New year at DLRP, my experience - what was yours?

[Disneyparisfan]

Hi everybody.

God I sound like Dr Nick, sorry.... Anyway.

I'm back from Paris, where we stayed at the Santa Fe for the New Year Celebrations, arriving on the 29th, and departing on the 2nd.

All in all it was a reasonable holiday, I was well chuffed that the Tower of Terror was open, and my DW and DD spent most of the time spinning around on the new Cars ride.

We got booked into a couple of decent table service resteraunts, even though we hadnt pre booked, which was a nice surprise. I had been bracing myself for fast food for the duration. We even got a table at Auberge de Cendrillion for the 31st, which was great, (even if to be honest the meal wasn't. Weird tomato and cheese starter? The menu was much better when it was a buffet- bring back the pumpkin soup! The Princesses / Princes were fantastic though. DD was in heaven!)

The only thing I was really disappointed about, and really wont be back at this time of year again because of (wasn't the weather, which is probably a surprise cos it was COLD, but hey, its winter!)... Because of the lack of crowd control at new year.

I was really surprised by this. Disney really dropped the ball. An organisation that normally excells at handling immense amounts of people decided for two hours over new year to just let everybody in the park fight it out for themselves! I couldnt believe it!

We were in the main street area at about 10.30 / 11pm ish, hoping to find a good spot for the fireworks at New Year, but it became an uncontrolled crush.

I have honestly been at Rock Concerts that have been less of a crush. There were no lanes being kept open for anyone wanting to move, no staff to be seen doing anything other than sell overpriced bad quality fizzy wine. Everyone was jammed into a small space to the extent that it became impossible to move, forward or back. Children were just being ignored and were in real risk.

My DD is tall for her age but is still only 8, and I was quite concerned for her safety due to the sheer weight of people milling about. In the end after about half an hour we managed to fight to within sight of a flowerbed, and a nice english couple who were a few squashed bodies closer to it than us, managed to create a small gap for my DD to squeze through to get to the flowerbed, climb over the fence, and stand with other 'rescued' children among the bushes.

Never in my many visits to DLRP have I ever felt that my daughter was in any danger. Except this time. I have complained to the Disney management, but so far have had no reply.

So if you were there this year (or previous years) what were your opinions of it, and will you go back at that time?

Please reply as I would be very interested to hear anyone else's views.

Thanks
Grant.

 

[maleficent_man]

Hi Grant

I know what you mean - it is difficult I guess though for them to control. I was there was well for the exact time you were - I've been a couple of previous New Years so knew what to expect - people spill out onto the grass hills and into trees and everything! I spent it down the end of Main Street right in front of the train station - there were a lot of families here and it was more civilised. It may be part of the cultural thing....a la the character meet and greets....

I was in Epcot last new year with 80,000 people and not once did it feel crammed - they had staff everywhere and lanes set up at potential crowd points.

That said, I didn't feel it was that bad at DLRP this year - maybe I knew what to expect. I think in general though they do a good job. I hope overall it didn't spoil your visit.

 

[sjaakie]

You have the same experience as we had and it was really freighting. I was separated from my husband and sun.
My than 15 years old son held hands with my husband and he rather would die than do this, but he was afraid.
The crowds are really to big and if a child falls it will be ran over by the crows like in a stampede.
For us New Years eve is no option anymore.

 

[jillrobinson]

Hi Grant,
I know exactly what you mean. This is what I wrote in my trip report from March 2007, the VIP/Press weekend.

"Then everything went pear-shaped as CM's started to try and move everyone onto Main Street, we're talking about hundreds of people all standing shoulder to shoulder being told to move into an all ready crowded area, it was absolute chaos, children were crying and people were angry, the CM's couldn't or wouldn't give an explanation as to what was happening. I have read on a french forum an account from an offduty CM saying how sorry he felt for his colleagues as they fought to control such a large crowd, and how worried he was that an incident would occur, in the same account he also says he never thought he would hear a CM swear at a guest, I'm guessing that these guys on the ground were as frightened as everyone else. I will be completely honest and say "Hillsborough" was in my mind as I tried to steady myself whilst at the same time trying to ensure that Liam wasn't crushed. How those in charge of organisation thought they were
going to accomplish this crowd movement is beyond imagination, eventually the severity of the problem was obviously brought home to them as the crowd was allowed to edge forward a few feet at a time allowing the empty area between Casey's Corner and the junction with Central Plaza to be utilised."

I think the one thing we can sure of is that DLRP Health &Safety Management Team has a very poor crowd control policy, compounded by inexperienced or badly trained staff and that they don't learn by their previous mistakes. Let's hope that they do take your complaint seriously, I did feel after our trip that I should've done something but rather complacently didn't as I thought maybe it was a one-off, but your experience and that of the other posters disproves that. It also puts me right off the idea of visiting at New Year.

New Years Eve aside it sounds like you and DD had an enjoyable trip, though.
We've yet to try Cars and with 2 DS's it's unlikely I'll ever get to do the Princess meal at Auberge DC.

 

[Rachie B]

OMG that sounds just awful ! and scary

hope you had a good trip apart from that

Me & my son loved the cars ride too lol

 

[the_princess]

WOW that's awful!!! No one should feel unsafe in DLP no matter what time of the year it is!!!!

 

[Miqee]

New years at the park was quite chaotic. We thought we had found a great spot in the outdoor theatre, good view of the castle and a half decent seat. coem 11pm a CM came and told us we woudl need to move as they were clearing that side of the park. We were in a quiet bit but the other side was packed full of people, the cms might have had some difficulty making them all move!

Before being moved i had bee nsent to buy some blankets as it was very cold, braved mainstreet as I only knew one definite place that had the blankets. It took me 10 minutes to get from the top to half way down due to the crowds. My sister had asked me to get soemthing to drink but al lthe food places were packed out with huge queues and all there was was the cheap (but pricey) disney champagne.

We ended up down by the christmas tree, finding more scottish folk there dancing and singing - that made my night!!
Was it just where we were or did they give little notice about the countdown to the newyear. Mind you we found that the clock on town hall is 10 minutes slow!!!

Colin

 

[maleficent_man]

I heard them as well...lol!

Another thing that stuck in my mind....walking down the arcades at 11pm was like a scene from a disaster movie....people looked shattered after a day in the park...it was actually quite funny seeing people clearly just waiting for midnight but wanting to be at home in bed!!

 

[WDW-UK]

Thanks for post on New Years Eve as we were also there with our DD (8). I’m sorry to hear that your enjoyment was spoilt by the lack of crowd control. I hope that you managed to enjoy yourself once you managed to find a safe place for your daughter.
In the afternoon of New Years Eve we had a meal at the Lucky Nugget and was informed by the CM that they expected approx 90,000 guest in the evening. She advised us to get a spot around 10.00pm on Main Street as the crowds round the Plaza would be unbearable.
Around 9.30 we stood around the baby changing area near the plaza to watch as the castle lights flash to the disco music, which was great and the atmosphere was fantastic.

Taking the CM earlier advice we moved down Main Street to around where the clock is. We had our DD and 2 nephews with us who all had a pushchair (even our DD) so that they could have a sleep whilst waiting and to also prevent them getting in the middle of any crushing.
By 11.30 the whole of Main Street was completely full but as we had the kids in the pushchair and we made space around them there was no need to worry about any crushing.
At midnight we had great views of the castle /fireworks and enjoyed the whole experience and would definitely go back one year.
I agree that DLRP had no one taking charge of crowd control as it was heaving around the plaza areas. Although I have to say that what made things worse was other guests who were trying to make their way down Main Street with pushchairs........ Why were they not told by CM to use the two arcades either side of Main Street? They could even make on side for going up and side going down.
The management of DLRP have a reasonability to ensure that all their guests are safe whilst in the parks at ANYTIME of the year.
If anyone is thinking of going to DLRP for New Year be prepared for the crowds and plan in advance..... and have a great time cause we really did.

 

[Cyrano]

Doesn't sound enjoyable at all. Similarly at home we avoid New Year celebrations where crowds seem to swell abnormally

 

[bluedolph1n]

I was there too, and heard people sing, that was good. Everything went well for us, although at one moment there were some people who tried to go to the other side of the Main Street, and pushed their stroller against us, and made some fuss ( do you say it that way? ) about it. I really felt sorry for the child in the stroller, who was pushed against all the people, and found the parents idiots for doing that.... We didn't let them through,( we also had some children between us in a circle) and after some time they tried it somewhere else, I believe they didn't succeed their either.
It was great to be there and see this for once, but I don't think I will do it soon again.

 

[Orion33]

so for those of you who have been where would you say is the best place to stand?? or do you reckon it would be better to get a room that overlooks the castle in the disneyland hotel

hmmmm now that alters the budget somewhat.....