Originally Posted By LuLu I was in Disneyland on Monday and Tuesday and it was very, very crowded. Sunday was pleasant. We were in DCA on Monday and it also seemed pretty crowded to me. We went directly to TSMM at rope drop and still waited 45 minutes. The dance floor at ElecTRONica got scary crowded at some points, then cleared out a bit. There's very little crowd control and a lack of paths thru that area.
Originally Posted By LuLu Regarding the possible parties, I'm not sure that would ease the daytime crowds at all. And even on Monday, a packed-full day, I could have sat down on the curb for the 2:30 holiday parade at 2:00. I guess fireworks are a problem (we didn't stay to see them, DD was only interested in ElecTRONica and WoC) but what about Fantasmic? Will that become party-only, as it's always overcrowded? There are too many APs coming on too many days, I agree, but not sure parties will help much with daytime crowds.
Originally Posted By DBitz2 >>Bring 'em on!!! (the parties) I am praying to God that by the time I am there in 2012 these parties will exit! I want a NICE, relaxed DL and not the indulged AP zoo that Al says is happening these days!!!<< Even if they do hold the parties next year, I don't believe they will have any significant impact on reducing daytime holiday overcrowding of Disneyland. It might reduce the flood of AP's coming in in the evening for the fireworks or Fantasmic a bit. But, it also could result in even more problems if people end up shifting their visits to non-party nights, making those days even worse. I sure didn't see any reduction in daytime crowds this year during Halloween. And, Christmastime is a different dynamic than Halloween time. I've discussed this with friends who've also been going to the parks some 30 plus years at Christmastime and they agree with my opinion.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt There are too many APs coming on too many days, I agree, but not sure parties will help much with daytime crowds." And I think one of the big issues that they are trying to address with the parties is the assault on surface streets, freeways, the parking structure, trams and other resort infrastructure caused when thousands of people descend on the place all at once after work and school.
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb I don't see the hard ticket parties as a way to reduce day crowds, but as a way for people who purchase event tickets to enjoy the parks with fewer crowds. I am 100% against the hard ticket parties if the don't tightly control the number of tickets available, to maybe a third of park capacity.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1 "The whole Halloween party/fireworks situation still has me deeply upset and now hearing that they may do the same for the Christmas holiday festivities has me seriously rethinking my love for Disneyland." Trying to look at it from the "every situation benefits SOMEBODY" angle - all I can is, "GOOD!" The more people "rethink their love for DL", the less, perhaps, gridlocked the place will be when I get back!
Originally Posted By alexbook I was in both parks yesterday. It was crowded, but not anywhere near as bad as various threads around here had lead me to expect. We got to do everything we wanted except Soarin', which had a 70-minute stand-by and a Fast Pass return time that was past bed time for half of our group.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "Crowds have always been a factor and problem but why make people pay more money??" Absolutely. Supply and demand. The best and most efficient and most fair way to manage the distribution of a scarce resource is to raise the price, every single time. Those who are truly needy may be helped, but you don't help them by lowering the price for everyone. I understand the Walt used to arrange trips for needy kids or something. I don't know if they still do that today.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "We got to do everything we wanted except Soarin', which had a 70-minute stand-by and a Fast Pass return time that was past bed time for half of our group." How many hours were you in the park(s) and how many attractions were you able to hit?
Originally Posted By LuLu Re posts 24 & 25, I agree that the parties should ease the after-work crunch, and (hopefully) reduce crowds for hard ticket purchasers. The big complaint I've noticed on LP tho, is out-of-towners wanting a less crowded park. Don't know what they're going to do all day (and likely several evenings) during their stay.
Originally Posted By LuLu IF their intent is to avoid the crowds. I sort of left my thought hanging up there ^^ Yes, it'll be less crowded at the hard-ticket event, but still mobbed otherwise, is what I meant.
Originally Posted By onlyme Wow. You think the park is crowded now? Could you imagine how crowded it would be if all of the ppl steadfast in their refusal to go because of the horrendous crowds suddenly decided to go...*snicker*
Originally Posted By alexbook >>How many hours were you in the park(s) and how many attractions were you able to hit?<< I think we were in the parks for about 8 hours, including close to an hour spent at lunch, and we did about 9 attractions. We could have done a lot more, but we pretty much let my 8-year-old nephew set the pace. (This meant spending time at the Games of the Boardwalk, where he got a Dumbo and a Bullseye. He loves the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, so we hung out there for a while. We also had to stop and play at the toy stores, and we had to run up and down Tarzan's Treehouse twice. Everybody had a good time.)
Originally Posted By x Pirate_Princess x Last time I went with my kids, we went to the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, and there was practically no one in there. I'm noticing that the APers hit the parks, hit the e-ticket attractions, then split, or head over to dinner. I did notice that "lunch time" managed to range from 11-2 instead of 12-1. It was hard to find a place to eat with little wait and a place to sit. Even though I'm an APer, I live 3 hours away, so my trip is well planned and a whole day, instead of a "quick trip." And since my kids are blacked out on Saturdays, our trips are almost always on a Sunday, because I work at the school and can't pull them out, especially since 4th grade moves so much faster for my daughter than previous grades. I would pay for a Christmas party. They have them at WDW. It would probably be all we get for Christmas for the girls and me, but it would be worth it. We cherish memories made rather than "stuff."
Originally Posted By fkurucz "Disneyland is for everyone, not just the ones who can afford to pay more" LOL! What a knee slapper! Tell that one to the board of directors! They'll probably die laughing! Maybe we should petition to get Disneyland nationalized. /sarcasm off
Originally Posted By tashajilek I have an idea, keep Disneyland open 24/7! lol. Im sure there would still be crowds at 3am.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "Yes, it'll be less crowded at the hard-ticket event, but still mobbed otherwise, is what I meant." I don't think anyone, including people like me from out of town, expects the place to not have sizable crowds when visiting. What I think people are asking Disney to do is strike a balance between running a profitable operation and maintaining a positive guest experience. It is not fun for me to fly to Southern California, spend thousands of dollars on a Disney vacation, and then have to deal with all of the stress and annoyances that come with a park beyond capacity.
Originally Posted By smd4 >>>"Disneyland is for everyone, not just the ones who can afford to pay more" LOL! What a knee slapper! Tell that one to the board of directors! They'll probably die laughing!<<< "Disneyland is designed for the enjoyment of EVERYONE and Disneyland will always be within EVERYONE'S budget." --Disneyland pre-opening flyer, ca. 1954.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1 These days I would equate proximity with currency - something more like, "Disneyland should be a positive guest experience for everyone - not just an after work hangout for immature thirty five year old man boys who want to stalk female face characters and snap photos of new construction work while they clog up pathways cynically trashing the latest in-park developments". As for the 1954 quote above, I'd add that yes, that is a noble sentiment. However society has changed. We have become a more "entitled" bunch of people these days. Because we work more hours and work harder with modern life being more stressful we put more of a premium on our leisure time and we are prepared to spend more to get it in quality doses. The disparity that, IMO makes some people upset is, for out of towners, DL is STILL a premium expense excursion. For a large majority of the APers in the park, when averaging out their daily cost, they may even be paying LESS than a visitor in 1955 had to shell out. Surely even THEY can see why this makes some people angry? I'd go even further with the "premium experience for more money" idea. If locals can produce a gas bill and get cheaper tickets, I'd say do the OPPOSITE, as well! For those buying the most expensive day tickets they should get vouchers for several "front of line" passes, so as to combat the queue-clogging locals. We could also add ice cream and/or drink coupons. Same would go if you can produce an out of state or overseas driver's license. This would actually go a bit further to improving the guest experience for those paying more or travelling from further away to come to "The Happiest Place on Earth".
