My Disneyland Experience Rating? "meh"

[lmhall2000]

If we really analyze this, some of this may 'fit':
1. Disneyworld has the College Study Program...fanatics who now get the chance to live Disney for months, their joy and desire to perform well spill over to others.
2. Orlando is competitive for employees. People go where they like to work and are treated well, many more international employed at WDW, helps break up any stereotypes of teen workers.
3. California...energy costs??? Rides go down??? Or, employees cant get there due to 405 troubles...
4. California...nice people, but have you ever noticed that surfer attitude of "Not my problem" or "just chillin'"?
I think for the size of DL:number of guests...they are doing a pretty good job, my bet per sq. Ft:#guests is 4x that of WDW...that has to have some bearing on attitude and logistics. But, my main point is it must be pretty hard to hire kids that dont have that CA attitude you see in most schools there, Orlando has much greater diversity from which to pull from.

I appreciate your take bc my dh is a Grump, so I must prepare him for the worst going in 4 weeks

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

When it comes to things like the park being crowded and rides going down I think it helps to remember that DL was built in 1955. It was a different time and the design is certainly not ideal for today's crowds. Additionally Disney is limited in just what they can do to alleviate these issues. However they do try to make improvements. I myself am really looking forward to checking out the recent new updates in Adventureland meant to help alleviate the congestion.

I am a AP holder and have visited the parks 10 times in the last four months. I have only ONE time encountered a cast member who was anything less than pleasant and helpful and he was very young (not an excuse, but hopefully he receives some more training). I do think the cast members (like anyone) can get frazzled when it's very crowded and there are new things happening like the new fast pass return system.

I have visited the parks on very busy days and it's definitely less enjoyable than less crowded days (although still very enjoyable).

I would also like to comment on WOC. It is annoying that it's hard to have a nice viewing area if you don't pay for a dining package or dessert party. That said, we have the same problem with adults crowding out kids at parades. I can't tell you how many times an adult or group of adults with no kids will just block the view of the little ones around them so the can stand in front and watch the parade or record the entire thing on their iPad held way up in the air. It's disappointing. I would like to think adults would see the little kids nearby and move over or sit down so the kids can enjoy the show. Sadly, it's rarely the case. If people in general gave more courtesy to those around them (without needing to be told to do so by a cast member) I think a lot of things would be more pleasant at DL and everywhere else in the world.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Anyone who wants to rip a CM up one side and down the other because they don't want to follow the single rider rules is way out of line.

Line cutting does suck.

Adventureland IS ridiculous crowd wise, they made their first attempt in some time to help that just last week. But you can't compare it to WDW. If Disneyland were in the middle of swamp land they'd be able to handle those crowd issues via expansion no problem as well- oh wait... that's why Walt built WDW.

WOC's standing situation IS ridiculous... but Disneyland's Fantasmic's is worse fwiw. Again, SoCal. Space is limited.

Ride closings suck. Do remember DL has more rides than MK. And the rides are (except for the always troublesome Indy) older. The Canal Boats go down for parades. A lot of the closures you mentioned are known to us "locals" but it would help if DL notified people. My suspicion is they can't open Fantasyland early when fireworks are cancelled because the staffing problems. The staff are assigned to crowd control or other things, they haven't been scheduled to work those rides at those hours. And DLR has more rides than WDW so here's my point (data from a quick google search & I gave WDW 2 more rides to account for Pandora) the approx ride count WDW = 52 at DLR = 57. 57 easy to access attractions vs 52 spread across 4 different parks difficult to get between compared to DL & DCA. I don't think we can tell whose rides break down more because we're not comparing apples to apples here.

And c'mon- you ARE high maintenance, at least with regards to Disney Vacations, so just own it! You pay a lot for your trips and expect more for your dollar than Disneyland is willing to provide. Nothing wrong with that, hopefully you'll get a chance to go to WDW in the near future & bring back your happy memories of Disney Parks.

 

[grnflash]

We are far from local, but I do like the way the locals hold Disney's feet to the fire. DLR has to work hard to impress their repeat customers in a way WDW doesn't have to. (cough cough MSEP).

Exactly. DL'ers frankly both love, love, love their park AND love to complain about it. Which is why one can come on this board with a very negative review and not be skewered. Maybe it's that California attitude mentioned, but it's all good

On the WDW side of the boards the OP would be eaten alive for this post - and any problems encountered would have been their fault. I definitely believe WDW has taken notice of their fandom's willingness to return again and again, even when returns have been diminished (try catching the MK night parade as evidence #1.)

 

[neilintoronto]

I'm not going to criticize the way you feel, obviously you are entitled to your own opinion and none of us walked in your shoes during your trip. However, is it possible that you may have put more expectations on this trip because it was new and maybe a once in a lifetime experience? You go to WDW often so you are probably able to shrug off the small stuff since it's your home park and you know you will be back. I have never been to WDW but I go to DL often. I know that when I do finally take my trip out to Florida I will have high expectations and there will be more at stake with the amount of money invested in such a trip.

Definitely true. Also, my kids are probably just graduating from the "this is AMAZING" Disney age (10 and 7) and we won't be back until maybe they hit the "I want to be a kid again" stage (in 10 years, maybe?).

 

[mom2rtk]

Definitely true. Also, my kids are probably just graduating from the "this is AMAZING" Disney age (10 and 7) and we won't be back until maybe they hit the "I want to be a kid again" stage (in 10 years, maybe?).

You missed the late teen "nostalgia" years. I have it on good authority it's big with at least teenage girls.

 

[neilintoronto]

If we really analyze this, some of this may 'fit':
1. Disneyworld has the College Study Program...fanatics who now get the chance to live Disney for months, their joy and desire to perform well spill over to others.
2. Orlando is competitive for employees. People go where they like to work and are treated well, many more international employed at WDW, helps break up any stereotypes of teen workers.
3. California...energy costs??? Rides go down??? Or, employees cant get there due to 405 troubles...
4. California...nice people, but have you ever noticed that surfer attitude of "Not my problem" or "just chillin'"?
I think for the size of DL:number of guests...they are doing a pretty good job, my bet per sq. Ft:#guests is 4x that of WDW...that has to have some bearing on attitude and logistics. But, my main point is it must be pretty hard to hire kids that dont have that CA attitude you see in most schools there, Orlando has much greater diversity from which to pull from.

I appreciate your take bc my dh is a Grump, so I must prepare him for the worst going in 4 weeks

I have always been critical of the college program at WDW (part-timers with no long term investment in the park). But now I see it as a brilliant move by WDW. The college kids seemed a bit older and they are mostly fanatical.

 

[Angrose]

Definitely true. Also, my kids are probably just graduating from the "this is AMAZING" Disney age (10 and 7) and we won't be back until maybe they hit the "I want to be a kid again" stage (in 10 years, maybe?).

Ha, my DS9 never even had that "this is AMAZING" feeling about Disney. He could take it or leave it, just like DH. I honestly don't know what's wrong with the men in my life, LOL!!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I grew up going to WDW with my family every other year (or so) in the 80s and I've travelled to WDW with my own family (DW 40, DS 10 and DD 7) five times over the last 7 years. This year we thought we would try something new and travel to the place the "magic" started - Disneyland.


My experience over our 5 days in DL and DCA was okay, but definitely not up to the quality I expected from Disney.


...

Just returned from a couple of days at WDW. Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios.

1) Cast member indifference
Yes. I often saw people asking CMs questions only to get the shrug and point response.

2)Park design indifference
You can walk for miles and not get anywhere at any of the parks. Walt's favorite "hub and spoke" design seems nonexistent there. And the removal of the benches in Magic Kingdom (interferes with traffic flow) is really a bad choice.

3) Ride closings (planned and unplanned)
Yep, happens even at WDW. We waited in line for Na'vii River Journey and - oops, "sorry, there's a delay in loading". A 20 minute line wound up being 50 minutes. Kali River Rapids - "Temporarily closed" every morning until around 2:00. Then the standby line immediately jumped to 60+ minutes. Mission Space - closed (really, in summer?) Pretty much the entire Future World no longer has anything in it. The Land was a madhouse, totally covered with people on both levels.

Rides close briefly (5-10 minutes) for many reasons - guests lose something on the ride that must be found. A sensor goes bad. Too slow loading or unloading guests into a ride vehicle. And, of course for the "I'm special" person who feels that they don't need to follow the "keep arms & hands inside the vehicle at all times" request. Yes, people stand up and lean out of vehicles reaching for things they shouldn't. Even at WDW.

Once a ride goes down, it must be inspected. That takes time, if the ride maintenance team is already responding to a down, the next one must wait.

Rides at Disneyland are often older than the ones at WDW, they break down. Many times the repairs are made with parts that are not made anymore. Must be manufactured. Or taken from another ride (that possibly doesn't have a back up now).

 

[chickapin parterre]

Congratulations....you may have set a record for rousing up the folks , pirates were hot yesterday, Canadians today. Anyhow, very well written and insightful trip report and many folks will be helped by your frankness.

*temporary ride closures happen frequently and if not mentally prepared for that Disneyland reality, it can send a visitor reeling

* the lack of information you received about a particular issue is Disneyland SOP. Fireworks approaching, those trees really tossing back and forth, looks like fireworks not a go, but no one has the answer, because the one person with the answer is trying to resolve the issue, not handle the crowd..However on the flip side of that, I had left Disneyland with those trees bending and went to DCA pretty much using my TV CSI skills that the fireworks were not going to happen.....so guess what happen next.....all those disappointed folks in Disneyland crashed the night DCA gates to see WOC.....a show that can't function in the wind....canceled.

* Grandma's quilt vs Marriot 48 count sheets.. That is the fair comparison between the two. Disneyland is an old quilt, it has stains, tears, certain spots smell of your cousin last visit, colors all over, thick and heavy, cumbersome...but you wouldn't trade anything for a night in grandma's feather bed. WDW, modern, fresh, starchy, fitted just right, technology at it's finest, but rather forgettable ....if you have been under that quilt

* As for the Canadian vibe....sorry....one of the posters here on today's thread is Canadian, a snowbird, a desert neighbor of mine..the response to your post shocked me.

* So one question....what did you think of park hopping?

 

[mummabear]

World of Color. Would anyone deny that families are the reason Disney parks exist? And one of the main characteristics of families are children. And a main characteristic of children is that they are smaller than adults? So, why does DCA have a show which is designed in a way that completely excludes children from enjoying it? I'm about 6 feet tall and because I refused to wrestle my way past 3-4 other people, or show up over an hour before the show, I couldn't see anything either. No one was being overly rude or disrespectful, it's just like no one at DCA has ever cared that kids can't see the show.

I agree completely, I dream of having some sort of retractable bleacher seats so we could watch it like F! at DHS.

I will admit that my next anecdote is very "picky". But we are taking about Disney here, not the travelling carnival that sets up in the mall parking lot for the weekend. My family was waiting in the single rider line for Splash Mountain (as this cuts your wait time from 75 minutes to 15 minutes). The (lone) cast member was doing his double-duty of handling the single rider line and managing the disabled-access returns. The call came in from the loading zone to let another group single riders through. As he counts off the numbers, my family goes through but I happen to be #11 or #21 or whatever - I'm the cutoff point. If you've ever done the single rider line at Splash Mountain, you know that this first line is just to keep the single rider line from interfering with people exiting the boats. Sending up one more single rider (or 5) isn't going to impact the ride in any way. But the biggest issue wasn't that this cast member had no clue (or care) that the 4 of us were together, it was that when we sort of stopped for a second and told him that we were a group of four together, he had already turned his back to us and pretty much growled "you're all SINGLE RIDERS!" I looked at my wife and we shrugged and up she went with the kids, as I stayed behind. Now, if this was my "home park" (WDW) I would have ripped this cast member up one side and down the other. For a couple of reasons:

1) The single rider line at Splash Mountain is 98% chaos. Anyone who gets off the ride can simply turn left instead of right and join the line.

2) it's a single "rider" line, not a wait-by-yourself line.

After a 7-8 minute wait, the call came from the top of the mountain to let more single riders through, again without making eye contact the cast member waved through some more people. And I arrived at the top of the mountain to rejoin my family. After the two people who had jumped the line by joining the single rider line instead of exiting the ride kindly let me pass them.

Had the cast member done anything really wrong? No. He was just doing as he was told. They said let 10 people through, so he did. But he definitely couldn't care less about our experience.

Don't agree with you here. You were not a group of 4, you were 4 individuals waiting in a SINGLE rider line.
They need to discourage groups using it to try to ride together.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Don't agree with you here. You were not a group of 4, you were 4 individuals waiting in a SINGLE rider line.
They need to discourage groups using it to try to ride together.

 

[Butterfly123]

Well. Bragging about our humbleness is sort of the Canadian pastime, eh?

By the way, happy belated 150th!!

 

[neilintoronto]

And c'mon- you ARE high maintenance, at least with regards to Disney Vacations, so just own it! You pay a lot for your trips and expect more for your dollar than Disneyland is willing to provide. Nothing wrong with that, hopefully you'll get a chance to go to WDW in the near future & bring back your happy memories of Disney Parks.

This is true. I mean, I'm not on any other internet discussion board about any other topic than Disney. I prefer "

I agree completely, I dream of having some sort of retractable bleacher seats so we could watch it like F! at DHS.



Don't agree with you here. You were not a group of 4, you were 4 individuals waiting in a SINGLE rider line.
They need to discourage groups using it to try to ride together.

I'm thinkng that the purpose of single rider was to fill the empty spots on certain rides that happen as groups want to experience the ride together. My issue with my experience at Splash Mountain was:
1) that the cut-off of people at the bottom of the mountain is so random that they could easily keep groups together as they line up. (as I'm sure some/many/most CM's would)
2) that this particular CM was

Congratulations....you may have set a record for rousing up the folks , pirates were hot yesterday, Canadians today. Anyhow, very well written and insightful trip report and many folks will be helped by your frankness.

*temporary ride closures happen frequently and if not mentally prepared for that Disneyland reality, it can send a visitor reeling

* the lack of information you received about a particular issue is Disneyland SOP. Fireworks approaching, those trees really tossing back and forth, looks like fireworks not a go, but no one has the answer, because the one person with the answer is trying to resolve the issue, not handle the crowd..However on the flip side of that, I had left Disneyland with those trees bending and went to DCA pretty much using my TV CSI skills that the fireworks were not going to happen.....so guess what happen next.....all those disappointed folks in Disneyland crashed the night DCA gates to see WOC.....a show that can't function in the wind....canceled.

* Grandma's quilt vs Marriot 48 count sheets.. That is the fair comparison between the two. Disneyland is an old quilt, it has stains, tears, certain spots smell of your cousin last visit, colors all over, thick and heavy, cumbersome...but you wouldn't trade anything for a night in grandma's feather bed. WDW, modern, fresh, starchy, fitted just right, technology at it's finest, but rather forgettable ....if you have been under that quilt

* As for the Canadian vibe....sorry....one of the posters here on today's thread is Canadian, a snowbird, a desert neighbor of mine..the response to your post shocked me.

* So one question....what did you think of park hopping?

We never park hop at WDW. Too much time wasted on the buses. But it was great to get fast passes for Guardians and then watch Frozen, then head over to DL for most of the day and return to use our fast passes.

The greatest part of Disneyland is the convenience factor. We stayed at the Park Vue Inn (which was excellent) and it was great to be in our room about an hour faster than at WDW. But I guess the issues are related. Tbe reason park hopping and hotels are so close is the same reason there is no room in the parks -- size. Until I visited DL, I wasn't sure which side of the coin, I would prefer.

 

[neilintoronto]

I agree completely, I dream of having some sort of retractable bleacher seats so we could watch it like F! at DHS.



Don't agree with you here. You were not a group of 4, you were 4 individuals waiting in a SINGLE rider line.
They need to discourage groups using it to try to ride together.

I wasn't trying to ride with the group. Just wait in the line with a group. This wasnt the loading zone, to get on the ride. It was just an arbitrary judgement by the CM to cut the line at this particular spot.
It was the CMs attitude that was the problem.

 

[neilintoronto]

By the way, happy belated 150th!!

And happy 241st to you.

 

[Susie63]

By the way, happy belated 150th!!

Thank you! It was awesome

 

[DLgal]

I wasn't trying to ride with the group. Just wait in the line with a group. This wasnt the loading zone, to get on the ride. It was just an arbitrary judgement by the CM to cut the line at this particular spot.
It was the CMs attitude that was the problem.

That is irrelevant. Once you enter the single rider line, you thereby agree that "Groups WILL be split up." This applies to the line AND the ride.

And what "mountain" are you talking about? At Splash single rider, you go in through the exit, and then up a set of stairs and over a bridge then back down steps to wait until you are summoned to take a row.

People are welcome to exit the boat and go left and immediately rejoin the single rider line. This is OK. Those guests were not "line jumping." You think they should have to walk all the way outside to just turn around and come back in? Why?

Regarding the fireworks, at Disneyland the Orange County Fire Marshall has to inspect Fantasyland for burning embers and undetonated shells before they can reopen the land. It can take an hour to do this.

Regarding shutting down Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters 3 hours early...if the ride broke down late in the day and the mechanics determined it could not be fixed in a short amount of time, they close it for the day. Why keep a ride fully staffed if it won't be coming back online before park close?

 

[Westcoastwild]

Your Splash single rider issue is all on you. It isn't arbitrary. They count. It's posted that single rider is single rider and that includes waiting in line.

People with kids could line up early for the shows. Oh, wait. They do. And their inconsiderate parents put them on their shoulders so now I've got 7 or 8 foot "people" blocking my view. I no longer let families squeeze in front of me because of this. I actually really enjoyed WDW for this reason. Much easier to get a good view because there is so much more room.

They advertise the closure of storybook boats, or at least they did when I was there last. Complete with explanation. (I noticed, and I don't even care. It's not a headliner on anyone's list, I don't think).

I agree about ride closures- especially in high crowds, stuff seems to break down in a domino effect. And the bottle necking is really bad, but on the other hand, that means you can also get across the park much quicker. MK is exhausting. Even if you can move faster, there is so much more space between attractions.

CM is debateable- I've seen indifference on both coasts. I didn't dislike WDW but I would rather put up with the local vibe at DLR instead of the massive, massive tour groups at WdW.

I like the parks more in California, but I go to Florida for the resorts and waterparks.

 

[neilintoronto]

l
And what "mountain" are you talking about? At Splash single rider, you go in through the exit, and then up a set of stairs and over a bridge then back down steps to wait until you are summoned to take a row.

Incorrect. At Splash Mountain single riders were being held at the final exit where the wheelchair entrance is. Then they would call down on a radio and let 10 or 20 people go up the stairs to the top.

There was no CM at the top watching the end of the single rider line so people could bypass the line at the bottom of Splash Mountain (with about 10-30 people waiting) and ride again. They may not have even known about the line at the bottom. So, yes, if DL is holding some people at the bottom for single rider those guests getting off the ride should go down and rejoin the line.

Regarding the fireworks, at Disneyland the Orange County Fire Marshall has to inspect Fantasyland for burning embers and undetonated shells before they can reopen the land. It can take an hour to do this.

But must they inspect Fantasyland on nights when the fireworks have been cancelled? As was the case one night last week?

Someone else mentioned that they need the hour to remove the live fireworks from the castle if there is no show. I find that reason to be plausible. But still more plausible to me is that DL has given the CMs other duties during those times (or scheduled break times, or told them to go home?) and it's a staffing issue and not a safety issue.

Regarding shutting down Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters 3 hours early...if the ride broke down late in the day and the mechanics determined it could not be fixed in a short amount of time, they close it for the day. Why keep a ride fully staffed if it won't be coming back online before park close?

It's just surprising to me that Disney can't keep mutiple rides from breaking down every day. And that they would be so broken that they couldn't be up and running again within ... an hour? I have experienced amusement parks where a single ride goes down for a whole day? But multiple rides going down in a day? Everyday? That just doesn't make sense to me.