Visitors Beware! The Locals Are Back

[Sidney Land]

It was a long summer, but the So Cal AP's are finally unblocked. The local's are back to reclaim the parks.

It will be nice to finally go through the new DCA turnstyles and go through the sunshine plaza a couple more times before it shuts down for the transition to BVS.

I had a spin through DCA today just to see for my own eyes that the California Zephyr and Golden Gate Bridge are gone - they are. So sad, but great things are coming, I've been told. Walked the rest of the park, rode ToT and saw the Toy Story Zoetrope. Good to be back.

 

[kikiq]

After reading this post I am wondering what the special offer between June 3 and September 5 is? Thanks

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...rnia-residents-3-days-for-139-1-park-per-day/

 

[MyYearWithTheMouse]

Cute title--don't worry, we locals don't take ourselves too seriously

I think you will be fine, I believe school starts this week for area schools and I went this morning thinking it would be terrible and it wasn't. Granted it will be busy in the afternoon, but I think a weekday trip won't be bad. I would just use FP wisely to make up for the afternoons when it will be busiest.

Actually, no. I'm always baffled by the number of people who assert that area schools will start the second or third week of August. Where is this information coming from?

In a different thread, I did a search of local public schools to find their start dates:

School district, back to school date

Orange County:
Anaheim City Aug. 30
Anaheim Union High Aug. 29
Brea-Olinda Aug. 31
Buena Park Sep. 1
Capistrano Unified Sep. 7
Centralia Aug. 31
Cypress Aug. 29
Fountain Valley Sep. 7
Fullerton Aug. 29 (k-6) 30 (7-8)
Fullerton High Aug. 29
Garden Grove Sep. 8
Huntington Beach elementary Sep. 6
Huntington Beach high Aug. 31
Irvine Unified Sep. 8
Laguna Beach Unified Sep. 6
La Habra Aug. 29
Los Alamitos Aug. 31
Magnolia (Anaheim) Aug. 29
Newport-Mesa Sep. 6
Ocean View Sep. 7
Orange Unified Aug. 25
Placentia-Yorba Linda Sep. 6
Saddleback Valley Sep. 7
Santa Ana Aug. 24
Savanna Aug. 29
Tustin Sep. 1
Westminster Sep. 7

Large school districts near Orange County:
Los Angeles Unified Sep. 7
Long Beach Unified Sep. 7
Riverside Unified Aug. 29

So that is by no means a comprehensive list of area school districts and does not include private schools or year-round schedules (though the majority of SoCal students are on traditional, not year-round schedules). However, that is a look at the general school calendar in the area and it is unusual to find a SoCal school that goes outside of those dates.

Santa Ana and Orange Unified are going back on Wednesday and Thursday of this week, but pretty much everyone else is still out for the summer.

 

[Aladora]

Not that it is going to make any difference since our trip is planned, but anyone able to look into their crystal ball and predict what the crowds are going to be like Aug 27-Sept 1st?

 

[DisneyFairytale]

I have no idea. When we fly or drive down, we always try to guess which parts of the year to bypass, but I can't recall ever being down there for that week. Hopefully a "savage" local can give you some input

 

[HydroGuy]

Not that it is going to make any difference since our trip is planned, but anyone able to look into their crystal ball and predict what the crowds are going to be like Aug 27-Sept 1st?

Probably busy except for AP blocked Saturday.

 

[AquaDame]

Not that it is going to make any difference since our trip is planned, but anyone able to look into their crystal ball and predict what the crowds are going to be like Aug 27-Sept 1st?

Hopefully not bad since we will be there Aug 25th-Aug28th! Traditionally that is the week my family would always go and the CMs always mentioned how dead it is. I don't know if that's still true or not though since they changed the way the local APs work... we'll find out together!

EDIT:

Probably busy except for AP blocked Saturday.

D'oh... well, I guess its good that we booked the walk in walt's footsteps tour for Friday but now I wish it weren't so early!! We'll have to beeline to a FP machine and hope for the best otherwise..

 

[ConnieB]

I think you will be fine, I believe school starts this week for area schools and I went this morning thinking it would be terrible and it wasn't. Granted it will be busy in the afternoon, but I think a weekday trip won't be bad. I would just use FP wisely to make up for the afternoons when it will be busiest.

Yep....time to start collecting and saving those FP for use in the afternoon, lol.

I can see where the 2nd poster thought the OP's message was rude....but they seem to have misunderstood really. OPs second sentence told me that they are looking forward to a few last lops through the "old" DCA before it becomes BVS. I'm not local either, but looking forward to a few more "goodbyes" myself....it's been a long sad year of them too.

To the person asking about crowds....Saturdays are still blocked for the rest of the year for both types of Southern California APs...and Sundays for the SC Select AP. Plus keep in mind that Southern Californians are NOT on vacation....they work or go to school all day so the late afternoon (students) or evenings might be busier, but during normal school/work hours locals really shouldn't affect attendance.

 

[Carmatts]

In jenpace's defense, I agree that, for "non locals", the post comes across as threatening. Although t's clear that the OP is just excited for "open season", it sounds like he/she is on the hunt for visitors. It also makes one wonder if they (the locals) are planning on making the park "theirs" at the visitors expense. (i.e. singing Pirates of the Carribean on IASW). Those of you who who ARE local wouldn't have the same perspective on the post because you're the "in crowd" being referred to and not the "outsider".

So, for the other visitors, like me, that felt down by the post remember that, even though it's not a very welcoming post, it wasn't meant to come across that way. Visitors don't really have anything to worry about. The OP is just being enthusiastic.....

Right?

It's hard to write sarcastically, so I should have clarified what I meant. One of the most asked questions people from out of town ask about visiting Disneyland on forums like this one is how AP black out dates will affect crowd levels. It was meant to jokingly warn non AP holders that the So Cal blackout has been lifted and AP's will be back in the parks.

Virtually all locals (including myself) love to see those from out of town in the parks. I enjoy talking to them, asking where people are from, and answer questions they may have. So visitors, use us as extra CM's! One of my favorite things to hear is the noise from first timers on Soarin when the gliders rise into position as the ride begins or watch someone's face as they see the fountains come to life for the first time in World of Color.

On the whole AP's have a tremendous amount of respect for the park and its history and want everyone to enjoy it. To all those who come to this happy place, welcome.

 

[jenpace]

Carmatts....

As I mentioned before, my bad...I misread your intent in the OP. Funny thing is, I read it as disrespectful to the locals, not the visitors. There have been a number of threads with some local bashing and the SoCal AP's.

Either way, I do apologize for calling you out when I should've just read the post more carefully.

 

[Hoku]

Virtually all locals (including myself) love to see those from out of town in the parks. I enjoy talking to them, asking where people are from, and answer questions they may have. So visitors, use us as extra CM's! One of my favorite things to hear is the noise from first timers on Soarin when the gliders rise into position as the ride begins or watch someone's face as they see the fountains come to life for the first time in World of Color.

On the whole AP's have a tremendous amount of respect for the park and its history and want everyone to enjoy it. To all those who come to this happy place, welcome.

Thank's Carmatts. Your thoughtful reply was very warming and truly appreciated - even though I know you never meant harm. I'm just like a little kid. We're going to DL in 2-weeks and I've been so excited! That's why, like a little kid, it felt like my friends just ditched me. But now I'm laughing and running again! Thanks.

 

[LittleToni]

Plus keep in mind that Southern Californians are NOT on vacation....they work or go to school all day so the late afternoon (students) or evenings might be busier, but during normal school/work hours locals really shouldn't affect attendance.

This is very good info! It never even crossed my mind that everyone was not on a vacation LOL. That comment made me sit up in my chair haha. It also helped to ease my mind about crowds and such as I get ready to leave in the morning for DL. Thank you!

LT

ps: Look out Ap'ers here comes another Disney crazed, yet polite, Canadian! haha WOOT!