Wow...why has it been so busy?!

[tarheelalum]

Are we talking about the same list of wait times here? The one I'm talking about was a snapshot posted from Albertan Mom on page 1:


The only rides that are in the 60-90 minute wait category are Space Mountain and Splash Mountain. Splash Mountain is high, but Space Mountain is always pretty busy as it is a very popular ride.

The majority of the rest are well below that. I would agree that 60-90 minutes would be pretty bad for the majority of these rides in late February (TBH, it wouldn't be good for peak season either), however that is not what was observed. Maybe we're talking about two different things here.

Those times you listed really are pretty good. This time of year does not exists anymore. Its crowded all year around now.

 

[tiffjoy]

That's easy. Have you ever gone to a Broadway show that cancels after the second act? Have you ever gone to a buffet and they kicked you out after the salad? Have you ever watched half a season of Game of Thrones and then have Netflix cancel your account?

I've never seen this show. We hung around THE WORST crowds I've ever seen at DL to get to see this show. Worked our way through a Tomorrowland that felt 20 times worse than getting in line for Southwest Airlines. And it got cancelled right in the middle. Yeah, they started the show. Good on them. But after multiple cancellations I've experienced in the past, this was just a new way for them to cancel it. OK, so you don't think much of the fireworks. But for me and my family, it's the pinnacle of Disney, the apex of what they do, the biggest difference between Disney and Six Flags, the reason we love going to Disney parks. It was painful. I like things you can depend on, predictable. DL fireworks are anything but. So let me express my disappointment. That's what these forums are for.

None of your examples are quite the same.

Let me adjust them appropriately to match up with why DLR cancels or suspends the fireworks show: a theater production could be stopped in the middle if the fire marshal came and saw there were too many people for the fire code; a buffet could be stopped from serving you if a food inspector is present and realizes they the temperatures for the prepared foods are not correct and bacteria may be growing; and the Netflix example, well, there is no safety concern there.

DLR is right in the middle of a residential area. The decision to set off fireworks is always made with the safety of homes and lives in mind. "High winds" is not code for "money-saving cuts." It means that there is a potential of causing fires to local houses. I'm not sure why you would think your desire for entertainment and the money you have paid justifies endangering the homes around DLR? You do realize they have laws in place and restrictions that they are required to follow?

Be disappointed. I certainly have been. It's a real bummer when they get cancelled. But I have never felt that I was "owed" the fireworks or that they should go off in spite of there being high winds and a danger to those living around the park.

 

[gillep]

That's great that you've only experienced lower wait times so would not consider them average or decent. I'm curious to hear what you would say are decent wait times for specific rides. But just because I (and several others) have had a different experience of wait times than you have doesn't mean that our observations are invalid or incorrect.

We've gone anywhere from April, September, October, November, December, and February over many years and those are the wait times we've always experienced if it was an average afternoon (not light, not heavy on crowds). I'm not sure what about being happy at those wait times is "overboard". If we had those wait times when we're there next week, it would be great because it's getting into the early Spring Break season.

Agree, I have only been going to DL for the past 3 years since we moved to NorCal. We go about 5 times a year (only during 'lower' crowd times, and usually try for at least a couple weekdays) and those are completely normal for the afternoon based on our experiences. We find that DL is awesome in the morning, but by lunch things start to feel really congested due to the narrow pathways. I would honestly have no issue with those wait times, and would be what I would expect. UGH now I want to go to DL!!!!

 

[agamble]

At 12:30 the average wait in DL is about 31 minutes with only 22 rides operating. Four rides in Fantasyland are temporarily closed and Indy too. Longest waits are Hyperspace and Autopia, each at 60 minutes. In DCA just Mickey's Wheel is temporarily closed, so with 18 running attractions the average wait is about 23.5 minutes. Longest waits are RSR at 80 and Toy Story at 50. Interesting to note that the wait for Goofy's was 45 minutes, which is longer than the wait for Soarin'. Is the new Soarin' not that popular?

 

[agamble]

Looks like today was a pretty good day to go. I wasn't there of course, so I'm only basing this off of the numbers on the app. But the only rides consistently over an hour were RSR and Space Mountain. Autopia oddly hit 60 minutes at one point and so did Soarin'. Calculating averages throughout the day the average wait time for Disneyland over the course of the day was about 27 minutes. DL is still open, but wait times will continue to go down. DCA is now closed and the average wait was 20 minutes.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... 20 minutes just to get in the bathroom!

Yes, I've had to beg gracious ladies to let my child go so she does not have an accident.

In addition to the crowds, I think the fact that the Adventureland restrooms are under construction added to this problem. That is a larger restroom, and its being under construction puts a lot of pressure on the other restrooms in the park. When the AL restrooms open again, it should alleviate some of this problem (I hope!).

 

[Mickeybell]

We usually go spring break, summer, October, December and I always long (crowd wise) for the one time I went late February. It way heaven! We had the parks it seemed practically to ourselves. I remember going into Disney California in the morning and I have a picture with no one in it! Now I realize I should not be longing for late February rather the time period! When I think about it, my oldest was only 2 1/2! So 13 years ago!! LOL! So this thread has made me realize we aren't just going at the "wrong" time, it just is what it is. Disney is just much more busy now. I guess we all just love it too much!

 

[starshine514]

It's just always busy now. We have squeezed in a few trips lately (before our APs expired at the end of February) during "off" times, and found that the crowds were always much higher than we had experienced at similar times in prior years. Especially some areas that used to be dead - like the Animation Academy line filling up the entire interior queue area as well as the outside queue area. In the afternoon, it gets insufferable every day.

I think part of the Disneyland "feeling" more crowded in the evening is the clogging up of Main Street for the MSEP and fireworks. That's normal, but it's horrible with the train not running. It's awful to not have any way to bypass Main Street. They do sometimes open up the side walkways, but they need to be open more often than they are - it shouldn't have to get that bad before they do something about it.

 

[PrinceOfPeace]

We usually go spring break, summer, October, December and I always long (crowd wise) for the one time I went late February. It way heaven! We had the parks it seemed practically to ourselves. I remember going into Disney California in the morning and I have a picture with no one in it! Now I realize I should not be longing for late February rather the time period! When I think about it, my oldest was only 2 1/2! So 13 years ago!! LOL! So this thread has made me realize we aren't just going at the "wrong" time, it just is what it is. Disney is just much more busy now. I guess we all just love it too much!

Hahaha exactly!!!

 

[LizzyS]

In addition to the crowds, I think the fact that the Adventureland restrooms are under construction added to this problem. That is a larger restroom, and its being under construction puts a lot of pressure on the other restrooms in the park. When the AL restrooms open again, it should alleviate some of this problem (I hope!).

I used the bathrooms in Fantasyland around the corner from Alice twice on Saturday and even when it was busy, that is a large restroom, just fyi, and I didn't really have to wait. I saw the bathroom at Rancho del Zocalo REALLY long Saturday at lunch time and I refused to use those because it was a little crazy.

 

[agamble]

Mouseplanet used to have an article titled "The Happiest Potties on Earth." It appears to be gone now, probably because it'd be out of date. There are definitely some bathrooms in the parks that are better than others. It seems that the Tomorrowland Bathrooms near Autopia are a lot less busy than the ones by Space Mountain. The ones by Rancho del Zocalo are not very large, and they get so crowded now that the princess M&G is over there.

 

[minnieralyks]

Mouseplanet used to have an article titled "The Happiest Potties on Earth." It appears to be gone now, probably because it'd be out of date. There are definitely some bathrooms in the parks that are better than others. It seems that the Tomorrowland Bathrooms near Autopia are a lot less busy than the ones by Space Mountain. The ones by Rancho del Zocalo are not very large, and they get so crowded now that the princess M&G is over there.

That's adorable!!

It's funny how some of the bathrooms are better than others. My favorite are the ones in NOS and the ones by Alice. I'm surprised the Adventureland bathrooms are still down for refurbishment. I noticed last time we were at the park, having the bathrooms closed kind of cleared some of the gridlock that happens in that area.

 

[GatorChris]

In addition to the crowds, I think the fact that the Adventureland restrooms are under construction added to this problem. That is a larger restroom, and its being under construction puts a lot of pressure on the other restrooms in the park. When the AL restrooms open again, it should alleviate some of this problem (I hope!).

This is the TRUTH! With the Adventureland bathrooms out of commission, it made the Rancho and Orleans Square bathroom lines awful. My wife and girls needed a FP just to relieve themselves.

 

[Leopardstars]

In addition to the crowds, I think the fact that the Adventureland restrooms are under construction added to this problem. That is a larger restroom, and its being under construction puts a lot of pressure on the other restrooms in the park. When the AL restrooms open again, it should alleviate some of this problem (I hope!).

Does anyone know when the Adventureland restrooms are going to reopen. We will be there the last weekend in March with a 5 year old. I want to manage the potty breaks correctly if the lines are long. Otherwise I'll be the begging to move forward in line to avoid an accident.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Does anyone know when the Adventureland restrooms are going to reopen. We will be there the last weekend in March with a 5 year old. I want to manage the potty breaks correctly if the lines are long. Otherwise I'll be the begging to move forward in line to avoid an accident.

No specific reopen date has been announced that I know of, so it would probably be a good idea to know where the other restrooms in the park are so that you can avoid waiting until the last minute. Hoping they'll be reopened by your trip dates, but better safe than sorry!

 

[Leopardstars]

No specific reopen date has been announced that I know of, so it would probably be a good idea to know where the other restrooms in the park are so that you can avoid waiting until the last minute. Hoping they'll be reopened by your trip dates, but better safe than sorry!

That's what I was thinking. I'd rather not count on them in this case. I'm planning on a see a restroom use the restroom. Especially if we've moving to a longer line.

 

[Winnowill]

The women's Adventureland restroom opened this past Saturday. Men's is still closed.

 

[Leopardstars]

The women's Adventureland restroom opened this past Saturday. Men's is still closed.

Considering it's DD and I who will likely need it more, this is good news.