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River Belle
03-05-2011, 05:04 PM
Is there such a thing as off season anymore? Or has off season just become more crowded in the last few years? It used to be that we'd hit the occasional weeknight or Sunday afternoon where we could walk on to several attractions and the park felt empty. I can't remember the last time that's happened...

We've tried early Sunday mornings and late weekday afternoons, and it honestly all feels the same to me. I can't remember the last time I've experienced "light crowds."

Is it just me, or is Disneyland getting busier and busier every year?

Let me just say that I don't intend for this to be a rant -- I love the park and feel lucky to visit as frequently as I do. :)

AVP
03-05-2011, 05:49 PM
We were *just* discussing this today. I think there is no longer such a thing as an off-season weekend. I think there's still an off-season when it comes to weekdays (random Tuesdays in February can still be pretty empty), but every weekend I've been in the park this year feels crazy busy. Today was just really packed. I know quite a bit has to do with all the construction, and I hope it will feel at least feel less busy once Critter Country reopens.

AVP

Franz
03-05-2011, 06:38 PM
We are headed to the park mid-July. (first for us to go during the summer season in years) Is there a big difference in weekend vs. weekday crowds during mid-July, or is it all equally crowded now?

MidwayManiac
03-06-2011, 12:20 AM
Excellent thread topic. And, yes, I concur that the light crowds are fewer and further between. Worse yet, they're unpredictable. DD and I were there one Saturday evening late January and the park was surprisingly empty .... have taken the entire family back twice since on Saturday nights to find it packed to the gills, including tonight. The throng of people up Main St. and the hub after fireworks was so congested we had to duck into the 1st Aid station to wait it out.

imo Sunday mornings 8 am to 10:30 am are and have been the most consistently light crowds. But by noon forgetabaddit time to head home.

olegc
03-06-2011, 07:00 AM
i think it's harder to predict smaller crowds on weekends. You have to consider what conventions are in town, if school districts are off or not (a lot of them had furloughs due to budget issues), and many others have had changes in their schedules. And - if you have a pass then it can be considered a sunk cost - no money out of pocket that day to attend. As we all said last year - the monthly payment option made it a heck of a lot easier for more people to own passes.

Right now - the old-school on-season seems to be less crowded (except for Xmas week and a week or two in july). However, I think the days of walking up main st. or into fantasyland and seeing only dozens of people instead of a hundred are definitely a thing of the past.

The only warning this creates, of course, is price increases will continue to come. If the park stays crowded then Disney can correlate that to a value that folks are willing to pay for.

potzbie
03-06-2011, 09:13 AM
Is there such a thing as off season anymore?

As always:
"Follow the money."

Check out the hotel rates.
Disney knows when to lower rates and when to raise rates.

• Go when rates are low.
• Don't go when rates are high.

houseofmouse
03-06-2011, 10:23 AM
I think the payment plan for AP's has a lot to do with crowds now too.

Tan Da Man
03-06-2011, 11:19 AM
January/February are usually pretty dead. Comparatively at least

ladodgerjon
03-06-2011, 12:17 PM
I am convinced that the annual passholder program began the change to a more -- consistently -- crowded park.

With the arrival of the payment plan, the days of "light, seasonal" attendance is over. The big crowds -- all the time -- will be the new normal.

The only chance you'll have to witness light crowds? Rainy days or other forms of bad weather (extreme cold, etc).

Again, this isn't a rant... just a statement of the facts (as I see them).

potzbie
03-06-2011, 12:58 PM
I am convinced that the annual passholder program began the change to a more -- consistently -- crowded park.
...The big crowds -- all the time -- will be the new normal.

I agree.

If I were DL management, spreading out the peaks and valleys into a more homogeneous attendance rate is just wise management of personal and money.
It does not pay to have street-based entertainment on light-attendance days.
So, up the light days, and down the heavy days, there will be a break even point where the casual entertainment acts aren't playing to a semi-empty "house".

SigalTchelet
03-06-2011, 01:01 PM
I am convinced that the annual passholder program began the change to a more -- consistently -- crowded park.

With the arrival of the payment plan, the days of "light, seasonal" attendance is over. The big crowds -- all the time -- will be the new normal.

The only chance you'll have to witness light crowds? Rainy days or other forms of bad weather (extreme cold, etc).

Again, this isn't a rant... just a statement of the facts (as I see them).

We went the beginning of last month, expecting rain and hoping for light crowds. We were pleasantly surprised with nice weather and relatively light crowds Thursday and Friday Of course the crowds were heavier on Saturday.

Have to say I like your name-I am a big Dodger Fan and always get a kick out of seeing lots of people wearing Dodger Memorabilia at Disneyland.

K & S
03-07-2011, 07:33 AM
We are headed to the park mid-July. (first for us to go during the summer season in years) Is there a big difference in weekend vs. weekday crowds during mid-July, or is it all equally crowded now?

We have found Saturdays during July to be surprising less crowded. Perhaps because 3 of the 4 Annual Passes are blocked on those days.

curtsinore
03-07-2011, 01:21 PM
off season is from 8:00 a.m to noon and 6:00 to close..... but I have a hotel room close by and my trips are 3 to 5 days long.

sjhanksaz
03-07-2011, 02:29 PM
As always:
"Follow the money."

Check out the hotel rates.
Disney knows when to lower rates and when to raise rates.

• Go when rates are low.
• Don't go when rates are high.

I agree - I started doing this a couple of years ago and it works pretty well. Except I have found that it seems like even in the "off season" unless there is rain the late weekday afternoons the park fills up with locals after school lets out.


I think the payment plan for AP's has a lot to do with crowds now too.

Yep - Disney Marketing is TOO good



January/February are usually pretty dead. Comparatively at least

Yep so are some of the rides that are being de-holidized or refurbished.

I don't think we will ever do anual passes again. We used to get 2 out of three of our trips with low crowds. Last time we did 13 days in the park with our AP's. I would say only two of those were low crowd days.

Oh how I long for the $99 anual passes and the empty weekdays in most of the non summer months.

ChrisGlass
03-07-2011, 05:12 PM
It's not the monthly payments, it's the level of pass.

There's a HUGE difference on Saturdays when Deluxes are and aren't blocked.

Go for a bigger pass and go on blockout days. It really IS less crowded.

jananafish
03-07-2011, 07:11 PM
i was there last sunday and it was almost empty. we got on everything we wanted and left within 4 hours, that was doing both DL and DCA, but maybe it was just because we go a lot and i was used to navigating...still didnt seem so crowded. i think the longest wait time i saw on the app i use on my phone was like 35 minutes for any of the rides. then again, it was the day after a heavy, heavy rain.

MommyTo3Boys1Girl
03-09-2011, 12:40 PM
DH said the same at our recent trip. We've gone in mid February in the past and didn't recall crowds the way we had them this year. Funny with the economy being so bad, the parks seem super busy. Lol

freckles
03-09-2011, 02:08 PM
I was in both parks on Saturday and Sunday the 26Th and 27Th of Feb. Saturday was very pleasant and hardly any crowds. Sunday in my opinion was almost as bad as spring break, well not quite as bad but a tremendous difference. If I remember correctly when we were there in June of last year it was the same thing with Saturday and Sunday crowds.

greenie95125
03-09-2011, 03:10 PM
As always:
"Follow the money."

Check out the hotel rates.
Disney knows when to lower rates and when to raise rates.

• Go when rates are low.
• Don't go when rates are high.

Absolutely! They set rates the same way airlines set fares. They know that if x number of rooms are not booked y months in advance, they need to lower rates to fill the empty rooms.

We booked our DL vacation 2 months ago, and our agent called yesterday to let us know that if we re-book, we'll save $800 on our 5 night stay! They had just announced a "sale." That tells me that bookings for the week after Easter are statistically low. How often do you hear of a sale on rooms during Easter break?

Grandpa Louie
03-10-2011, 04:47 PM
It's not the monthly payments, it's the level of pass.

There's a HUGE difference on Saturdays when Deluxes are and aren't blocked.

Go for a bigger pass and go on blockout days. It really IS less crowded.

I'll buy that.

The week or so after spring break seems to be less crowded as well.

CPONavyWife
03-11-2011, 08:42 AM
We were just there for 4 days, as my husband just returned from Kuwait. Friday and Saturday really crowded as well as Sunday, but this past Monday was sort of "light" I see what everyone is saying in that those days when you just "walk on" a ride seem to be few and far between.

We even heard one CM say that she was surprised how crowded it was on Sunday.

But, when you have an AP its ok becuase you can come back anytime its the people who pay the day rate I feel sorry for becuase they won't be going on many rides.

fairestoneofall
03-11-2011, 09:00 AM
We try to plan our day trips either mid week or on a weekend day where the So Cal passes are blocked out. Sometimes it doesn't matter, but often it does. I've gone three times in the past month and have had very pleasant, low crowd, days each time.

MatthewHansen
03-12-2011, 09:04 PM
It sure doesn't seem like there is an off-season anymore. We are typically only able to make it to the resort on weekends, which of course are more crowded. I love the suggestion to check hotel prices; great idea. If the weather threatens to be poor the crowds are pretty light. A couple Saturday's ago when there was rain and snow throughout So Cal the park had lovely weather with very light crowds.

Sunday's seem to have a more relaxed feel to them, even if they are as crowded as Saturday. Is that just me? Just seems like people are more courteous and lines are faster.

ShelbyH
03-16-2011, 06:43 PM
I actually know quite a few people who got passes because of the monthly payment plan that they wouldn't have before, but that doesn't affect Saturdays.

I think it will be interesting to see what's going to happen when Cars Land opens. It will draw people away from Disneyland into DCA and even the load a bit, but also draw more tourists to the DLR, so it should be interesting to see how it plays out crowd-wise.

DwarfPlanet
03-17-2011, 09:22 AM
So we usually go around the first two weeks in May but this year DW is trying to work out a birthday trip for me the last week in April or specifically 27, 28, & 29 of April. How are the crowds during that timeframe?