Nights at DL and DCA

[pixarmom]

We are WDW vets and AP holders (and I just upgraded to a Premier!) We just returned from a quick WDW trip, and used our typical rope drop strategies every morning with success! So based on all the great advice here, we plan to do the same for our 3-day DLR visit next month.

But my question is about nights at DLR. We just aren't fans of nights at MK - too crowded and less of a family atmosphere for our three boys. Same at DHS with the summer nightastic and the dance party. So we ended up happily escaping to our resort (Beach Club) for swimming and ice cream after dinner, shopping and just a ride or two at night. (EPCOT, on the other hand, is great for us at night.)

So I'm wondering about the night atmosphere at DL and DCA - should we plan to just do dinner/shopping/a ride or two and escape back to GCH? Or would we be OK if we do our FP collection earlier in the day and just use those at night?

P.S. Our boys are not into shows or parades (other than the Pixar parade.) At this point, the general consensus is that they are not even interested in WOC.

 

[mika911]

We don't care for parades and whatnot, and I am usually there at rope drop too.

This typically leaves me with minimum energy to go out at night. Disneyland is pretty much a mess at night in my opinion. If you have some fast passes to use up, you'll manage, somehow, to navigate yourself around. However, other than that, I try to get out.

 

[Raindown]

I like DL at night. It seems like a lot of people head out after fireworks and the Fantasmic shows. I usually save Fantasyland for the evening and one or two other Fastpasses.

 

[disneydreamer74]

I agree with nights, I love nights at DLR. After the parades and F! the parks thin out..this is when I get to walk on major rides with very little wait time!

 

[Dizneydaz]

I too love the nights at DLR. The atmosphere at DL is wonderful at night. It's my favorite time.

Yes, gather your FP during the day and use them at night. A perfect plan.

Yes, DL can get crowded at night. You'll want to avoid the area around F! and Main Street before and immeadiately after the fireworks if you don't like crowds.

Now with WOC DCA also has GLOW to keep guest entertained at night (for those not doing WOC). It's basically a dance party set up in Hollywood Land. While I'm not big on drinking while at Disney, my DD10 did enjoy the special effects and the dancing they offered. I know you said you don't like the dance party atmosphere but this is a pretty fun place to spend some time.

Projection on building (wall ) by Hyperion Theater

Kid's who are being projected.

Another projection .

Kid's being projected in area by restrooms next to Playhouse Disney.

DJ car

It is pretty loud in this area but the music is pretty good. Still I can only take it for a short time.

 

[mrswh]

Well, I am sure you will hear varied opinions on this one. To me, it depends on the season you are there. When we were there in late September (off season), it was fantastic at night! However, during our summer and spring break visits (peak season), we stayed away. There is a parade (or was, I don't know how the schedules have changed) at DLR around 6:00ish, and it makes several stops. This parade chokes off any kind of movement over a large area for a long while. By the time things get back to normal, people are staking out spots for fireworks (I kid you not, 2 hours in advance!) and this seems to really clog up the already congested walkways. At MK I think it can be very crowded but not feel overwhelming because there is just more room there. The walkways are wider. At DLR, you can literally get trapped in the park. It took us 45 minutes one night to get from Small World out to the Esplanade. On our last trip, we didn't go to DLR past noon.

DCA, on the other hand, is fabulous at night! The lines are much shorter (esp. if you have collected FPs earlier in the day) and even if it's crowded it doesn't feel claustrophobic. It's so pleasant especially compared to the insanity over at DLR. Of course, I am speaking of pre-WOC days, so I can't attest to the crowds at DCA at night now, but I am crossing my fingers that it's still manageable.

I also love DTD at night - lots of live music and kids dancing. Great vibe.

 

[HydroGuy]

Disneyland itself is magical at night. DCA is usually closed but now with WOC there it's night time atmosphere is still establishing itself.

Summer days work out great to get kids (and parents ) down for a swim and nap mid-day to miss heat and biggest crowds. Then head back out to DL at 5-7PM. At WDW it is harder to do nights. AK closes early and Epcot does too - unless you stay for Illuminations. MK has lots going on at night and we usually do at least one late night there.

At DL there are so many people on day trips it tends to really clear folks out after fireworks and Fantasmic and the parks are so special after that.

 

[Disney Dreams]

There is something very magical about DL at night once all the twinkle lights come on. I love it!

I can't really help with the "kid planning" as we don't have kids, but missing DL at night would be a huge mistake in my opinion.

- Dreams

 

[pixarmom]

Thanks to everyone for the responses! Still trying to decide - but we have time to think about it, and I would love to hear more from anyone else who would like to share their own experiences and opinions.

Hydroguy's suggestion of post-fireworks might be a good option. If fireworks are at 9:30, does the park start to clear around 10pm? Does this happen even if there is another Fantasmic at 10:30?

Also, in case anyone is planning a WDW trip, EPCOT has really increased their EMH in the evenings - for both our March trip and our trip last week, EPCOT was open until midnight at least 2 times per week. Otherwise, it's open until 9pm (and many FutureWorld attractions are staying open past the previous 7pm closing time.) We think it's a great option for families - World Showcase at night is both beautiful and crowd-free! And since we stay at the Beach Club, we just walk right out the International Gateway to our room. Highly recommend it for anyone planning a WDW trip!

 

[pixiewings71]

We love DLR at night, it's a lot less crowded after the fireworks and the second F! showing, we have been able to just walk right on to many rides after 11.

 

[disneymom23]

It has become our tradition to get our first FP for SM at 8:00am and use it last thing at night. We love DL once the lights come on. So magical!

 

[mkarizona]

We love DL and DCA at night. It is DH's favorite time. We go open to close without leaving. I think that is pretty common. When her boys were younger my daughter would find a bench with a good view of the castle and let them sleep on her lap until fireworks time. The second viewing of F! is nice because it is never as crowded as the first; many people have left already. As far as crowds, there is always a way to move around: it just might not be as fast as you would like.

 

[pigby]

I like DL at night. It seems like a lot of people head out after fireworks and the Fantasmic shows. I usually save Fantasyland for the evening and one or two other Fastpasses.

We just got back after a 2 week stay. Don't agree with this statement at the moment at least. Our plan was to get to the parks early, have a mid day break and then return in the evening. What we found was that the crowds increased as the day went on and by evening was a bit of a mad house, I'm afraid. Stayed till midnight this Thursday - we tried to do Fantasmic for the second show earlier on in our stay but couldn't get near - couldn't even walk to that area due to crowds. Did the first show on Thursday (not from the best spot in the world but had a reasonable view). We thought we would do the rides while poeople watching fireworks/ second Fantasmic show but still long lines at major rides - Indiana was still 80 minutes close to the end - so was Space Mountain! Just before midnight did the 'little' rides in Fantasyland - more or less walk ons - with the exception of Peter Pan which was 30 minutes.

DCA was very busy towards the end of the day due to WOC crowds but we did not stay very late here except for the night we watched WOC ourselves (with preferred dining at Ariel's)

Our best tip was Sunday morning - very quiet followed by a 8am start on any other day.

 

[CrazyDuck]

You will love nights at GCH! They have storytelling by the fireplace, a pianist that plays till about 9 or 10!, you can watch world of color from the private viewing deck (not the best of views though), they have a fun scavenger hunt type game, and back in your room they have a recorded princess storytelling on the tv; the story continually loops and if you are there more than a few nights you will see the same story again. My DD likes to watch this until she falls asleep.

 

[Raindown]

back in your room they have a recorded princess storytelling on the tv

Is this a recording from like PFF or is it animated?

 

[NewbieMouse]

Summer days work out great to get kids (and parents ) down for a swim and nap mid-day to miss heat and biggest crowds. Then head back out to DL at 5-7PM.

HydroGuy, I was wondering what time you leave the parks for your mid-day break?

 

[CrazyDuck]

Is this a recording from like PFF or is it animated?

Like PFF...

 

[mika911]

Where is the mentioned viewing deck for World of Color? Many thanks!!

 

[CrazyDuck]

It's on top of the new wing. Near the Villas. Depending on your room you may have a better view from your balcony...

 

[Eeee-va]

I love Disneyland at night, and in the summer it feels very good to be out of the sun! But as far as crowds are concerned, I am not convinced that night is absolutely better anymore. A whole lot of locals stop by Disneyland, say, after work, for instance. (Nothing wrong with that--I'd love to be able to do that!--but it has the potentials to make the parks MORE crowded at night than it is in the afternoons.)

Fantasmic! makes it somewhat difficult to get around in New Orleans Square and Adventureland, and the fireworks can cause issues on Main Street from 8 PM - 10 PM. Getting around Paradise Bay in DCA is nightmarish if your feet are tired and it's after 6 PM or so. (If you go from the bridge to the Golden Zephyr, you'll find that you can't complete your loop, but have to walk all the way back through Paradise Bay to get across the bridge and to the rest of the park. The atmosphere around the CMs telling upset people they can't go through is not always very family-friendly. )

If you've never seen Disneyland and DCA at night, though, I'd most definitely plan to do so on at least one day, maybe your first. There are certainly areas that are magical and not crowded at all (Critter Country is almost eerie at night, it's so empty!, and Paradise Pier is gorgeous at night). From 11 PM - midnight, lines in Fantasyland will mostly be short, though the Storybookland boats, Mr. Toad, and Peter Pan will likely all have lines (Peter Pan's still quite long).

After that, you can decide whether visiting at night is for you or not. I'm an adult and I found I prefer NOT to take mid-afternoon breaks...though my last two trips, the weather was much cooler than the one where I DID do mid-afternoon breaks, in fairness. The heat drains me.

Have a great trip!