Managing Expectations while Maximizing Enjoyment

[TiggerTrigger]

So, I'm well aware that we are going at the worst possible time as far as crowds are concerned. While we're missing Christmas Day and New Year's Eve, we plan to be at the parks in between those 2 major holidays and ultimately, the busiest time of the year. This was not my first choice for trip dates, but I was trying to appease DH with some other trip related stuff...so this turned out to be the only time that would work.

I'll spare you the novel, but what are your tips for going at the peak of peak? I mean, we know it's going to be insane, we know we won't be able to do everything we want to do, we know to get there early, we know some of our "stop and smell the roses" approaches may help us find enjoyment when thing seem really chaotic, we're looking at some dinner pkgs to make certain shows more manageable, we're looking at some TS meals in general to provide a break from craziness, and I've been having everyone rank their must do attractions/experiences so we can go in with some plans in mind...BUT...I'm wondering if any of you have any other tips. Or would anyone even recommend buying into Touring Plans for this trip? I've never been a fan of them for WDW, but maybe it would be worth it for DL at such a busy time?

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

[8lovesmickey]

Sounds like you've got the right idea - go early, make some reservations, and maybe go back to your hotel in the afternoon for a break. We've actually had good luck with Touring Plans and their app (Lines). Also for what it's worth I had a friend who went two years ago between Christmas and New Years and was surprised that the crowds weren't as bad as she thought. Sometimes locals avoid going because they think it will be so crowded. If you happen to get a rare rainy day, that can keep crowds lower too. As long as you get there at opening and prioritize what you really want to get done, you will have a great time. Get in line first thing for your top priority, then get a fastpass for the next priority. And don't forget the more relaxing things like the train, the monorail, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, and other things that suck lots of people in and usually don't have crazy waits. And of course enjoy the amazing holiday decorations!!

 

[Sherry E]

I actually suggest not leaving the park to go back to the hotel for a break. If the park reaches capacity -- and it always does between Christmas and New Year's, on at least a couple of days -- you won't get back in. Stay in the park unless you want to risk not being able to get back in.

It's very possibly going to be raining a lot by that time in December. At first I didn't think the majority of the heavy El Nino rain would happen that early -- I thought it would hold off until January or so. But I keep reading reports that say that the heavy rain will reach its peak in the first half of winter, possibly even close to late fall.

So, if it is raining or if there is even a threat of rain over the course of your days, it will cut way down on the crowds and won't be nearly as crowded as it would normally be.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

We were there last year from Dec. 27 - 31. It wasn't just crowded. It was crazy crowded! Sometimes the walkways were at a standstill because there were so many people trying to go in different directions. They had CMs directing traffic all day, rather than just at parade and fireworks times. Neither park closed due to capacity while we were there, but it is possible.

That said, you can still hit every ride you want and have a great time. We had the better part of five days in the parks (arriving late morning on the 27th and leaving by 5:00 p.m. on the 31st). My first tip is to get to the parks early every day. If you stay onsite, use early entry every day. If you stay offsite and have at least a 3-day ticket, you'll get one early entry. Use it to enter Disneyland at 7:00 a.m. one morning. In that hour, you can ride Space Mountain, Star Tours, Buzz, and get into a short line for the Nemo subs. If you'd rather hit Fantasyland, you can hit a lot of rides in that first hour. You can start collecting Fast Passes when the park officially opens at 8:00 a.m., which brings me to my next tip. Always have a Fast Pass. Get one first thing in the morning. As soon as you're eligible to get another one (either when your FP window opens or two hours, whichever comes first), grab it! Never be without one.

On regular mornings (if you don't stay onsite and aren't using your early entry), go in with a plan. One day you might go straight to Space Mountain. The next, go straight to Indy. Either ride or get a Fast Pass, then go on Pirates, Haunted Mansion and Jungle Cruise before the lines build. Splash isn't as popular when it's cold. If you want to ride, get a Fast Pass or go early in the morning or late in the evening when the lines are shorter.

Enter California Adventure at opening one day and get a Fast Pass for Radiator Springs. After that, be strategic about FPs for Soarin and Tower of Terror. The lines for Midway Mania build rather quickly, so get back to Paradise Pier as soon as you can.

Don't forget about single rider lines. If everyone in your party is 7 and up and doesn't mind riding alone, it's a great way to get on Radiator Springs with a much shorter line. Indy, Splash, Matterhorn and Soarin also have single rider. The parks will get very crowded in the middle of the day. Lines will be very long (we saw 90 minutes for Pirates last year). It's a good time to take a break at your hotel or Downtown Disney. We had a 1:00 p.m. lunch reservation one day at ESPN Zone. It was nice to have a sit-down lunch and let our teen boys plan the video games for an hour or so.

Finally, we have a motto for crowded days. If you really want to do something and standing in line is your only option, just do it. One of my boys likes to complain about long lines. I tell him he has two choices - wait in the line and go on the ride, or don't wait in the line and do nothing. You can spend hours walking around looking for things to do, or you can jump in with everyone else and wait it out. If you can't get a Fast Pass and really want to ride something, just ride it!

Hope you have a great time!

 

[McNs]

I think your approach sounds good - first of all being prepared for crazy busy always helps. Hit the parks early - if staying on site then definitely make the most of EMH, if not then start at the park that doesn't have Magic Morning (though they may have both parks opening early for either EMH or MM @ DL).

Hit non FastPass rides first (e.g. Peter Pan & the rest of Fantasyland in DL, Toy Story in DCA) then work the fast pass system - use a runner if you can.

Dining reservations will be a big help, even though it costs more, it adds some structure to the day and also has the beneit of not walking aimlessly around the place looking for a CS location without hideous lines!

Touring Plans could be worth trying, it is only a few dollars. I used it last year, didn't follow a plan but it was useful to see what wait times were like in other parts of the park.

Good luck planning!

 

[Sherry E]

We were there last year from Dec. 27 - 31. It wasn't just crowded. It was crazy crowded! Sometimes the walkways were at a standstill because there were so many people trying to go in different directions. They had CMs directing traffic all day, rather than just at parade and fireworks times. Neither park closed due to capacity while we were there, but it is possible.

That said, you can still hit every ride you want and have a great time. We had the better part of five days in the parks (arriving late morning on the 27th and leaving by 5:00 p.m. on the 31st). My first tip is to get to the parks early every day. If you stay onsite, use early entry every day. If you stay offsite and have at least a 3-day ticket, you'll get one early entry. Use it to enter Disneyland at 7:00 a.m. one morning. In that hour, you can ride Space Mountain, Star Tours, Buzz, and get into a short line for the Nemo subs. If you'd rather hit Fantasyland, you can hit a lot of rides in that first hour. You can start collecting Fast Passes when the park officially opens at 8:00 a.m., which brings me to my next tip. Always have a Fast Pass. Get one first thing in the morning. As soon as you're eligible to get another one (either when your FP window opens or two hours, whichever comes first), grab it! Never be without one.

On regular mornings (if you don't stay onsite and aren't using your early entry), go in with a plan. One day you might go straight to Space Mountain. The next, go straight to Indy. Either ride or get a Fast Pass, then go on Pirates, Haunted Mansion and Jungle Cruise before the lines build. Splash isn't as popular when it's cold. If you want to ride, get a Fast Pass or go early in the morning or late in the evening when the lines are shorter.

Enter California Adventure at opening one day and get a Fast Pass for Radiator Springs. After that, be strategic about FPs for Soarin and Tower of Terror. The lines for Midway Mania build rather quickly, so get back to Paradise Pier as soon as you can.

Don't forget about single rider lines. If everyone in your party is 7 and up and doesn't mind riding alone, it's a great way to get on Radiator Springs with a much shorter line. Indy, Splash, Matterhorn and Soarin also have single rider. The parks will get very crowded in the middle of the day. Lines will be very long (we saw 90 minutes for Pirates last year). It's a good time to take a break at your hotel or Downtown Disney. We had a 1:00 p.m. lunch reservation one day at ESPN Zone. It was nice to have a sit-down lunch and let our teen boys plan the video games for an hour or so.

Finally, we have a motto for crowded days. If you really want to do something and standing in line is your only option, just do it. One of my boys likes to complain about long lines. I tell him he has two choices - wait in the line and go on the ride, or don't wait in the line and do nothing. You can spend hours walking around looking for things to do, or you can jump in with everyone else and wait it out. If you can't get a Fast Pass and really want to ride something, just ride it!

Hope you have a great time!

Supposedly, last year Disneyland closed when it reached capacity on Christmas day (which was unexpected), and for a few hours on December 29th (the Christmas day report was posted many places, and I remember reading the 12/29 report on Trip Advisor and possibly Facebook, though I can't recall where on Facebook). Maybe other days too, but I'm not sure. It happens every year -- though some years the closures might be on 12/26 and 12/27 or anytime during that week -- but sometimes the closure is just a few hours and sometimes it's much longer. If you were over in DCA when DL was closed, of if you were already in DL and not trying to get out and get back in again, you might not have known they closed the gates for a bit.

 

[Elk Grove Chris]

I actually suggest not leaving the park to go back to the hotel for a break. If the park reaches capacity -- and it always does between Christmas and New Year's, on at least a couple of days -- you won't get back in. Stay in the park unless you want to risk not being able to get back in.

It's very possibly going to be raining a lot by that time in December. At first I didn't think the majority of the heavy El Nino rain would happen that early -- I thought it would hold off until January or so. But I keep reading reports that say that the heavy rain will reach its peak in the first half of winter, possibly even close to late fall.

So, if it is raining or if there is even a threat of rain over the course of your days, it will cut way down on the crowds and won't be nearly as crowded as it would normally be.

Sherry is right, the models are predicting (with a fairly large degree of certainty-as much as models can anyways) a monumental El Nino for the coming water year. It is supposed to surpass 77' and is being hailed as a a once in a lifetime event. Doesn't really mean anything though until it actually starts to rain.

 

[Halloweenqueen]

There are great quiet spots to rest and people watch without leaving the parks. The first floor of the Hungry Bear, Aladdin's Oasis and the back of Pizza Port are some of our favorites. I would plan to get in early and stay there!

 

[luulu1999]

Get several dollar ponchos to take with you just in case keeps from having to buy the expensive Disney ones and there is a new Disneyland app that is free that has wait times on it and it is ran by Disneyland so the times should be accurate and up to date!! Def make use of mornings and FP's!!

 

[HopLow1968]

There are great quiet spots to rest and people watch without leaving the parks. The first floor of the Hungry Bear, Aladdin's Oasis and the back of Pizza Port are some of our favorites. I would plan to get in early and stay there!

I wonder if anybody has made an open map of the peaceful places like this.

 

[Micahisgood54]

just remember that you are there to have fun, and when you get eat at odd times and do rides when others aren't. like when the parades and fireworks are happening, make sure to use magic morning and fP when you can! have fun!

 

[5forMickey]

We were there during the same week last year, and although extremely crowded we still had a great time. I would make reservations for eating every day you are there. That really saved us especially since there was 9 of us, but everywhere was turning away people without reservations. It was also nice to have a little quite time for meals away from the crazy crowds, it allowed you to get your strength back up. I heard the warnings about not leaving also. The 29th was crazy and we finally decided that if we left and couldn't get back in so be it -- but we never did have a problem getting back in. We took a noon break everyday and just decided it the park was at max we didn't really want to go back in, guess we were lucky. Just know ahead what you are in for, take advantage of the early entry and suggestions others have made and you will have a great time.

 

[Winnowill]

Touring Plans could be worth trying, it is only a few dollars. I used it last year, didn't follow a plan but it was useful to see what wait times were like in other parts of the park.

If you get the Unofficial Guide (highly recommended), a one-year subscription to the DLR version of Touring Plans is just over $5. A small price to pay! Be aware, though, that their FastPass return times are highly suspect. They use an algorithm which really bears no relation to what's actually going on. For instance, one day last week when the Lines app said that the return time for Space Mountain was 2:30 PM, it was actually 6:00. So any custom plans you build using their expected FP return times may not work as you thought when you planned them.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I appreciate all of the thoughts and suggestions. I had read @Sherry E 's El Nino info on another thread and actually did a little happy dance. I know rain can really clear the parks at WDW, so I figured the same would hold true at DL. We all have ponchos and I'm hoping we get to use them. LOL I also wondered if high crowd projections and inclement weather possibilities would keep a number of locals away. We are planning on full days in the parks. We tend to do a lot of TS at WDW due to our older child's food allergies, so I had a similar plan in mind for DL. Due to the time of year and the ski trip I'm tacking on to this vacay for DH, none of the Disney owned hotels are in the budget, but we're staying at the HoJo...so, at least we're close. Of course, I bought the Birnbaum's guide, so I'm thinking of just paying full price for Touring Plans...still not a major expense in the grand scheme of things. In the end, we're going to be at Disney and that alone will create a lot of happiness Thanks again!

 

[tarheelalum]

It's going to be crazy crowded regardless of the weather. Just bring a few disposable ponchos for your family in the event that it does rain. The weather man cannot predicate the weather 5 days from now so don't put any stock in all of the el Nino talk months from now. Just go super early, get park hoppers and make reservations at the sit down places you want to eat it.

Go with the flow with everything thing else and try to be patient when dealing with the hoards of people your going to encounter.

 

[califlorican]

I don't know how it is now, but when we went 2 years ago and needed a break from crowds, we went into the Animation Academy area in DCA and sat on the ground watching the screens (they show clips of Disney movies with music and stuff) for a good 30 mins or so. We also sat outside by Space Mountain and Hungry Bear in Disneyland. We did most rides and stuff before 11 and after 7pm I would say.

 

[Sherry E]

It's going to be crazy crowded regardless of the weather. Just bring a few disposable ponchos for your family in the event that it does rain. The weather man cannot predicate the weather 5 days from now so don't put any stock in all of the el Nino talk months from now. Just go super early, get park hoppers and make reservations at the sit down places you want to eat it.

Go with the flow with everything thing else and try to be patient when dealing with the hoards of people your going to encounter.

There is a difference between how the weather is predicted for a 7-day forecast (short term), or even one month from now, and how a forming El Nino pattern is predicted. It's not exactly the same thing. It's not just about predictions. It's about monitoring and comparing various conditions (such as the temperature of the ocean) over a long period of time, and seeing if they dissipate or increase in intensity. The current elements that weather people and scientists are watching (and have been watching all year long) are similar to or stronger than a super-strong El Nino year back in 1997. In fact, right now the ocean is on track to possibly becoming warmer than it was in 1997. Only if it suddenly cools down by a few degrees in the next 2 or 3 months will the El Nino fizzle out -- but right now we are on track for a lot of rain at the end of Fall/beginning of winter. It could stall a bit, I suppose -- or it could weaken a tad, but most weather information sources are agreeing that there will be above-average rainfall for SoCal during that time. The argument between the scientists is over how intense the rain will be. Some say it will be a "Godzilla El Nino." Others say it will probably not be as intense an El Nino as it looks like, but that there will be a whole lot of wet weather.