Summer's "High Season" Questions

[JustAKid]

So I have a couple of high season questions...

First, is it typical that Grad Nights kick off summer's high season? Can I expect the parks to start staying open later after that?

Second, what are the BALLPARK parade times for summer? Morning? 1-3pm? 3-6pm?

Third, with WoC coming, do you reckon Fantasmic! will be less busy?

Finally, how significantly lower are the crowds weekdays the last week of school? Do many people just take their kids out of school the last couple of days to make their first trip to DL?

And a non-season related question - Does the Hungry Bear resturant have talking bear heads?? Remember how Chuck E. Cheese used to be? Are they like that?

 

[HydroGuy]

So I have a couple of high season questions...

First, is it typical that Grad Nights kick off summer's high season? Can I expect the parks to start staying open later after that?

Kickoff is not the right word. Just coincident. Grad nights are one or sometimes two nights a week. They do not influence park hours other than those specific nights.

Here are the 2010 dates: http://www.grad-nights.com/gradnightcalifornia.htm

Here are resources for park hours in previous years which will likely be similar in 2010.

http://www.laughingplace.com/Guide-Cal-dlr2-200906.asp

http://www.mouseplanet.com/search.php?type=c&cid=dl

Second, what are the BALLPARK parade times for summer? Morning? 1-3pm? 3-6pm?

See above link for laughing place for entertainment in June.

What might change next year is the Main Street Electrical Parade return to DL (a rumor). If so that will be night time only. Evening parades are usually at 6:30PM or 7PM but MSEP would be later during the dark. I have no idea how DL would handle this and fireworks, etc.

In any case DL would probably offer a second different parade in the afternoon and these are usually at 3PM or 3:30PM.

On low season days the parade may only show once.

Third, with WoC coming, do you reckon Fantasmic! will be less busy?

No, I suspect F! will be equally busy. My prediction is that people who may be inclined to skip it because it is too busy will now go. So it will be as busy as ever.

Finally, how significantly lower are the crowds weekdays the last week of school? Do many people just take their kids out of school the last couple of days to make their first trip to DL?

Hard to say. Some areas of the country including mine have kids out of school in late May. But we do not drive DLR attendance so much as the SoCal schools which tend to get out in early to mid-June. It is not my sense that SoCal people in general pull their kids out of school the last week of school to get to DLR before it gets too crowded. SoCal people do not think that way. DLR is always there for them. They go whenever they want.

What will drive crowds much more are the AP holders and their blackout dates.

See this thread for more info: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2244322

And a non-season related question - Does the Hungry Bear resturant have talking bear heads?? Remember how Chuck E. Cheese used to be? Are they like that?

Not that I have ever seen. The talking bear heads used to live next door at the Country Bear Jamboree/Playhouse which was removed in a fit of stupidity and replaced by the Pooh ride.

 

[JustAKid]

Here are resources for park hours in previous years which will likely be similar in 2010.

http://www.laughingplace.com/Guide-Cal-dlr2-200906.asp

http://www.mouseplanet.com/search.php?type=c&cid=dl

I have been looking EVERYWHERE for these! I could only find calendars that went forward, not backward, which is what I needed in order to do research. Thanks!

What might change next year is the Main Street Electrical Parade return to DL (a rumor). If so that will be night time only. Evening parades are usually at 6:30PM or 7PM but MSEP would be later during the dark. I have no idea how DL would handle this and fireworks, etc.

I haven't been to DL in forever and 3 days, so I was shocked when I heard that the EP had been moved to DCA. It was an essential part of my DL experience, so I hope they DO move it. That way my kids can enjoy more of the Disneyland that *I* remember.

No, I suspect F! will be equally busy. My prediction is that people who may be inclined to skip it because it is too busy will now go. So it will be as busy as ever.

This is NOT the answer I was hoping for!!

Thanks once again, HydroGuy, for your infinate wisdom. I wish I could put you in my pocket so I can take you out and ask you questions as they come to me!

 

[HydroGuy]

I haven't been to DL in forever and 3 days, so I was shocked when I heard that the EP had been moved to DCA. It was an essential part of my DL experience, so I hope they DO move it. That way my kids can enjoy more of the Disneyland that *I* remember.

After taking the MSEP away forever they found out they had a problem on their hands with DCA. No one wanted to go over there especially at night. They needed a night draw. The MSEP was it. They started over there maybe 5 years ago and just called it the Disney Electrical Parade - DEP. It only shows in high season or times when other major entertainment is down for refurb and Disney needs to have something at night.

Since 2010 will mark the opening of the World of Color show the DEP will not be needed as much if at all. Disney may mothball it. Or, as has been speculated, bring it back to DL for the 55th anniversary celebration next year and drum up some more interest at DL.

 

[JustAKid]

It is interesting that the DL folks wouldn't put a little more focus on what seems like a less expensive show. I wonder what the cost difference between the WoC and DEP is...

 

[DLR29]

After taking the MSEP away forever they found out they had a problem on their hands with DCA. No one wanted to go over there especially at night. They needed a night draw. The MSEP was it. They started over there maybe 5 years ago and just called it the Disney Electrical Parade - DEP. It only shows in high season or times when other major entertainment is down for refurb and Disney needs to have something at night.

Since 2010 will mark the opening of the World of Color show the DEP will not be needed as much if at all. Disney may mothball it. Or, as has been speculated, bring it back to DL for the 55th anniversary celebration next year and drum up some more interest at DL.

Actually....what I heard is that DEP is going over to DL because of the 55th anniversary AS WELL AS the construction for the new DCA entrance and entrance plaza (starts next year). Then once that is done (late 2011 I think), DEP will go back to DCA.

 

[bumbershoot]

Then once that is done (late 2011 I think), DEP will go back to DCA.

I hope so. The pathways are so nice and wide in DCA for that parade...although in my childhood I saw the parade in DL, I like it better in DCA.


I think it's always important to note that holidays and vacation times differ wildly from school to school, district to district, state to state. What's schooltime for many CA students is summertime for many other areas, and families in those areas might want a Disney vacation. Just like Spring Break basically goes from middish March to early May when taking the whole country into account, summertime varies quite a bit as well.

 

[HydroGuy]

Actually....what I heard is that DEP is going over to DL because of the 55th anniversary AS WELL AS the construction for the new DCA entrance and entrance plaza (starts next year). Then once that is done (late 2011 I think), DEP will go back to DCA.

I hope you are right. It is hard to picture though how both DEP and WoC could co-exist as night time shows without conflicting. Keeping both would be cool though.

 

[Mazzy]

Thanks for all the great info, and for the park hours link, I was hoping it would lead to the hours for July 2009, which it did, but the first half of the month is missing:
http://www.laughingplace.com/Guide-Cal-dlr2-200907.asp

and yup, those are the days we will be there in 2010! Does anyone know why the first half of July has no info on? Thanks

 

[HydroGuy]

Thanks for all the great info, and for the park hours link, I was hoping it would lead to the hours for July 2009, which it did, but the first half of the month is missing:
http://www.laughingplace.com/Guide-Cal-dlr2-200907.asp

and yup, those are the days we will be there in 2010! Does anyone know why the first half of July has no info on? Thanks

The first half of July will have the same hours as the last half. Everything is maxed out. Hours, entertainment, etc.

Someone at LP dropped the ball it would appear for July. I do not follow LP very much but they do have some historical months with missing data.

You can use the MP link I gave above for park hours but they do not show entertainment.