PDA

View Full Version : Disneyland crowds in the off-season



Cougar
03-13-2004, 09:02 PM
We just returned from a 5-day trip to Disneyland. Our last trip was three years ago in April 2001 (pre-9/11). A few observations:

* Disneyland was much more crowded this trip than in 2001.

* California Adventure was much more crowded this trip (in 2001 we practically had free run of the park).

* Congestion on the E-ticket rides was more pronounced on this trip.

* The crowds in Disneyland on Friday -- especially Friday night -- were horrible.

* The absence of "Magical Mornings" (or whatever they were called) was very noticable.

Now my questions:

1. Is there an off-season any more? We intentionally came in early March to avoid the Spring Break crowds. Tues-Thurs were less crowded, but still much more crowded than April 2001.

2. Are the larger crowds the sign of a stronger economy (our 2001 trip was only about a year after the stock market drop) or something else?

3. Are the larger crowds the result of the new Snow White musical (in which case I assume they will decrease as more people see it)?

4. Is Disneyland doing anything to reduce crowds? (I've heard rumors about raising the prices on annual passes, but it seems that they would have to go quite high to have an impact. Also, with all of the Snow White advertising it seems they are trying to increase crowds.)

5. Is there any discussion of re-introducing Magical Mornings?

6. In general, is WDW more or less crowded than Disneyland?

7. Is there any time of the year when Disneyland is not crowded on a Friday or Monday? (Based on this experience, I doubt we will ever go to Disneyland again on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday.)

Thanks in advance for any comments.

--Coug

DisneyFan25863
03-13-2004, 09:06 PM
1) Yes, it is just getting shorter as more and more schools go year round.
2) A combo of that and the year round schooling
3) I highly doubt that
4) No. Why would they want LESS money?
5) No
6) More People, but is more spread out than DL, so its not as noticable
7) 2nd week of Jan always works for me.

Cougar
03-13-2004, 09:16 PM
Thanks for your input DisneyFan25863.

<!------begin soapbox-------->

Regarding point no. 4, it just seems that the parks would reach a saturation point where they are so crowded they are simply not appealing any more.

I suppose that won't happen to the general population anytime soon, but on 3/12 that nearly happened to me.

IMHO, the large crowds are at least partly to blame for the feeling that the "magic" is gone. Who can feel magic when all you feel are elbows and strollers and feet and wheelchairs and bags? (Alright, I'm sure someone can -- but that person does not represent the general population.)

<!------end soapbox-------->

--Coug

DisneyFan25863
03-13-2004, 09:18 PM
You are exactly right. But as long as people continue to pay to get in, they will keep packing them until the Fire Marshal makes them stop.

Cadaverous Pallor
03-15-2004, 06:45 PM
They have always packed them in, too. I've seen pics of the park in the '60's and they packed the place just as tightly as they do today.

I was there today (a Monday!) and it was BUSY. DCA too! You should have seen the line for the Golden Zephyr - it took up their whole queue space. :eek:

I don't know if certain schools are off for spring break already, but that's possible. There were plenty of kids there. And I know people make a 4 day weekend out of it, but even if you take that into consideration it was very busy.

seattlemom
03-16-2004, 06:42 AM
My sister, in AZ, has spring break this week and next week. She's taking her boys to Legoland though, so it's not her fault.:)

sediment
03-16-2004, 09:08 AM
My answers for Coug, hopeful that they're different from DF25863:
1. There is not an offseason as there was maybe 10 years ago.
I think more APs take the day or a half-day off of work on Fridays to enjoy the park. Fridays have longer hours, Fantasmic!, and smaller crowds than Saturday. Also, here in SoCal there are lots of year-round schools. 1/4 of a school's population is off at any given time.
2. No. Mostly AP holders this time of year.
3. Yes. APs again, getting their first (and possibly only) glance at it. I would throw more credit to BTMRR being reopened Thursday (?) than Snow.
4. Cast Member Matt is on it. (My) current wisdom blames crowded walkways on, in this order:
a) Closed rides.
b) Artificially lowered-capacity rides.
c) FastPass.
d) AP Program.
e) Strollers (but only the double-wides).
Fix the top two, The rest are engrained in the DL experience.

5. Maybe as an incentive to book hotel rooms. If the hotels are projected to have higher vacancies for a long period of time, then DLR might revive MMs. So, my guess is "No."
6. WDW-MK probably has twice DL capacity.
7. In general, no.

Note that sometimes DL feels crowded when TDA misjudges the attendance. Thinks it will be low (closes retaurants early, doesn't stock as many hambugers, etc) and it turns out to be high. Old TDA-think would be, "Woo-hoo! We saved money, and look at the crowds!" I expect New TDA-think to be, "These guests will not return if these crowds cannot be handled."

The magic is not gone. It's just harder to find when there are too many guests. (It's actually embedded in the concrete and asphalt. On warm days, it evaporates and people can unknowingly breathe it in. On rainy days, it gets shined up, and some people find them to be the most magic of days. Fewer guests means the magic can be found a lot more easily. (That's why DarkBeer was scolded about taking pictures of pavement construction in Tomorrowland. It was Bare Magic he was taking pictures of! Who knows what that could do to his camera!))

dasrock
03-28-2004, 02:32 AM
i heard november was pretty quiet....we went last october and the weekends were crowded still...

shawnarae
03-28-2004, 07:15 PM
For the last 2 years we go the weekend before Thanksgiving. The Weds-Saturday before Thanksgiving week to be exact. It is very empty on the Weds & Thursday of that week (before Thanksgiving). Friday is gets more busy and Saturday is really crowded. But we go for the Weds & Thursday most of all. We get there when it opens and last time did Splash Mountain 4 times in a row. Longest wait we had at Disneyland was probably the walk to actually load on to the boat at POTC (1-2 minutes). At and DCA about 10 minutes for the rollercoaster. Everything else was really walk right on and do twice.