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tstan70
11-05-2002, 02:37 PM
I am going to be at DLR with my family this weekend (thurs - Monday) and noticed that rain is in the forecast. I am happy about this as I know that a little rain keeps the park from getting too crowded.

My question for all you SoCals... Do you think the crowds will stay away from the opening of the Holiday season this weekend if it is raining? (obviously those in here are die-hard disney fans and will probably be there, ESPECIALLY if it rains, but what about the casual SoCal pass holders)

Any tips from you SoCal pros if it is raining?

thanks

refurbmike
11-05-2002, 02:42 PM
I've noticed that it usually is more sparse on rainy days, even on the weekends. Of course, that wasn't during the holidays, though. I would expect it to be as bad as an off-season weekend.

Ghoulish Delight
11-05-2002, 02:45 PM
You will definitely get thinner crowds with the rain. Southern Californians are apparantly water soluable and avoid going outside even in the lightest drizzle. As long as you don't mind a little water, you should be quite happy. Although it depends on the pattern of the rain. If it's not raining in the morning, people will still show up, so it won't be empty. If that's the case, wait until the rain starts, go take somewhere on mainstreet, and watch as the people flood from the park, leaving empty lines and no crowds :D

MouseWife
11-05-2002, 02:54 PM
Yeah, well, one time I asked a CM, on a rainy day,


'So, what happens if it rains?'

"You get wet."


Personally I like those days. ;)

Sheila
11-05-2002, 03:12 PM
The only comment I have to this thread (other than "go and enjoy, just bring your Mickey ponchos").....

Is that when it is raining, any attraction that has ride tracks outdoors is closed down. So if you have your heart set on Alice in Wonderland or Casey, Jr. or whatever, get to those rides first before any rain falls.

Other than that, have a great time! :)

Sheila

Ghoulish Delight
11-05-2002, 03:26 PM
Dumbo remains open, though. It's the only time I go on Dumbo becasue there's actually no line! Of course, you have to be willing to place your butt in a wet elephant, but it's only water!

RStar
11-05-2002, 03:33 PM
Actually, that would be fun to watch. GD soaking wet flying an elephant!;)

tod
11-05-2002, 03:38 PM
The Disneyland Railroad runs rain or shine. Be sure to look at the roof of your train car. In the one(s) with a canvas roof with wood frame supports, the rainwater tends to pool in the depression. Add an updraft -- not all that unlikely - and you can get a shower of thoroughly nasty roof water.

--T
been there, done that, will never get caught that way again.

Sheila
11-05-2002, 03:46 PM
Originally posted by tod
The Disneyland Railroad runs rain or shine. Be sure to look at the roof of your train car. In the one(s) with a canvas roof with wood frame supports, the rainwater tends to pool in the depression. Add an updraft -- not all that unlikely - and you can get a shower of thoroughly nasty roof water.

True. But then again, the DLRR does not have up- or downhill portions of the track that might cause a ride vehicle to slip in the rain. This is what I am referring to.

Rides like Alice are closed for safety reasons when it rains.

Sheila

tod
11-05-2002, 05:21 PM
Originally posted by Sheila
The DLRR does not have up- or downhill portions of the track that might cause a ride vehicle to slip in the rain. This is what I am referring to.

Rides like Alice are closed for safety reasons when it rains.


I beg your pardon. I only intended to give a warning about riding the train in the rain, a lesson I learned the hard way.

Sorry if you were offended, Sheila. that was not my intent.

--T

Hydroman
11-05-2002, 05:56 PM
Which parades, if any, go on rain or shine? What about fireworks?

Morrigoon
11-05-2002, 06:03 PM
If there's enough people in the park to warrant it, they'll do the Character cavalcade in the rain (bunch of characters on the double decker bus)

MouseWife
11-05-2002, 06:34 PM
Originally posted by Ghoulish Delight
Of course, you have to be willing to place your butt in a wet elephant, but it's only water!

Hey banana, don't forget your towel!!!

Sheila
11-05-2002, 10:31 PM
Originally posted by tod
I beg your pardon. I only intended to give a warning about riding the train in the rain, a lesson I learned the hard way.

Sorry if you were offended, Sheila. that was not my intent.

--T

No offense taken. It just seemed as though my comments were not clear enough in the first place as to what I *really* meant! :)

Besides, isn't riding on the trains or trams in the rain really fun? ;) (Yes, a miserable experience indeed -- sorry to hear you got caught out in the wet. :()

Sheila

EandCDad
11-06-2002, 04:34 AM
Originally posted by tstan70
I am going to be at DLR with my family this weekend (thurs - Monday) and noticed that rain is in the forecast. I am happy about this as I know that a little rain keeps the park from getting too crowded.

My question for all you SoCals... Do you think the crowds will stay away from the opening of the Holiday season this weekend if it is raining? (obviously those in here are die-hard disney fans and will probably be there, ESPECIALLY if it rains, but what about the casual SoCal pass holders)

Any tips from you SoCal pros if it is raining?

thanks

It currently looks like it is only going to rain on Friday. I wouldn't expect Thursday or Friday to be very crowded regardless. The opening of Holiday events last year (which was a Friday) was very, very uncrowded. If I were you, I'd bring good rain gear and pray for clear days on Thursday and Friday and rain on Saturday and Sunday.

A word of unrelated advice. Not sure of the age of your children, but if they are of the age or inclination to ride either Peter Pan and Dumbo and you don't want to wait in a very, very, very long line, go first thing. This means get to the park and inside on main street at the opening time for the day you go (I'd recommend either Thursday or Friday). When they open the whole park, walk (don't run) to Peter Pan and ride it immediately, then exit and walk directly to Dumbo. Believe me, you will not want to wait in either of these lines later in the day.

AlanaP
11-06-2002, 06:48 AM
hmmm?
It rains in So Cal??
when!?
I have lived here again for 3 years, and I dont recall any rain... I HAVE seen miniscule ammounts of spitz like water fall from the sky, but nothing that could really be called rain....;)
Yeah but i wanna know too.. if its sprinkling..will they still have fireworks?? I need my firework fix!!

Not Afraid
11-06-2002, 06:58 AM
It will NOT rain this friday!

I have arrenged for a boy to stick his finger in the dyke so we can all watch fireworks. :D

MUST SEE FIREWORKS!:~D

hefferdude
11-06-2002, 07:00 AM
Disneyland at night with the holiday decorations up and it rained but its clearing up now and everything is glistening and its kind of cold in wintry way.....

Doesn't get much better than this.:D

Bruce Bergman
11-06-2002, 08:44 AM
Originally posted by AlanaP
hmmm?
It rains in So Cal??
when!?
I have lived here again for 3 years, and I dont recall any rain... I HAVE seen miniscule ammounts of spitz like water fall from the sky, but nothing that could really be called rain....;)
Yeah but i wanna know too.. if its sprinkling..will they still have fireworks?? I need my firework fix!!

I mentioned this elsewhere recently, but if it's going to spritz three drops and stop they can run the show. If it's full-on raining, no.

And if they predict full-on rain they won't even try to load the fireworks into the tubes, but if they expect only a sprinkle they can cover everything up with foil to keep it dry.

--<< Bruce >>--

PS: Anyone know how to do hard spaces and tab-stops here? I like to indent my paragraphs two spaces, and my --<< Signature >>-- about ten. (grumble HTML grumble PITA...)

Ace
11-06-2002, 08:40 PM
I love when it's gray / rainy. Bring an umbrella and you get on all the rides without waiting, and it's a lot cooler since it's raining.

Mouse
11-06-2002, 08:55 PM
Originally posted by Hydroman
Which parades, if any, go on rain or shine? What about fireworks?
It depends on how wet the ground is and how hard it is raining at parade step off. If it proves too wet to have a parade there is a "Rainy Day Cavalcade" of characters on an omnibus down the parade route. I'm not sure about fireworks.

Sophie832
11-07-2002, 02:02 AM
Originally posted by AlanaP
hmmm?
It rains in So Cal??
when!?
I have lived here again for 3 years, and I dont recall any rain... I HAVE seen miniscule ammounts of spitz like water fall from the sky, but nothing that could really be called rain....;)

3 Years...well, that explains it. We SoCal-ers have been lucky (if you want to call it that) to have a drought since about 1998. Before that, we had two years of floods (well, for SoCal, at least). In the winter of 1997 they shut down my college one Friday because no one could drive onto the campus!

I'm guessing rain might stop the fireworks...I know wind does. As people have already mentioned, though, it's only supposed to rain Thursday, Friday, and early Saturday morning (that's if you trust the weatherpeople...hah!), so even though Friday's supposed to be the first night of the Xmas fireworks, you can be sure to enjoy them on Saturday.

I'll be at Disneyland on Friday night, rain or shine, huddled over at Coke Corner :)

Techie7
11-07-2002, 06:18 AM
Originally posted by Mouse
It depends on how wet the ground is and how hard it is raining at parade step off. If it proves too wet to have a parade there is a "Rainy Day Cavalcade" of characters on an omnibus down the parade route. I'm not sure about fireworks.

Ahh Mickey's Rainy Day Cavalcade! Everyone must see this great parade. I was surprised to find that it even has its own music. I wonder if those characters have been taking go-go lessons? ;) I enjoyed seeing this in place of PotS for a day. Surprisingly many CMs were surprised to hear new music!

Bruce Bergman
11-07-2002, 08:12 AM
Originally posted by Sophie832
3 Years...well, that explains it. We SoCal-ers have been lucky (if you want to call it that) to have a drought since about 1998. Before that, we had two years of floods (well, for SoCal, at least). In the winter of 1997 they shut down my college one Friday because no one could drive onto the campus!

They used to have severe flooding problems on Main Street because the storm drains weren't big enough - wonderful 1954 engineering standards... Fond memories of Sweepers with push brooms herding the water into the catch basins (but probably not so fond for the sweepers doing it)...

The drains were fixed a few years back - but AFAIK the weather has been relatively mild since then, and they really haven't been put to the test.


I'm guessing rain might stop the fireworks...I know wind does.

It's not just the ground winds you can feel, but the winds aloft up to about 1,000 feet - they send up a test balloon and track it to see how fast and in what direction the winds are going. What goes up must come down - and they have to know where that landing area will be.

As for rain, a few drops is OK, a downpour will get the shells wet before they're fired - not good.


As people have already mentioned, though, it's only supposed to rain Thursday, Friday, and early Saturday morning (that's if you trust the weatherpeople...hah!), so even though Friday's supposed to be the first night of the Xmas fireworks, you can be sure to enjoy them on Saturday.

I'll be at Disneyland on Friday night, rain or shine, huddled over at Coke Corner :)

I think I'll skip Friday - braving 2 1/2 hours (at least) of Friday afternoon traffic for a 'maybe' fireworks isn't worth it - but if Dan Kirkpatrick was going to be there, I'd consider it... And considering the forecast you'll probably be huddled inside Coke Corner. (I keep saying they should put lights over in the corner for when he's forced inside by bad weather, but nobody listens to little ol' electrician me... :D ) Give my regards to Rod and I'll see him sometime this weekend.

--<< Bruce >>--

HBTiggerFan
11-07-2002, 03:37 PM
Originally posted by AlanaP
hmmm?
It rains in So Cal??
when!?
I have lived here again for 3 years, and I dont recall any rain... I HAVE seen miniscule ammounts of spitz like water fall from the sky, but nothing that could really be called rain....;)
Yeah but i wanna know too.. if its sprinkling..will they still have fireworks?? I need my firework fix!!

Those 3 drops of rain create a media frenzy and "STORM WATCH 2002!" :eek: