Disneyland Resort (DL, DLR, DCA) Discussion Thread

[rcdude]

To chime into the Micechat debate, I don't use the site much but they usually have decent information. The issue with that site, which seems to be present on other Disney fansites as well, are the people who nitpick everything at the parks and feel that if something isn't working perfectly it is completely wrong. I do hold Disney to a higher standard of maintenance and operations than I would other parks, both due to their reputation and their high prices, but I also don't get bent out of shape if there's a missing animatronic here or there. All things need maintenance, and if the ride is functioning adequately it's still better than not being able to ride in the first place.

 

As for Splash Mountain, I last rode it a couple weeks ago and other than a few lights being out everything seemed to be working fine. Of course, I'm the type that only rides once (or occasionally twice) per visit, and unless a major animatronic is broken I usually don't notice. I will say that in the spring it seemed to have a lot more problems than it has the past couple times I visited. I'll see what my brother has to say after he visits in a couple days (he's a Splash Mountain enthusiast and rides at least twice per visit, sometimes as many as a dozen times if the line is short enough, even when it's only 50 degrees out).

 

I'm heading to DLR for 1 1/2 weekend days, and it will likely be crowded. We'll have 2-day park hoppers, and we'd like to ride the following:

-Cars Land stuff

-Roller coasters excluding GSS and GGC

-Star Tours II

-Toy Story Midway Mania

-ToT?

-Autopia?

-New Orleans Square dark rides

Do you have any tips or an itinerary? Also, is Redd Rockett's Pizza Port back open? We always stop there

 

Thanks for your time.

 

1 1/2 days will be enough to do that list, even on a weekend. Cars Land will be busy, so do it early or late. Toy Story Midway Mania is the only other ride that usually gets significant waits at DCA and doesn't have Fastpass, so do that one early in the day or during World of Color (I don't think they close it, but I could be wrong). Use Fastpass for California Screamin' and Tower of Terror. At Disneyland, Star Tours, Autopia, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder, and Space Mountain all have Fastpass, so use those. Matterhorn Bobsleds has single rider if you don't mind splitting up, or you can just wait in line (it's usually not more than 30 minutes or so at this time of year...maybe 45 on a Saturday). Pirates rarely has a line longer than 15-20 minutes, so do that at your convenience. Redd Rockett's Pizza Port is open, but as of my last visit they still had walls up out front.

[coasterfreak101]

Toy Story Midway Mania is the only other ride that usually gets significant waits at DCA and doesn't have Fastpass, so do that one early in the day or during World of Color (I don't think they close it, but I could be wrong).

 

They don't close Midway Mania during WoC anymore - they turn the facade lights off if I remember correctly, but the ride itself is still open.

[TheSpartan188]

I'm heading to DLR for 1 1/2 weekend days, and it will likely be crowded. We'll have 2-day park hoppers, and we'd like to ride the following:

-Cars Land stuff

-Roller coasters excluding GSS and GGC

-Star Tours II

-Toy Story Midway Mania

-ToT?

-Autopia?

-New Orleans Square dark rides

Do you have any tips or an itinerary? Also, is Redd Rockett's Pizza Port back open? We always stop there

 

Thanks for your time.

 

 

The Matterhorn (my personal favorite) just got remodled and it looks amazing! Everything is updated and alot smoother, i recommend giving it a shot. It's pretty neat

[TheSpartan188]

So i take it MiceChat isn't a good source for park info

 

It's not a bad source of info, they are just a bit overzealous in their reporting. Very hardcore fanboys, if you will. This week's update includes a comparison of how the temporary streetlamp poles (to hold holiday decorations) in Cars Land are fixed to the ground as distinct from the permanent ones. Thrilling stuff.

 

Oooooohh ok I see your point now lol

[DJeXeL]

^^^You're correct, TSMM remains open during WOC. Everything else in the Pier closes during the performances. Smaller attractions, IE: Silly Symphony Swings, Golden Zephyr, Jumpin' Jellyfish, and King Triton's Carousel open between the shows on 2 show nights.

[gisco]

This happened a week ago and just now making the news?

 

State workplace safety investigators are looking into an incident in which a Disneyland worker was left seriously injured after being hit by a car that's part of the popular Space Mountain attraction.

 

The 68-year-old machinist was struck just before 10 p.m. Oct. 3 while he was testing a vehicle that's part of the Space Mountain ride, according to the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA.

 

The worker was identified as Christopher Monday of Lakewood by Sal Vasquez, a business representative with the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers, the union that represents machinists at Disneyland. The union is cooperating with the Cal/OSHA investigation, Vasquez said.

 

A Disneyland spokeswoman said the worker was hit by the kind of vehicle that theme park guests ride in. The indoor roller coaster, part of Tomorrowland, opened in 1977.

 

"Our thoughts and prayers are with our cast member and his family. On behalf of his fellow cast members, we offer our heartfelt wishes for a full and speedy recovery," said Disneyland spokeswoman Suzi Brown in a statement.

 

The Space Mountain ride was not in operation at the time of the incident and the Anaheim park was closed, according to Erika Monterroza, a spokeswoman for Cal/OSHA. The employee was struck when he was testing a vehicle that had just come back from "rehab," where it was being maintained, Monterroza said.

 

The man was injured in the back, chest and head, Monterroza said. The incident was reported to Cal/OSHA in accordance with state requirements, she said.

 

The employee was in critical condition Tuesday, according to the Orange County Register, which first reported the incident.

 

State accident-initiated workplace investigations usually take 3 1/2 to five months to complete, Monterroza said.

 

NOTE: Cal/OSHA's spokeswoman originally reported that Disneyland was open at the time of the incident. The park had closed at 8 p.m. that night, Erika Monterroza later said. The story has been updated to reflect that.

 

Article

[gisco]

Another article

 

ANAHEIM – A Disneyland machinist, struck by a Space Mountain vehicle last week, remained hospitalized Tuesday in a critical-care unit, officials said.

 

The 68-year-old employee was injured Oct. 3 after the park closed. The machinist was returning a vehicle that had been out of commission back onto the ride when something went awry and the vehicle hit him. The impact caused back, chest and head injuries, said Patricia Ortiz, a spokesman for the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, also known as Cal-OSHA.

 

Anaheim Fire Department personnel responded to the park at 9:43 p.m. and transported the employee to the hospital, said Maria Sabol, a department spokeswoman.

 

The ride did not malfunction and was back in normal operation the next day, said Suzi Brown, a Disneyland Resort spokeswoman. "Our thoughts and prayers are with our cast member and his family," she said in a prepared statement.

 

"On behalf of his fellow cast members, we offer our heartfelt wishes for a full and speedy recovery."

 

Cal-OSHA, which oversees workplace injuries, was starting an investigation into the incident, Ortiz said. The state has up to six months to complete an investigation; most take two to four months.

 

The Tomorrowland ride, which reaches about 30 mph, debuted in 1977.

 

 

Article

Edited October 11, 2012 by gisco

[Jew]

Remember kids, always lockout/tag out when in a ride track!

[Top Thrill Dragster]

KCAL 9 news did a report on the incident this afternoon.

 

I got quite the chuckle when they showed someones RCT3 recreation of the ride and said it was actual on ride footage of the ride.

 

Not the news report, but the footage they showed:

 

[Angry_Gumball]

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/10/10/injured-disneyland-worker-still-critical-after-space-mountain-accident/

Here you go!

[gisco]

I guess you have to die before it really becomes news.

[Rocket Rodder]

Seriously? Someone SERIOUSLY screwed up there.... no doubt someone WILL lose their job...

[SharkTums]

I'm more shocked by Disneyland closing at 8pm!?!? I never realized there were times in the year the park closed that early!

[cfc]

I guess you have to die before it really becomes news.

 

I hope the poor guy pulls through.

[KingRCT3]

KCAL 9 news did a report on the incident this afternoon.

 

I got quite the chuckle when they showed someones RCT3 recreation of the ride and said it was actual on ride footage of the ride.

 

Not the news report, but the footage they showed

 

Here's the link to the news you talk about.

 

They used this video :

 

 

 

Hope the guy will be fine, though.

[DJeXeL]

I'm more shocked by Disneyland closing at 8pm!?!? I never realized there were times in the year the park closed that early!

 

Makes no sense to me either because the parks are still busy even though it's considered the "off-season."

[c0sterfreek]

Oh man, this is just terrible on every way. From someone who worked at a theme park, why the hell wasn't the ride locked out? I wish him a full recovery and my heart goes out to his family.

[azza29]

Interesting update from MiceChat today - looks like they're going to start enforcing FastPass return times (boo) a la WDW. Christmas will be an upcharge attraction in 2013 (more boo), and Iron Man will be replacing the advertorial that is Innoventions (hooray!).

 

This last piece of news appears to have upset the Disney fanboys immensely, apparently non-Disney IP has no place in Disneyalnd (let's conveniently ignore Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Michael Jackson and the first 10 years of Pixar for a moment). Personally I reckon Tony Stark is a great fit for Tomorrowland - and Disney's recent track record suggests that whatever they come up with will be stellar.

 

Link: http://micechat.com/14004-miceage-disneyland-christmas-extra/

[ahecht]

I agree that Iron Man would be a great fit for Tomorrowland. Especially in light of the second movie.

 

Some of the other nerd-rage complaints on that other forum are that Iron Man takes place in the present, not the future (good thing there aren't rides that take place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away -- oh wait...) and that the Iron Man character was created almost 50 years ago (yet I don't see any complaints about the Jules Verne theming at Disneyland Paris). I think some people like to complain. On the other hand, I probably have no leg to stand on, as I had no problem with a Buzz Lightyear themed ride in Tomorrowland, as I saw it being themed to the cartoon character from the show within the movie, not the toy.

Edited October 17, 2012 by ahecht

[cfc]

Any change to Innoventions, including gutting the building in favor of new bathrooms, would be an improvement. It's really just a walk-through for "new technology" that you can purchase at any Best Buy.

[OldJJman]

Any change to Innoventions, including gutting the building in favor of new bathrooms, would be an improvement. It's really just a walk-through for "new technology" that you can purchase at any Best Buy.

 

QFT!

[Meteornotes]

Love the idea of an Iron Man ride replacing Innoventions. It is a perfect fit for Tomorrowland. Hope this happens, especially if it annoys Assholders. Their tears are the best.

 

dt

[TheSpartan188]

Any change to Innoventions, including gutting the building in favor of new bathrooms, would be an improvement. It's really just a walk-through for "new technology" that you can purchase at any Best Buy.

 

I agree, Chuck. They really need to either replace this attraction or do something cool with it. In my opinion i say they take it down. I say they bring back the Peoplemover or something Nostalgic.

[OISU8P]

Looks like the long rumored Big Thunder Mountain rehab may be closer.

 

01/07/13 - 10/30/13 - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

 

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/plan.htm#rehab

 

10 months is a long time. However, from my last visit that attraction really needed attention.

[Sir Clinksalot]

I'm totally on-board with the Iron Man thing as well. It's funny what people will complain about.

 

The other changes make our decision to not renew our AP's next year even easier.