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Ghoulish Delight
03-12-2002, 09:31 AM
Just read the DIG update, and I'm already feeling claustrophobic. Picture this. It's mid-July around 9pm. Having realized that Splash will be down for at least another few months, officials have decided to shut down the canoes, and therefore the last remaining bit of Critter Country, putting up construction walls just past HM and the fry shack. Meanwhile, responding to the flood of fan support when Fantasmic was shut down, the show has made its triumphant return to the Rivers of America.

So with a wall on one end, and Adventureland (aka Bottleneckland) on the other, don't expect to move an inch through NOS this summer once dusk sets in. I am NOT looking forward to that.

Matterhorn Fan
03-12-2002, 09:43 AM
Add to that the fact that Toontown'll be closing early because of fireworks, that the line for Peter Pan takes up half of Fantasyland, and what are we left with?

Tomorrowland.

That's right. Bask in the glow of the empty lagoon, the fountain they never turn on, the annoyingly still standby line for Space Mountain, Innoventions, and a couple other attractions that you grew tired of a long time ago. A whole park, and all that's left is a pin cart.

I sure hope they'll be keeping DCA open late.

innerSpaceman
03-12-2002, 11:20 AM
This is their grand plan for making DCA a hit. Just destroy Disneyland to the point where DCA doesn't look so bad in comparison.

Think I'm kidding? Take a look around.

ishkabibble
03-12-2002, 11:28 AM
Do what I do; up and over the Gallery staircase, cut through the River Belle Terrace, zip down the inside of the shops, touch as little of the main thoroughfare as possible. Same technique works very well on Main Street during parades – you're in and out faster than a Mouse Pad chat server.

HTHBellcaptain
03-12-2002, 12:34 PM
It just seems to get more magical by the day, doesn't it.:D :D

Ghoulish Delight
03-12-2002, 12:54 PM
Originally posted by ishkabibble
Do what I do; up and over the Gallery staircase, cut through the River Belle Terrace, zip down the inside of the shops, touch as little of the main thoroughfare as possible. Same technique works very well on Main Street during parades – you're in and out faster than a Mouse Pad chat server.
They block off the Gallery staircase before and during Fantasmic, so that doesn't work.


This is their grand plan for making DCA a hit. Just destroy Disneyland to the point where DCA doesn't look so bad in comparison.
That's been my little cynical theory as well. The more I think about it, I realize that it's doubtful someone sat in their room tenting their fingers like Mr. Burns, laughing maniacally saying "With all these attractions closed, those fools will HAVE to visit DCA. Eeeexcelent." But what likely happened was more like:

"Is closing this many attractions at once really a good idea? Won't people be angry that they're paying full price for half the park?"

"Well, maybe, but they can always cross the esplenade instead. So that'll cut the number of complaints down. Let's do it."

More of a "happy" side effect (from management point of view) than a planned scheme.

DisneyDody
03-12-2002, 01:47 PM
Originally posted by Ghoulish Delight

That's been my little cynical theory as well. The more I think about it, I realize that it's doubtful someone sat in their room tenting their fingers like Mr. Burns, laughing maniacally saying "With all these attractions closed, those fools will HAVE to visit DCA. Eeeexcelent." But what likely happened was more like:

"Is closing this many attractions at once really a good idea? Won't people be angry that they're paying full price for half the park?"

"Well, maybe, but they can always cross the esplenade instead. So that'll cut the number of complaints down. Let's do it."

More of a "happy" side effect (from management point of view) than a planned scheme.

Problem being though, is that some people don't get park hopper tickets. When we go we go for a day- no park hopping. I go to DL, I will NOT go to DCA. So basically the side effect is that if the trend continues I will take my vacations elsewhere such as Universal Studios or something like that. I'm not going to pay $43. to see a bunch of closed attractions, tarps everywhere, etc. They really need to get their act together. The downhill spiral of DL is so depressing because I truly LOVED the place. But it's depressing to watch Eisner and Pressler destroy something that was once so beautiful. :mad:

Uncle Dick
03-12-2002, 01:54 PM
Originally posted by innerSpaceman
This is their grand plan for making DCA a hit. Just destroy Disneyland to the point where DCA doesn't look so bad in comparison.

Think I'm kidding? Take a look around.
Whether or not this was the intention, it's worked! The past couple of months I've spent inordinate amounts of time in DCA just because a lot of fun stuff was closed in Disneyland. Well, there might have been couple other reasons (;)), but it's still interesting.

coronamouseman
03-12-2002, 10:05 PM
So perhaps Disney's strategy for dealing with the current "depression" in park attendance has now been revealed - they will simply take their lumps now in terms of attendance, spend what money they do have on refurbishments and get ready for the summer season when they will need to operate at full capacity (and full price!)

All you SoCal AP guys - now you find out why the price dropped so much - you only get part of a park during much of the year when your passes are good

tink360
03-12-2002, 10:45 PM
It's a problem for out of towners, as well, to have so many attractions closed.
Can anyone tell me if there will be a return to the more extended park hours during the summer? I sure hope so.

Ghoulish Delight
03-13-2002, 07:09 AM
Yes, they will definitely be extending hours in summer. Taking a wild stab, I'd guess 10pm weeknights, midnight Fridays and Saturdays, minimum. They might go midnight every day, but I doubt it. And that's at DL. DCA will probably continue to close 2 hours before DL.

HondaBoy
03-13-2002, 04:33 PM
Actually from the Disneyland.com website it says that closing through the summer season starting late June will be at 11 pm every day, including the weekend.

tink360
03-13-2002, 08:38 PM
Bummer. I can't imagine how bad things could be on saturdays.

:(

MammaSilva
03-13-2002, 10:14 PM
they close the rides an hour before the shops....smart move huh? so you can be ON Space Mt. or HM at 11:00 and then shop your way out of the park....with no rides to distract you from your purpose of dropping a few more bucks on the way to the gate