Will there come a time when EVERYDAY is a PEAK day at DL?

[Rat-a-too-ee]

I usually go 3 times per year (mid-June, second week of December, and the third one rotates).

It ALWAYS seems full. We made the mistake of going once on New Year's Eve, and at one point near midnight, we were gridlocked in a crowd very close to Main Street and couldn't move at all for twenty minutes. That was crazy.

We do see a lot of people with APs, but we also see (and hear) people from all over the world. Last December, we couldn't turn a corner without hearing an Austrialian accent. I presume a large group must have arranged to go to DL all together.

 

[Disney Dreams]

In an ideal world, Disney would have DLR be busy every day. It's a business. It used to be that October was a slow time. Disney created "Halloweentime at the Disneyland Resort" to create a "need" to go to DLR during that slow time of year. Now, October is very busy. If Disney could fill up January and February, I have no doubt they would.

...Last December, we couldn't turn a corner without hearing an Austrialian accent. I presume a large group must have arranged to go to DL all together.

Probably not (of course just a guess). December is summer for those Down Under. Summer vacation to the States, with a stop at DLR. Sounds like a great summer trip to me!

- Dreams

 

[skiingfast]

In an ideal world, Disney would have DLR be busy every day. It's a business. It used to be that October was a slow time. Disney created "Halloweentime at the Disneyland Resort" to create a "need" to go to DLR during that slow time of year. Now, October is very busy. If Disney could fill up January and February, I have no doubt they would.
- Dreams

You probably don't have to go to business school to understand that any business would like its operation to run at 100% if it could. Park at 100% capacity. Staffing at 100%. 100% of seats being used by diners all day long. Registers logging sales 100% of the time. You don't want anything you pay for to sit idle.

Of course you need time for maintance which has to lower that number. I think that is why January and February are left free of major events. Not just at DLR but WDW. WDW has something big going on the rest of the year.

F&W is a big deal there in the fall. Then the long Chirstmas period. In the Spring they are running their flower displays in Epcot. That ends just in time for Star Wars weekends and you are back to summer.

Look at when Value season is. It not too long other than Jan and Feb.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Hi there,

Moving this over to the DL Community Board ...

 

[HydroGuy]

Seems to me, that Disneyland keeps getting exponentially busier as every year goes by. Think about what the park was like 15 years ago - 20 years ago - 30 years ago. It's stands to reason that the number of park visitors increases each year, just as the world population increases every year.

Perception and reality are two different things apparently. What "stands to reason about increasing attendance" to you is not born out by cold hard statistics. DL is not getting exponentially more crowded at all. It has been fairly level over 15 years with a record level just last year where you could see real growth.

See http://www.scottware.com.au/theme/feature/atend_disparks.htm

 

[Corpsebride]

Well, I too am not in support of the would be sounding negative feelings towards AP's. A few years ago, when the economy went in the toilet, DL began to offer the AP's at a monthly rate, because many families in the Southern California area and peripheries could no longer afford long far expensive family vacations. So, why not spend a wee bit of $ and go to Disneyland! Like a previous poster said, its a business.
I think the problem I have with the bashing is, in some wording, and because computer chat speak doesn't include inflection well, to me in my humble opinion (thats the fine print) it would seem to me, that when people complain about AP holders of any level, it becomes a character assassination. It becomes a personal attack. I don't know who spits gum on the side walk at DL, but I sure notice more of it when its summer time, when all but the PAP passes are blocked out. I notice more bad behavior like dirty loaded diapers on the ground 2 feet from a garbage can , during block out days. It might be tourists, or it might be an AP holder, who knows. But , there is no way, that I as PAP will ever relinquish my pass, that I have made monthly payments for with my money that I earned. And Ill go every single day if I want. Sometimes all day, sometimes to just have dinner and watch Fantasmic!. It is when the comments are made to seem like an attack is where it becomes a drag to listen to (or read).

 

[rokstedy]

Seems to me, that Disneyland keeps getting exponentially busier as every year goes by. Think about what the park was like 15 years ago - 20 years ago - 30 years ago. It's stands to reason that the number of park visitors increases each year, just as the world population increases every year. Disney movies create Disney fans, so the fan base will likely increase, too - even without population growth. Problem is, DL is the same size.

So - that begs the question: will there ever be a 'slow' day at DL? Seems like the early entry programs are becoming exceedingly crowded - making them less useful.

I know there's a lot of very faithful Disney fans on this forum that go to DL every year (or even more than once per year), and you gotta wonder if going to DL is going to become intolerable at some point. Unless some people enjoy walls of crowds and waiting in line for an hour or two for a three-minute ride.

This whole thing kind of reminds me of traffic. Population increases mean extra roads and highways need to be built to accommodate. If that doesn't happen, you sit in lines on the road for hours. So - couldn't the same be said of DL? I guess you could consider DCA an expansion to the highway that is DL, but seems like they should've built a 6 lane highway instead of a 2 lane highway! It's like all day is rush-hour in DL!

Does anyone know if DL plans to expand the park again at any point? (Although, park expansions just tend to draw more visitors, don't they?).

I often wonder why the Disney parks even advertise. They really don't need to - don't you think?

I live in Orange, around the way from the park, and am an annual passholder. I've been every weekend this year and I can attest that there don't seem to be any more SLOW days (at least on the weekends anyway). I also went on a Thursday afternoon about a month ago and it was also busy. There really is no such thing any more IMO.

 

[Judy from Boise]

well from a business sense slow is failure.........during periods of less attendence they will reduce capacity to keep the productivity more or less the same. if the ratio of workers at SM to is 1 to every 1000 guests .....the wait times should even out no matter if there are 10k or 30k in the park.
Obviously an oversimplification to illustrate a principle.
So as Hydroguy would point out what may feel busy or not busy may have no effect on the amount of rides in the day. It may effect enjoyment in other ways that based on your personal values.