stupid or smart?

[CanadianImagineer]

Ok, so within roughly 24 hours I've changed the possible dates of the trip 3 times, but when your mother's paying for it and in turn ultimately decides when she wants to go, you don't argue with mama Ok so as of now she has declared that she would like to go right after Christmas. Now, being the good DISer that I am, I know this is THE busiest week of the year. On one hand, the possibility of the parks closing due to capacity and insane lines makes me anxious to no end, but on the other, I really like the idea of longer park hours, minimal refurbs and lots of shows/parades. So I'm thinking, what if we go, say December 30-January 6? My reasoning is that the first half of the trip we could spend soaking up the shows/parades/christmas atmosphere and rides that will be going down for rehab, and then the second half could be spent hitting all the headliners with smaller crowds. I'm sure this is flawed somehow, so please enlighten me! When do you think the Xmas/new years crowds will disperse by? Which specific dates would you suggest? Oh and also, do the parks typically close due to capacity around New Years? Thanks and I apologize to those who have been playing calendar hop-skotch with me

 

[bumbershoot]

Talking to CMs about New Years Eve makes them shudder in fear and get a far-off look in their eyes like they are getting to their happy peaceful place to avoid the thoughts of NYEs in the past.

I can't even imagine going over a NYE...make sure she knows that things are likely to close when they get to capacity, it'll be crazy busy, etc etc etc.

That said, yeah, things'll be open!

Good luck!

 

[StageTek]

You’ve already done so much research I can only confirm what you
already know.

DCA hasn’t yet closed due to capacity around NYE, but Disneyland
has. It used to be that the crowds dropped off quickly on the
3rd. Not so much anymore. More and more people are doing what
you’re doing and the locals return around Jan 3rd for one last
look at all the Christmas stuff - the annual passes aren’t
blacked out that week. o the 3rd through the 8th is most likely
to be just as busy as it has been for the last three years.

You won’t get any slow days, but you will still have a wonderful
time.

 

[Sherry E]

Talking to CMs about New Years Eve makes them shudder in fear and get a far-off look in their eyes like they are getting to their happy peaceful place to avoid the thoughts of NYEs in the past.

I can't even imagine going over a NYE...make sure she knows that things are likely to close when they get to capacity, it'll be crazy busy, etc etc etc.

That said, yeah, things'll be open!

Good luck!

Too funny, Molly!

Believe me, talking to ME about NYE at DLR and my one experience with it will evoke that same far-off look or a more immediate expression of terror The only thing I can say about this year's NYE is, didn't Al Lutz mention in one of his first columns this year the possibility of DLR - in efforts to control crowds - closing off the park at a certain time that day and selling separate tickets for the actual evening hours of NYE (much like they do with the Trick or Treat Party) so that not everyone with an AP or Hopper would be able to pack into the park? I suppose we don't know yet if that IS going to happen for sure, but that may be something to consider. If they do that I imagine that the park would close at a certain hour and then the people with the special NYE tickets would be ushered in - so maybe it would not be AS bad as it has been in the past.

But, any way you slice it - NYE aside - those days after Christmas and up through the first days of January will be packed. Since New Year's Day is on a Friday in 2010, I would imagine DLR will be packed with people until at least Sunday, January 3rd. Just be mentally prepared for it and plan well and you will manage, but last year, right after Christmas, the lines at the ticket booths were loooooonnnnnngggg because all these folks (armed with their Christmas gift $$$) were buying their shiny new AP's in record numbers. Since the economy has not gotten any better, I imagine there will be more people buying new APs this year, because DLR is a more 'cost effective' vacation than some other destinations. Also, the people who bought APs last year right after Christmas will be trying to cram trips to the parks in this year before their APs expire in late December, which which is similar to a suggested reason for why the crowds this past week at DLR have been hideous - a bunch of people with SoCal Aps were trying to get to the park before their summer blockout days kicked in and it was reported to be MADNESS in the parks!

 

[Disney Dreams]

I have posted this many times before: You will only do NYE at Disneyland once. Everyone will tell you it is busier than you could possibly imagine. You will think they just have a lower tolerance for crowds than you do. They will tell you Main Street becomes so elbow- to-elbow crowded to the NYE festivities that they MUST be exagerating. They will caution you about planning on not leaving the park once you are in because it is the number 1 day you can get locked out due to capacity. You will think it won't be bad this year. Then you will go. And you will never go on NYE again. However, you will go once - because you just won't belive it until you experience it yourself.

- Dreams (who has done NYE in Disneyland ONCE - and never will again)

P.S. NY day is empty until about noon, then it is pretty crowded the rest of the day.

 

[CanadianImagineer]

I have posted this many times before: You will only do NYE at Disneyland once. Everyone will tell you it is busier than you could possibly imagine. You will think they just have a lower tolerance for crowds than you do. They will tell you Main Street becomes so elbow- to-elbow crowded to the NYE festivities that they MUST be exagerating. They will caution you about planning on not leaving the park once you are in because it is the number 1 day you can get locked out due to capacity. You will think it won't be bad this year. Then you will go. And you will never go on NYE again. However, you will go once - because you just won't belive it until you experience it yourself.

- Dreams (who has done NYE in Disneyland ONCE - and never will again)

P.S. NY day is empty until about noon, then it is pretty crowded the rest of the day.

Is that a challenge? Hmmm from reading these posts I'm leaning towards making NYE our arrival day so we can just kick back in the hotel hot tub/adjust to the time zone change. Keep the input comin'!

 

[LuLusApple]

I am wondering when NYE got so crazy? Seriously, I went many years ago 2001 and for the life of me I recall it as being calm. am I delusional? LOL
I remember they passed out hats and blowers. We sat on a bench near fantasyland, watched the fireworks. That was about it.
What happens now? Cause I was considering it until I read this thread. Sounds like it should be avoided at all costs.

 

[Disney Dreams]

Is that a challenge? ...

Nope, just offering first-hand experience. Like I said, you WILL do it once. We ddid.

I am wondering when NYE got so crazy? Seriously, I went many years ago 2001 and for the life of me I recall it as being calm. am I delusional? LOL
I remember they passed out hats and blowers. We sat on a bench near fantasyland, watched the fireworks. That was about it.
What happens now? Cause I was considering it until I read this thread. Sounds like it should be avoided at all costs.

It has grown over the years, but from your post, it sounds as if you were not on Main Street or by hhe castle by the stage with the countdown clock, Mickey and friends.

 

[LuLusApple]

Thanks Dreams it seems we missed the big whoha LOL I remember we were over by Its a small world, I thought it was pretty boring and not very exciting. For the life of me I don't remember the crowds being that bad. But I do rember it being cold! LOL was considering taking the DGD1 this year since it seemed so tame. Maybe not.

 

[Sherry E]

I am wondering when NYE got so crazy? Seriously, I went many years ago 2001 and for the life of me I recall it as being calm. am I delusional? LOL
I remember they passed out hats and blowers. We sat on a bench near fantasyland, watched the fireworks. That was about it.
What happens now? Cause I was considering it until I read this thread. Sounds like it should be avoided at all costs.

Do you mean you went on NYE 2001 (going into 2002)? We went on NYE 2000 (going into 2001 - the big Millennium thing) and we got the hats and the blowers and it was exactly as Dreams described it - wall-to-wall, elbow-to-elbow people squished together on Main Street and no one could move at all. It was claustrophobic and scary and I would NOT do it ever again. And the crowds built up hours before midnight on Main Street, so we were trying to get out of Carnation Cafe at something like 8:00 p.m., and we felt like we couldn't escape. One of my friends was so unnerved by it all that she 'suddenly' developed a sore throat and had to go back to the hotel room, but I knew she was secretly just freaked out by the crowds and I couldn't blame her. The rest of us stayed behind like fools in DL, thinking we HAD to be there at the stroke of midnight, but we quickly realized that we had to get far, far away from Main Street if we could and somehow we formed a chain and held on to each other and pushed our way over to Tomorrowland where it was less congested. Nope. Never again. Not worth it!

BUT, if Al Lutz was correct in his column from early this year about DLR's plans to possibly sell a limited number of separate tickets to NYE at DL so that it limits the crowds a bit, I think that would be one way it could start becoming manageable again. Most people with APs and Hoppers would not necessarily think it was important enough to be there at the stroke of midnight to the point where they would actually buy an extra ticket for it. So I think only the people who REALLY needed to be at DL for NYE would invest in separate tickets, and that would cut down on crowds somewhat.

 

[sassy*girl]

I am wondering when NYE got so crazy? Seriously, I went many years ago 2001 and for the life of me I recall it as being calm. am I delusional? LOL
I remember they passed out hats and blowers. We sat on a bench near fantasyland, watched the fireworks. That was about it.
What happens now? Cause I was considering it until I read this thread. Sounds like it should be avoided at all costs.

I'm with you I don't remember it being worse then any other busy night. I went 2002/2003. We camped out in front of it's a small world. They pre filmed a fake countdown for the Dick Clark show. They passed out hats and blowers. I mean it was really busy with tons of people but we still had fun.

 

[PinkBudgie]

We went on Jan 1st and 2nd of this year. It wasn't blocked out for APs like it will be this next time. The morning of NY day was nice and uncrowded but by noon it got very crowded. Same with Jan 2, but I have to say that day got crowded faster. Just walking around during the day was hard, and it got so you couldn't even see the ground, just people. The plaza between DL and DCA was a sea of people in line for the ticket booths. I have never seen it so crowded. Even DCA was packed. Things that you could normally just walk in and look at were packed. The preview center in DCA had a long line just to go in and see it. Hopping between parks took about 10 min, because there was always a long line to get through the gates at either park at anytime we went.

We went to see the HMH and IASWH, so anything else was bonus to us. I didn't go in expecting to do much, but I have never seen it so crowded. It was close to capacity because they were warning everyone to have a hand stamp, even APs.

 

[fairycat]

I have posted this many times before: You will only do NYE at Disneyland once. Everyone will tell you it is busier than you could possibly imagine. You will think they just have a lower tolerance for crowds than you do. They will tell you Main Street becomes so elbow- to-elbow crowded to the NYE festivities that they MUST be exagerating. They will caution you about planning on not leaving the park once you are in because it is the number 1 day you can get locked out due to capacity. You will think it won't be bad this year. Then you will go. And you will never go on NYE again. However, you will go once - because you just won't belive it until you experience it yourself.

- Dreams (who has done NYE in Disneyland ONCE - and never will again)

P.S. NY day is empty until about noon, then it is pretty crowded the rest of the day.

I must be insane because I have done NYE at the parks three times 2009/2006, 2006/2007, 2008/2009 BUT saying this we have not done it the way others have and we do have AP's so we dont mind the insanity as much. Mind you when we go we do Disneyland earlier in the day/afternoon. The first year we ate at what used to be the Vineyard room and stayed for the coutdown in DCA, then went into DL till close. The next two years started in DL, then we hit DCA, then to Napa Rose for dinner and the ring in and then to DL till close. I won't do the countdown in DL, I am not that insane!!

I really would be ok if the charged a seperate ticket for the NYE countdown, but it would make us a little sad since it would ruin our tradition. We love watching everyone bail out of the parks at 12:30 leaving us with an emptying park till 2am! It's better then waiting in all the traffic.

Saying all this, seriously I rarely EVER suggest people to visit the parks for that week. I remember when it used to be the days to go as the park was DEAD. We all joked that NY Day was "THE" day to go to the parks cause everyone was home watching games and the parade. Not any more, the secret got out and the place has become more and more crazy. If you can go a week earlier, or the beginning of Dec. and you will have a much better trip.

 

[Disney Dreams]

I must be insane because I have done NYE at the parks three times 2009/2006, 2006/2007, 2008/2009...

LOL, you and I have compared NYE experiences on this board before. You are not insane because

The first year we...stayed for the coutdown in DCA... The next two years...to Napa Rose for dinner and the ring in.

If I recall correctly (and your post above confirms my memory) from the last time we all discussed NYE, you were not actually in Disneyland to ring in the NY.

See, you aren't insane.

- Dreams

 

[Canyon girl]

I'm with Dreams! As you can see in my siggie, I have done it once, and never to do it again! I am sure that it is much worse now than it was then. I will never do NYE at DL again, just as I will never do Christmas Day at WDW again. I do not like wall-to-wall people! Good Luck with whatever you decide!

 

[fairycat]

LOL, you and I have compared NYE experiences on this board before. You are not insane because


If I recall correctly (and your post above confirms my memory) from the last time we all discussed NYE, you were not actually in Disneyland to ring in the NY.

See, you aren't insane.

- Dreams

Yeah its my loop hole! I will go to the parks for NYE but will never even bother to stay in DL for the countdown (DCA yes, I would so do that again but it's more fun at Napa Rose ). Before and after heck yeah, but no I won't bother to stay in DL for the big celebration. I am not that nuts

 

[Ken2Blitzkrieg]

Done Christmas Day once it was great even thou it poured down
dont think would ever do NYE thou .

 

[CanadianImagineer]

Just a mini-update: we're going to be booking our flights tomorrow morning but I just wanted to double-check that I'm not forgetting anything major when weighing all the factors.

As it stands, we'll fly in on January 1st, arriving in the evening and basically going straight to bed. We'll spend the 2nd and 3rd (Sat. and Sun.) taking in all the Holiday attractions/entertainment (especially HM and IASM holiday versions before they're taken down most likely on the 4th), and are expecting very large crowds.

Mon., Tues. and Wed. we'll spend doing all the headliners/downtown disney/etc. and are expecting the crowds to be significantly lower. We will then fly home on Thurs. the 7th.

Input?