New Al Lutz: Tons of Cars Land and BVS Updates - Soft Openings & Magic Mornings

[knitster]

Yes, very interesting read. Thanks Trey!

Very disappointing that they're raising the minimum height for Matterhorn. I'm glad that DGD got to ride it with the old requirements; it's one of her favorite rides now. And now she's well over the 42" requirement. But it has to be very disappointing for parents and grandparents of little ones. As Al said, it's traditionally the first big-kid ride that a kid gets to experience. Sad that that tradition is going away.

-Bob

I was so sad to read that. We're taking our kids to DL for the first time next spring and my youngest would've been just tall enough to ride it at the old height requirement, but now he won't even be remotely close.

 

[PinkBudgie]

That is a good idea, Pinkbudgie. But now that my kids are getting older (oldest in college, youngest two in high school) we probably won't be going every year. This year we were going to skip, but our plans changed, and we were able to fit in a four day trip. Maybe someday when it's just me and my hubby we'll get those AP's, and make several visits!

That's too bad. My boys are in HS and we are teachers so we always go in the summer. This year, they are graduating so they will be staying home to get jobs for college while just DH and I go.

I was so sad to read that. We're taking our kids to DL for the first time next spring and my youngest would've been just tall enough to ride it at the old height requirement, but now he won't even be remotely close.

I was feeling sad reading that too. Not because I have small children, but I just remember my first trip DL when I was 4 years old. My dad took me straight to the Matterhorn first thing. Too bad children going forward won't have that experience for a first coaster.

 

[Armadillo4]

Brenda is talking MMs for DCA, not DL. The special PHs you reference are for DL. Did you read the OP?

Oops, mea culpa! I hadn't read the OP and didn't see the note about the MM restrictions.

However, I did read Al's update in full. I also check Miceage every Tuesday morning to see if he's posted a new article. From Al's most recent update, the wording seems vague enough that MMs for good neighbor hotels could be possible.

For the first time, DCA will be included in the structured early entry program for certain ticket and hotel packages, dubbed Magic Mornings and previously exclusive to Disneyland.

Disneyland will maintain an early entry hour at 7:00 a.m. four days per week, while DCA offers the hotel customer base a 7:00 a.m. early entry the other three days per week this summer.

He mentions "the hotel customer base", not necessarily DLR hotels or onsite hotels only. The DCA MMs may end up being restricted to the DLR/onsite hotels, but based on this update, I don't know if that's 100% certain now--and maybe Disney hasn't made that decision either.

I think it will come down to how the DCA MM is structured. If their MM is for Cars Land only, then I can see it being restricted to onsite hotel guests only--similar to the early entry policy for The Little Mermaid last summer. That perk was for DLR Hotel guests only. But if the DCA MM is for the entire park, then I can see it opening up to the good neighbor hotels too. It wouldn't make sense for Disney to staff the full park if it was just guests staying at the onsite hotels. Bringing in that many CMs for the limited number of onsite hotel guests doesn't seem practical. These are just my guesses though. Thoughts?

 

[pixiewings71]

Ok, so someone tell me if I'm interpreting this correctly. If I have an AP and go in late June or early July, I can use the DCA MM even if I'm not staying onsite?

 

[I'm mikey]

Ok, so someone tell me if I'm interpreting this correctly. If I have an AP and go in late June or early July, I can use the DCA MM even if I'm not staying onsite?

thats how i read it too, i sure hope this turns out to be true.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

OK, I will take a stab at this. If what the OP says turns out to be true, and if you want to arrive at DCA rope drop, the best day to visit DCA this summer will be Saturdays. Why?

1. Saturday is an MM day at DL - that means no MM for DCA for hotel guests

2. Saturdays will be MM days for AP holders only. However, Saturdays are blocked for Deluxe AP holders (I have a DAP) but unblocked for Premium AP holders (who have zero blockouts).

Hence the only people who can get into a DCA MM on a Saturday are PAPs. And there are fewer of those. That would be your best day for DCA IMHO.



If you are not going to arrive at or near park opening, then the day does not matter this summer. They will all be very busy.

While I think your logic is generally correct, you assumed that DL will still have the same 4 days of MM as it currently does: Sun, T, Th and Sat. This assumption may be incorrect and it is possible that the weekend MMs will be split with 1 at DL and 1 at DCA.

We need to make a decision on whether or not to renew our APs in mid-May, so I hope we get some offical information soon. -- Suzanne

 

[pixiewings71]

thats how i read it too, i sure hope this turns out to be true.

Me too!!!! That could really help DD and I on our trip.

 

[brenda1966]

From Al's most recent update, the wording seems vague enough that MMs for good neighbor hotels could be possible.
He mentions "the hotel customer base", not necessarily DLR hotels or onsite hotels only. ...Thoughts?

HAs there been any historical precedent for Good Neighbors to get MM? It seems it was always the multi-day hopper that got us offsites in for one MM. The only people who got multiple were the onsite Disney hotel guests.

HAs there been any time where Good Neighbors got multiple MM's? Was it part of a package? I don't buy package deals, but if they had this perk I might.

I'm not holding my breath. I think it will be like the Little Mermaid and will be just Carsland and just Disney hotel guests and AP's.

 

[DLR29]

While I think your logic is generally correct, you assumed that DL will still have the same 4 days of MM as it currently does: Sun, T, Th and Sat. This assumption may be incorrect and it is possible that the weekend MMs will be split with 1 at DL and 1 at DCA.

We need to make a decision on whether or not to renew our APs in mid-May, so I hope we get some offical information soon. -- Suzanne

This whole thread is based off of speculation and assumptions that Al is correct. I don't know of any information that might lead us to assume the possibility of the weekend MMs being split. Al's informed rumors, while they haven't been proven yet, claim that DL's MM schedule will not change and that DCA will have some form of MM every day.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

This whole thread is based off of speculation and assumptions that Al is correct. I don't know of any information that might lead us to assume the possibility of the weekend MMs being split. Al's informed rumors, while they haven't been proven yet, claim that DL's MM schedule will not change and that DCA will have some form of MM every day.

Al could be correct and the days could still change. The post was as follows:

"Disneyland will maintain an early entry hour at 7:00 a.m. four days per week, while DCA offers the hotel customer base a 7:00 a.m. early entry the other three days per week this summer. But on the four days per week that Disneyland is open early for Magic Mornings, DCA will be open at 7:00 a.m. for Annual Passholders only as an AP-only Magic Morning offering."

It says Dl will have a MM 4 days per week, but nothing about it being the same 4 days as currently offered. I think a lot depends on which crowd Disney most wants to please: AP holders or hotel guests.

If AP holders are at the top of the list, then I see Sat and Sun both having MM in DL and AP early entry in DCA.

If hotel guests are more important, then I would think that either Sat or Sun, but not both, will be MM in DL and AP early entry in DCA. I would guess it would be Sun for the MM at DL and AP early entry in DCA, because it allows more APs to use the early entry. That might mean a MM schedule at DL of Sun, Tues, Thurs and Fri. Or they could go back to th old MM schedule: Mon, Tues, Thurs and Sat.

-- Suzanne

 

[DizFan13]

I think it is smart to try to provide a perk for the AP holders as a part of the new offerings; I know there are quite a few other perks, but for the cost, it is always unfortunate to not be able enter the park for MM. I am hoping that the DCA AP MMs prove to be true.

 

[Disney Dreams]

If I have this right, the park guest who doesn't go often enough to have an AP, and can't really afford the extra $ to stay onsite will not get a chance at DCA's MM. Is this right? Having no chance at a MM just doesn't seem quite right to me. At least with a 3 day park hopper (or more) you get one MM day at DL. Hmmm. I get not having as many chances at a MM, but don't really like having no chance at one. Sigh. I guess I shouldn't grumble because at least I get a chance to go this summer!

If it makes you feel any better, between DH and I, because we live too close to stay overnight and we have had annual passes for upwards of 10 years, we have never had access to or attended a Magic Morning. Ever. And we have great times at DLR.

Ok, so someone tell me if I'm interpreting this correctly. If I have an AP and go in late June or early July, I can use the DCA MM even if I'm not staying onsite?

Sort of amazing if it's true, huh?

- Dreams

 

[kkmcan]

What do you guys think about the possibility of the MM for AP holders for DCA being extended past this summer??

We won't be there until Oct but this would be fabulous to experience if they still offer it then.

 

[HydroGuy]

What do you guys think about the possibility of the MM for AP holders for DCA being extended past this summer??

We won't be there until Oct but this would be fabulous to experience if they still offer it then.

That DCA will have an AP MM is a rumor from Al Lutz in the OP. Speculating what will happen after this rumored change goes into effect is really far out there.

I would wait to see if Disney actually implements this, and then we can speculate what happens after the summer.

 

[Disney Dreams]

That DCA will have an AP MM is a rumor from Al Lutz in the OP. Speculating what will happen after this rumored change goes into effect is really far out there.

I would wait to see if Disney actually implements this, and then we can speculate what happens after the summer.

Awww, but it's fun to speculate based on speculation!

- Dreams

 

[HydroGuy]

Awww, but it's fun to speculate based on speculation!

- Dreams

Yah, I know. But you would be the only one on the forum who could appreciate it.

 

[estherhead]

So since they picked June 15 to open Matterhorn to draw crowds from Carsland, do you think that means no soft openings for it either? We are taking our only DL family trip may 28-June 1 and are soooooo sad about Matterhorn and were really hoping there could be a chance for Matterhorn.

We have all girls so picked those dates to miss the Carsland chaos but had we known about the Matterhorn, we might have done it differently as my 5 yr old is obsessed with it.

 

[HydroGuy]

So since they picked June 15 to open Matterhorn to draw crowds from Carsland, do you think that means no soft openings for it either? We are taking our only DL family trip may 28-June 1 and are soooooo sad about Matterhorn and were really hoping there could be a chance for Matterhorn.

We have all girls so picked those dates to miss the Carsland chaos but had we known about the Matterhorn, we might have done it differently as my 5 yr old is obsessed with it.

Really hard to say. That Matterhorn would be down for the first 6 months of 2012 was discussed around here last fall. I hope you make it on!

 

[estherhead]

Really hard to say. That Matterhorn would be down for the first 6 months of 2012 was discussed around here last fall. I hope you make it on!

Yes, when we picked our dates months ago we were aware of Matterhorn's rehab but unaware of the actual re-start date. And my 5 yr old wasn't yet obsessed. Soft openings for rehabs happen all the time in our experience. It had occurred to us it was a risk, but not that it'd be a tool for DCA reopening. Oh well. It's not like our whole vacation hinges on riding the Matterhorn, I just had hope before this article.

Hopefully, the crowds will at least be less due to everyone else waiting. Though even if that is not the case, I'm an expert FP runner.