Just back from HoJo and Disneyland.....

[BABYJOSIE98]

We spend a couple days at Disneyland after our cruise this past week.

We checked in at HOJO on Wednesday and our room was on the 7th floor Disney view...We could watch the Fireworks from our room.

Everything was very nice and convenient and beds comfy!! Our DD loved playing at the pool area with the big bucket of water that pours on the kids heads every few minutes.

I was expecting it too be busy so we were prepared and arrived on Thursday at opening...We had a plan and it worked. We got FP for Space M and then rode Indiana Jones, Pirates and HM right in a row..Then made our way over to Big Thunder mountain and the maderhorn Bobsleds. All with 5-10 min waits...Then we grabbed FP's for HM and Indiana Jones for later. Around noon we went and used or FP for Space M and it was awesome... The Halloween theming was excellent.... Thank goodness we grabed a FP when we did by noon they were up to 10pm...So we were done with that ride.
Then we headed to Small World and Jungle cruise and did some shopping.

We headed back to HOJO for a break around 3pm and things were not so bad, but when we walked back around 6pm........OMG!!!!!!!!!
CROWDS WERE CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You could not even walk at all. It was unbelievable...Never in all my trips to WDW have I ever seen a crowd like this...... Restaurants were packed solid at DL and DTD. So I just could not take it...So we walked back to Millie's to eat.

After dinner DH said no way would he go back.... So DD and I headed back and squeezed in a place for Fireworks...They were spectacular! We loved "Halloween Screams" I just love Jack and Nightmare before Christmas. Zero flying around was so cool....

They had announced earlier that the park would stay open till midnight. So too our surprise after the fireworks the park cleared out. It was so nice walking around that evening. We stayed till after 11pm enjoying the space!!!
we used our FP that we had for HM and indi and walked right on without a wait.

So our experience was great for the most park for our first time to DL.

My advice....................Get there when the park opens...Get the big stuff done first...stay late if open..Much nicer after Fireworks.

We talked to some Locals that said the crowds are crazy and they have never seen anything like it in October. Glad too hear it was not typical.

We did manage to have fun and get around the crowded times. Use FP no matter what.

DD and I shared a Dole whip that night before we headed back to HOJO...It was a happy time....

Weather was just wonderfully sunny and beautiful....

 

[Luv Bunnies]

You ran into the exact same thing that drove us crazy on our July trip. DL is a wonderful place to be from opening until about 3:00 p.m. As long as you utilize the Fastpass system, you can move around easily and get lots of things done. After 3:00 p.m., things start to change. The areas around Main Street are roped off for the parade and people are staking their spots (the parade was at 3:30 when we were there). You can only go one way in certain areas and you have to keep moving. Getting from Tomorrowland to Adventureland should be a straight shot across Main Street but it's much more difficult with all the parade prep.

Things just get worse after the first parade. People were staking out their spots for Fantasmic by 6:00 so the entire river area became difficult. Then the second parade started at 7:00 and when that was over many people stayed in their spots for fireworks. The ropes were still up and traffic was tightly controlled. The area around the river remained almost impassable until after the 2nd Fantasmic. We had 5 days in the parks and learned to leave by early evening each day and not go back. It was just too crowded and too difficult with all the traffic controls and people sitting in the street and on the sidewalks.

It's especially difficult for us because of my oldest son who has Asperger's. Crowds are difficult for him and he gets upset if he's bumped by strangers. Since being bumped in crowds like that is unavoidable, we've decided it's just better to avoid those situations with him. But again, from opening to about 3:00 p.m., DL is a lovely place. We will stick to daytime hours as long as the evenings are so crowded!

Sounds like yoy have a great trip! Thanks for the report.