Why the bad reviews?

[onlyoneash]

Couldn't agree with you more gatorchris, We planned for almost a year. When we found out about parks short hours and staff party we were pissed. On top of the crowds I had enough

Yeah, we were upset about the random 5pm closing also. And we planned for months as well. I think it is easy to say "enjoy the magic" for people with the means to frequently visit Disneyland. Because who cares then? Just come back another day and enjoy what you can that particular day.

But for those of us who rarely get a vacation like this and it is very expensive...geez! Disneyland was a hot mess! I read in all these planning forums about how wonderful magic morning was and a bunch of locals said "just take advantage of the mornings" Well, when literally half the rides are down or broken in fantasyland and the park has such short hours and lack of staffing, and it takes you almost an hour to get through one of two security lines, then it just isn't worth the insane price.

If I ever go again, it will be in summer. The crowds are there all year anyways, so I mine-as-well take advantage of a fully staffed, full hours, full entertainment park for the full price I pay instead of whatever scraps disneyland decides to throw at me in September for the same ridiculous price.

 

[Sparrow78]

Oh my gosh, yes! I regularly have to dodge people who see me, but step in front of my moving stroller all the time. But I literally am the one driving my stroller like a maniac around all the slow pokes, so I rarely hit anyone (can't remember the last time I did). If Stitch drove a stroller, that would be me. Lol

This was us last time, we went during May after the Canadian long weekend so the week before Memorial Day and it was grad time. The first year they were allowed in the park all day. I had kids trying to jump over my stroller, telling me to F off. Ohhhh I was pissed, it was a great day to be asked to complete a survey on our way out. I was there 2 times prior at the same time and it was quiet.

This time I need a double stroller and now 3 kids in I am not apologetic (even as a Canadian when we say sorry for everything). If it's your fault I hit you too bad do sad

 

[whoever]

Expect it to be very crowded. I think as long as you go in knowing there will be crowds you are prepared. Rope drop and take advantage of the lesser crowds in the mornings.

LOLZ... Lesser Crowds... in the morning... THIS is an EMH Crowd these days...

You read that right... EXTRA MAGIC HOUR!!! Not even GENERAL ADMISSION ROPE DROP... EXTRA CROWDED HOUR!!!

 

[audrianna890]

I forgot I have a picture too! Lol This was last Tuesday, MM (picture taken right at 9). The lines were just as backed up when we left for DCA at 10:20.

 

[KBinCO]

oh man. My family wasn't even awake when MM was starting and now I am glad. Walked right in and didn't feel like we missed much. They really should do away with that.

 

[whoever]

oh man. My family wasn't even awake when MM was starting and now I am glad. Walked right in and didn't feel like we missed much. They really should do away with that.

They should do something that's for sure... like back it up earlier... 2 hours before normal park opening. Would cost them extremely little and bring a LOT of value for those paying.

 

[whoever]

Just so we ware clear, everybody in that first pic of mine STAYED AT A DLH resort hotel... and they are thinking of building ANOTHER!!! Crazy.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

The 7am Saturday MMs are not like that at all, for the record.

 

[KBinCO]

I just wish they'd stay open later during the week this time of year. The first 2 days we were there, they closed at 8/9, and 5/8. We are not early morning people but man, did my girls and I punch out a ton after the fireworks on the one day they were open until midnight that we were there.

 

[katyringo]

The 7am Saturday MMs are not like that at all, for the record.

We are going the week between Christmas and New Years and I hear they open at 8 during that week so I am hoping for some less crowded 7am magic hour.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

We are going the week between Christmas and New Years and I hear they open at 8 during that week so I am hoping for some less crowded 7am magic hour.

Oh, well, yike, the week between Christmas and New Year...

Good luck!

 

[audrianna890]

We are going the week between Christmas and New Years and I hear they open at 8 during that week so I am hoping for some less crowded 7am magic hour.

I'm speaking totally NOT from experience here because I've never been during the time between Christmas and NYE, but during other peak times (summer, mostly), I've found that even 8 AM MM are very nice, and 7 AM is just as good.

These are three pictures from August 7, 2016 at 8:15 AM. It was an 8 AM MM. I know it's not Christmas, but I thought it might give you some different perspective.

(The CM and I laughed about me accidently snapping her pic)

You can see that there is definitely people there, but not at the volume in the photos from this week. And the park got much busier as the day went on - normal summer day, though it was end of summer. IMO the late closings make for less people wanting to get up at the crack of dawn to get ready to go in. I've had other times that the park has been like this on earlier MMs, but didn't take a pic of those.

 

[katyringo]

Oh, well, yike, the week between Christmas and New Year...

Good luck!

Yes we know it's going to be crazy but I'm a teacher so it's either summer when it's super hot or Christmas.

 

[JeannieJay]

They aren't motivated to make any changes because people continue to go, regardless of how short the hours are and the crazy crowds / lack of staff / ride breakdowns, etc. Why should they? The crowds just keep getting bigger anyway.

It was super busy when we were there a couple of weeks ago (black hole week). We had a great time but definitely had some disappointments because of how busy it was when we weren't expecting it. Even so, we have 2 more DL trips coming up in the next few months.

 

[whoever]

I'm speaking totally NOT from experience here because I've never been during the time between Christmas and NYE, but during other peak times (summer, mostly), I've found that even 8 AM MM are very nice, and 7 AM is just as good.

These are three pictures from August 7, 2016 at 8:15 AM. It was an 8 AM MM. I know it's not Christmas, but I thought it might give you some different perspective.

(The CM and I laughed about me accidently snapping her pic)

You can see that there is definitely people there, but not at the volume in the photos from this week. And the park got much busier as the day went on - normal summer day, though it was end of summer. IMO the late closings make for less people wanting to get up at the crack of dawn to get ready to go in. I've had other times that the park has been like this on earlier MMs, but didn't take a pic of those.

Those pics have to be after MM has already started though. The Queue for PP, AIW, Etc. have to all be PACKED with the aforementioned/pictured people. Even a EMH/MM when it's pitch black out has the turnstiles packed with people past the monorail track by the time they let you in. There is no just walking up like in your first pic... ever.

 

[audrianna890]

Those pics have to be after MM has already started though. The Queue for PP, AIW, Etc. have to all be PACKED with the aforementioned/pictured people. Even a EMH/MM when it's pitch black out has the turnstiles packed with people past the monorail track by the time they let you in. There is no just walking up like in your first pic... ever.

It was about 15 minutes post-MM start. I've walked in other times, as well, but it's rare. I usually do have to wait in a line, if only for a few minutes.

But there really was no one in the park, comparatively speaking. We were on Peter Pan in less than 10 minutes, including the walk from the gate, and knocked out every Fantasyland ride my daughter wanted to do (Peter Pan, Carousel, Dumbo, Mr. Toad's, Teacups, Alice, Storybook boats, Small World, Snow White) in just about an hour - maybe a little more. Honestly, I feel like I just got lucky that morning (especially because it was muggy and I was 7 1/2 months pregnant).

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Those pics have to be after MM has already started though. The Queue for PP, AIW, Etc. have to all be PACKED with the aforementioned/pictured people. Even a EMH/MM when it's pitch black out has the turnstiles packed with people past the monorail track by the time they let you in. There is no just walking up like in your first pic... ever.

That's not true at all. We walk up like that go rope drop frequently, and sometimes we are doing rope drop at DL and DCA has EMH starting at the same time time so we can see EMH lines, too.

For instance, this past Saturday - we parked at Toy Story at 7:20-25, walked straight onto a bus, straight through security, right up to a ticket booth (guests needed tix and app wouldn't work the day before), and walked to a ticket booth with maybe five people waiting. We were in the park by 7:45.

MM was already going on, but when we walked through Fantasyland just after 8, there was almost no one there! And that was after MM AND rope drop!

Saturday ended up being insanely crowded by lunchtime, and we talked to people who hit parking about 30 minutes after us and had a VERY different experience, but I had prepped our guests for crazy lines and was delightfully surprised at the complete lack of any wait anywhere.

Certainly NOT the norm, and never going to happen for a 10am opening, but it does happen...

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Yes we know it's going to be crazy but I'm a teacher so it's either summer when it's super hot or Christmas.

I mean, summer is often not super hot, and this year the end of June and beginning of July was actually quite moderate in terms of crowds...

I'm sure your 7am MM will be good compared to the rest of the week, but get there EARLY, like closer to 6.

Have fun! I think you can have fun in any crowd conditions, but that's definitely traditionally a time of year to test that theory!

 

[Linkura]

Yeah, we were upset about the random 5pm closing also. And we planned for months as well. I think it is easy to say "enjoy the magic" for people with the means to frequently visit Disneyland. Because who cares then? Just come back another day and enjoy what you can that particular day.

But for those of us who rarely get a vacation like this and it is very expensive...geez! Disneyland was a hot mess! I read in all these planning forums about how wonderful magic morning was and a bunch of locals said "just take advantage of the mornings" Well, when literally half the rides are down or broken in fantasyland and the park has such short hours and lack of staffing, and it takes you almost an hour to get through one of two security lines, then it just isn't worth the insane price.

If I ever go again, it will be in summer. The crowds are there all year anyways, so I mine-as-well take advantage of a fully staffed, full hours, full entertainment park for the full price I pay instead of whatever scraps disneyland decides to throw at me in September for the same ridiculous price.

I would totally go in the summer... if the heat wasn't so bad. I mean, it's not as bad as WDW heat, but even in the afternoons last week, the heat was getting rough for me and it was only ~80 with no humidity. So yeah, I'll skip the summer.

 

[whoever]

I just can't buy walk-up turnstiles for either EMH or GA park entry. This is my more recent EMH 7am openings. We were right up front of the lines, but by the time they let us through, the lines were past the monorail. You can see it was DARK. That twilight before dawn.

DCA can tend to fare better because the Grand's entrance eats up guests and DCA is EMH ONLY, no MM for them.

It still isn't walk up and walk through though.