TSMM Closed for Refurb Nov 15...Not Happy

[dnamertz]

Disneyland finally posted the park information on their calendar for the 1st day of our trip (Nov 15) and they also revealed that starting that day Toy Story Midway Mania will close for refurbishment (for who knows how long).

Having not been on this ride, this is the one ride I was looking forward to most. We have never been on this ride, and we can only go to DL every few years, so I am greatly disappointed. Our plane tickets are already purchased...Disneyland really needs to reveal their ride refurbishment schedule longer than a month in advance. This is the type of news really messes up my plans.

My only other option now is to spend about $40 or $50 more for 5 day park hoppers (instead of the 4 day park hoppers), and use them to get into the park on the night of Nov 14 (our plane arrives early in the afternoon).

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I posted the refurb schedule in the POTC thread and included this info. TSMM is only supposed to be down for 15-17.

 

[ArchOwl]

I am sorry that TSMM will be down during your trip. It does look like it is a short refub, Mouseplanet is reporting the refurb from Nov 15-17. If you have 4 days, you might be able to squeeze it in. Of course, there is no guarantee.

http://www.mouseplanet.com/9761/Disneyland_Resort_Update

I know it is not fun to see a ride you like on the refurb schedule, but Disney does have to occasionally take the rides off-line to keep them in good running order. I am not sure that they can always predict with certainty when they will need do to that. Hopefully you are still able to enjoy TSMM.

 

[dnamertz]

I posted the refurb schedule in the POTC thread and included this info. TSMM is only supposed to be down for 15-17.

The 18th will be our last day there, so hopefully those dates hold true. Of course, the 18th at 10am is when I scheduled our Plaza Inn Character Breakfast (to avoid doing it during the first hour DL is open)...but now I might have to reschedule that so we can hit TSMM that morning as soon as DCA opens.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

The 18th will be our last day there, so hopefully those dates hold true. Of course, the 18th at 10am is when I scheduled our Plaza Inn Character Breakfast (to avoid doing it during the first hour DL is open)...but now I might have to reschedule that so we can hit TSMM that morning as soon as DCA opens.

Maybe try getting a Plaza reservation before park opening one day.

 

[MAH4546]

The 18th will be our last day there, so hopefully those dates hold true. Of course, the 18th at 10am is when I scheduled our Plaza Inn Character Breakfast (to avoid doing it during the first hour DL is open)...but now I might have to reschedule that so we can hit TSMM that morning as soon as DCA opens.

Its off season and a weekday. The line won't exceed 45 minutes, if even.

 

[dnamertz]

Its off season and a weekday. The line won't exceed 45 minutes, if even.

Does a Friday count as a "weekday" as far as crowd levels go?

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Does a Friday count as a "weekday" as far as crowd levels go?

Until the afternoon at least.

 

[dnamertz]

Maybe try getting a Plaza reservation before park opening one day.

That's what I'll have to do, but it will need to be the other MM day (the one where we are not using our MM entry) so we can make a 9:10am reservation when the park opens at 10am. I was hoping to avoid this to not use up precious time eating breakfast at park opening time (I'm guessing our breakfast will last until at least 10:30 if it starts at 9:10). But that was also the day we were planning on starting out our morning in DCA (I wanted to do that on a MM day while other guests were using their MM entry in DL).

Or, I guess I could not worry about trying to ride TSMM right when DCA opens at 10am on Friday Nov 18th. Since DL opens at 8am that day...seems I'd be missing out on DL time to wait almost one hour to ride TSMM (we'd have to get in line by 9:15 (or earlier?) to enter DCA, then get to the 10am rope drop and then get to TSMM. Would it be better to just try to ride later in the morning?

 

[MAH4546]

Does a Friday count as a "weekday" as far as crowd levels go?

Until the after-work crowds start arriving, absolutely. Disneyland isn't a destination park, the majority of visitors are those such as myself that go after work to dine, catch a show, hang out, etc.

 

[Sherry E]

I don't even really think that it's "off season." The holiday season officially begins on 11/14 (and most of the 'stuff' will be up and out on 11/11, with the exception of the DLR hotels), and that is never "off season." What happens is that some weeks during the season are less crowded than other weeks during the holidays, and that specific week will be less crowded than, say, the week of Christmas, but the holiday season is never off season. It's an extremely popular time of year in the parks.

To be honest, when I first saw the info about TSMM being closed on 11/15 (and that would annoy me too, as that's my favorite ride in DCA) and that it would be a short refurb, my first thought was, "Oh wow! I wonder if this is the year that DLR is going to debut the holiday overlay for TSMM that has been talked about in the past." (When TSMM opened, the Disney powers that be said that the ride has already been set up to quickly switch to Halloween or holiday themes in the future, without much down time, and Mr. Potato Head's Halloween and holiday-oriented chatter/singing has already been recorded. No one knows when they will start doing any of these overlays.)

 

[dnamertz]

I don't even really think that it's "off season." The holiday season officially begins on 11/14 (and most of the 'stuff' will be up and out on 11/11, with the exception of the DLR hotels), and that is never "off season." What happens is that some weeks during the season are less crowded than other weeks during the holidays, and that specific week will be less crowded than, say, the week of Christmas, but the holiday season is never off season. It's an extremely popular time of year in the parks.

From all my research the weekdays that time of year are supposed to be not too bad as long as it's not Thanksgiving week or the couple weeks around Christmas (when kids are out of school). I heard crowd levels last year the week before Thanksgiving was pretty low...and early December is supposed to be one of the less crowded times to go, despite the holiday season/decor.

I just want to see TSMM, whether they re-theme it for Christmas or not...it's the one ride everyone keeps saying I must ride.

 

[skiingfast]

To be honest, when I first saw the info about TSMM being closed on 11/15 (and that would annoy me too, as that's my favorite ride in DCA) and that it would be a short refurb, my first thought was, "Oh wow! I wonder if this is the year that DLR is going to debut the holiday overlay for TSMM that has been talked about in the past." (When TSMM opened, the Disney powers that be said that the ride has already been set up to quickly switch to Halloween or holiday themes in the future, without much down time, and Mr. Potato Head's Halloween and holiday-oriented chatter/singing has already been recorded. No one knows when they will start doing any of these overlays.)

I've wondered this too, but was also wondering why not the week before? Or just switch the software that should just take a night without closure?

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

That's what I'll have to do, but it will need to be the other MM day (the one where we are not using our MM entry) so we can make a 9:10am reservation when the park opens at 10am. I was hoping to avoid this to not use up precious time eating breakfast at park opening time (I'm guessing our breakfast will last until at least 10:30 if it starts at 9:10). But that was also the day we were planning on starting out our morning in DCA (I wanted to do that on a MM day while other guests were using their MM entry in DL).

Or, I guess I could not worry about trying to ride TSMM right when DCA opens at 10am on Friday Nov 18th. Since DL opens at 8am that day...seems I'd be missing out on DL time to wait almost one hour to ride TSMM (we'd have to get in line by 9:15 (or earlier?) to enter DCA, then get to the 10am rope drop and then get to TSMM. Would it be better to just try to ride later in the morning?

How about the last reservation of the morning on your MM day?

 

[Sherry E]

From all my research the weekdays that time of year are supposed to be not too bad as long as it's not Thanksgiving week or the couple weeks around Christmas (when kids are out of school). I heard crowd levels last year the week before Thanksgiving was pretty low...and early December is supposed to be one of the less crowded times to go, despite the holiday season/decor.

I just want to see TSMM, whether they re-theme it for Christmas or not...it's the one ride everyone keeps saying I must ride.

Yes, early, early December is less crowded than certain other times in the holiday season itself.

The lowest crowd points of the holiday season (which is a peak season, just as Summer is) are typically said to be the week right after Thanksgiving (because everyone has headed back to work and school before their Christmas breaks) and into the first week of December. After that, the crowds pick up steadily with each passing week, reaching a peak between Christmas and New Year's. I was shocked at how crowded it was last year, when I was at DLR on 12/12 - 12/15, and two of those nights were for Cast Member parties.

Oddly, October is technically considered off-peak season for DLR, but you would never know it by seeing all the Halloween Time crowds!

 

[Sherry E]

I've wondered this too, but was also wondering why not the week before? Or just switch the software that should just take a night without closure?

I'm sure you're right. It's probably not likely that the little TSMM holiday overlay will be this year because it seems like they would have tried to get it ready for the season start date. It was wishful thinking when I heard that there was going to be a short refurb but, realistically, DLR probably won't trot out the Christmas carol-singing Mr. Potato Head tracks until at least next year, when everything is all shiny and new in DCA. That seems like it would make much more sense. There's so much construction in DCA right now that it will be hard to make it feel too holiday-ish.

Then again, they are sticking a little holiday segment in WoC this year, so maybe Mr. Potato Head will be decking those halls after all!

 

[dnamertz]

How about the last reservation of the morning on your MM day?

Does anyone know what time that would be? The park opens at 10am that day and I've heard the character breakfast ends at 11:30...so I would think I would need to make the reservation for 10am to give us enough time to enjoy it

 

[wvnative]

I don't even really think that it's "off season." The holiday season officially begins on 11/14 (and most of the 'stuff' will be up and out on 11/11, with the exception of the DLR hotels)

I sincerely hope you are right about this Sherry E. We'll be there for my birthday starting the 11th and I'd love to get to see the decorations as we've never been during the holidays.

As for the OP, I know what you mean. I really wanted to do my birthday dinner at Blue Bayou but it and POTC are closed during out visit so I've had to make other arrangements. I'm kind of bummed since I was kind of excited to finally have an adult to go with since the kids don't care for anything on the menu. Hope you can make it all work out.

 

[dnamertz]

Anyone know how reliable these short refurbishment schedules are? If they say TSMM is going to be closed for only 3 days, how likely is it that it might take them longer than 3 days. I'm trying not to let this be something I'll worry about the first three days were are there.

 

[Sherry E]

I sincerely hope you are right about this Sherry E. We'll be there for my birthday starting the 11th and I'd love to get to see the decorations as we've never been during the holidays.

As for the OP, I know what you mean. I really wanted to do my birthday dinner at Blue Bayou but it and POTC are closed during out visit so I've had to make other arrangements. I'm kind of bummed since I was kind of excited to finally have an adult to go with since the kids don't care for anything on the menu. Hope you can make it all work out.

wvnative -

I think you will be in luck!

How many days will you be at DLR? Even though the season is officially beginning on 11/14, and with the official start date usually comes the start of the holiday entertainment, this year it appears as though IASW Holiday (which is fantastic!) and the Believe in Holiday Magic fireworks are both beginning on 11/11. Haunted Mansion Holiday is already open, of course.

So...I would imagine that if IASWH and the fireworks are starting on 11/11, there is a good chance that the Winter Castle will be aglow in icicles at night on that date too, and possibly the snow will even be falling on Main Street.

What I am not sure about are things like the Reindeer Round-Up (which is a gem and worth a visit!), and if that will be open on 11/11 or on 11/14, as well as the Christmas Fantasy Parade. I also don't know if Santa will be out for photos in DL or DCA before 11/14. These things are mysteries at this point.

As far as decorations and holiday treats like peppermint goodies and that kind of thing, I think everything that is going to be decorated or available for the holidays in DL or DCA will be there on 11/11, including New Orleans Square, Toontown, A Bug's Land, etc. Only the 3 hotels and some of Downtown Disney seem to be slow in getting their decorations (not until right after Thanksgiving).