Myself and three other 30+ single women are going to Disneyland from December 26 - December 31. We all know that it is the busiest time of the year but we want to see the Christmas decorations and also experience New Year's Eve in the Park.

Does anyone have any tips on how to handle the crushing crowds. We will have at least five days in the park and may make it six if we feel like it. We do not have access to early entry.

We would like to experience as much of Disneyland and DCA as possible without wanting to kill other people or ourselves.

With the exception of New Year's Eve, I think it would be nice to take an afternoon break but I am not sure if that is a wise idea or if we will get locked out of the parks.

Any insights you have would be great!

Joy:)

I recommend you arrive as early as you can, take breaks from the parks when you dare (not on the 31st, though!), and don't plan to do a whole lot. Priority seating (inside the park on the 31st) is a good idea. Oh, and use the fastpass system!

Take it easy and enjoy yourself. Perhaps do some of the less popular attractions during the most crowded times of the visit.

My wife and I have gone with a couple kids over the holidays several times. Usually the lines move quickly because they are fully staffed. We just went last week and the lines were shorter but the wait times were about the same because they were not running the rides at full capacity.

My advice would be to never wait in line for a ride that has a fastpass option. If you get in the park at the begining of the day get a fastpass for later and then go on the rides that do not have fastpasses. Get fastpasses as often as possible keeping in mind that you can use them anytime after the first time listed. We usually will get a bunch in the morning when the wait times between available fastpasses are shorter and save them up for the afternoon durring the busy times. This has worked well for us and we generally refuse to wait more than 15 minutes for any ride and still end up being able to go on all of them. Watch out for the Nemo ride line (first thing in the morning is best if you get there extra early and walk extreamly fast through the park) and the fantasyland ride lines as they may appear short but they can take a long time to move.

We used RIDEMAX but were not overly impressed. We found we were not maximizing our fastpass usage so we really ditched it part way through our trip. Plus they were not up to date on some info including published fastpass station closures.

Enjoy your trip!!!

Thanks for the help. I love fastpass but hadn't really thought about holding them until the afternoon. Thanks for the tips.

When do you suggest getting seats for the New Year's Eve Fireworks. I have heard camping out as early as 6 pm but I am not sure where and if we really need to find a spot that early or if it just an idea but not necessary.:confused:

Do not plan a single day around DCA. Instead, start your day at Disneyland, and if (and when) the crowds get to you, take a break by heading to DCA. After a few hours (and maybe dinner) head back to Disneyland. Do not do this on NYE, or you may not get back into Disneyland.

Get Fastpasses for Soarin'. The other E-ticket rides (Screamin', Grizzley River Run and Tower of Terror) have fast moving lines, so fastpass isn't a must (unless it is hot, and GRR might be slow, although it will definitely be empty when the temperature falls). Mulholand Madness (which I consider a C or D ticket) is a little slower, and if it is on your to-do list, get fastpass for it too (I just don't think it's worth it either way).

I agree with others, get your fastpasses as soon as you can. Know the strategies for collecting fastpasses. Use them later in the day (ignoring the return times). Remember that Roger Rabbit (and GRR in DCA) is outside the lock out network.

Have fun, and don't rush it. You have 5 days, plenty of time to get it all in.

As for camping out for the fireworks, I prefer to be behind the "Friends" statue in the hub, anywhere from the hub back to the first crossway. Don't worry about staking out a place until you see ropes go up. Ask a CM what their timing is for that, but my guess it won't be until after the last parade. Once the ropes are up, and things start filling up, you want to get your place before you are forced back further down Main Street. Still, the view is good anywhere from the Hub to the Kodak store. Just make sure trees don't block your view of the castle (it's more about lateral positioning, than front row).

Thanks for the help. I love fastpass but hadn't really thought about holding them until the afternoon. Thanks for the tips.

When do you suggest getting seats for the New Year's Eve Fireworks. I have heard camping out as early as 6 pm but I am not sure where and if we really need to find a spot that early or if it just an idea but not necessary.:confused:I have gone every year (except 2003) since 1999. If you wait til 6 to stake out seats, you won't be anywhere near the castle. I generally would stake out by noon to 1pm when I plan to be on Main St. I will be in NOS this year. On NYE, it's not uncommon for the Fire Marshall to close specific lands.

As for camping out for the fireworks, I prefer to be behind the "Friends" statue in the hub, anywhere from the hub back to the first crossway. Don't worry about staking out a place until you see ropes go up. Ask a CM what their timing is for that, but my guess it won't be until after the last parade. Once the ropes are up, and things start filling up, you want to get your place before you are forced back further down Main Street. Still, the view is good anywhere from the Hub to the Kodak store. Just make sure trees don't block your view of the castle (it's more about lateral positioning, than front row).Any day other than NYE, I would agree with you. On NYE, you will find people with blankets staking out spots long before the FIRST parade.

It's been several years since I last braved it, I think it was 2000, so maybe things have changed, but the last time I went we said to heck with sitting for hours on the curb and went on rides up until about 1130, then we wandered over to Main St from Tommorowland and just stood in the crowd near the hub, right in front of Plaza Inn. By then everyone is mostly standing anyways and we just filled in a spot. No one seemed angry, and I am so short just about every can see over me anyways (DH is not much taller either), everyone around us was very laid back and easy going about the crowd. It did start to feel awfully confining after the fireworks ended and people started going in ten different directions. Since the park stays open for a couple of hours the crowd did not automatically make a beeline for the exit and instead we felt like pinballs for a little while.

I would recommend using Ridemax. That way you can get loads of attractions in and still have plenty of time to enjoy the park. Ridemax will also give you great tips on how and when to enter.

We have gone for the past 2 years with our 3 young kids and it is always crazy but we have the best time. My DH was not convinced but when we had been on 11 things before noon, he was a believer!

The only other tip I have is that sometimes it rains that week. Ponchos are a lifesaver! Have fun!!

I'm puzzled by your not having early entry; do you have APs? Most multi-day passes include 1 day of EE. You do not have to be staying in a Disney hotel.

The best tips have been covered-arrive at entry, take a break and maximise FP. Beyond that, on any day you don't have EE that others do, avoid the rides that were open during EE, the lines have already been building for an hour. Ride those if you do have EE one day, or, conversely, on a day when no one gets it. If you do have EE, on that day you can essentially experience 3 park openings (Assuming DL opens before DCA). Even without you can get 2. During EE you can ride the dark rides and Matterhorn, maybe Buzz a time or 2. At park opening, get a FP right away, Space is a good choice, and quickly move into the west side of the park which has only just now opened. Be ready to enter DCA when it opens. Be collecting FPs at the earliest moments, we usually return late afternoon/evening with a good fist-full. The ones to get earliest are Space, Splash and Indy. You can do a lot in five days, and as the time goes by, it gets more relaxing when you move from "what haven't we done" to "what do we want to do again."

A bientot.

I'm puzzled by your not having early entry; do you have APs? Most multi-day passes include 1 day of EE. You do not have to be staying in a Disney hotel.

The best tips have been covered-arrive at entry, take a break and maximise FP. Beyond that, on any day you don't have EE that others do, avoid the rides that were open during EE, the lines have already been building for an hour. Ride those if you do have EE one day, or, conversely, on a day when no one gets it. If you do have EE, on that day you can essentially experience 3 park openings (Assuming DL opens before DCA). Even without you can get 2. During EE you can ride the dark rides and Matterhorn, maybe Buzz a time or 2. At park opening, get a FP right away, Space is a good choice, and quickly move into the west side of the park which has only just now opened. Be ready to enter DCA when it opens. Be collecting FPs at the earliest moments, we usually return late afternoon/evening with a good fist-full. The ones to get earliest are Space, Splash and Indy. You can do a lot in five days, and as the time goes by, it gets more relaxing when you move from "what haven't we done" to "what do we want to do again."

A bientot.

We bought our tickets directly from Diney.com and I don't see a reference to EE. We did not buy them as part of the package. Could I be missing someting?

I took my family during this same time period for the last two years. I recommend the following:
1) Do not allow yourself to become rushed for anything.
2) Try to actually enjoy watching everyone in the parks running around like chickens with their heads cut off.
3) Walk in the slow lane with the seniors and parents with infants.
4) Smile as much as possible (people can get really nasty when the crowds are bad).
5) If you go on three or four major attractions in one day without going crazy in the process, you have won.
6) Wear a warm coat, a water-resistant hat and shoes that block out water. Buy a few disposeable rain ponchos at a local dollar store. Ride Grizzly River Rapids again and again with no fear of getting wet, or getting stuck in long lines! Unless they have changed something, you can rent a locker directly next to the attraction for free for the first hour or something... then just change to a different locker, and repeat the process. THEN...
7) Buy a big cup of hot chocolate at one of the counter-service retaurants, go into the Grand Californian lobby, and relax in an easy chair by the big fireplace (the highlight of my most recent Christmas trip to the park).
8) Look for small performing groups (carolers, blue-grass groups, etc.), and take the time to sit and appreciate their music. It really is quite good, and probably something you would have to pay extra to see if you were anywhere else in the world.
9) It may sound horrible, but it's no big deal if you miss the parades and fireworks. After all, they will still be there (in some form) the next time you visit the parks (hopefully when they are less crowded). If you can't get back to the parks when they are less crowded, find a spot very ealry, or don't expect a great view.

Have fun, and good luck!:)

Thanks everyone for their comments. I am very excited but want to have a good grasp on what we are getting into. My friends tend to look to me to set the pace and a slow enjoy the holiday pace it will be. I think we are going to have to watch the fireworks at New Year's because who knows when we will ever be back again. I guess blaket duty here we come!

Joy

Thanks everyone for their comments. I am very excited but want to have a good grasp on what we are getting into. My friends tend to look to me to set the pace and a slow enjoy the holiday pace it will be. I think we are going to have to watch the fireworks at New Year's because who knows when we will ever be back again. I guess blaket duty here we come!

JoyYou should have 1 EE if you have a 3 day or longer hopper.

On NYE, take it slow and easy and enjoy! We will be there too.

We bought our tickets directly from Diney.com and I don't see a reference to EE. We did not buy them as part of the package. Could I be missing someting?

Check the fine print on the ticket; the last ones we had last year stated it just above the signature spot.

A bientot.

There is some great advice in this thread. My family and I are still mulling going to DLR 12/31 - 1/3.

We have APs so I know we'd have to pay the $40 on 12/31 - I'm wondering what the chances are that we won't be able to purchase blockout tickets? I've heard they don't sell them sometimes. I just want to know what to expect, and see if we still want to go that crazy time of the year (We've been several times and have ridden just about everything, rides are not so much important, it's the whole DLR atmosphere around the holidays we're looking for ) :)

I would say to plan that you won't be able to do a whole lot and then you will be happy with what you do get to do :). If you go thinking that you'll get it all in you'll be disappointed. Just take it easy and have fun!!!

There is some great advice in this thread. My family and I are still mulling going to DLR 12/31 - 1/3.

We have APs so I know we'd have to pay the $40 on 12/31 - I'm wondering what the chances are that we won't be able to purchase blockout tickets? I've heard they don't sell them sometimes. I just want to know what to expect, and see if we still want to go that crazy time of the year (We've been several times and have ridden just about everything, rides are not so much important, it's the whole DLR atmosphere around the holidays we're looking for ) :)If you arrive by 8-9am, you should be able to get a blockout ticket. If you go expecting not to do rides, to people watch, and to realize you can't eat at normal times, you will have a blast!! It will be wall to wall people. They even close lands (usually NOS gets "closed" after 7-8pm.)