Disneyland Resort

[saint.piss]

 

[downunder]

I went to Disneyland last Wednesday for the first time since 2007. I was told by the driver of the Knott's hotel shuttle on the way back it was the first day of an Anaheim residents get half price promo through to the end of September (did not verify this), so without any experience to judge from it appeared to be smashed. Booked Lightning Lane as soon as I was inside and made a beeline for Rise of the Resistance, which was down (like many other rides throughout the day). Decided to wait and was first on via standby, and then just made my first Lightning Lane reservation window back at Matterhorn.

Observations, I still love Indiana Jones (albeit refurbished since I last went) and the standby line moves really quickly. Mickey and Minnie's Railway was a pleasant surprise. Space Mountain and Big Thunder still deliver. I enjoyed Matterhorn, a little jerky, but a fave, with functional yetis as a bonus lol. Roger Rabbit (with new more modest Jessica Rabbit) is still lots of fun. Not sure if this is normal, but tons of rides went down, everything from Rise to Big Thunder to Mr Toad's Wild Ride; and plenty of others. If you're a between the tackles running back in football, negotiating the crowds at speed would be excellent practice - getting through those tight widows lol.

I only decided to go the night before, so I got what I deserved in terms of dining reservations. In spite of the crowds, I achieved everything I wanted to and more. Probably PJ O'Rourke's summation of Epcot equally applies here: "A land of make believe that's actually worse than real life" - okay, I'm just stirring.

 

[Jake S]

Downtime has been noticeably worse post-Covid, which is a real shame. Glad you had a good time and were able to get on most of the heavy hitters!

 

[downunder]

^Thanks. I rode everything I wanted to, including multiples on a few like Indy and Space. After all these years I felt like a complete rookie, but I went in with a strategic mindset, and was prepared to do a lot of walking.

One thing that did happen was that my Lightning Lane stopped letting me make reservation after my 7pm booking on Big Thunder, I kept going back and checking, even and decided to get the 9.20pm hotel shuttle back to Knott's Hotel instead of 11.20pm. Capped it off with some single rider rides on Space. Not sure if that's a common problem with LL. There were still reservation available, but it wouldn't let me grab them, and I'd definitely checked in for my most recent LL.

 

[Jake S]

I've never heard of that Lightning Lane bug before and I'm not 100 percent sure where you'd get that sorted at Disneyland. At Walt Disney World, they've got those blue tents around the parks where employees can get your app sorted but I can't recall seeing anything similar at Disneyland.

 

[Clive]

I've never heard of that Lightning Lane bug before and I'm not 100 percent sure where you'd get that sorted at Disneyland. At Walt Disney World, they've got those blue tents around the parks where employees can get your app sorted but I can't recall seeing anything similar at Disneyland.

They're not the blue tents, but they have those little kiosks staffed with guest relations cast members who can typically handle these kinds of things. There's one on the path to Galaxy's Edge via Critter Country, one in Fantasyland between Matterhorn and Small World, one near the Launch Bay, and one in the central plaza.

 

[downunder]

^Lol good to know (total rookie), I certainly tested a lot of things. I was happy with what I'd achieved so I just left, it was a long day starting at 8am.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Yeah

Rides go down a good deal, Its a few things

1) Guests throw or drop things more now then before covid/rides like Rise and Mickey have long resets if something is dropped
2) Many older Maintenance CM's left during or after covid, meaning most people are either new to the who industry and or don't know the attractions as well as people who have worked at Disneyland for years
3) Cost cutting, we have no idea if and how much cost cutting has been going on since after covid but if entertainment is anything to go by.....



Also Deadpool show is still around on weekends for those going. My Advice is to see the show in an Oogie Boogie night. Less crowds and also the shows are much earlier

 

[Jake S]

2) Many older Maintenance CM's left during or after covid, meaning most people are either new to the who industry and or don't know the attractions as well as people who have worked at Disneyland for years

This is a big one, and certainly not just at Disneyland. A lot of institutional knowledge was lost during/following covid and some of these places may never fully recover.

 

[saint.piss]

 

[Mad Dog]

Sounds like attendance projections are soft again for that time period.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Disney could easily not do this but for some reason they are trying to avoid letting in more APs

Disneyland has peak seasons but needs APs to always be busy....I mean yes they can do these deals but no idea why you would not just opened up APs anytime you need to fill in the gaps

 

[Clive]

Disney could easily not do this but for some reason they are trying to avoid letting in more APs

Disneyland has peak seasons but needs APs to always be busy....I mean yes they can do these deals but no idea why you would not just opened up APs anytime you need to fill in the gaps

I'm assuming the calculus is they want to strike a balance between a good experience for guests paying top dollar and filling the park with a sufficient number of people. If you always pull the "let the APs in" lever, it'll be a madhouse 9 days out of 10, and that's not really good for anyone in the long run.

 

[Jerroddragon]

I'm assuming the calculus is they want to strike a balance between a good experience for guests paying top dollar and filling the park with a sufficient number of people. If you always pull the "let the APs in" lever, it'll be a madhouse 9 days out of 10, and that's not really good for anyone in the long run.

If this anything like what they did earlier this year its the same results but just one time consumers

I just find it funny they for sure need APs but just refuse to go back to that system


I dont know what will have to change but for sure while the parks are doing well, for Disney its not enough because they were not doing deals like this pre covid as much.

 

[Jake S]

If this anything like what they did earlier this year its the same results but just one time consumers

having a 60/40 or 70/30 split in favor of one-time customers is not the same result as having a 70/30 split in favor of annual passholders. the two groups tour the parks dramatically differently -- it's not just about the quantity of guests in the park.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Disneyland now has dates where it is over 200 bucks for one park.

 

[chris.g]

TWO HUNDRED AND SIX DOLLARS

 

[highdefrex]

We went to Disneyland yesterday, park hopping, and it was $279 each and that felt like a joke. $200+ for one park is just... insane. And I'd say Disney risks pricing people out, but considering the main park became so packed after 3pm yesterday (and doubly so once DCA closed for Oogie and crowds shfited over) that we ended up leaving by 8:30, I don't think it'll ever reach a point where people collectively decide to stop rewarding Disney wringing every penny from them.

 

[Crypt Keeper]

TWO HUNDRED AND SIX DOLLARS

Give it a few years and it'll be $306

 

[Disneyhead]

TWO HUNDRED AND SIX DOLLARS

So, one day at Disneyland for a family of 4 is $824+tax. Add in parking fee, food and some mouse ears and you are looking at over $1,000 for one day in an amusement park.