Gotta be honest.... Not my best trip

[chezcurrie]

Oh no! I hate to hear this. We live in Florida and have been to WDW hundreds of times and annual passholders the last 20 years. We finally tried Disneyland about 5 years ago and fell in love. To us, it is what WDW use to be. My daughter and I have been back 3 or 4 times now including last summer and still love it. However, everything I have been reading is making me rethink our short Dec. 11-14 trip. WDW is a mess as well. Super crowded but with passes we go for a few hours and then head out. We were so excited to be able to see the Christmas parade & fireworks at Disneyland. I guess we will be splurging on genie.

Anything else I need to book so we are guarranteed to see. I booked a Plaza meal so if I read correctly we have a guarranteed spot for the later parade? What about World of Color or Fantasmic? I just hope the crowds are at least "friendly". My husband was just commenting on Sunday how rude everyone has gotten. This is going to be an expensive few days.

FWIW I am recently back from a WDW trip and can say the crowds at DL are more "chill", especially since Halloween season is over - I felt the frenzy at WDW to a completely different level. Said to my DH we will not be bringing our kids to WDW anytime soon. Now that Keys are back on sale at DL I am hoping the chill continues as locals won't be dropping hundreds of dollars for a one day ticket and feel like they have to do it all. That's where I feel a lot of the crazy is coming from. As you say when you have an AP you can pop in for a couple hours. Completely different than "we only have 3 days and have to do it all FOMO." Enjoy your trip!

 

[Amw1064]

FWIW I am recently back from a WDW trip and can say the crowds at DL are more "chill", especially since Halloween season is over - I felt the frenzy at WDW to a completely different level. Said to my DH we will not be bringing our kids to WDW anytime soon. Now that Keys are back on sale at DL I am hoping the chill continues as locals won't be dropping hundreds of dollars for a one day ticket and feel like they have to do it all. That's where I feel a lot of the crazy is coming from. As you say when you have an AP you can pop in for a couple hours. Completely different than "we only have 3 days and have to do it all FOMO." Enjoy your trip!

Thankyou!

 

[Chrisfilm]

I truly hate this about WOD and I have actually chosen to not go in (and spend) because I didn't want to have to walk the forced ways they required.

What? We were there earlier this month and were able to enter and exit at both ends.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

What? We were there earlier this month and were able to enter and exit at both ends.

When it’s unusually uncrowded like first thing in the morning they will allow you to enter and exit at either end, but as soon as it gets moderately crowded they post “guards” at the doors and enforce entrance by La Brea Bakery and exit by Starbucks.

 

[Chrisfilm]

When it’s unusually uncrowded like first thing in the morning they will allow you to enter and exit at either end, but as soon as it gets moderately crowded they post “guards” at the doors and enforce entrance by La Brea Bakery and exit by Starbucks.

Wow that's nuts. Both times we went were in the afternoon and we still entered by Starbucks but the crowds were pretty low. In fact, I'm shocked reading through this entire thread as our whole experience was extremely pleasant from hotel to DTD to parks. We must have had great timing.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Wow that's nuts. Both times we went were in the afternoon and we still entered by Starbucks but the crowds were pretty low. In fact, I'm shocked reading through this entire thread as our whole experience was extremely pleasant from hotel to DTD to parks. We must have had great timing.

Timing can really be everything. People can have vastly different experiences on the same day, it’s interesting.

 

[lcp9]

Agreed with all of it, we just visited Oct 31-Nov 2. We are a family with 4 younger kids that visits at least annually, sometimes 2x a year, for a few days. It's been a good vacation place for us because despite the price, all of our kids enjoy it and it doesn't take a ton of mental preparation on our part for activities/toys/food like a beach trip or whatever. It is officially more mental energy, more money, and more disappointment. I don't understand how anyone is going without buying G+ and if they are, I feel sorry for them because even with G+ it's kind of awful. Halloween day was awesome, as it has been historically for us. The tuesday and wednesday after? forget about it. G+ was unusable due to down rides, and ride times that basically guaranteed a 2 hour wait between G+ choices anyway...so by the time you waited your 2 hours to book another ride, the rest of the ride times were already 6 hours out.

Don't get me started on 1pm park hopping. Infuriating.

My son's DAS was the only reason we got on anything and that sounds horrible but it's the truth. I have 3 little boys, their #1 is RSR. It would have been impossible to ride because either RSR was down, or there was a 120+ min wait. No in-between. I'm not standing with 4, 6, and 8 year old boys for 2 hours in line. That's ridiculous and developmentally inappropriate to expect, and it's gross this is happening at a place that is ultimately designed for children.

So, we're done for a while. Speaking of Tokyo my brother lives there and I think we're going to visit him instead of a DLR trip and maybe we'll even hit up DisneySea because it sounds like at the very least it's not going to cost me $3000 in tickets for my family!

 

[Aspencreek]

My son's DAS was the only reason we got on anything and that sounds horrible but it's the truth. I have 3 little boys, their #1 is RSR. It would have been impossible to ride because either RSR was down, or there was a 120+ min wait. No in-between. I'm not standing with 4, 6, and 8 year old boys for 2 hours in line. That's ridiculous and developmentally inappropriate to expect, and it's gross this is happening at a place that is ultimately designed for children.

I can't do a 120 minute line as an adult!

 

[sparrow10_]

I think aftwr my next January trip I'll try to responsibly go all out because I don't see myself going again sooner

 

[Chickinvic]

I can't do a 120 minute line as an adult!

I "won't" do a 120 minute line for ANYTHING. Period. Thst's not my vision of a vacation. More like hell.

 

[gelatoni fan]

Agreed with all of it, we just visited Oct 31-Nov 2. We are a family with 4 younger kids that visits at least annually, sometimes 2x a year, for a few days. It's been a good vacation place for us because despite the price, all of our kids enjoy it and it doesn't take a ton of mental preparation on our part for activities/toys/food like a beach trip or whatever. It is officially more mental energy, more money, and more disappointment. I don't understand how anyone is going without buying G+ and if they are, I feel sorry for them because even with G+ it's kind of awful. Halloween day was awesome, as it has been historically for us. The tuesday and wednesday after? forget about it. G+ was unusable due to down rides, and ride times that basically guaranteed a 2 hour wait between G+ choices anyway...so by the time you waited your 2 hours to book another ride, the rest of the ride times were already 6 hours out.

Don't get me started on 1pm park hopping. Infuriating.

My son's DAS was the only reason we got on anything and that sounds horrible but it's the truth. I have 3 little boys, their #1 is RSR. It would have been impossible to ride because either RSR was down, or there was a 120+ min wait. No in-between. I'm not standing with 4, 6, and 8 year old boys for 2 hours in line. That's ridiculous and developmentally inappropriate to expect, and it's gross this is happening at a place that is ultimately designed for children.

So, we're done for a while. Speaking of Tokyo my brother lives there and I think we're going to visit him instead of a DLR trip and maybe we'll even hit up DisneySea because it sounds like at the very least it's not going to cost me $3000 in tickets for my family!

Just to keep your expectations of Disneysea in check: Japanese people have a lot more patience than Americans so wait times for popular rides are higher in DisneySea than in California Adventure. In the afternoon, you'll see 90+ minute waits for Journey to the Center of the Earth, Toy Story Mania, Tower of Terror and Soaring. On truly busy days, you may even see 240 minute waits. First time visitors who aren't used to crowd patterns there sometimes get frustrated by the long wait times. Major downtime is less of an issue though.

 

[DLgal]

Just to keep your expectations of Disneysea in check: Japanese people have a lot more patience than Americans so wait times for popular rides are higher in DisneySea than in California Adventure. In the afternoon, you'll see 90+ minute waits for Journey to the Center of the Earth, Toy Story Mania, Tower of Terror and Soaring. On truly busy days, you may even see 240 minute waits. First time visitors who aren't used to crowd patterns there sometimes get frustrated by the long wait times. Major downtime is less of an issue though.

Does Tokyo Disney offer DAS? My husband really wants to go but he has pretty severe PTSD and can't tolerate long waits in close quarters with lots of people.

 

[disneycat321]

This whole thread makes me so sad, but I can’t say I’m surprised by any of it. I went last Feb and April, and saw the writing on the wall then. Ridiculous crowds, G+ is a nightmare, and SO many rides down, especially on the April trip. I’m so bummed to hear it’s gotten even worse.

I’d like to believe Disney will fix this, but as long as the crowds are pouring in and paying them all this money, I don’t see why they’d bother…

 

[gelatoni fan]

Does Tokyo Disney offer DAS? My husband really wants to go but he has pretty severe PTSD and can't tolerate long waits in close quarters with lots of people.

Tokyo Disney has DAS but my understanding is that he will be required to get a disability certificate to use it. It's up to the cast member whether or not they accept your documentation since you likely won't be able to get a Japanese disability certificate. A social security disability letter would likely fare better than something given by a doctor.

The US is very lax when it comes to DAS compared to the other parks so you'll want to bring as much original proof of disability as possible (not scans) if you want to attempt using DAS. Americans do get denied DAS in foreign parks because the medical records and hospital diagnoses are often deemed not sufficient as proof.

 

[DLgal]

Tokyo Disney has DAS but my understanding is that he will be required to get a disability certificate to use it. It's up to the cast member whether or not they accept your documentation since you likely won't be able to get a Japanese disability certificate. A social security disability letter would likely fare better than something given by a doctor.

The US is very lax when it comes to DAS compared to the other parks so you'll want to bring as much original proof of disability as possible (not scans) if you want to attempt using DAS. Americans do get denied DAS in foreign parks because the medical records and hospital diagnoses are often deemed not sufficient as proof.

Do you think proof of 100% VA disability would suffice? He will have identification that he is a disabled veteran by the time we eventually go. He will not qualify for social security disability status, as they use different criteria related to work ability.

 

[whoever]

What I want to say on my hopeful next trip is It was one of my most amazing ever. With precious few exceptions, it paled in comparison to my decades of trips.

 

[gelatoni fan]

Do you think proof of 100% VA disability would suffice? He will have identification that he is a disabled veteran by the time we eventually go. He will not qualify for social security disability status, as they use different criteria related to work ability.

I don't see any data points on your specific case so I don't want to make a guess. If you do go, just be prepared to potentially be denied. There are things to do other than the big rides such as Sinbad and the Fortress Explorations walkthrough if you end up in a situation without DAS and really can't get in the long lines.

 

[maleficent55]

I'm sorry you had such a terrible experience! :-(
So much thought and planning is put into each trip plus you hadn't been in awhile so that makes it harder.

We had a much different experience in August. It was our first time back in 4 long years. We had a taken a break prior to Covid, then Covid forced us out longer. Anyway, August was magical. Not so much for my husband, but he had his own personal issues (prosthetic issues and getting over Covid).

I wanted to share my Early Entry experience. It was Wednesday August 10th, so two days after the premier of the new Early Entry. Here's how it went for me, I was solo on this morning.

0703 In line at gates, 3rd from front
0727 walking in down Main Street
0731 walking through Sleeping Beautys castle into Fantasyland
0734 boarding Peter Pan
0738 boarding Mr Toad
0745 on Dumbo
0749 boarding Alice
0758 Boarding Peter Pan (looking back at a still empty queue)

0802 the park is officially open and the queue for Peter Pan is massive!

0804 Snow White
0807 Pinocchio
0818 Storybook Land canal boat ride
0824 on King Arthurs Carrousel
0828 mr toad
0847 Nemo
0931 sitting for breakfast at Jolly Holiday Bakery
0952 on a boat at Pirates
1050 (i must have done something in between?) on Winnie The Pooh
1109 Boarding the Railroad

 

[Aurora0427]

I'm sorry you had such a terrible experience! :-(
So much thought and planning is put into each trip plus you hadn't been in awhile so that makes it harder.

We had a much different experience in August. It was our first time back in 4 long years. We had a taken a break prior to Covid, then Covid forced us out longer. Anyway, August was magical. Not so much for my husband, but he had his own personal issues (prosthetic issues and getting over Covid).

I wanted to share my Early Entry experience. It was Wednesday August 10th, so two days after the premier of the new Early Entry. Here's how it went for me, I was solo on this morning.

0703 In line at gates, 3rd from front
0727 walking in down Main Street
0731 walking through Sleeping Beautys castle into Fantasyland
0734 boarding Peter Pan
0738 boarding Mr Toad
0745 on Dumbo
0749 boarding Alice
0758 Boarding Peter Pan (looking back at a still empty queue)

0802 the park is officially open and the queue for Peter Pan is massive!

0804 Snow White
0807 Pinocchio
0818 Storybook Land canal boat ride
0824 on King Arthurs Carrousel
0828 mr toad
0847 Nemo
0931 sitting for breakfast at Jolly Holiday Bakery
0952 on a boat at Pirates
1050 (i must have done something in between?) on Winnie The Pooh
1109 Boarding the Railroad

Thank you for this. We are doing a staycation with my parents at the GCH soon, and I’m going to follow your EE schedule.

 

[Camilo]

I truly hate this about WOD and I have actually chosen to not go in (and spend) because I didn't want to have to walk the forced ways they required.

This is SUCH AN EASY THING to fix and it doesn't look like Disney is willing to do, I experienced that in September.

At the end of the day, I had to walk all the way to the end of the store to come back to Esplanade area. Is this a way to try to make people to spend more? So cheap!!! And they do have CMs to enforce that at the entrance and exit.

What's going on with Disney these days????