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Thread: Fire Affecting Crowds?

  1. #1

    Fire Affecting Crowds?

    Hey all, I was just wondering if anyone knew if the recent fires in the Los Angeles area have had any affect on the crowds at DLR. Maybe road closures or air quality have kept some people away???


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  3. #2
    Registered User
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    I came to the boards to find an answer to this same question. I will be waiting to hear from those in the know.

    Gramiangel420
     

  4. #3

    Don't have a specific answer for you, but I can tell everyone who is not here in SoCal that the air is gross!!!! no matter where you are. I cannot imagine going to the Park today - it would be respitory and eyeball torture, not to mention the temp, which is in the 90s.

    Even though I live and operate near the beach far from any fire, I have been hacking and choking away since yesterday. Many people here are walking around with mouth/nose masks and bandanas over their lower faces. I visited a friend at Long Beach Memorial Hospital (a major California hospital) last night and saw the Emergency Room so packed that there was no more seating, even on the floors, and those waiting for treatment were sitting outside on the sidewalk.

    Breathing is so difficult that I will be surprised if there is a substantial group at DL today or tonight. Actually, might be a good time to do if you have a gas mask handy!


  5. #4

    Next week?!

    Of course, no one can really predict the weather or these awful fires. My concern right now is our route down from Northern California on 5, and the air quality. I see the temperatures are suppose to go down to the 70s, will this affect the winds or other conditions?

    My enthusiasm for our upcoming trip next week (10/31-11/3) has gone way down after watching the news. My prayers are with the local residents.


  6. #5
    The Queen of Room Service shawnarae's Avatar
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    And is the fireworks canceled for awhile now? Anyone working there have any answers on crowds and schedules for the weekend?

    Find joy in the journey and take lots of photos along the way!!

    Matthew 25:34-40

  7. #6

    We too have a trip booked for sat, sun, mon ( treat tickets). We were planning on driving from no cal on sat, and going to the park sun and monday the temps look to be dropping but who knows. I am worried about hwy 5 and the air quality down there also. I know we will loose our $ for our package thru Disney but we still have the tickets for another time, and the additional night I made at CCI I can cancel if done by tommorrow 3 pm. So its a wait and see trip at this point. I am scouring the boards for info and pictures of the park ,


  8. #7
    The Queen of Room Service shawnarae's Avatar
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    OK, same boat. Going Fri-Mon and wondering how it is affecting Disneyland this weekend. Not asking "is the fire there", but more like smoke and wind, etc. Weather.com has it in the 70s and winds 2mph this weekend, can that be right? I have until tomorrow to cancel as well...so I am waiting and debating.

    Anyone went to Disneyland today?? Worked today??

    Find joy in the journey and take lots of photos along the way!!

    Matthew 25:34-40

  9. #8
    I have roasted marshmallows! PanFan's Avatar
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    Sorry, I've only been working on weekends, so Sunday was the last day I was there. At night, when the Irvine fire was taking off, it started getting difficult to breathe. My hands were black (and I hadn't touched anything out of the ordinary), everyone's eyes were bloodshot, and I felt so gross after just a few hours that I took a shower as soon as I got home packed up my apartment.

    As far as parades, shows, and fireworks, it's taken on a daily basis. They often don't make decisions until close to showtime, but I wouldn't count on a whole lot.


  10. #9
    DLR Alumni-USMC Mom dawnid's Avatar
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    The Santa Ana winds are supposed to diminish by tomorrow and be gone by the weekend, someone correct me if I've got it mixed up but these winds swirl in from the east which makes the air desert hot with no humidity and susceptible to fires. By Friday it shows the winds coming from the west which will decrease the temp and clear the air.

    IMHO if you're arriving by Friday it should be good by then, not sure if I'd look forward to a Wednesday or Thursday arrival.

    Now this depends on the weather forecast being correct about when the Santa Ana's are outa here.

    I was at WOD yesterday around 3pm and it was hot, breezy, and mildly ashy but not unbearable for me. The smell of fire is really strong in the air but I don't suffer from any allergies or asthma so take that into account.

    I've got a call out to my son who is working there right now, if someone doesn't have an answer sooner I'll post what he tells me.

    'A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.' - Thomas Jefferson

  11. #10

    Thank you both, Pan Fan and dawnid, for the updates. It feels a little silly to ask, with so much danger and destruction, but for those of us heading down on Friday your information is very helpful. You are in our prayers!

    Jennie

    A dream is a wish your heart makes!
     
    First trip to WDW September 20, 2008 - POR!

  12. #11
    DLR Alumni-USMC Mom dawnid's Avatar
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    No problem happy to help, I'm sure you've put out a considerable amount of $$ for the trip I understand being concerned about protecting that investment. It wouldn't be very magical if your eyes were burning and you couldn't breath.

    My immediate family is a-ok and the extended family in the Santa Clarita Valley are good so far, knock on wood.

    Thanks!!

    'A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.' - Thomas Jefferson

  13. #12
    I have roasted marshmallows! PanFan's Avatar
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    I talked to my friend today who was doing a VIP tour, so she was all over the park. She said it was completely dead. No one was there, but it was pretty gross. She does suffer from allergies and did have some difficulty breathing, but she said it wasn't nearly as bad as Sunday night.


  14. #13

    Well, I get there tomorrow morning and I'll be there till Sunday afternoon when I fly back- staying next door at the Candy Cane. I've packed my gas masks and immune system booster pills. How do you guys think it'll be?


  15. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Figaro77 View Post
    Well, I get there tomorrow morning and I'll be there till Sunday afternoon when I fly back- staying next door at the Candy Cane. I've packed my gas masks and immune system booster pills. How do you guys think it'll be?
    My best guess ... tomorrow will be unpleasant. Thursday will be better and by Saturday, things will be back to normal. Have fun!!

  16. #15
    Registered User chahn's Avatar
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    I live 200+ miles north of DLR and we're noticing allergy-like symptoms from the smoke getting blown out to sea in San Diego and circling back to the coast line. I can't imagine spending the day outside down south. Good luck to all planning to give it a shot.


  17. #16

    Thumbs up Smoke Concerns

    Hi Everyone

    I'm new here but live 10 minutes from DLR. Yes, there is smoke, yes you can smell it....people living here are avoiding jogging, biking, football practice, going to the park, etc....anything that requires deep breathing.

    The wind has stopped.....but it is going to be hot...expect mid 90's and very dry.

    Bring and drink a lot of water, lip balm, throat lozenges, etc.. If you have or use nasal inhalers, or puffers, bring them....they will help. Claritin will probably help too.

    All this being said....it's not that bad immediately over DLR. I don't want to say you don't need a mask, but 99.999999% of the people living here don't wear them. I've yet to see anyone wear one. DLR is 20-25 minutes from the beach so it does tend to get a little more blow out and fresh air....however the Santa Anas were blowing towards the ocean...but like I said, now they have stopped.

    Hope this helps......any questions...feel free to write.

    Dave


  18. #17
    Disneyland Regular
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    I live in Lake Forest and work in Irvine, and since we were told to work from home due to the smoke, I decided to "work" from Disneyland. It was a LOT less smokey than Irvine, and was actually quite nice. Didn't smell smoke, but of course anything was better than where I was.

    The park was dead. It was more dead than I have ever seen it. They had the main queues closed and just shuffled people through the fastpass lines. All lines were 5 minutes (including Space Mountain and Soarin'). Nemo was 30 minutes. It was the most dead I have ever seen the park in the 10 years I have been going regularly.


  19. #18

    Sounds like it was a wonderful day in the park, I believe by the weekend though it will be business as usual . I think we are now 99% positive we will still go through with our plans to visit unless something changes. My biggest concern was the grandsons almost 3 and 1, I worry about the air quality for them but since neither have asthma and are in strollers most of time except on rides it sounds like all will be ok. I guess it cant be any worse than our August trip when it was 100 and humid sticky yicky and breathing was a chore while dripping sweat and peeling little hot sticky bodies off of you in line..no I wasnt a big fan and of course then I worried about dehydration and sun stroke.


  20. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by TheOCmls View Post
    Hi Everyone

    I'm new here but live 10 minutes from DLR. Yes, there is smoke, yes you can smell it....people living here are avoiding jogging, biking, football practice, going to the park, etc....anything that requires deep breathing.

    The wind has stopped.....but it is going to be hot...expect mid 90's and very dry.

    Bring and drink a lot of water, lip balm, throat lozenges, etc.. If you have or use nasal inhalers, or puffers, bring them....they will help. Claritin will probably help too.

    All this being said....it's not that bad immediately over DLR. I don't want to say you don't need a mask, but 99.999999% of the people living here don't wear them. I've yet to see anyone wear one. DLR is 20-25 minutes from the beach so it does tend to get a little more blow out and fresh air....however the Santa Anas were blowing towards the ocean...but like I said, now they have stopped.

    Hope this helps......any questions...feel free to write.

    Dave
    THANK YOU, THANK YOU for the great information and the suggestions. Like most people from "out of town" I can't really cancel our trip - the Grandparents are coming from Iowa, their first trip to DL since the 70's. (Think they'll be in for a surprise??!!!) We will just make the best of it. I am grateful that the winds are dying down and hopefully the fires will get under control with that help. Take Care,

    Jennie
    A dream is a wish your heart makes!
     
    First trip to WDW September 20, 2008 - POR!

  21. #20
    Every Day Is Disneyland Day! DizneyMommy's Avatar
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    The winds this morning have stopped and actually begun to shift the other way. I am not too far from the park, near the coast, and the sky is just brown/orange from here to as far inland as I can see sky. I went outside this morning and it is still pretty nasty air, made my eyes water right away. The problem now is that with no more wind to blow it out over the ocean, the smoke is going to start moving back inland and just sit there, which I already see happening.

    Air quality for Anaheim today, accoridng to the news this morning, will be Poor - meaning stay indoors. I would definintly be wearing a mask if I were at the park today.. but I am pregnant and my daughter is a heart patient and we are sitting in the house for day 4 with a humdifier and air purifier trying not to breate anymore than we have to. To give you an idea of the air, too, they have cancelled all soccer practice and games at the park in front of our house all week and the schools here are not going outside for recess or lunch. And we are nowhere near an actual fire, but rather stuck in between all of them and getting all of their smoke.

    As far as the fireworks, I think by Friday this should be pretty well cleared up, but they do cancel them not only for wind, but also for really bad visibility (fog, clouds, really bad smoke) so it's a long shot because this smoke is a little too high, but it could happen. The OC fire is not far from Disneyland and if it keeps burning (I think they said only 1% contained this morning) and the atmosphere blows it the right way and keeps it low, it could create a yucky mess at Disneyland for a few days.

    Disneyland AP since 1994, WDW CSR Aug 2010

  22. #21

    I am 5 months pregnant and we leave tomorrow for Disneyland. I am a little concerned about the air. Hopefully it will be a little better for tomorrow.


  23. #22
    DLR Alumni-USMC Mom dawnid's Avatar
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    My kidlet worked at DL yesterday and he said it was dead, they were ERing people right and left. So the crowd level will be fantastic. Now so far today the air temp is much better than yesterday. I live 12 miles from DL and I woke up to a beautiful blue sky until the winds started up and it got a bit brown.

    Now that the Santa Ana's are dying they are right on top of the fires so I think air quality will continue to improve everyday.

    Its funny how the national news is covering the fires compared to local radio. In SoCal we go thru "fire season" EVERY year. Its anywhere from September to November and comes and goes with the Santa Ana winds. I grew up in the sticks and now live in the city, fires are just one of the few downsides of California topography. Locals are used to it or they should be. We are a hilly dessert with little rain fall, it doesn't matter how much green grass or trees you plant it is what it is. I still wouldn't live anywhere else.

    Sorry for the tangent. Come on down you should have a great time.

    'A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.' - Thomas Jefferson

  24. #23
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    Thanks for the info!!! We fly out of Oregon to Disneyland this Sunday. Im very stressed about all the smoke and ashes, I keep hearing about. I even thought of canceling our trip, but I dont think that would be possible at this late date.

    Chrissy


  25. #24
    Hacker, nonmammaltarian, Warrior Andrew's Avatar
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    The LA Times has an article about hotels and theme parks operating while the fires are still burning. It's linked from the News forum here on MousePad.

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    Buy my stuff on Amazon! (books, DVDs, etc) - all proceeds go to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Team in Training fundraising!

  26. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by dawnid View Post
    Its funny how the national news is covering the fires compared to local radio. In SoCal we go thru "fire season" EVERY year.
    Yeah, but every year you don't have to evacuate a MILLION people all at the same time. This year is MUCH worse than the average year.
    The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
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