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View Full Version : Friday, Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m., DLR Jammed



Rkkm
10-20-2007, 05:42 PM
Why?

Were headed to MHT and decided to slip into DLR for a pre-event corn dog. Long lines at the entry gates, but they moved quickly. But once inside, it was PACKED with people! Just like a holiday!

We never did get the corn dog .. counted 42 people in line for one. Couldn't see the entrance to Plaza Inn because of the crowds. We decided to head over to DCA and had to walk in the middle of Main Street because of the mobs. Throughout the whole experience, we were bumped and poked by strollers and scooters because it was too crowded for them to have enough space to move.

Now granted, it was one of those SoCal nights for which we all tolerate everything that is not nice about our area .. clear sky, balmy temperatures. But why the crowds?

PS - The MHT crowds at DCA were just right ... enough folks to make it fun and peppy, but not so many that we felt packed in. And we ended up getting a great bleu cheese burger and cross fries at the Taste Pilot Grill with no waiting and no problem getting a table.

jcruise86
10-20-2007, 08:11 PM
In my limited experience, Fridays start out slowly, but Friday evenings become miserably crowded. Unless my memory fails me in the future, I won't be back on a Friday after 2 p.m.

PanFan
10-20-2007, 09:11 PM
OMG, I totally ran into the same thing! I got off of work at 6:00 and decided to hang out in the park for a little bit afterwards. I had my change of clothes in the car and went back to change. I decided to be good and move my car into the parking structure before re-entering the park as a guest. I had quite the time getting in to M&F! It was about 6:45 when I finally made it into the gates (keep in mind we get to clock out 20 minutes before our off time because it's quite a walk to our cars). The parade was going and they were directing exiting traffic backstage. All I wanted to do was check a couple of MA things (yup, there really are 10 Auroras!) and see the end of the Halloween tour effect at HM. It was insanity trying to get through NOS at 7:30. The F! crowds seemed like 30 minutes before showtime, not an hour and a half! I made it to HM, saw the effect (very cool!) and slowly made for the exit.

I didn't have any trouble getting on the tram, but leaving the structure was a nightmare! The lanes onto Ball (where I needed to go) were completely jammed. In about 5 minutes I might have moved 50 feet. I finally just went over to the 5 express lane and exited on Harbor and went back to Ball that way. I don't know if they were having trouble with the light (the left turn light onto West was out earlier) or if there was an accident or what, but I tell ya--that experience sure doesn't make me want to be good and move my car when I go from working to playing!

DizneyMommy
10-21-2007, 03:53 AM
Plus, keep in mind that DCA is usually open late on Fridays to accommodate some of those people, but insead they got kicked out promptly at 6pm due to MHT and so I am sure all went straight over to DL to play and eat dinner. Combine that with a parade, weekend travelers arriving, AP's arriving after work, and it being dinner time, and that folks is what you call a perfect storm.

Friday night are more crowded than other times, yes, but it is not standard practice to exit guests thru backstage unless the crowds are very insane.

evrythngwmn
10-21-2007, 07:00 AM
Last night wasn't much better. I spent most of my shift trying to make my way around guests to get to where I needed to be. During the fireworks I ended up walking through the planters to get to where I needed to go. I wasn't the only one with that idea. I ran into a few other CMs there also.

Rkkm
10-21-2007, 08:09 AM
Plus, keep in mind that DCA is usually open late on Fridays to accommodate some of those people, but insead they got kicked out promptly at 6pm due to MHT and so I am sure all went straight over to DL to play and eat dinner. Combine that with a parade, weekend travelers arriving, AP's arriving after work, and it being dinner time, and that folks is what you call a perfect storm.

Friday night are more crowded than other times, yes, but it is not standard practice to exit guests thru backstage unless the crowds are very insane.

I think you got it! Your explanation really makes good sense! Thanks!

fluffatu
10-21-2007, 08:35 AM
I have noticed that every Friday and Saturday night this month has felt like this- as crowded as summer, if not more!

I can safely say that I never saw a 75 minute wait (or even over a 30 minute wait) for Space Mountain in September on Friday or Saturday evening, however that is commonplace for those same nights in October. DH and I have avoided DLR for that reason, but even DCA has been more crowded!

I am sure it is beyond the normal AP holder going after work that is crowding up the parks. I have noticed a lot more visitors that were not AP holders (I could tell my their conversations).

I have read on the boards and spoken to a few CMs that say this October is way more crowded than the past and this is no longer a "slow" season. There seems to be some truth to a lot of folks from Utah and Arizona (once again, overhearing conversations). So maybe the Fall Break thing is just making October crowds over the top.

Hopefully November will quiet down...at least a bit. No corn dog (or any other food in the park, for that matter) is worth waiting behind 42 people in line! :eek:

PanFan
10-21-2007, 09:05 AM
That's why it gets crowded on Friday nights. You and thousands of other passholders have the same idea.

I'm not a passholder--I'm a CM. And it's not something I normally do (I usually come in before my shift, like I'm doing today :p). It was the last possible time with my schedule that I could see the effect at the end of the Halloween tour and I wanted to see it.

But yes, this October has been WAY busier than normal! I haven't been there much during the week, but Friday-Sundays have been insane! I guess Halloweentime is a bigger hit than last year? Plus the whole fall break thing. But I think Dizney Mommy hit the nail on the head about Friday night with MHT and all.

gtpinoy
10-21-2007, 09:31 AM
I went a couple of Fridays ago, I think it was October 5 and we experienced the same thing. The Mickey and Friends Parking Structure was packed and the trams lines were full. I spoke with one of the tram attendants and he said that he was expecting a pretty leisure night and didn't expect that many people there.

DL was packed just like a summer or holiday event and it was because DCA closed early for the MHT. I think MHT has gained a lot more popularity this year than it has before.

Toocherie
10-21-2007, 09:34 AM
We were there a couple of weeks ago on a Friday night and experienced the same thing. I didn't think about the MHT possibility--just thought it was a lot of annual passholders. That makes a lot of sense (about MHT) so I hope that after Oct. 31 it will be quieter on a Fri. night.

Ok, so maybe the corn dogs aren't worth waiting for, but we did wait for ice cream in the Main Street shop for about 1/2 an hour! (Where are the corn dogs anyway? Just in case!)

skyway man
10-21-2007, 11:23 AM
The days of going into Disneyland, and not experiencing huge amounts of crowds are gone. There are way too many passholders out there, and it seems there is always some seasonal promotion of some kind drawing in everyone . I pine for the days when you could go to Disneyland on a Friday evening during the off season, and there be a nice but tolerable crowd. Now, it is wall to wall people, and yes strollers!!!!!!!

carolinakid
10-21-2007, 11:55 AM
Guess it's gonna start to be like WDW where there are so many extra ticketed seasonal "events" (Mickey's Halloween, Mickey's Christmas, Pirates & Princesses, etc.) that those days of being able to leisurely stroll a park in the off season til closing will be a THING OF THE PAST!!! Really can't blame Disney though for going for the bucks where they can get 'em...

Rkkm
10-21-2007, 02:38 PM
! (Where are the corn dogs anyway? Just in case!)

They are served from a red, gypsy-wagon type cart just outside of the Plaza Inn - on the right, as you face it - next to the first aid station and the photo shop. They are DEE-LICIOUS!!!

yohomama212
10-21-2007, 04:26 PM
and see the end of the Halloween tour effect at HM.

What is this? Am I missing something else really cool at HMH??

Elizabeth

jcruise86
10-21-2007, 08:21 PM
I'm not a passholder--I'm a CM. . . But yes, this October has been WAY busier than normal! I haven't been there much during the week, but Friday-Sundays have been insane! I guess Halloweentime is a bigger hit than last year?. . .
I thought Disneyland did a great job with Halloween last year and I told people. There may have been tens of thousands of people like me who spread the word.

I was there today (Sunday) and Disneyland was hot, windy, and crowded. There were even people in DCA! :D

PanFan
10-22-2007, 12:13 AM
What is this? Am I missing something else really cool at HMH??

Elizabeth

It's at the end of the Halloween tour right behind the exit. You don't have to be on the tour to see it, but to understand what it is, you may want to check out the Halloween Tour thread. I know they talked at least a little bit about it. It's usually around 8:00 and the tour is only through the 31st.

bloodnswash
10-22-2007, 05:48 AM
For us, we try to stay away from DL on Fridays. We go down several times a year and always go home on Friday. We have been to the park on many Fridays in the past. As someone said earlier, after a certain time in the afternoon it just gets absolutely crazy.

tlovesdis
10-22-2007, 06:38 AM
We've been here since Friday and we are leaving today. It has been CRAZY! It's busier than June! I was here for 4 days at the end of June and this weekend was way worse! I mean just people everywhere. It is insane.

There were times we couldn't even move down Main Street or in Frontierland. Lines for all the major rides had 60-75 minute wait times.

Plus it was super hot on Friday and Saturday then yesterday was like hurricane winds and you could totaly smell the fire in Orange.

October used to be such a nice time to visit, but not anymore!

Boo's Mommy
10-22-2007, 09:14 AM
Yup, I agree, we just got back from being in the park 10/16-10/20 and it was just plain crazy. Went last year same time and it was no way near as crazy. I think their heavy promoting this year worked as it truly is no longer an "off" season.

timb77
10-22-2007, 10:03 AM
My wife and I went the 1st week of October and it was packed. Fri and Sat were super packed. Is there a true downtime anymore???

Rkkm
10-22-2007, 10:26 AM
My wife and I went the 1st week of October and it was packed. Fri and Sat were super packed. Is there a true downtime anymore???

This is just a guess, but I think that the first weeks of September - when school is starting - is a downtime. Since I am a teacher, I have not experienced this first-hand. But I do recall people writing about how nice and calm and people-free these two or three weeks were this year.

nsaul1211
10-22-2007, 04:21 PM
My girlfriend and I went on Saturday night and it seemed pretty busy to me. Now I haven't gone on a Saturday in a while but we sure had to plow through some people in Adventureland. We showed up to Steakhouse 55 at 6:00 and weren't able to get a table until 9:20. Downtown Disney was also really crowded.

DisneyJenn
10-22-2007, 06:06 PM
This is just a guess, but I think that the first weeks of September - when school is starting - is a downtime. Since I am a teacher, I have not experienced this first-hand. But I do recall people writing about how nice and calm and people-free these two or three weeks were this year.

I was just there Sept 18th & 19th. (Sun/Mon). Sunday was fairly packed, but not too bad. Monday was reallig light crowds! Loved it! I highly suggest going the 1st 2 weeks school is back in session!!

TerryTiger
10-28-2007, 03:19 PM
It's at the end of the Halloween tour right behind the exit. You don't have to be on the tour to see it, but to understand what it is, you may want to check out the Halloween Tour thread. I know they talked at least a little bit about it. It's usually around 8:00 and the tour is only through the 31st.

I can't find a Halloween Tour thread in all 8 pages here. Could you link it or at least describe the effect for us

cstephens
10-28-2007, 09:07 PM
I can't find a Halloween Tour thread in all 8 pages here. Could you link it or at least describe the effect for us

Here you go. (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?t=75209)