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View Full Version : How are the crowds the 2nd week of May?



spacy9
04-14-2006, 04:45 PM
We have been to Disney World numerous times, mostly in November. However, we have never been to Disneyland. We are looking at going May 8th - 12th. What type of crowds can we expect? Any answers are greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

spacy9
04-15-2006, 12:42 AM
Anyone with just a rough idea? Is it a busy time of the year? I just have no idea. For Disney World there are charts and numbering systems to tell you how busy it will be, but I haven't seen anything like that for Disneyland.

It is this coming May by the way, 2006 :)

anniedg
04-15-2006, 04:33 AM
I don't have any personal experience, but according to the Birnbaum guidebook that's one of the least crowded times historically. From posts on the board this year it seems like this year is somewhat atypical though, because of the 50th. Just in case it is crowded I'd study up on how to do fastpass at DL (it's been on the boards here and was in an article here not too long ago). There are some tricks at DL that are different from WDW.
Have a great trip!!

BQ2
04-15-2006, 06:35 AM
Early May is a great time to go. :) We are going in the second week of May too! The crowds will be as light as can be this season.

BQ2

hlbtimes2
04-15-2006, 07:19 AM
http://www.scottware.com.au/theme/feature/crowds.htm

The chart shows what is typial, this year (and last) have been a bit unpredictable with the 50th.

spacy9
04-15-2006, 04:31 PM
Thank you very much for the replies. They are what I was hoping for :)

How many days does it take to see everything in Disneyland? I know that at Disney World we go for 10 days but never come close to seeing everything. I know that Disneyland only has Magic Kingdom and California Adventure - can you see everything in 5 days? Is that TOO long?

Thanks again!

chrisaustx
04-15-2006, 04:56 PM
The population of Southern California is densely packed around Disneyland, uncle Walt envisioned this scenario. The park has had really no slow season this year, my advice is to expect at least a 45 min. wait on all rides. It is possible to spend 2 days, maybe 3 days and see everything at Disneyland and California Adventure. The difference between Walt Disney World and Disneyland is the population. Disneyland is a locals park, with most guests traveling from nearby areas to the park, times which were thought to be slow, actually were busy and the park had to extend it's hours. There will be no such thing as a slow time after the 50th, those dreaded days of Paul Pressler running the park are over. Disneyland will always remain busy from here on out, due to the population that now attends Disneyland regularly. I think after the 50th is over, Disneyland will get MORE crowded, not less crowded. The population of Orange County alone is 3.2 million people, if just 2% visited Disneyland on any given day, the park would be CROWDED, the population in the immediate area of Disneyland is 10 million people, if just a small percentage visits Disneyland, the park will be CROWDED, so please, stop this talk of a slow season, it won't happen again.

chrisaustx
04-15-2006, 04:56 PM
My prediction is: this summer will be busiest season Disneyland has ever had.

Omnitographer
04-15-2006, 05:12 PM
The population of Southern California is densely packed around Disneyland, uncle Walt envisioned this scenario. The park has had really no slow season this year, my advice is to expect at least a 45 min. wait on all rides. It is possible to spend 2 days, maybe 3 days and see everything at Disneyland and California Adventure. The difference between Walt Disney World and Disneyland is the population. Disneyland is a locals park, with most guests traveling from nearby areas to the park, times which were thought to be slow, actually were busy and the park had to extend it's hours. There will be no such thing as a slow time after the 50th, those dreaded days of Paul Pressler running the park are over. Disneyland will always remain busy from here on out, due to the population that now attends Disneyland regularly. I think after the 50th is over, Disneyland will get MORE crowded, not less crowded. The population of Orange County alone is 3.2 million people, if just 2% visited Disneyland on any given day, the park would be CROWDED, the population in the immediate area of Disneyland is 10 million people, if just a small percentage visits Disneyland, the park will be CROWDED, so please, stop this talk of a slow season, it won't happen again.


Relativity my good sir. This may be a moderately slow season compared to the comming summer storm :D

chrisaustx
04-15-2006, 05:22 PM
I highly doubt we will have an "off season" again, the number of A/P's which were sold in the past year and the number of Spanish speaking guests who now attend Disneyland regularly, will always ensure the place stays busy. The new marketing people which are running things now are great at targeting the Spanish speaking population, and are keeping them coming to the park. The new business plan of Disneyland is to keep the park packed, the hotels booked and the cash register lines full, no more off seasons. I was at the park last weekend and I saw recent immigrants from Mexico sitting in the entry plaza. About twenty of these people were sitting on blankets waiting for the fireworks to start, they couldn't afford the entry fee, but still came out to Disneyland to try to get in on the experience, even if it meant watching the fireworks through a fence. More and More people are attending Disneyland regularly, who were not typically part of the experience before, I am sure this is all part of the new marketing plan that was devised in November. With the huge population gains in Southern California in the past five years and the huge Spanish speaking population now being targeted by Team Disney Anaheim, I think a slow season is a thing of the past.

wendyxo
04-15-2006, 05:31 PM
chrisaustx, I am really hoping that I jumped to conclusions about your last post and that you didn't intend it to come off a bit racist as I interpreted it. :confused:
Maybe I'm touchy but being that I am married to a Mexican man, I feel okay saying that NOT all Hispanics are illegal immigrants. Just my $.02.
Sorry to derail this thread!

CamCay
04-15-2006, 06:08 PM
I highly doubt we will have an "off season" again, the number of A/P's which were sold in the past year and the number of Spanish speaking guests who now attend Disneyland regularly, will always ensure the place stays busy. The new marketing people which are running things now are great at targeting the Spanish speaking population, and are keeping them coming to the park. The new business plan of Disneyland is to keep the park packed, the hotels booked and the cash register lines full, no more off seasons. I was at the park last weekend and I saw recent immigrants from Mexico sitting in the entry plaza. About twenty of these people were sitting on blankets waiting for the fireworks to start, they couldn't afford the entry fee, but still came out to Disneyland to try to get in on the experience, even if it meant watching the fireworks through a fence. More and More people are attending Disneyland regularly, who were not typically part of the experience before, I am sure this is all part of the new marketing plan that was devised in November. With the huge population gains in Southern California in the past five years and the huge Spanish speaking population now being targeted by Team Disney Anaheim, I think a slow season is a thing of the past.

It did come across a little on the judgmental side. I am just wondering how exactly you know the group you spoke of were "recent immigrants"? I think you might be offending a few people with your comments. I mean, the majority of what i see when i'm there are caucasian families. And i am not of mexican descent or married to anyone of mexican descent. So i'm not biased. Just believe you stepped a little overboard with this post.

Monte Cristo
04-15-2006, 06:26 PM
Thank you very much for the replies. They are what I was hoping for :)

How many days does it take to see everything in Disneyland? I know that at Disney World we go for 10 days but never come close to seeing everything. I know that Disneyland only has Magic Kingdom and California Adventure - can you see everything in 5 days? Is that TOO long?

Thanks again!

"Just" Magic Kingdon? How DARE You! ;)

5 days if it's your first time is perfect. You'll be able to do absolutely everything in both parks, and have extra to enjoy stuff over again. Plus it gives you the opportunity to soak up the ambiance of the park without rushing from ride to ride.

chrisaustx
04-15-2006, 07:25 PM
I spoke with them, I am a Chicano Studies Student at California State University, Fullerton. The new 2005 Census data came out a month ago, and the year 2005 is one for the record books. If anyone is worth their large marketing salary at Team Disney Anaheim, they also read the new 2005 Census Data for the Los Angeles Region. The argument that Disneyland will once again be quiet after the 50th, is also as false as saying, after labor day, I-5 will never have a traffic jam again, the numbers just don't support the argument. A good many visitors these days are from Mexico, and travel to Anaheim, with Mexican license plates on their cars, of course they are Mexicans. The dynamics of who is visiting Disneyland has changed, and it won't slow down after the 50th, if anything, it will be as crowded as ever.

spacy9
04-15-2006, 07:47 PM
"Just" Magic Kingdon? How DARE You! ;)

5 days if it's your first time is perfect. You'll be able to do absolutely everything in both parks, and have extra to enjoy stuff over again. Plus it gives you the opportunity to soak up the ambiance of the park without rushing from ride to ride.

Sorry!! :p Magic Kingdom is my favorite park. :)

spacy9
04-15-2006, 07:53 PM
I spoke with them, I am a Chicano Studies Student at California State University, Fullerton. The new 2005 Census data came out a month ago, and the year 2005 is one for the record books. If anyone is worth their large marketing salary at Team Disney Anaheim, they also read the new 2005 Census Data for the Los Angeles Region. The argument that Disneyland will once again be quiet after the 50th, is also as false as saying, after labor day, I-5 will never have a traffic jam again, the numbers just don't support the argument. A good many visitors these days are from Mexico, and travel to Anaheim, with Mexican license plates on their cars, of course they are Mexicans. The dynamics of who is visiting Disneyland has changed, and it won't slow down after the 50th, if anything, it will be as crowded as ever.

I really do hope that you are correct. I would love for Disneyland to be busier and motivate Disney to add even more attractions to handle the greater number of guests.

I think what I was looking for was relative busyness of the 2nd week of May as compared to the rest of the year - Summer months, Easter Weekend, Christmas, New Years, Spring Break, etc... Just knowing that it won't be quite as busy as those times of the year (so far anyway) is a good thing.

anniedg
04-15-2006, 07:55 PM
spacy9 five days is the length we usually spend at DL and it's plenty of time to see everything and do your favorites quite a few times! We often will spend a 1/2 day or two seeing other things in the LA area (maybe go to the beach) and then head to one of the parks or Downtown Disney for dinner. It's just not like WDW where you could easily spend two weeks onsite and not see it all. You'll be in especially good shape if it does (hopefully!) turn out to be somewhat quiet -- we usually go in early to mid-June.

chrisaustx
04-15-2006, 08:20 PM
The business plan of Disneyland is to restore the park to the pre Paul Pressler era. The sub lagoon, new monorail fleet and tomorrowland projects will all be done by early 2007. I heard a rumor from someone in WDI that the most expensive project ever developed at Disneyland, may commence in 2007, in the parking lot behind California Adventure. With the opening of new attractions coming every six months, the park will always have a reason to attract new visitors, and money losing slow seasons will not be needed. I can't wait to see everything that Paul Pressler created revamped, hopefully by the end of 2007, most of the disasters will be gone and tomorrowland 1998 will be completely wiped out.

Omnitographer
04-15-2006, 10:52 PM
This is the golden era, the era of Iger & Lasseter :D

Monte Cristo
04-16-2006, 06:38 AM
Sorry!! :p Magic Kingdom is my favorite park. :)

Oh, it certainly will be once you visit the original. ;) :D

The old man
04-18-2006, 01:50 PM
...We are looking at going May 8th - 12th. What type of crowds can we expect? Any answers are greatly appreciated...
Friendly, excited.

chrisaustx
04-18-2006, 08:07 PM
Al Lutz stated today: that 94,440 guests were at Disneyland on Sat, 4/15., this number includes Disneyland and CA Adventure combined and is a new record.
So this further supports my argument about population increases in the area around Disneyland.

LilysMom2003
04-19-2006, 07:17 AM
We went the second week of May last year and it wasn't bad at all. My birthday falls during that time so we'll be going again this year.

Shadowcat
04-19-2006, 08:57 AM
The first week of May is actually a week off for some of the schools here, that's why we're going the second week of May instead. It's still Spring Break at the moment, and I think will still be through the end of April. Given that my son has the first week in May off, I wonder if other schools around the country do to?

tinker3
04-19-2006, 01:58 PM
I read on another thread that it might be busy with some Junior Highs visiting and some out of state Senior Grad nights. We are going at that time also and I was hoping it would be slower but like noted, I think slower days are a thing of the past!:)