Refirb season is making me re think things...

[katyringo]

we are planning on going next spring. April 2020. But golly refirb season this year is making me rethink that. I dislike the uncertainty of “when” things will open. So our other choice is Thanksgiving 2019.

But we’ve been 2 years in a row at Christmas time and I really want to see the park at a different time.

Does spring for Disney typically mean by Easter or more like Memorial Day?!?!

 

[sherilaine]

The only thing that makes me think the park won’t be entirely up and running full out is the promotional tickets being valid until May 23rd. But that’s just a guess. We are going mid Feb and yup there’s stuff done but honestly nothing compared to past years at the same time. At least not yet....you never know what shoe hadn’t dropped yet!

 

[Christin82]

If you go during or after spring break next year, almost everything will likely be open! They like to have things in too-top shape for the spring break crowds. This year’s refurb season is much more extreme than usual because they are perfecting everything in preparation for Galaxy’s Edge. They need everything running at optimum capacity when it opens.

Also, at least you know the castle won’t be under refurbishment next spring because it’s getting done this year! And the World of Color thing is an anomaly. It’ll be going next spring, as will Fantasmic, I’m sure.

You’ll have an amazing time at Disney in springtime!

ETA: You’re talking about NEXT spring, right? Like over a year from now? Because if you meant this spring, I agree with sherilaine. Things might still be down in April, especially early April, since the ticket promotion lasts thru May.

 

[katyringo]

If you go during or after spring break next year, almost everything will likely be open! They like to have things in too-top shape for the spring break crowds. This year’s refurb season is much more extreme than usual because they are perfecting everything in preparation for Galaxy’s Edge. They need everything running at optimum capacity when it opens.

Also, at least you know the castle won’t be under refurbishment next spring because it’s getting done this year! And the World of Color thing is an anomaly. It’ll be going next spring, as will Fantasmic, I’m sure.

You’ll have an amazing time at Disney in springtime!

ETA: You’re talking about NEXT spring, right? Like over a year from now? Because if you meant this spring, I agree with sherilaine. Things might still be down in April, especially early April, since the ticket promotion lasts thru May.

Yes NEXt spring. I’m only asking this question now because if we switch to November we could book now. I really want to expirence Disneyland non Christmas.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Spring is usually fully running and fully staffed. I think April 2020 is a good time.

 

[Christin82]

The only thing that makes me think the park won’t be entirely up and running full out is the promotional tickets being valid until May 23rd. But that’s just a guess. We are going mid Feb and yup there’s stuff done but honestly nothing compared to past years at the same time. At least not yet....you never know what shoe hadn’t dropped yet!

Yes NEXt spring. I’m only asking this question now because if we switch to November we could book now. I really want to expirence Disneyland non Christmas.

Oh, there’s nothing wrong with planning in advance anyway! I start thinking about my trips far in advance haha! I just wanted to make sure I understood. Have a lovely trip!!

 

[Malcon10t]

we are planning on going next spring. April 2020. But golly refirb season this year is making me rethink that. I dislike the uncertainty of “when” things will open. So our other choice is Thanksgiving 2019.

But we’ve been 2 years in a row at Christmas time and I really want to see the park at a different time.

Does spring for Disney typically mean by Easter or more like Memorial Day?!?!

Most will be up by the two weeks prior to Easter, and most things will be up thru the week following Easter. The weeks after that til the end of May might have other things under refurb.

Things might still be down in April, especially early April, since the ticket promotion lasts thru May.

Each year, winter/spring (usually So Cal promotions) ticket promotions generally run thru the Thurs before Memorial Day weekend.

 

[Christin82]

Most will be up by the two weeks prior to Easter, and most things will be up thru the week following Easter. The weeks after that til the end of May might have other things under refurb.

Each year, winter/spring (usually So Cal promotions) ticket promotions generally run thru the Thurs before Memorial Day weekend.

Good to know! Thanks for clearing this up! We’ve never gone during a promotion and have gotten mixed information about it. Many people are saying that the reason they are offering the promotion is to compensate for the closures, and that the reopen date of the castle is likely to coincide with the end of the ticket promotion, but it sounds like that’s just hearsay.

Lots of folks who are planning visits in late April or early May are counting on the castle being closed, as they are taking “thru spring” literally, assuming that it will be closed throughout spring, sort of like if a store is open Monday thru Friday, the “thru” is generally interpreted to include the entirety of the business day on Friday. There is another thread based around the idea that “thru spring” means that spring break crowds won’t have the castle or F!, but I think it’s just an issue of semantics causing confusion for people.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... Lots of folks who are planning visits in late April or early May are counting on the castle being closed, as they are taking “thru spring” literally, assuming that it will be closed throughout spring, sort of like if a store is open Monday thru Friday, the “thru” is generally interpreted to include the entirety of the business day on Friday. There is another thread based around the idea that “thru spring” means that spring break crowds won’t have the castle or F!, but I think it’s just an issue of semantics causing confusion for people.

One of the issues with the very general end date for the castle refurb is the unknown factor of other damage that might be found while this refurb is going on. This has happened in the past with other rides (Matterhorn most famously comes to mind -- they found unexpected damage during one of the scheduled refurbs which extended the closure for much longer than originally anticipated), so let's hope it doesn't happen with SBC. But, if it should happen, better safe than sorry. And, on the bright side, sometimes refurbs go really well and finish up a bit earlier than expected. So it could go that way, too.

 

[Malcon10t]

Lots of folks who are planning visits in late April or early May are counting on the castle being closed, as they are taking “thru spring” literally, assuming that it will be closed throughout spring, sort of like if a store is open Monday thru Friday, the “thru” is generally interpreted to include the entirety of the business day on Friday. There is another thread based around the idea that “thru spring” means that spring break crowds won’t have the castle or F!, but I think it’s just an issue of semantics causing confusion for people.

I agree with theluckyrabbit. They learned from their mistake when they announced BTMRR would reopen October of 2013. There was more work than expected. Many people were upset because they planned their trip around it being open. It ended up not reopening until I think May 2014. When they gave a start date for Space Mountain, people were very upset when it went down a full month early (there were issues.) WOC was supposed to be back up, and we see how that is going!

 

[gottalovepluto]

Spring at Disneyland ends at Memorial, not Easter. For goodness sakes Spring doesn’t even start until late Mar!

I’m completely taken aback by those saying stuff is usually open in April, like full on. Everywhere else people are being cautioned Jan to Memorial is refurb season, especially Jan—Mar and those complaining about what will be down are being told if you’d done your research you would have known.

While there is a lot of hope everything here will wrap up by April it’s not a bet I’d take! Some stuff will back as we move out of the really bad Jan-Mar phase but you aren’t out of the refurb clear (as much as one can be) until Memorial Day. Memorial has kicked off Summer at Disney for years. (And that is just my interpretation of Spring in DLR, “technically” Disney has until June 21, 2019 to be on time with these refurbs because that is the technical end of Spring this year.)

OP, if you want to see the parks Holiday free do it! There’s tons to see & do & it’s a very different feel Holiday free. Could you end up like it is now? Maybe. But you’ll have SWL added to your things to do list. Since April is your only option I’d take it. There is so much to do you can still have an awesome trip even with refurbs!

 

[gottalovepluto]

I agree with theluckyrabbit. They learned from their mistake when they announced BTMRR would reopen October of 2013. There was more work than expected. Many people were upset because they planned their trip around it being open. It ended up not reopening until I think May 2014. When they gave a start date for Space Mountain, people were very upset when it went down a full month early (there were issues.) WOC was supposed to be back up, and we see how that is going!

And let’s not forget Peter Pan from a few years ago that ended up not opening until July!

 

[katyringo]

Well I’m thinking about my list of favorites and what hasn’t been down the last 2 years and I think everything we love has been down recently lol..

You know what hasn’t seen a refirb? RSR.

 

[sherilaine]

Sorry I thought you were talking about this spring vs fall - I'd think next Spring would likely be a lot better as everything is being taking to the cleaners for a spit and polish ahead of Galaxy Edge opening.

 

[MarBee]

To piggyback on this, are there any guesstimates as to when Sleeping Beauty’s Castle will reopen? I am contemplating taking our first trip to Disneyland in June. I really want the iconic castle experience, so it could possibly be a deal breaker. Everything I saw online just says “TBD.”

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

Spring 2019 is what was originally announced, so late June should be free and clear (unless they find extra damage that needs to be fixed).

For folks going in Feb it sounds like Mark Twain is doing night runs since F! isn't showing, so that could be a fun experience!

 

[Malcon10t]

My guesstimate is it will be up by Memorial Day.