Nov 16 Crowds

[AllJackedUp]

Well, given that we are all confirmed for this week and I'm psyching myself up to face the hordes of people...does anyone have any idea what time the park may fill up to the point where no one is allowed to enter? I'm assuming that will be the case for the unveiling of the Christmas overlay and fireworks.

If you have a hand stamp, are you given any preference to re-enter or must you just plan to stay in the park all day? We are going to be staying close by and usually like to go relax for an hour or so in the afternoon and then return to the park in the late afternoon and stay until he park closes.

Any suggestions are appreciated. I don't really want to camp out in the hub for eight hours just to watch the fireworks but if I have to...well, a pirate's gotta do what a pirate's gotta do...

Thanks for the help!

 

[joseph821]

Well, given that we are all confirmed for this week and I'm psyching myself up to face the hordes of people...does anyone have any idea what time the park may fill up to the point where no one is allowed to enter? I'm assuming that will be the case for the unveiling of the Christmas overlay and fireworks.

If you have a hand stamp, are you given any preference to re-enter or must you just plan to stay in the park all day? We are going to be staying close by and usually like to go relax for an hour or so in the afternoon and then return to the park in the late afternoon and stay until he park closes.

Any suggestions are appreciated. I don't really want to camp out in the hub for eight hours just to watch the fireworks but if I have to...well, a pirate's gotta do what a pirate's gotta do...

Thanks for the help!

I think it will be crowded that day. I know that DLR resort hotel guests cannot be turned away. I think you should be OK if you get back to the park by 5pm. You need to beat the Annual Passholders and So Cal locals who will be coming in after work.

 

[drag n' fly]

Well, given that we are all confirmed for this week and I'm psyching myself up to face the hordes of people...does anyone have any idea what time the park may fill up to the point where no one is allowed to enter? I'm assuming that will be the case for the unveiling of the Christmas overlay and fireworks.

If you have a hand stamp, are you given any preference to re-enter or must you just plan to stay in the park all day? We are going to be staying close by and usually like to go relax for an hour or so in the afternoon and then return to the park in the late afternoon and stay until he park closes.

Any suggestions are appreciated. I don't really want to camp out in the hub for eight hours just to watch the fireworks but if I have to...well, a pirate's gotta do what a pirate's gotta do...

Thanks for the help!

It will be crazy. I believe once you are admitted you are in with a stamp. You can leave if necessary. If you are staying onsite you are always admitted in even if the park is closed to the public.

 

[AllJackedUp]

I knew about staying onsite but we are at the CCI. Any ideas on what time the locals roll in?

My plan at this point is to do our regular morning, maybe come back to the hotel a little earlier to rest and head back to the park about 3:00. What time do the locals usually start rolling in? I would think after work, say around 5:00-6:00, at least, that was the pattern when we were there in April. I really noticed an influx of people during that time.

So, I'm thinking of heading back to the park around 3:00, staking out a spot around 5:00 or 6:00 and just hanging out reading while the DH and DS run about. Perhaps I'll just amuse myself and people watch while devouring those delicious gingerbread boys...well, more like men, size-wise...perhaps even gingerbread giants!

At any rate, that's the plan but if anyone was there last year on the Christmas debut day and could give me any tips, they are always appreciated!

 

[ScooterL]

We went on the first night of the Believe fireworks last year - by 3:00 they already had signs up saying that Disneyland was full, and they had stopped selling one-day park tickets. We could still get into DCA, and at about 6:00 we were able to get into Disneyland, though they asked us if we were re-entering.

The streets were *packed* for the fireworks - we couldn't get anywhere close to the castle. We ended up watching from small world way - though our view of the fireworks was partially obstructed by trees, and we could hardly see the small world facade to see the projections.

Going on the first night is NOT something I'm going to repeat this year!!! Though last year I believe it was a holiday and lots of people had the day off, and this year that's not the case. So it may be that most of the crowd will be AP holders arriving later, and your plan to arrive around 3:00 will be just fine. But last year that wouldn't have worked - you would have had to be there by 1:00, I think, or take your chances with getting into the park in the evening.

 

[XTinabell]

Maybe I'm being too optimistic here, but do you really think it will reach capacity?? Usually the unveiling has coincided with Veterans day holiday, so people were giong to the park for the holiday as well as the unveiling. I would imagine the saturday will be packed and Friday evening will be packed but you really think to the point of max. capacity? I don't, but I can tell you one thing, I'm avoiding Disneyland that saturday just in case.

But I'll play along, let's say the park will reach capacity on Friday, it won't happen until the evening when the locals are out of school and work. hmmm, I guess that means I'll have to sit and save spots for the fireworks this year, last year I showed up ten minutes before the show and there was hardly anybody on mainstreet and I got an awesome view of the show.

 

[Crazy4Disney72]

November 16 is the day we arrive at DLR, the plane is due in to LAX at 1:30 in the afternoon so I figured by the time we get luggage, get the rental car, and get there, it will be at least 3:30, maybe later. I was thinking we would just get checked in to PP, check out the concierge lounge and hopefully get settled in our room (I would think it would be ready by that time of the day...I hope) and then go over to DCA for a bit, get something to eat and then make it a relatively early night since we are coming from the east coast, we will be exhausted. I assumed DL would be extra crowded with local AP'ers for the first night of the holiday stuff, though I didn't realize it would be so crowded you might not get in! Yikes!

If they are turning people away at DL, does that mean DCA is likely to be mobbed as well with all the overflow? I know we are going to deal with crowds our entire stay (11/16-20) but if it's likely to be crazy crowded over there as well, maybe we will just go to the pool or something at PP and not even attempt the parks the first night, I'm not sure I'll be up for fighting through crowds after traveling all day.

Darn, wish I had thought to ask this question before I bought 5 day hoppers!

 

[bouncy54]

Maybe I'm being too optimistic here, but do you really think it will reach capacity?? Usually the unveiling has coincided with Veterans day holiday, so people were giong to the park for the holiday as well as the unveiling. I would imagine the saturday will be packed and Friday evening will be packed but you really think to the point of max. capacity? I don't, but I can tell you one thing, I'm avoiding Disneyland that saturday just in case.

But I'll play along, let's say the park will reach capacity on Friday, it won't happen until the evening when the locals are out of school and work. hmmm, I guess that means I'll have to sit and save spots for the fireworks this year, last year I showed up ten minutes before the show and there was hardly anybody on mainstreet and I got an awesome view of the show.

I'm being optimistic with you and agree with your reasoning above.

The locals have seen the Remember Fireworks, the parade and Fantasmic all summer long. I think they'll save their money for the 16th. Also...aren't regular APs blocked out over holiday weekends?

I don't mind the parks being crowded...I just want to be able to park hop or go back to our hotel for a couple of hours. Is that too much to ask???

We only get to visit DL every few years and it sure would be depressing if we got locked out while we were there.

Oops! I guess you people were talking about the official opening of the holiday season...the weekend of Nov. 16th. I was talking about the weekend before...Veteran's Day Weekend...Sorry.

 

[XTinabell]

I'm being optimistic with you and agree with your reasoning above.

The locals have seen the Remember Fireworks, the parade and Fantasmic all summer long. I think they'll save their money for the 16th. Also...aren't regular APs blocked out over holiday weekends?

I don't mind the parks being crowded...I just want to be able to park hop or go back to our hotel for a couple of hours. Is that too much to ask???

We only get to visit DL every few years and it sure would be depressing if we got locked out while we were there.

Oops! I guess you people were talking about the official opening of the holiday season...the weekend of Nov. 16th. I was talking about the weekend before...Veteran's Day Weekend...Sorry.

Well I just checked and neither veterans day nor the 16th are block out days. So the locals with the passes will be in the parks Veterans day. But even though you were confused about the dates I still agree with you, I don't think (but I'm not a fortune teller) that the parks will be as crazy as they usually are for Veterans day due to the 16th being the first weekend to host the fireworks and parades. I'm hoping the crowds will spread themselves out and neither day will reach capacity, but with my luck BOTH days will reach capacity Only time will tell.

 

[DizneyMommy]

It will be crazy. I believe once you are admitted you are in with a stamp. You can leave if necessary. If you are staying onsite you are always admitted in even if the park is closed to the public.

This is not true. If the fire marshall shuts the gate for capacity and says no admits, then no one gets in. They shut it down in stages though, which is probably what everyone is thinking of. It rarely gets bad enough to stop allowing hotel guests in, but it DOES happen. I believe it goes first they stop all new admissions except ap's, next they will stop all re-admissions and new ap admissions - except hotel guests, and finally they stop letting people in totally.

The gate closures in the past have not been due to holiday being installed, they have been due to the Veteran's Day holiday being on the same day as holiday being installed. I highly doubt there will be gate closures on Friday the 16th. It is not a holiday, nor a 3 day weekend, and just will not draw the number of out-of-towners that Vet's Day does, increases in locals alone won't be enough to cause a gate closure because it will be more spread out over the whole weekend.

 

[AllJackedUp]

Thank you, DizneyMommy...that was what I wanted to hear! I'm not too concerned since it is not the Veterans Day weekend and I, too, hope that the locals spread themselves out over the weekend and they will also have some weekends after that to come and enjoy the decorations.

I'm so looking forward to this trip! Can't wait to get back again!

 

[dbanzai]

I'm leaving on the 16th from DL. How do you think the weekdays will be, from the 13 to the 16th?

 

[Terk-1]

I was planning on heading up to Anaheim the morning of 11/15 & leaving the afternoon of 11/16 to go back to San Diego, but now I'm having 2nd thoughts. I've only been to DL twice, so I have no idea what the unveiling thing is. Will the park be packed all day on 11/16 or just in the evening? Should I change my plans to go on 11/26-11/27 instead (Monday & Tuesday after Thanksgiving)? I'm going to be going solo. Will 11/15 be packed too?