The Magic is Back - Share your Experience! Superthread

[edhmom]

I was curious about mobile order wait times so I looked at 3:15 today (Saturday). Most return times were immediate up to 3:45 EXCEPT Tropical Hideaway which is a return time of 8:05. If you want a Dole Whip you need to plan early.

 

[DLgal]

Not to be argumentative, but if the parking and walking are so bad, why don't you take a ride share if you live so close? Again, not trying to upset you, just curious.

Also, I love the jokes about the various mountains and the quick thinking of where he can find Lightning Mountain!

Because it would cost almost $50 in Uber fare. It's usually $20-23 one way to/from Anaheim. Husband often takes one home from a brewery up near the packing house. We prefer using our own car especially with our kids with us. I'm a control freak like that.

 

[edhmom]

Because it would cost almost $50 in Uber fare. It's usually $20-23 one way to/from Anaheim. Husband often takes one home from a brewery up near the packing house. We prefer using our own car especially with our kids with us. I'm a control freak like that.

I get it. I like having my own car as well.

 

[midnight star]

Mobile ordering was fine when I used it earlier this month. I did get a dole whip from tropical hideaway but placed the order early in the morning. Line only took about 5-10 minutes once it said it was ready.

Only long back up I experienced was at Cozy Cone, specifically for the chili con queso. After getting the “your order is ready”, I waited 30 minutes to pick it up.

 

[Ksbrachel]

We were so excited to be back. Lucky for us it was cool weather so the masks weren’t too bad. Take water and snacks so the kids don’t have to wait for food. Fantasyland is packed so don’t ride the carousel there, the one is California is way shorter. We had reservations in downtown Disney for dinner but if there aren’t any left they take walkins too Hotels are not prepared for all of the cars from the California only restriction. We were booted from our parking upon checkout on Sunday along with everyone else. So parking was a nightmare and with no tram the walk seemed endless. If I had it to do over I would have called an Uber to and from the parking garage.

 

[kristensideaoffun]

We were so excited to be back. Lucky for us it was cool weather so the masks weren’t too bad. Take water and snacks so the kids don’t have to wait for food. Fantasyland is packed so don’t ride the carousel there, the one is California is way shorter. We had reservations in downtown Disney for dinner but if there aren’t any left they take walkins too Hotels are not prepared for all of the cars from the California only restriction. We were booted from our parking upon checkout on Sunday along with everyone else. So parking was a nightmare and with no tram the walk seemed endless. If I had it to do over I would have called an Uber to and from the parking garage.

What hotel were you staying at?

 

[Ksbrachel]

Fairfield across the street.

 

[wanderlust7]

Fairfield across the street.

We'll be staying there too. Do you know if they would have let you park past checkout if you paid for another day of parking?

 

[Ksbrachel]

We asked and they said no. They had so many cars they were double parked. They couldn’t get my son’s out so they let his stay. He walked right over to the front of the park through security with no line since all of the hotels had forced their guests out of parking no one walked to the park. We were all in line to the parking structure.

 

[DLgal]

We asked and they said no. They had so many cars they were double parked. They couldn’t get my son’s out so they let his stay. He walked right over to the front of the park through security with no line since all of the hotels had forced their guests out of parking no one walked to the park. We were all in line to the parking structure.

Yikes! Maybe that explains the 40 minute wait we had to enter the parking structure on Sunday 2 weeks ago.

My sister spent last weekend at the Springhill Suites at the corner or Harbor and Katella and they let her keep her car there on Sunday after checkout.

 

[Ksbrachel]

I’m sure the hotels within walking distance are busier since there aren’t any shuttles. If I had it to do over I would have let everyone else walk over to the park and I would have parked the car and called an Uber to and from the parking garage. The walk back to parking that night was brutal.

 

[NikiRose]

I am staying at the Courtyard Marriott Theme Park Entrance. We bought one park a day tickets and had reservations for yesterday (Saturday) and today (Sunday). Disneyland Resort was so much better in my opinion. Disney California was very crowded.
We got to Disney by 7:45AM both mornings and we were in the parks by 8:30AM. Rides started before 9:00AM.
All of the wait times were either correct or they were posted as longer than it actually took.
I get what others have said about the magic missing. It felt like I could have been at any theme park (almost). Long waits and no extra magic- parades, shows, fireworks, etc.
However, we did get to ride all of the rides without fast passes. It was a win in my opinion.

 

[ResilientRabbit]

Mobile ordering was fine when I used it earlier this month. I did get a dole whip from tropical hideaway but placed the order early in the morning. Line only took about 5-10 minutes once it said it was ready.

Only long back up I experienced was at Cozy Cone, specifically for the chili con queso. After getting the “your order is ready”, I waited 30 minutes to pick it up.

I was in that same cone line today. Very poorly run.

 

[kristensideaoffun]

I am staying at the Courtyard Marriott Theme Park Entrance. We bought one park a day tickets and had reservations for yesterday (Saturday) and today (Sunday). Disneyland Resort was so much better in my opinion. Disney California was very crowded.
We got to Disney by 7:45AM both mornings and we were in the parks by 8:30AM. Rides started before 9:00AM.
All of the wait times were either correct or they were posted as longer than it actually took.
I get what others have said about the magic missing. It felt like I could have been at any theme park (almost). Long waits and no extra magic- parades, shows, fireworks, etc.
However, we did get to ride all of the rides without fast passes. It was a win in my opinion.

Did you guys checkout of the Courtyard today? If so, did they ask you to move your car out of the lot once you checked out? Or do you know if this is their policy now? I heard the Fairfield next door doesn’t allow guests to keep their cars in the lot past check-in. I am hoping the Courtyard did not adopt a similar policy.

 

[luckyharri77]

too tired to post commentary, here are my raw #’s from Sunday, May 23

0752 GCH lobby, start walk to security check
0815 Disneyland gate, turnstyle line
0821 In park
0823 Main Street
0835 HM walk on
0904 Teacups walk on
0910 Alice walk on
0920 IASW walk on
0954-1010 Dumbo (16 minute wait)

Indy virtual queue
BG 12 called 0945, started in line 1020, 1042 boarding, 1051 ride done
ROTR BG 49
BG 49 called 1044, start line 1108, 1135 ride done.

Lunch - Jolly Holiday, mobile pick up about a 20 minute wait after pressing “I’m here” (1141 pressed, 1201 food out)

1243-1315 IASW line start to load (32 min wait)
1347-1352 Teacups line start to load (15 min wait, posted time 15 mins)
1358-1430 Carousel line start to load (32 min wait, posted time 30mins)
1458-1513 Astro orbiters line start to load (15 minute wait, posted 15 mins)

DtD: Salt and straw, back to VGC to regroup

1840-1848 Teacups (8 min wait)
Walk to DCA, no line at gate
1912-1924 Jesse’s Critter Carousel (12 min wait)
Random mask compliance count: 4 of 40 masks below nose on one round on Jesse’s.

1940-2009 Soarin (29 min wait)
2021-2042 Soarin (21 min wait)
2052- 2058 Soarin (6 min wait)

END OF DAY

 

[NikiRose]

Did you guys checkout of the Courtyard today? If so, did they ask you to move your car out of the lot once you checked out? Or do you know if this is their policy now? I heard the Fairfield next door doesn’t allow guests to keep their cars in the lot past check-in. I am hoping the Courtyard did not adopt a similar policy.

We are checking out today but we are heading home. I think they let you stay but you have to pay for another day of your car is here last check out time. They only have valet parking at this time.

 

[kristensideaoffun]

We are checking out today but we are heading home. I think they let you stay but you have to pay for another day of your car is here last check out time. They only have valet parking at this time.

Thank you for the info. That hotel has always been valet only and made guests pay to leave their car past checkout during peak season, so I am glad to hear their policies have not changed!

 

[tippity]

I think arrival times are a real guessing game, as far as waiting to get into the parks. Day 1 of our 2 day visit on Thurs. May 13th, we were able to enter DL immediately at arrival 9:30am. On day 2 it was a different story, same arrival time but it took 50 minutes to enter.

When I was close enough to the entrance, I noticed that the delay was caused by people trying to pull up their park reservations and tickets on their phones.

I would suggest printing tickets and the reservations. It really does speed up the process.

 

[TikiTikiFan]

I’m sure the hotels within walking distance are busier since there aren’t any shuttles.

Wait, so the ART bus isn't running?

 

[KPeterso]

So we went back on Saturday. And our day was definitely better than our first day! We arrived at the garage about 7:40 and were parked quickly in the first floor handicap parking. Instead of walking all the way around the fences in the area, I did walk over to our right and asked a security guard if my Mom could pass there to cut off steps as we were going to rent a wheelchair for her (I was willing to walk around), and he let us both right through the fence there. Getting in was so much easier and we were in line for Indy about 8:30.

I was not able to get a boarding group at 7 AM, but was able to get group 87 at noon. And we were called less than an hour later for our group. Overall, we rode 21 rides (14 at Disneyland and 7 at DCA). At times it seemed more crowded than when we went on 5/11 (a Tuesday) and at other times, it felt much quieter. We did have a nice lunch at Cafe Orleans (first time there). It was just nice to sit. We hopped to DCA around 4:45-5 as we did see most of the flag retreat (so happy they are still doing this each day). I used the mobile ordering at DCA to get ice cream at the Cozy Cone and it was really easy and fast. Immediate times to pick up.

We ended up staying until closing and walked out of DCA a little after 9. As DLGal said, walking the tram route still sucks! But we got back and the drop off for the wheelchair is right at the spot to walk into the garage for the first floor handicap spots so that was very nice! I ended up doing 29K steps so I guess it was a good day. We definitely did maximize our days and I think the only 2 things we missed that we might have liked to do was ride the train and ride Dumbo. They will be priorities when we return in July for our VGC stay for the park's 66th birthday!