View Full Version : Disneyland Resort on Christmas Day
gokart
11-28-2002, 09:35 AM
Anyone been there Christmas Day? Is it a zoo or not too bad (Disneyland that is -- California Adventure is obvious ;)
Any suggestions or ideas are welcome! Thanks.
Bruce Bergman
11-28-2002, 10:20 AM
Originally posted by gokart
Anyone been there Christmas Day? Is it a zoo or not too bad (Disneyland that is -- California Adventure is obvious ;)
Any suggestions or ideas are welcome! Thanks.
Christmas Eve used to be uncharacteristically almost EMPTY at DL, and Christmas Day was the very busy one, but that stopped several years ago. Right after word got out... :) Now they're both busy.
--<< Bruce >>--
gokart
11-30-2002, 06:07 AM
Thanks Bruce. So it will probably be "can barely move in Adventureland" type days? My Mom is coming to LA for Christmas and I thought it might be fun to go that day. I read somewhere that they went to capacity a couple of years ago, so I am rethinking going.
Bruce Bergman
11-30-2002, 10:10 AM
Originally posted by gokart
Thanks Bruce. So it will probably be "can barely move in Adventureland" type days? My Mom is coming to LA for Christmas and I thought it might be fun to go that day. I read somewhere that they went to capacity a couple of years ago, so I am rethinking going.
No, it may be really busy but it probably won't be that bad. ;) But you should follow the usual busy day plans just in case - get there early to do Fantasyland before all the slug-a-bed's show up :sleep: , and get your FastPasses early for the big rides you may want to go on.
And remember that even if you get a FastPass that's for three or four hours later, you can go to another FastPass ride and get another set of passes after two hours. And overlap them.
The days where they regularly get close to or do have Park capacity problems are usually only July 4th and New Years Eve. THOSE are the 'can't move in Adventureland' days.
--<< Bruce >>--
TimBuk2
12-01-2002, 12:20 PM
Last year my friends could not even get into the parking lot at noon time. It was that bad.
Christmas Eve day or night is usually pretty good.
So yes, expect Christmas Day to be a ZOO !
tlovesdis
12-01-2002, 08:08 PM
My friends were there on Christmas Day last year too and they said it was the worst experience ever and they would never go to DL on a holiday again. At one point they closed the park and wouldn't let any new guests in. Since they were already in they could come back if they left.
Tina
gokart
12-02-2002, 06:50 AM
So you guys would suggest christmas eve were I to go at all?
I don't mind the crowds at all (my experience is that if you relax and just go with the flow, it turns out all right) but I'm not sure my Mom and family would approach it the same way. I used to work there (very briefly), so I am also much more patient!
I have a feeling that this year will be pretty crowded, so I was surprised by Bruce's post ...
ldsguy
12-02-2002, 07:07 PM
If you do go, I would suggest some sort of park hopping ticket, this way if one park is too crowded you can enjoy the other. If you don't mind crowds it should be fine, esp. if you get there early enough to use Fastpass.
Bruce Bergman
12-02-2002, 09:14 PM
Originally posted by gokart
So you guys would suggest christmas eve were I to go at all?
I don't mind the crowds at all (my experience is that if you relax and just go with the flow, it turns out all right) but I'm not sure my Mom and family would approach it the same way. I used to work there (very briefly), so I am also much more patient!
I have a feeling that this year will be pretty crowded, so I was surprised by Bruce's post ...
No, I'm the surprised one. There has been talk that christmas day was really busy, but I never heard of them hitting park capacity on that day. It has happened on ordinary days, but AFAIK it usually takes a big radio promotion to get a whole lot more people than usual to all think of going on the same day.
Like LDS says, see about getting Mom a multi-day ticket at the Main Gate ticket booths that's good for a year, and you can park-hop if it's too bad, and come back for another try on the 26th, or next month...
Or she can decide to convert the 3-day Pass into an AP later... ;)
--<< Bruce >>--
Grandbreaker
12-03-2002, 01:11 PM
I would go 20-23 I was there on the 24 and 25 and 26 last year , but the fastest way to get around was the train i went on that 4x's in a row
gokart
12-04-2002, 05:22 AM
Thanks all for the great information (especially Bruce). I have a couple of free Park hoppers to use for my Mom and brother, so I just want it to be a good experience. I think it's the first time she's been since the mid-90's, so there might be some culture shock with all the changes.
gokart
12-06-2002, 06:19 AM
On Christmas Day night, I was thinking Storyteller's for dinner because of price/setting. I am favoring Disney-owned restauants only because I can get a discount Is there another place that would be worth the extra expense or is having a special "holiday" experience that might be worth the extra expense that someone might suggest either in the parks, other hotels or in Downtown Disney?
I've only done Storytellers, ESPN Zone and HOB for lunch, non-holiday.
Thanks!
lisap
12-06-2002, 06:40 AM
Here is a kind-of related question about park capacity days: From past experience, when does the park stop selling tickets on those extra crazy days like New Year's Eve? I'm also wondering about buying AP black-out tickets--do they start limiting those sooner than the regular one day admissions?
RandomCM
12-07-2002, 08:02 PM
Yo asked if it is empty or a zoo? Let me answer you in one little word ... ZOOOOOOOOO!!!! DO NOT come in that day!! Please!!! You'll spend all day in line at City Hall complaining about the LONG lines!! Save your self some time and the cast members some grief. A lot of guests forget that CM's have feelings too. Christmas is a day for love and compassion. I've been spit on and cussed at and threated by an inch of my life on that wonderful holiday. It's scary. Just becasue everyone turns into the Grinch when it's a busy day. If it is a day that is blocked out on the So Cal and Deluxe passes, then DON'T go, that is why they are blocked out!! People think, Oh everyone will be at home with there family the park will be empty. Well if 56,000 peopel think that it will be empty they will all come to the park. Making it VERY busy!! wow, guess I didn't answer your question in ONE word huh?? Sorry!! :)