Turning on the neon in cars land...What time?

[Coffee50]

Shaboom. ...life could be a dream. Just like in the movie when the lights come on.

Thanks!

 

[DisneytheKid]

Maybe, maybe not. I certainly wouldn't count on it. When I was there last month and asked 3 different Carsland cast members, none of them had a specific answer to give out. I pressed all 3 to give me their best guess and they were all very wrong -- off by as much as 45 minutes from when the lights actually came on. None of them even knew who else would have a correct answer like a lead or area manager.

The best consistent guesstimate I have found on the DIS is "about 5 minutes after official sunset," which is roughly when the lights DID come on that night. You can look up online for your specific week. YMMV.

PHXscuba

That's a shame. I suppose the weather channel will be my friend!

 

[coloradocutie]

So, just got back, and this was just too much fun!

The information desk at the entrance to carsland had an exact time for us. 4:43. We sat on a bench on route 66 and at 4:46 the song "walking in a winter wonderland" came on , and the neon came on in progressive fashion starting at the Cadillac Range! Very fun! Hope this helps anyone going to see it!

(And, I do think that the parade was happening at the same time!)

 

[jitterbug]

On Monday night, I was so torn, because I wanted to experience "the moment" in Carsland, and also watch the Pixar Parade. Greedy, huh, I know. Timing wise, they would be happening at the same time, but the kids would like the parade better, so we positioned ourselves on the parade route in front of Carsland entrance. The parade was already coming through and I kept looking back to see if the lighting was happening too. And yep at some point they did the lighting, but being on the parade route, I could only hear the parade. Not sure if further in Carsland if the music was playing over the parade? In any case, it wasn't quite the same, but we enjoyed the parade.

 

[SeaDis]

OOPS! I failed my homework assignment.

We did give a try on Sunday 11/10. After getting RSR FP that morning, I went to that Information Desk at Carthay Circle and asked. They did not have a time for me, and they said "You know, it just depends on the lighting conditions, what's going on that night, etc."

Jeez-- so many different answers. I guess not every CM knows where to find the info? So many people report being told a time, it MUST be printed somewhere.

Our FP return was 5:00, so we arrived just after 4:40 (sunset 4:51) and the lights were on. Doh! The parade was still before Carthay. On the way down Route 66, I even stopped at Sarge's and spoke to two CM outside (a third one joined the conversation). All three kind of looked at each other and said "I didn't notice it tonight. I just kind of depends".

I think we are cursed. Maybe we'll luck into it one day. We'll try again in a few weeks.

 

[mom2rtk]

OOPS! I failed my homework assignment.

We did give a try on Sunday 11/10. After getting RSR FP that morning, I went to that Information Desk at Carthay Circle and asked. They did not have a time for me, and they said "You know, it just depends on the lighting conditions, what's going on that night, etc."

Jeez-- so many different answers. I guess not every CM knows where to find the info? So many people report being told a time, it MUST be printed somewhere.

Our FP return was 5:00, so we arrived just after 4:40 (sunset 4:51) and the lights were on. Doh! The parade was still before Carthay. On the way down Route 66, I even stopped at Sarge's and spoke to two CM outside (a third one joined the conversation). All three kind of looked at each other and said "I didn't notice it tonight. I just kind of depends".

I think we are cursed. Maybe we'll luck into it one day. We'll try again in a few weeks.

That sounds so frustrating! I'd like to see this but just don't know if we'll be in DCA that time of day any of the days we are there.

Just out of curiosity though, do you remember what time you pulled the FP for RSR for 5 PM? We're hoping to pull one to ride it in the dark one day, and just don't know how to go about it.

 

[Mjmdiva]

That sounds so frustrating! I'd like to see this but just don't know if we'll be in DCA that time of day any of the days we are there. Just out of curiosity though, do you remember what time you pulled the FP for RSR for 5 PM? We're hoping to pull one to ride it in the dark one day, and just don't know how to go about it.

We got fastpasses for 430-5 pm. Usually about 1-1.5 hours after the park opened.

 

[Butterfly123]

Mom2, if you get there and the FP they are distributing are still too early you can tell them you want to get to get one for after dark and they will have you step to the side to wait. They will periodically call out the time they are distributing so you can jump in when they get to the time you want. I've done this twice, and have seen many others do this, too.

 

[Mjmdiva]

Mom2, if you get there and the FP they are distributing are still too early you can tell them you want to get to get one for after dark and they will have you step to the side to wait. They will periodically call out the time they are distributing so you can jump in when they get to the time you want. I've done this twice, and have seen many others do this, too.

I saw many people doing this last week.

 

[TheOregonMouse]

Great tip on the step aside.

To be honest, Carsland looks so good at night I didn't miss the neon ceremony as much as I thought I would.

 

[mom2rtk]

Mom2, if you get there and the FP they are distributing are still too early you can tell them you want to get to get one for after dark and they will have you step to the side to wait. They will periodically call out the time they are distributing so you can jump in when they get to the time you want. I've done this twice, and have seen many others do this, too.

I saw many people doing this last week.

Thanks so much! That should work perfectly.

 

[SeaDis]

I learned some new things this weekend in my Carsland lighting saga. We did finally get to see it on Saturday and the family was thrilled. Although our anticipation was probably more fun than the actual show.

On our way in at 4:35 I stopped at the Carsland sign and asked a CM if they were doing the lighting that night and explained we were about 0-5 in trying to see it.

This guy was fired up and said "we are gonna fix that!" He marched us straight over to Mater's Junkyard Jamboree. At the ride entrance, he opened up the box pictured below and gave us the exact time. I had a good laugh and said "do you know how many different answers I (and others) have got about this?" He just laughed along with me and explained that it's just not on everyone's radar since the time is not really published like other shows, etc.

So, here is what I saw. Now I understand why so few CMs are on the same page. If you can't tell from the pic, the times going back to September look like "sunset" times. But at the top of the page is says "Dusk Times". Every time I was told "Dusk" by a CM, I was showing up and missing it. However, they did make it clear that it's not always at Sunset throughout the year. And as reported, it may not run at all depending on what's going on. My impression is that in the longer days/Summer months, it will fall a little after sunset and closer to true "Dusk" as others have described.

Anyways, I know others have had luck asking in different locations. But from now on, I'll be asking at Mater's (until they tell me not to). The show on 12/14 started exactly at 4:44 as shown on the sheet. How's that for low-tech ?

Mater's Call Box

"Dusk Times" (more like Sunset) for Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec