Originally Posted By ksargen I had a really disasterous trip to DLR back in October. So bad, we're still talking about it. It was far too crowded, we had a really bad experience with a crazy lady, the CMs made some missteps, and we've really been questioning how much we want to go back. I normally plan a trip in January to celebrate my birthday - but not this year. Last year, I finally got an AP (yes, I can hear the booing and hissing now from the knee jerk reactionists!). I'm not renewing it. It will expire this month. Totally not worth it for us to have one. We live too far away, and after the trip in October, I decided to give DLR a pass for a while. My daughter got her pass during the summer, so her's will be good for quite a while longer, but I don't know that she's going to get to use it. It's just depressing. So, any advice out there for us? I LOVE Disneyland, but the people who are just nasty, and the overcrowding, have just made it some place I can't make myself deal with for the price. Trips midweek, when the crowds are supposed to be less, are really not an option for us most of the time, and you miss out on things that only happen on the weekends. Going to WDW and such is still on my list of things I'd like to do some day, but I have to admit that, right now, the shine is off all things Disney for me.
Originally Posted By LPFan22 For every "crazy lady" there's a good person out there. Here's hoping a break will put things into better perspective for you. I hear you though. The PLACE is magical. It's the behavior of some people that is hard to overlook. Take as long as you think you need and give it another try. Sometimes people can bring me down but then I think of what DL the place does for me and I can't stay away for too long.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones It doesn't sound like Disneyland is for you right now. My advice would be to find other activities to do and take a break from Disneyland for a while. Discover something about your hometown or somewhere nearby. There are probably museums and other cultural centers near you. Go explore.
Originally Posted By avimagine As Sj said sometimes stepping back doing something else will help. Then you can later come back and enjoy DL all over again. It happens in life. We become disillusioned. Focus on your happiness then let the magic of DL come back.
Originally Posted By Moon Waffle Agreed with others that a break will be good for you. The "nasty people" as you put it, are out there, unfortunately. But I find so many more friendly people at DL that far outnumber those nasty ones. I try to keep that perspective. As far as the overcrowding goes, I hear you. That one is a major problem right now. Sure, we don't expect the park to be empty, but the virtually-standing-room-only crowds that have existed perpetually throughout the year since (more or less) the 50th are a factor that will leave many saying "no thanks". DCA's expansion will help DCA, but I don't see it really thinning anything out at DL. If anything DCA's expansion, if a success, brings more people to the resort. If there was ever a time for the third gate, or a major expansion to DL proper, now is that time.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Hmmmm, hard call. My last trip to WDW made me say never again (though I may be softening to that idea with the notion of staying off site). Disneyland Paris has lost a lot of shine too. And Disneyland, well I was worried when we went last time, but we had a wonderful time (largely due to our LP friends). But reading the different trends, I would only aim to go when the local AP blackouts are in force. Ironically it seems all the times we would avoid in my childhood have become good times to go - summer, the holidays etc. Bonkers. But stepping back may not be a bad idea. I have found since doing so, there are other competitors that frankly have narrowed the gap between what DL offers and they offer. But Disneyland is still the best themepark on the planet for now. So a break may well be in order.
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 I'm sorry you had such a horrible experience during your Oct trip May I ask if you fly or drive? I have some thoughts but if you aren't within driving distance they wouldn't apply.
Originally Posted By Mr X You haven't really explained what the problem is, beyond "crowds" (that's something that is unavoidable if you want to go to Disneyland), and employees making "missteps" though you don't go into any sort of detail (what happened?), and some crazy person. Sorry to say, that's not much to go on. But if you're tired of the place, by all means find something different and fun to do! If you could point to something more specific, perhaps you could get some better advice though. That's my 2 cents.
Originally Posted By Manfried I think too much "loving" a place like the Disney theme parks is unhealthy. If you have all that spare time to go to a Disney theme park and are not enjoying it, take a break and do something different with your time. Like maybe go to a state or national park and take a nice hike with some friends.
Originally Posted By mapleservo We've always loved Disneyland, but we've only been able to get down there every few years. But the shine had been fading the last couple times. The LAST time we went down, however, we met up with a new friend we'd met online (on a Disney forum - surprise) and he spent several days touring us around LA and Anaheim. We had a great time. I think anytime you can add something new to the experience - going with someone who's never been, for example, it helps to keep things fresh. Unfortunately it doesn't help the crowds, which are really getting to be a pain. But meeting this new friend and touring around the area took a lot of the pressure of our Disney time. It didn't have to be perfect because all our eggs weren't in the Disney basket. And I think our next trip will be more about the friend, and less about the park. Still, sometimes you just need a break. And with all the construction happening, it may feel like a brand new park by the time you return. (Probably the same old crowds though.)
Originally Posted By ksargen Mr. X (and everyone else) - Here's the story: 1) it was VERY crowded that weekend. Worse than when we went in June, and we thought that was crazy. I normally go in January, half the time, in the rain. Yes, the parks have crowds, regardless... 2) traffic control (rat mazes, etc.) were REALLY inconsistent that weekend. I have no idea why. You'd come around a corner, and here would be new rope for POTC headed a totally different direction than it was 10 minutes ago - or yesterday. It was odd. 3) the actually horrible experience was inside the Haunted Mansion. CMs mistimed some things, and wound up with more people in the hallway than it could actually hold. People pushing their way in from the elevator nearly flattened the lot of us. On top of it, we wound up stuck with some woman and her horrible children with no sense of personal space or manners. One of them finally ran full on into my hip, bounced off, and suddenly their crazy mother is screaming I elbowed her kid, and they'd better get a CM NOW, or I might punch her. I was just floored. I mean, after all, it's always been my dream to start a riot in an overcrowded attraction at DL - not! CMs didn't handle it well, kept us pulled aside in the ride FOREVER to get crazy lady out before us, and then she's WAITING for us at the end of the ride. If she'd have followed us or bothered us any more, I'd have wound up going to Town Hall and having a raving fit. She was THAT scary crazy. Somehow, the rest of the weekend just wasn't the same. My child was afraid she'd see the crazy lady again, and none of us were too pleased to face any more potential overcrowding situations with looney, selfish people and their kids. The attitude of the general public these days seems to be "every man for himself, and screw the other guy!" Sad, but something we're just learning to avoid, since there's no fixing it at this point...
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<CMs didn't handle it well, kept us pulled aside in the ride FOREVER to get crazy lady out before us, and then she's WAITING for us at the end of the ride.>> If that ever happens to you again or anyone else reading this thread, immediately seek out a security CM and point out the individual(s). Waiting for you at the end of the ride is harassment and should NEVER be tolerated by any guest. Anyone this worked up over a harmless incident could easily be triggered into an irrational response where you and other bystanders become victims of physical violence. Most of the time, the harasser(s) will leave when they see you talking with security. But if they don't, then at least security will have been notified should the individual(s) continue to follow you around the park or even out the front gate (that has been reported). I witnessed such an incident when I was a DL CM back in the day, where an accidental nudge in a crowded TL walkway turned into a shouting match and shoving contest and ended when the 'nudgee' pulled out a handgun on the 'nudger.' Thankfully, an off-duty cop was standing in the sub queue nearby and pulled out his gun and shouted to the nudgee to drop his. Given how quickly that situation devolved into unbridled anger, I doubt it would have ended peacefully had the cop not been there.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>2) traffic control (rat mazes, etc.) were REALLY inconsistent that weekend. I have no idea why. You'd come around a corner, and here would be new rope for POTC headed a totally different direction than it was 10 minutes ago - or yesterday. It was odd.<< These things tend to change and evolve a lot during the day, as crowds at each specific location change. No, they are not consistent, but the entrance it almost always in the same location, and it will always get you to the same spot at the end, so it really doesn't matter much. Yes, it can be a pain to try and move past the queues (especially at Pirates, when it can stretch all the way to the Haunted Mansion and back, blocking access to NOS from the River), but it really does work well to keep the park operating. They literally have this stuff down to a science, and for the most park (there are always minor exceptions), I really can't think of a better way for them to do it.
Originally Posted By Bellella Je-sus. It's a good thing they check your bags for weapons when you enter the park. I've never had an experience that bad, but I can see how such a one could kill the place for you. But you've really got to remember that not everyone going to D-land is borderline just plain mean psychotic. Give the place another chance. As for the crowds, not really much you can do except snatch up FastPasses and try to go on the more popular non-FastPass rides during parades and the Fantasmic show.
Originally Posted By Sparrow It sounds to me like you just hit a Bemuda Triangle of bad timing. Was it a full moon? J/K. I think you'll be much safer with a January trip if you decide to go. October is notoriously crowded now because of all the Halloween events. I try to go the first weekend at the end of Sept to see the Halloween stuff and then I split for most of the month. I'm with everyone else who says maybe you should just take a break from visiting and when you miss it, go again. But go during a more "off season" time.
Originally Posted By TP2000 ksargen, it sounds like you need to try something different than Disneyland for your entertainment. Disneyland is just a theme park, and there's a big, beautiful world out there that doesn't involve Omnimovers and college kids dressed up in polyester butler outfits trying to break up fights between grown adults. Let the Disneyland AP's all expire in 2011. Go online and research other places that interest you; beaches, national parks, fun cities with a museum that interests you, gourmet cooking, arts n' crafts, learn a new language, etc., etc. In 2012 or 2013 when your interest is peaked again, Disneyland will still be there. And it will still be crowded.
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 ksargen, oh man I feel for you and your family. I think most of us who go to DLR often enough have faced the crazy crowds and rat mazes and can sympathize with the frustration. We also had a incident with a crazy guest who was ready to punch my DH over absolutely nothing. Long story but I was very uncomfortable the rest of the day and looking over my shoulder. I can imagine how awful that must have been to see the person standing there after the ride and then to have to watch for her for your worried daughter One year we had a crummy trip to DLR in December so we followed it with a trip in January. It was short and we had a great time. We almost always combine our DLR trips with something else. Sometimes DLR is the highlight, sometimes the stop here or there is the highlight. Hugs for your family!
Originally Posted By ksargen For all those advising "go somewhere else and do something else." I live in a resort community, near the beach. We go to zoos, museums, camping trips, etc. It is an unusual year when I get to go more than once to DLR. Thus the splurge for passes last year. Yes, I'm letting them expire, because I don't plan to go more than once this year. What I'm mourning here is the sense of wonder and joy that I used to feel when I walked through the gates of Disneyland. It was once a very happy place for me, just to be there. Now, it just feels as if it's another place to waste money being harassed. Does that clear things up? No, I'm not a Disney obsessed weirdo who can't think of anything else to do with my time - just a woman who has, after 30+ years of looking forward to that once a year or so visit (there have been years I could not go, like when I lived in another state *LOL*), been so turned off it's making me sad.
Originally Posted By LPFan22 Wow. How about... "thanks for trying to help but my thoughts may have been misunderstood... here's where I'm coming from" Your tone is so defensive after people were only trying to help. Have a magical day!
