WORST crowds for early December EVER!!!!

[FlameGirl]

We just got back last night from 10 days in the park beginning on Thanksgiving PM. The weekend days were a zoo....this most recent Saturday being the worst in our opinions but the weekdays were pretty nice.

 

[Sherry E]

Just curious, what kind of sale was it? I walked by the store around 8:00 and couldn't believe the lines!! Security was everywhere too. From the bags people were leaving with, it looked like the store was giving things away for free.

It was a crazy sale of 75% off some merchandise at World of Disney. They had a couple of sales like this last year too - one of them being on the day I was there. The line of people outside WoD was ridiculous. But 75% off is a huge discount!

 

[jtown]

I was in DL Saturday evening and my only real gripe was that they've got so darn much of the entry circle blocked off that it was almost impossible to get in or out. What the heck were they thinking? There was about 20' on either side to handle the entire flow of foot traffic in and out of the park. It was like that Far Side comic with the bovine traffic reporter, "It's nose to tail as far as the eye can see..." Once I finally got to Main Street, it looked like an ordinary Saturday crowd. Space Mountain was 60 minutes, Indy was 50, Cafe Orleans was 10. Those are my baselines for judging how heavy the crowd is. That and the Matterhorn line with was to the southern end of the mountain. Pretty normal for Saturday.

Now that I think about it, I'll bet that clogged entry/exit stuff turned around quite a few AP visitors. I know I almost changed my mind but I figured it would take even longer to fight against the flow to get back out of the tunnel.

 

[Funball]

I was in DL Saturday evening and my only real gripe was that they've got so darn much of the entry circle blocked off that it was almost impossible to get in or out. What the heck were they thinking? There was about 20' on either side to handle the entire flow of foot traffic in and out of the park. It was like that Far Side comic with the bovine traffic reporter, "It's nose to tail as far as the eye can see..." Once I finally got to Main Street, it looked like an ordinary Saturday crowd.

u do know why this was right? if not the candle light prossesional was happening.... i was there sunday and same thing happend to me, there is nothing you can do it's going to be like that till the candle light pross. is over!

 

[cmwade77]

Ok, if you want to avoid the crowds, Wednesdays that local schools are in session are a good bet. Another good bet is to look at the blackout dates for Deluxe Passholders, these will now be among the least busy dates, because many more people are simply staying local these days.

First week of December is also always bad, because of Candlelight Procession. Then from the Fri. evening (starting at about 5:30 PM) before Christmas through the Sunday after New Year's Day are also very busy, with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day being lighter crowds as a general rule. Please note that Christmas Eve and Day crowds do vary dramatically from year to year.

New Year's Eve is also extremely busy in both parks, usually resulting in at least one, if not both of them, being closed to guests coming in for part of the day.

Moderate to heavy rain early in the day wil drive away the crowds as well, even on New Year's Eve, especially if it remain cloudy for at least a few hours.

 

[jtown]

u do know why this was right? if not the candle light prossesional was happening.... i was there sunday and same thing happend to me, there is nothing you can do it's going to be like that till the candle light pross. is over!

I understand what causes it but that doesn't mean I think it was a brilliant idea to block the park's only entrance like that. Isn't the Princess Fantasy Fair thing a big venue? I seem to recall it being a pretty big space, tho it's not really my thing so I don't have distinct memories of it.

 

[Raindown]

I understand what causes it but that doesn't mean I think it was a brilliant idea to block the park's only entrance like that. Isn't the Princess Fantasy Fair thing a big venue? I seem to recall it being a pretty big space, tho it's not really my thing so I don't have distinct memories of it.

It's pretty big but, I don't think large enough in its current configuration. I understand what you are saying. I walked through town square around 4ish and it was already getting busy.

 

[almacdonald]

If you thought Wednesday-Friday was bad, you should have been there Saturday! The rain on Sunday helped clear out a lot of the crowds, making it a much more pleasant day.

It seemed like the walkways were blocked off for almost the entire 4 days we were there, the parades and shows are getting out of control.

 

[Funball]

ye.. good point i just read. if you don't like crowd and blocked entrances.. dont go to DL new years eve! it's a mad house!!!!!!!

 

[Corpsebride]

When we come to the park, we take the Monorail in and the hop the train directly. If it is a busy day, that is the best way to navigate with out feeling like I'm going to lose my mind.
Anywhere we want to go, we usually take the train to that land. It may not save any time but it saves us headache.
Disney Commuting.... its the wave of the future ,,,since 1955!!

 

[djmeen]

Just got back from being at Disneyland and it was a mixed bag. We were at the parks Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of last week and Thursday was AWESOME! Friday was okay, but crowds were picking up for sure.

Saturday.....well, it was crowded. Especially the area around Orleans! I could totally see how on Thanksgiving weekend that whole area would be impassable! On Saturday is was pretty tight.

As for rides, they all pretty much had long wait times... we had 40 minute waits for Indiana Jones & Haunted Mansion and Small World. (For the record - no line for Splash Mountain though!).

We were really glad we had Thursday/Friday to enjoy! Saturday seemed to bring out everyone and their cousin from LA....

 

[djmeen]

One more thing - I did have to wait in line 20 minutes for gumbo at Royal Street Veranda....

In fact - I did that while my in-laws took my youngest on Pirates.....they got out 10 minutes after I got my gumbo (can ya get a fastpass for gumbo?

)

 

[scldir]

On Monday and Tuesday (today) the crowds have been fine! We really haven't waited for anything, except at the bakery...

 

[Brancaneve]

Just got back from being at Disneyland and it was a mixed bag. We were at the parks Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of last week and Thursday was AWESOME! Friday was okay, but crowds were picking up for sure.

Saturday.....well, it was crowded. Especially the area around Orleans! I could totally see how on Thanksgiving weekend that whole area would be impassable! On Saturday is was pretty tight.

As for rides, they all pretty much had long wait times... we had 40 minute waits for Indiana Jones & Haunted Mansion and Small World. (For the record - no line for Splash Mountain though!).

We were really glad we had Thursday/Friday to enjoy! Saturday seemed to bring out everyone and their cousin from LA....

DJmeen, were the annual passes blocked on Saturday?

 

[djmeen]

Wasn't sure so I went online to look and as far as I can tell Saturday was a blockout date for Southern California and Southern California select passholders, but NOT a blockout date for Deluxe Annual Pass Holders. Not sure what the breakdown is for all of those (we're pass holders for WDW).

 

[dreamin_disney]

we also went black friday and thought it was crazy just walking through the crowds. I even told my husband how crowded i thought it was. Could it be that with the economy some people find Disneyland cheaper then going on vacation paying for airfare, gas hotel etc? We ended up using our GAD tickets and my disney rewards toward annual passes. Plus we did the monthly payment plan. We did it because it's cheaper then going on vacation. We live 40 min away and we can go several times a year vs. going on vacation for a few days or a week, then having to pay for entertainment during the year. I'm starting to think others might have had the same idea.

Now I'm curious to see how many dis members have some type of AP. Can someone to a poll? I would but dont know how.

 

[DebbieB]

I was there Friday afternoon/evening and all day Saturday. Got to the park around 5:00 on Friday, Space Mt fastpass was 10:25, wasn't planning to stay that late so I skipped it. Pirates was about a 20 min wait. Got a fastpass for HM around 6:00 for 7:05. Headed back to Small World but the parade just ended and the line was huge.

Got there around 9:30 on Saturday morning, headed to Space Mt and got a fastpass for 11:05. I wanted to take pictures at HM so I headed there next, about a 15 min wait. Then BTMRR, about a 15 min wait. Then Small World, about a 20 min wait. Started to drizzle. Now after 11:05, got another fastpass for Space Mt for 3:55. Did Captain EO, then used my first Space Mt fastpass. Headed over to CA Adventure. Ate lunch, rode Soarin in single rider. Headed to back, CA Screamin was closed, about 5 or 6 workers on the lift hill, not a good sign. TSM was also closed even though there were people in line, they were not allowing anyone to enter. Headed to Tower of Terror, about a 5 min wait. Left to take a break at the hotel (Homewood Suites). Got back around 5:00, Main St was very crowded for Candlelight, I stood on Main Street and listened to it. Used my second fastpass for Space Mt, standby was an 80 min wait! Stood in line for pizza at Pizza Port, moved fast. Hard finding a table, got one that a bunch of teens left all their garbage on. Headed over Downtown Disney to look around. I was thinking of checking if CA Screamin or TSM was open but decided to call it a night.

I'm returning next year so I bought a Deluxe AP w/DVC discount.

 

[kailuagirl]

Black Friday we tried to eat at Pizza Port, the line went out of the building, past those first section of tables, it was crazy, took forever to get inside the building, once inside it was even worst, so we left

 

[redboxcar]

Just curious, what kind of sale was it? I walked by the store around 8:00 and couldn't believe the lines!! Security was everywhere too. From the bags people were leaving with, it looked like the store was giving things away for free.

I think just like a Holiday sale. Probably to get people to buy merchandise as gifts.

It was the yearly sale that they have for annual passholders. This year it was actually for annual passholders, DVC members, D23 members, and Club 33 members. That's probably why there were so many people - they opened it up to a LOT of people.

Select mugs for $2, pins for $2-5, apparel for $5-20, vinylmations for 75% off, Dooney & Bourke bags for 40% off, collectibles for 30% off (Precious Moments, Jim Shore, etc.) and a bunch of miscellaneous things at deep discounts.

Again, this wasn't for ALL of the things listed, it was for select styles of mugs, select pins, select apparel, etc. etc...

There was at least 2500 people! Got there at 6am (dummy me) and didn't get out of the store with my measly $150 spent until 11:40am! It was insaaaane. But honestly, I like the rush and I like the waiting in line aspect - met a bunch of nice people from all over. I would do it again next year (although I'd go a lot earlier than 6am!)...

The store didn't even let regular customers in until the entire event was over, and all the final people had left the store, which was about noon.

 

[momrek06]

Ok I live in San Diego, just saw the weather for the rest of this week and SoCal is going to be having some amazing weather! Warm, sunny and close to 80's!!!!