Originally Posted By Darkbeer I have noticed very light crowds (for Peak Summer season) when I have gone to the DLR since June 30th. Here are a few shots from my last visit (Sunday, July 9th) A couple of shots of DCA crowds from the Monorail around 2:30 PM <a href="http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/gallery/1649246/4/80614259/Large" target="_blank">http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/ga llery/1649246/4/80614259/Large</a> <a href="http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/gallery/1649246/4/80614642/Large" target="_blank">http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/ga llery/1649246/4/80614642/Large</a> Then the Disneyland wait board <a href="http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/gallery/1649246/6/80625990/Large" target="_blank">http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/ga llery/1649246/6/80625990/Large</a> And then the Parade of Dreams along Main Street (these photos were at 3:25 PM, the Parade had already started at the small world end at 3:15 PM, and should be on Main Street in about 10 minutes) <a href="http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/gallery/1649246/15/80674365/Large" target="_blank">http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/ga llery/1649246/15/80674365/Large</a> <a href="http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/gallery/1649246/15/80676203/Large" target="_blank">http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/ga llery/1649246/15/80676203/Large</a> Of course, there are a few more shots in the album... But that is a very small crowd... I have seen off-season weekdays with more people along Main Street than yesterday. So where are the guests? It looks like a bunch of factors. The weather lately has been hot and more humid than normal, but that really should only effect the locals, as visitors have already invested a lot of money in airfare (or gas and other car expenses) and hotels, plus many have pre-paid tickets as part of their packages. Reports have hotel rooms being available at many locations, both on-property and off in the next few weeks. Has the 50th Celebration been overplayed? Attendance was up last summer when Disney was strongly promoting the event. Also, some Disney fans decided to not visit in 2004 and early 2005 due to the combination of the large amount of refurbs and wanting to wait until the 50th started. Has the 50th help shift the local attendance? Once again, strong promotion had many locals attend in 2005. Some families are just not that much into theme parks, and find an expense of $200 and up for a day (based on tickets, parking, food, drink and merchandise for a family) not worth doing more than once every few years. Plus many SoCal folks were persuaded to convert to a Disneyland AP (using the ticket sellers, plus special handouts that came with the tickets, and other AP advertising). Many of these folks decided to get the SoCal or SoCal Select AP, which are blocked out for all of July and much of August. So locals need to have a Deluxe or Premium AP to visit yesterday, or buy a Blockout Pass for $30, or pay for a new ticket (non AP holders). So did the heat help keep the locals away? It was a busy day in Sports, heck the reason I was at the DLR was the World Cup, folks started to line up before 9 AM, and the place was full, and folks were turned away before the game even started. Plus you had the Wimbleton Men's Championship, plus NASCAR and the last day of baseball before the All-Star break, but many days have lots of sports, and I have seen Disneyland busier during NFL season, including the playoffs. Is it the costs of travelling to the DLR? Gas prices are up, which also make airlines fares go up. Last year crowds have allowed hotels to raise their prices, and they are not wanting to go back to the lower rates, even if there have been quite a few new and rebuilt hotel room added in the last few months. Of course, Disney has raised admission and other prices throughout the resort. Have many folks just decided to not go (or come back) in general? Is promoting some minor changes to a decades old attraction a good thing as the major marketing push? So why are the folks not going to Disneyland and DCA?
Originally Posted By trekkeruss I dunno, but I wouldn't worry about a couple of weeks of low attendance. If we were talking about months, then I would question it. I just wish I could go to enjoy the light crowds. Being 2200 miles away sux.
Originally Posted By Tink60 I did not go last year and delayed my trip to this year hoping for lighter crowds. Looks like I will get my wish. My thinking was that over a year into the celebration the locals would have gone often enough to be bored with the offerings, and impatient people would just have to go the first summer. I was a bit worried this spring, but it looks like the summer is shaping up to be a light crowd level and that is great!!!
Originally Posted By trekkeruss Just you wait: once you get there, everyone will follow you in. A Murphy's Law, you know.
Originally Posted By oc_dean Well... with the latest box office records .. we can guess where a good bulk of the people are. Plus .. the heat is umbearable in SoCal right now! Global warming, whatever ... It's sooo hot to be outside. But I think a part of it is due to gas prices. We can't afford this 3-4 dollar gallon gas prices. So where do you think the money comes from to compensate??? The vacation budget - (for some), as it seems.
Originally Posted By englishboy From what I hear, Disney is blaming gas prices for part of the drop off at Disneyland, which is primarily a driving destination, as opposed to a flying destination.
Originally Posted By Tink60 No, No, No. Please No!!!!! I have actually had that nagging little thought in the back of my mind. I keep pushing it away.
Originally Posted By disneyfn Blacked out days for APers until August will cause a big drop in crowds.
Originally Posted By MomofPrincess Wow, I find this surprising, too. Friends of ours went this last weekend, and I commented to my husband that the LAST place I'd want to be was Disneyland in July on a weekend, with the Pirates ride having just reopened. Who woulda thunk?!
Originally Posted By MomofPrincess And, yeah, I actually know quite a few people who have stopped driving any distance at all because of gas prices...
Originally Posted By wa6oqc I was there yesterday. Only 35 minutes for pirates. That was from the time I got in line 'till walking out of the exit! Walked right onto the Disneyland train after that, BTW the Ward Kimball (Number 5) was running. Disney must have expected lighter crowds as they have (as said in another discussion) set closing hour at 11PM. I have to admit that I really enjoyed the lighter crowds! I expect that next weekend and Monday will be heavier. As for gasoline, I am on vacation (holiday for the folk across the pond) and Disneyland is closer to my house than my job so I am saving money there also!
Originally Posted By wonderingalice ^^Hush, you! I'll be there this weekend and if I have to deal with high humidity, I want small crowds! (If it's TOO hot, ya'll can find me ridin' POTC for three days. ;-)
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt I think Disney knew this was going to to be a slow summer. Considering that they shorted both park's operating hours we should have seen this coming.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: For those who might be interested, crowds were also light for the Magic Kingdom at Disney World in Florida this past weekend, 7/8/06. The line for Pirates of the Caribbean, there, was also around 30 minutes. We had commented to ourselves about the oddity of such light crowds on a weekend there as well!
Originally Posted By lil_kim2005 This excites me. Maybe I shouldn't get my hopes up, but I can't help but think I'm going to have a relatively crowd-less trip. =P
Originally Posted By nemopoppins Well, how could they honestly believe in celebrating an anniversary for longer than a year? People know this is really the 51st anniversary, and I'm sure most people already went. As for gas prices, I doubt it. I live near San Francisco and drive a Suburban. It costs me about $30 more to get there this year than last. That's a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of the rest of the vacation.
Originally Posted By grumpster "As for gas prices, I doubt it. I live near San Francisco and drive a Suburban. It costs me about $30 more to get there this year than last. That's a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of the rest of the vacation" That may be true just for one trip. I too drive a Suburban and my monthly gasoline bill has shot up an additional $100-125 a month over the last year - and that's just for one car (tank). Tack on another car and we're talking real money. Add that up and it's a nice vacation.
Originally Posted By sjdimon We are probably going back (for the 2nd time this year) from the SF Bay Area in 2 weeks - but we are cutting back. Usually - we save up and stay at the Disneyland Hotel - this year - it's going to be the Sheraton (hey - $115 vs $275 per night). Basically we're covering our other expenses from the reduced lodging costs. So - we're still doing the trip - but we are "cutting back".
