Touring Disneyland Park On July 17, 2005.

[barbaraann]

We will be at Disneyland on it's actual anniversary of July 17. The other day, when I paid off my Good Neighbor package, the lady that I spoke to at the Walt Disney Travel Company gave me the following suggestion. Do not leave Disneyland Park during the day, or you may not be able to get back in. Here is my question. Will we be able to go back and forth between Disneyland Park and Downtown Disney? Second Question: Will we be able to go back and forth between Disneyland Park and the Disney Hotels? Are we able to travel back and forth? We have Park hopper tickets, I believe, good for the length of our stay. Third question: If we go to California Adventure Park, will we be able to get back into Disneyland Park? Since we are staying at the Hilton Anaheim, I know we cannot go back there for a rest, but what about traveling within the entire Disneyland Resort? Having never visited Disneyland before, I am not sure about any of this. I need help, so I can plan my itinerary accordingly. I am traveling with one other adult and 3 children, and since that is going to be a very special day, and I am sure very tiring, I want to be able to plan accordingly. It will be nice to know if we can schecule some restful moments away from the main crowds. Thanks for the help.

 

[iceskatejen]

I can pretty much answer all of your questions with one answer--when they say you won't be able to leave the park and get back in, they mean that if you leave Disneyland Park you won't be able to get back in--that means if you go to DCA, the hotels, or DTD you won't be able to get back in. It's just going to be like that on that day. Otherwise you can go back and forth between everything to your hearts content. They just expect major crowds on the 17th.

 

[disneychrista]

Get there at least 30 minutes before the parks scheduled opening and DO NOT LEAVE until you are ready to leave for the day. It is expected to be very very very crowded. Be at Disneyland just so you can say you were there ON the 50th anniversary. DO NOT go expecting to be able to do a lot.

We will be there, just because I want to be there ON the anniversary.And I will not be leaving the park from park opening until closing.

 

[got2travel]

The safest thing would be not to leave the park at all. However, there are various degrees of 'closure' that the park uses. They may choose to not sell any more same day tickets, but still allow those people with pre-purchased tickets to enter. Then they could say no more new entries that day, but still let people who have already been in the park that morning come back in. Finally there is the hard stop where absolultely no one is allowed in the park at all, regardless if you had already been in.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I agree with iceskatejen & disneychrista.... They are expecting huge crowds that day - I would imagine bigger than the crowds they get during Thanksgiving & Christmas week.

Your hopper tickets give you the flexibility to come and go to California Adventure, Downtown Disney, hotels, etc., however, if Disneyland Park itself reaches capacity (& they are expecting that it does), then you won't be able to go back into the park, and will only have the option to go to California Adventure. If you are planning on going to DL on its actual birthday, then it is a good idea to plan to spend the entire day there.

 

[barbaraann]

Thanks for the speedy answer to my question. Now I guess we need to come prepared to spend the entire day at the park. I have never been there before, so that is O.K. with me. We were already planning on arriving extra early, we do not want to miss anything. We are anticipating the huge number of people, but we really wanted to be there on the actual birthday day. Since no specifics have been issued about special events, we are reluctant to plan anything, such as priority seatings, for that day, as it might take us away from something we would rather be enjoying. We are going to be there from the 16th until the 22nd, so we will have plenty of time to do most of what we want. So I have a related question. Name a few spots in the park where we can perhaps rest. My favorite spot at WDW are the rocking chairs in front of the Photo Store next to Tony"s Restsurant On Main Street. It has become our meeting place, when we are in Magic Kingdom. Give me a few suggestions for good meeting places at Disneyland Par.k. Thanks.

 

[iceskatejen]

The lower level of the Hungry Bear restaurant (counter service) tends to be very quiet and gives a nice view of the river.

 

[Amy&Dan]

A place that DH and I have met when we have split up our party is the Big Thunder Trail. This is a walkway that connects Frontierland to Fantasyland. It is behind Big Thunder Mountain and can get some nice shade. There are a few benches and a McDonalds Fry cart. Because it doesn't seem to be as mobbed with people in the afternoon it is a nice place to meet up with other people because you can actually see them. I also second the lower level of the Hungry Bear. Also the Village Haus (which is located right where the Big Thunder Trail lets out into Fantasyland) is also a nice place to rest. All bets may be off however, considering the crowds they are expecting. I envy you getting to be there for that special day though!

 

[disneychrista]

Tom Sawyers Island has some benches in out of the way places, that are great for a break.

 

[bunninose]

The place we use the most to meet people and to rest if needed, is what we call the Front Porch. It's at the entrance, go under the train to the left. Just past Tour Guide Gardens (now it's got a AAA kiosk) and before you get to City Hall, there's a shaded porch with several benches. You can get a decent view of any parade from there as well since it's a few feet higher than the foot traffic in front of you. There is nothing there but benches and fake doors, so most people walk straight past it without a glance.

I agree with the posts above. Just don't leave or you may not be let in again due to crowds. We're there for the weekend and we probably won't ride a single ride (leaving our spots in line to folks like you ).

See you there!!

 

[exDS vet]

Since no specifics have been issued about special events, we are reluctant to plan anything, such as priority seatings, for that day, as it might take us away from something we would rather be enjoying. .

If priority seating is what you usually do, I would suggest it for Fantasmic! only. The dessert buffet is nice. The best restaurant in DL is the Blue Bayou, but I don't believe PS is available for that one. however it might have changed. My experience with Disney's Electrical Parade at DCA is that there are never crowds for it. One time, in July, we were able to sit on the ground, just feet away from the floats and enjoy the parade without having to wait for more than 5 minutes before it started.

As for special events on July 17. Since I was there for the 40th anniversary, I can say that there most-likely won't be anything more than a ceremony to commemorate the event. In 1995, that ceremony was held in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle. Eisner, Roy Disney, and all of the Disney big wigs were on hand. They showed-off the "time castle" and then buried it in the ground in front of the castle. And country star Randy Travis sang "Happy Birthday" from the top of Matterhorn Mountain.

Other than that event and free birthday cake and party hats for everyone all day long, there were only the usual scheduled events held. I wouldn't expect much more on July 17th this year, except for the crowds. Have Fun.

Please see my post "A Word of Advice for Collectors on July 17".

 

[wejustcantwait]

I just got off the phone with Disney communications and this is what they told me.

If you have a hopper pass you will be allowed back into the park but if you have a one day ticket, You will not be allowed back in if you leave. Also when the park reaches full they will not sell anymore tickets for the day.

Also they will be having a 50 hour party that you can purchase tickets to but not at this time so consider that a party will be going on 50 after the 17th as well.

Thought this might help for anyone else that is planning on going on vactaion around this time.

For you that have been to other anniversary parties are we nuts? for wanting to be even around disneyland the week of the 17th? What is so different on that day? Do you get any insentives?

Thanks Nichol

 

[disneychrista]

Who exactly told you about this 50 hour party? I know there have been rumors but nothing official has been released.

 

[wejustcantwait]

Jarad in communications at 714-781-4669

 

[exDS vet]

I think the idea of a 50 hour party is great, but it seems like it would be difficult to pull off, especially for a special ticketed event. First off, it can't be a private, or exclusive ticketed event, because the park would have to be closed to the public for two full days. This also means that it would have to be open to the attendees for two full days. I can't see it happening.

Yes they had a 25 hour party in 1980 and a 30 hour event in 1985. But 50 hours straight? This would be an enormouse undertaking, and I think it would have been promoted and/or announced long before now.

Finally, like the rest of you, my selfish side says that they better not be thinking of cutting back the time that my 4 day hopper pass will afford me to spend at the park for some special ticketed event that I have to pay even more money to attend. But this is still Eisner's world, so I guess anything negative is possible.

 

[disneychrista]

If this does pan out, rumors are saying that the park will be opened it's normal summer hours (8am - 12mid) and then open for a "hard ticket" event between 12mid - 8am. So those who choose not to do the 50 hours can still go in normal hours, just not the extended hours.

So say they have the hard ticket from 12mid the 17th the 50th would run until 2am on the 19th. So the "hard ticket" event would get you an extra 18 hours in "after hours" fun.

 

[dletz]

I believe the party is actually the 15-17 so starts before the 50th not after. I'm guessing that what they are planning is to allow those people who have purchased tickets to stay after the regular park hours and those that have not will have to leave when the park closes. Therefore those who pay for this party will be in the park before anyone else on the 17th.

Also I go every year on the july 17th (and the off year ones are no where near as crowded), July 4th, and New Years Eve. It gets crowded, but not once has it ever closed to capacity on those days. NYE every year they tell you as you leave the park, by leaving you may not be able to return, but we've never had a problem. Also we know that if we don't get back in it's our fault. I believe that they will have a ceremony in the morning (they usually do them around 9 or 10) and probably cake and birthday hats. Other than that, I doubt they'll have much of a special event. Pins for purchase, merchandise for purchase, yes, but other structured events, I kind of doubt it.

 

[disneychrista]

Well I gave my "dates" as an example because until I see an official release I do not think any one can say for sure when or even IF there will be a 50 hour "party"

 

[wejustcantwait]

Everyone is making a fuss about what I said about a party. I didn't mean to get people all worked up. I personally don't care about a party. I just want to go on vacation and go when there arn't unusual crowds. I read on here about a birthday party on the 17th, Right in the middle of our vacation. So I called disneyland and they gave me a number to communications. I called it and a man named jared is who told me that there was going to be a party. and they were expecting very large crowds. Larger than any ever at disneyland. You will have to buy special tickets to this party and they wouldn't be available until just before the celebration. I personally don't want to be anywhere near disneyland on the 17th or that week. I just wanted to clear that up.