be shorter, you have less time in the parks.

So because I only visit DLR every year or so I have ended up in Michelle's camp and just work FP and the long park hours to get on more rides. When we focus on rides we can easily do 30+ per day during high season without rushing (well, we rush a little first thing in the morning ).

But I have to say I am a little envious of everything Mars was able to do in two hours. Wow! Take it when you can get it!

 

[c&m]

Sounds like the OP had some good wait times. In July when we went last year, it was anywhere from 45-1.5 hr waits. But we are now slaves to school vacation, so it's always summer or spring break for us with everyone else.

The only time we went and had absolutely no wait times was after 9/11. We were probably only a handful of visitors in the park.

 

[LavenderPeach]

The only time we went and had absolutely no wait times was after 9/11. We were probably only a handful of visitors in the park.

We had the same experience only it was the day before 9/11. Actually we were only visiting CA and not DL so that was part of the reason. It was in it's first year and the park wasn't very poplular but we had fun. We rode every ride there and just walked on to all of them. We even got great seats, on a bench, for the electrical parade without having to wait very long.

 

[marsrunner]

But I have to say I am a little envious of everything Mars was able to do in two hours. Wow! Take it when you can get it!

You must have misread my post. I was there for 14 hours and rode all of that.
I double-checked the post and it says 7am-9pm.
Still, 56 rides in 840 minutes (14 hours x 60 minutes per hour) averages out to 1 ride every 15 minutes. And that doesn't even take into account walking from attraction to attraction, smoke breaks (2 an hour), lunch, and snacks! Yeah, it was a heckuva day! I was solo (wife and kids stayed home since we'd just been at WDW) so it was commando touring all day! Most fun I've ever had at a theme park by myself!