Official Disneyland Rock Your Disney Side 24-hour Event - 5/23-24/14

[anewmac]

So being a 1st timer at doing this 24hour thing, which park would you start at?

My thought is to go to Dland so we can get a 1st am we look happy, peppy, and alive pic in front of the castle. Do a couple lands, then head over to Cali, then finish back up at Dland. So we can get a last pic in front of the castle tired, unfresh, and pooped LOL

My question is when is it a good time to hop and hop back before the crowds make it a no go. Also how can we find out they are closed and at limit?

 

[anewmac]

I think every ride will be pretty easy. Just use FP and single rider and knock out the headliners early. But some of those food lines are insane. During the first one we waited almost an hour at Bengal BBQ sometime after midnight and over 90 minutes at Stagedoor around 4am. It was slightly better at the second one, but I would recommend an ADR for any table service meals you want to try.

Thanks, we were planning on doing just that w/single rider and fast passes so good to know we can do it all.. hopefully. Were ok not being together for every ride LOL. I dont think we will do any table service, were all about just grabbing something and eatting in line (for this trip at least)

 

[dlhm70]

I would love to do the walk in the footsteps of Walt tour. I think that's what it's called? In any event a guided tour would be fun !!

 

[Disney Dreams]

So being a 1st timer at doing this 24hour thing, which park would you start at?

My thought is to go to Dland so we can get a 1st am we look happy, peppy, and alive pic in front of the castle. Do a couple lands, then head over to Cali, then finish back up at Dland. So we can get a last pic in front of the castle tired, unfresh, and pooped LOL

My question is when is it a good time to hop and hop back before the crowds make it a no go. Also how can we find out they are closed and at limit?

The question I have with your plan is: What time are you thinking about when you say, "... then finish back up at Dland"? It is important to keep in mind that if either Park (more likely to happen at DL) reaches capacity and you are not in it, you may not be able to get back in it for hours or maybe even at all. If it were me --- and just FYI, there's no way I'm going anywhere near the Resort for the 24 hour event --- the only time I would leave the Park that I want to end in would be for a few hours prior to 5pm.

The first time DLR held this event, I went " just to be there for a bit," get the pin, and have a ticket from that day. DL was a somewhat busy day, but nothing majorly crowded. Around 6pm I decided to leave to go home for dinner with DH. I went to the Mickey and Friends parking garage. No big deal. Exited and drove home. Easy peasy. After dinner and a few hours at home I contemplated going back so I could be in the Park at 1am and later (something rare). I went on line to see if any message boards were reporting that the Park was still letting people in.

The photos I saw of the lines backing up to the freeway to get in to the Mickey and Friends parking garage blew me away. The photos posted of endless people in the Esplanade waiting to be allowed into the Parks (which were closed due to capacity) were stunning. I had left the Park and parking garage just shortly prior to those photos being taken. And there was NONE of what I saw in those pictures. I was like the cartoon character who walks away from a building right before the anvil comes crashing down into the exact spot s/he was standing and had NO idea until I saw those photos. Ha I stayed just a bit longer, I would have been in that entire crush.

My point of sharing this is... You don't know when it's going to hit, but it hit WAY earlier than I would have thought the first time this was held. If it is important to you to be in a particular park after say, midnight, I would be in that Park by 4pm. Yes, I'm sure the Parks opened up again hours later, but the last place I would want to spend ANY part of my 24 hour Disney Day would be locked out of the Parks standing in the Esplanade, waiting.

Just my input,
Dreams

 

[tomato]

3. Do the late night character meets, they wear pajamas

Could you (or anyone) possibly elaborate on this? Which characters, which M&Gs and where? I've never heard of this before!

 

[SMD]

Could you (or anyone) possibly elaborate on this? Which characters, which M&Gs and where? I've never heard of this before!

You'll have to read the times guide for the location, it was different between the first 2. It's Mickey and friends and they swap out. At both of the previous events you had to get in line in advance of the characters being announced, so I would say don't hyper focus on getting a specific one. PP was not available at all of the locations, so have a camera ready that works in the dark. There was also a Monsters U greet at the Monsters event.

 

[tomato]

You'll have to read the times guide for the location, it was different between the first 2. It's Mickey and friends and they swap out. At both of the previous events you had to get in line in advance of the characters being announced, so I would say don't hyper focus on getting a specific one. PP was not available at all of the locations, so have a camera ready that works in the dark. There was also a Monsters U greet at the Monsters event.

Thank you! I can't believe I've never heard anything about this before!

 

[chttyangel]

I'm going to LA on 5/22 to watch a show taping. My husband has never been to anything Disney so just yesterday I looked at the Park hours that weekend to see if we could fit in a day. Guess I hadn't been paying attention because I was shocked/happy to see the 24 hour event.

I think I'm going with no plan at all. Get there about lunch and go til we can't stand any more. Experience firsts in the parks 1) my first time as an adult without kids in tow & without a schedule 2) his first time EVER 3) both of us first time at a 24 hour event. Just wander around and see things in a new light. If we get on every ride; great. If we do nothing more then eat and people watch; great too. I know not really what you were looking for...but that's my "plan" and a good way for him and I to experience Disney together.

SUPER excited!!!!!!!

 

[SeattleRedBear]

My advice having done the last 2 is:
1. Read the schedule for ride closures and reopenings throughout the day.
2. Hit any places with special food early, the lines will be long and they may run out. (Same with merchandise.)
3. Do the late night character meets, they wear pajamas.
4. Be flexible.
5. Be very, very flexible with your plans. Really, here first one was a total cluster and the second one had it's moments too. Don't leave things until the end. If an event is scheduled to happen 4 times throughout the night, expect the last one to be canceled or for Disney to have given all the spots away to people who missed the first 3.
6. Bring a battery charger for your phone and follow the Disney accounts on Twitter for surprises like pin trading locations and freebies.
7. Don't discount hopping to DCA when the DL crowd peaks after work hours.

Thanks VERY much for this advice. We're flying into town for this and it will be the last hurrah for our annual passes (which have just gotten too expensive). Not having grown up in SoCal, never had an opportunity to pull an all-nighter, so I'm really looking forward to this.

I did notice a 3 AM showing of World of Color in the schedule. Are they distributing FPs for this (like they do for the regular shows)? If so, any ideas on when they would be available?

 

[Kristina4109]

As much as I love Disneyland, I don't think I'd make it through 24 hours in the park. The most I've ever done was 17 (7 am - midnight) which my husband fondly remembers as "The Death March." My Dad was chanting things like, "Must keep moving. Like sharks. If we stop moving, we die."

 

[djmeredith]

As much as I love Disneyland, I don't think I'd make it through 24 hours in the park. The most I've ever done was 17 (7 am - midnight) which my husband fondly remembers as "The Death March." My Dad was chanting things like, "Must keep moving. Like sharks. If we stop moving, we die."

This made me lol because my Dad thinks my touring plans are too intense as well.

 

[jaydoe]

Ugh....I'm i the ONLY person not looking forward to this 24 hour event?!? The only reason I'm going is cause our DL vacation was already planned during this time!

I'm really kind of worried about the crowd level! Oh well....what can I do?

 

[etc335i]

when i did the leap year one i did it from 6am-6am and drove back home. it was the longest hour of my life!!!! scary

 

[Dot2Vegas]

You've got some great ideas! If I were going I would try to focus on specific 24hour events and magic, characters in PJs photos and rides. Have fun!!

 

[Karlzmom]

What do you think the crowd will be like on May 24th? Thinking of a trip down, but have no interest in being part of the mosh-pit of the party. Do you think there will be a lull the next day?

 

[SMD]

What do you think the crowd will be like on May 24th? Thinking of a trip down, but have no interest in being part of the mosh-pit of the party. Do you think there will be a lull the next day?

It will be extremely busy, it's the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. If it follows the pattern from last year, a good portion of the 24 hour day will be less crowded. Though it's hard to say how much having the grad night on Friday kept people away last time. I suspect not that much.

 

[Karlzmom]

It will be extremely busy, it's the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. If it follows the pattern from last year, a good portion of the 24 hour day will be less crowded. Though it's hard to say how much having the grad night on Friday kept people away last time. I suspect not that much.

Ugh! I didn't realize it was Memorial Day weekend! So much for that plan.....Thanks fort the heads up.

 

[Iggipolka]

We booked a trip May 21-26th 7 Mths ago and just realized that it's Memorial Day weekend And the 24 hour party. Ugh. Crowds are going to be horrible.
We're planning on short visits to the parks in the morning & lots of pool time in the afternoon. Pretty bummed about this , but oh well.

 

[perlster]

merged into post #56

 

[SMD]

DL never reached capacity last year, even with DCA being closed for a few hours for a grad night. Maybe the crowds will be more like the 2012 event than 2013, who knows. I will say, read the schedule, but be flexible. If you have plans like, "I need to ride Matterhorn at midnight," or "I must have a 3am Dole Whip" you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Offerings and availabilities change throughout the night and the schedule will be interrupted. Going with the flow will greatly impact your enjoyment of the event.