Any strategies for this Sunday (1/17)?

[The Mouse Is Back]

We're planning to go specifically to get on IASWH as many more times as we can before IASW goes down for refurb on Monday.

Since it's a holiday weekend and at least a couple of conventions will be in the area, I'd just like any suggestions for navigating, i.e., best time to arrive (my plan is early in the a.m.), what kind of attendance similar Sundays have seen recently, etc. - IOW, anything you good MP folks can think of. We were there on 1/3 but expected it to be crowded because it was the last day of holiday theming in general, and it wasn't quite as bad as we thought it would be.

I know it's unpredictable but any tips from the weekend regulars would be appreciated.


Ally

[hlr8705]

I dont have advice for you on this, but I am wondering if anyone has any idea about the crowds on Tuesday?

[Sacgirl]

We'll be there with you on Sunday hoping for small crowds! Can't wait!

hlr - I would imagine the crowds on Tuesday aren't going to be very big since it's (1) a Tuesday and (2) expected to rain a lot!

[LauraGar]

My experiance has been that the Sunday of a holiday weekend is very crowded. My suggestion would be to go on Saturday. Saturdays on a three day weekend seem to be less crowded. Some Saturday have been reported as being dead.

[DizneyMommy]

My first thought when I read the thread title: Dont Go! That is my strategy. It is MLK weekend coupled with NAMM convention, it will be CRAZY!

[Stichy626]

We were there last year on MLK weekend and didn't notice the crowds at all. We had such a great experience that we are leaving tomorrow for another go of it.

[Niwel]

We were there yesterday. I've never seen such an open Saturday -- even with it being MLK and NAMM. The longest line we had was for Dumbo (haven't been on it in 25 years).

We got there at 11:15 and had PS for Cafe Orleans at 12:30 ... less than 20 minutes for just about everything we didn't have a FP for. The only problem was people just stopping in the middle of a path for no reason.

Space went down in the a.m. and a glitch set it down after the fireworks, but it was a short downtime. Alice was down at one point, but we got on it later.

DH got dinner at Zocalo, which was pretty empty compared to a typical night there. I went to Stage Door, not bad there either.

We went to Toontown at night (which I can't remember having done for years). Roger Rabbit went down but no biggie -- we gave our FPs to a family. No line to grab a snack.

Fireworks were great! They blocked off Main street to keep an open path, we went around the rope and were able to sit on the sidewalk in the Hub outside Plaza inn

All in all it was the perfect day to go!

ETA: Mansion and IASW were both running. Kinda strange to have the holiday stuff up in mid-Jan, but it was kind of sweet.

[The Mouse Is Back]

Thank you all for your replies! We ended up having to postpone our departure from home until around 2:30-3:00 p.m. today instead of early this morning, so I was getting really concerned about how the crowds might start getting a lot larger later in the day due to arrivals for fireworks.

I just called down to guest relations and was told that attendance was "moderate" today - whew! I think "moderate" in DL crowd-speak means pretty darn good, and I hope it holds, given that some of you have had crowded Sundays on holiday weekends. I'll be sure to report back for anyone's future reference.

My daughter is on pins and needles wanting us to get out of here, she was up at about 7:00 a.m. and has been ready to walk out the door ever since.

Thanks again to all of you great people. Padders are the best.


Ally

[VickiC]

I doubt many people will go for fireworks tonight given that it seems unlikely there will be fireworks based ont he weather forecast and also given that SoCal AP's are blocked.

[cstephens]

We didn't go to the parks today, but we were in the Anaheim area, and when we left about half an hour ago, it was raining.

[VickiC]

It is coming down pretty steady over here in Placentia. Still trying to decide whether to go tommorrow since my husband is off and the kids have a light day.

[DizneyMommy]

Ok, yeah, rain changes everything. Now it will probably empty, but unless you are crazy enough to like going in the rain (like me!!) that doesn't really help you.

[TowerofTerror]

its fun going to the parks when it rains

[Niwel]

its fun going to the parks when it rains

Anyone from the last MA wanna weigh in on this?

[mechurchlady]

Anyone from the last MA wanna weigh in on this?

LOL and what is wrong wtih rainy days in the parks? If I had the right clothes, an easy way to transport my scooter, and energy then I would go to the parks right now in the rain. No lines for indoor rides like Space Mountain and Snow White. Experience coasters with stinging water in your eyes. Tiki Room almost empty.

[The Mouse Is Back]

So, anybody else make it down to DL today?

We ended up getting there right about 4:30 and it was sprinkling on and off. Walking through Pinocchio we noticed an exodus via trams, and a lot of puddles...so putting two and two together, we deduced that there had been heavier rain a little while earlier.

Headed right to IASWH. My daughter had specified "six times" in answer to how many rides she wanted to take. Each time we got into the really fast-moving line, it rained pretty steadily, from light to medium (enough for us to start getting pretty wet in the ankles and feet). Our standard issue DL ponchos are just not doing it any more, I am thinking we need to get some proper cold/wet weather gear, including some good waterproof footwear. We had my nice big umbrella but the bigger the umbrella, the more I worry that I might poke out someone's eye (especially the way people behind you advance as closely and quickly as possible, even when the line is moving).

When our boat came out at the end of ride no. 6, it was starting to pour. By the time we hit Main Street I wasn't too happy (must get that new gear, it's El Nio season!). All in all, though, the traffic was with us both ways, the park was fairly uncrowded when we got there and almost empty when we left, and we got in our six sails on IASWH.


Ally