Disneyland Resort (DL, DLR, DCA) Discussion Thread

[robbalvey]

^ We have already posted this in it's own thread: http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=64785

 

Please use that thread for further discussion about Tony Baxters resignation.

[WFChris]

Regarding the AP price increase, I agree with others in the sentiment that if you don't like it, don't buy it. I hear Knott's is doing lots of things to encourage disgruntled Fanboys to transfer their loyalty, so go there.

 

I pay for the lowest end pass (I'm in that grey area where AP people think I'm cheap and online people think I'm a fanboy), and I think it's totally worth it. I wouldn't go on the blackout days anyway because I work weekends, and I don't like massively packed parks. So thats that.

 

There are two parks, which is double that of any other local theme park. So you can look at it as if you are paying $134.50 per park. That's not unreasonably higher than the other parks prices compared to what you are getting.

 

This year, Disneyland has really went over the top with their AP offerings so far. Last month they had the whole Frontierland thing for passholders, this month they are doing the 2 extended hours every Thursday at DCA. Something new is promised every month and I think that's very cool. It seems like they are trying to fill the calendar with AP events so we are a) encouraged to visit more often, and b) visit on days that have lower guest volume. I particularly enjoy the fact that you have to arrive at Noon for a better chance at getting a wristband for the extended hours. It encourages visiting the park for the whole day instead of hanging out looking for things to complain about for a few hours. Brilliant.

 

We get discounts at Disney hotels, usually around 20% Universal? Knotts? Six Flags? Hello?

 

You get a gift at the end of the year. How nice.

 

Disneyland is an upscale experience. They offer things that other parks don't or cant. I pay $134.50 per park, the equivalent of less than 2 single day tickets each. Where is there room for complaining?

 

Chris "I would pay $269 for a Splash Mountain AP" DeRosa

Edited February 3, 2013 by WFChris

[Jew]

I only go to Disney now maybe 6-10 times a year and gladly pay the monthly fee for the deluxe! A great value!

[Double0Kevin]

Kinda piggybacking one what the last two posts said, the whole AP argument comes down to, is it worth it to you. If Disney eventually prices the AP too high for you to find value, they always have other ticket options available to you that will accommodate what you are looking for. For me, I always get the Premium AP and have never felt like it wasn't worth is. I go 6-8 times per year, but I go for multiple days, I drive so I need to park, and I buy food and merch; so everything makes it feel justified in the end. This year, I plan to go to WDW for 5 days in November, since that ticket would cost me $350(for park hopper), and the Premier passport is only 200 more than a DL Premium, I plan to just get that instead. Some would say $850 is insane, but I find the value in it so I'm willing to spend the money.

[rcdude]

Disneyland is expensive, but it's been that way for a long time. However, when compared to the price of admission tickets, the passes aren't a bad value. If I remember correctly, the cheapest pass has usually been around three times the price of a one day, one park ticket, and even at the current prices they are still fairly close ($87x3=$261 vs $269 for the So Cal Select pass). Even with the most expensive pass, you only need 8 visits for it to be a good value. If you visit both parks and factor in the parking charge, that drops to only five visits. Yes, you can buy a passes to SFMM, Knott's, Universal, and SeaWorld for the price of a pass to Disneyland, but none of those are as good of a park as Disneyland is, and at least half of those have more overpriced admission tickets than Disneyland does.

 

Personally, I'm of the opinion that if someone complains about the price of something, they don't feel it's worth what they are spending. In this case, they shouldn't spend the money. If people don't like the price of a pass, they should downgrade or just not buy one and visit once or twice a year instead. Maybe the parks would be better off without hordes of people who use them simply as a place to hang out regularly after school or work (I seriously don't understand how people can go 4-5 times a week and not get sick of the place...I would never visit more than twice a month) and don't complain about such trivial things as a single burnt out lightbulb on Main Street (I've actually heard that while visiting...I sometimes have to wonder how some of the fanboys can even enjoy the parks at all).

 

As for me, I'm an intermittent passholder dependent not on price but on my school schedule. I got a pass in Fall 2011 (the So Cal Select) since I only had class three days per week. I chose not to renew when my pass expired last October because I now have class five days per week and I'd rather take one day (or maybe two) off school during the year, buy a park hopper ticket and visit for a full day when the crowds are low than pay for the next level pass and visit on crowded Sundays. I've still got passes to Knott's and SFMM so I can use those if I'm craving a park visit (mainly Knott's since SFMM is over 90 minutes away and I'm good with only a couple visits to that park per year).

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Yeah the "OMG AP's EXPENSIVE!!!" argument is completely shut down when you compare it to other year-round ticket options. Try finding decent Dodger season tickets, Laker season tickets, theatre tickets, concert tickets, etc etc for the same price as these "incredibly expensive" Disneyland AP's, including the Premium. If that's too expensive, or doesn't seem like a good enough value, don't buy it.

 

What really smokes my salmon is when I hear complaints about how expensive Disneyland is, and then these same people complaining are going to the movies every week, buying a $6 Starbucks every day, spending $12/day on their lunch at work after drinking the Starbucks, buying the new release Blu-ray movie the day it comes out when it's the most expensive, etc. Do they not realize how much those habits add up?

[WFChris]

"Lady and the Tramp" Screening for Annual Passholders

February 13 - 17, 2013

Limited Time Magic

To celebrate Valentine's Day, Annual Passholders can enjoy the Disney Classic "Lady and the Tramp" in the Main Street Opera House. The film will be shown twice daily at 5:00pm and 7:00pm. Passholders can reserve their seat starting at 11:30am each day and must do so in person.

 

Link

 

I like this Limited Time Magic...get all the AP's to sit in the Main Street Opera House for 87 minutes while everybody else can enjoy the park. Brilliant!

[Top Thrill Dragster]

Fastpass enforcement has started at the Disneyland Resort.

 

 

 

http://twitter.com/Ryanthemepark/status/300354216692686848/photo/1

[Double0Kevin]

I'm kind of happy about that. I think it will help with the Fastpass lines getting crazy busy late in the day or right after a show/parade/fireworks. I mean the system was designed to have people return within the window, not like they don't give you an entire hour to make it back.

[bostonlva]

racism at Disney?

 

General Resort News - (2/9/13) Strange things are going on at Disneyland this week, with not just one, but now two families who have come forward (both have the same attorney however) with claims of racism at Disneyland... from different Disney Costumed Characters. In both cases, the families claim that their child’s attempts for attention were ignored by different costumed characters (Donald or The White Rabbit) in the park, who would then go pay attention to other children. (read more)

http://www.screamscape.com/html/disneyland_resort.htm#General

[jray21]

That is going to be very hard to prove. There are so many things that the characters are taught to do in different situations. If kids are wild and jumping around, the characters tend to step back or ignore them. If they weren't in line, they will get ignored. Plus, until we hear or see and real information it doesn't matter. It's going to be really really tough for them to prove he is racist, just because he ignored some kids.

[SharkTums]

Fastpass enforcement has started at the Disneyland Resort.

 

 

 

http://twitter.com/Ryanthemepark/status/300354216692686848/photo/1

 

Hopefully it will go as smoothly as it did at WDW.

[cfc]

^I don't know--it is southern California, after all.

[Jew]

Fastpass enforcement has started at the Disneyland Resort.

 

 

 

http://twitter.com/Ryanthemepark/status/300354216692686848/photo/1

 

Why the sad face? God forbid you abide by what is printed on the ticket.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

^I enjoyed the flexibility. It make the day so much more relaxing and less walking.

 

Today I have found myself backtracking and park hopping a lot more to make return times.

 

 

I'll adjust.

[Double0Kevin]

Disney.... Fighting Obesity by enforcing return times. "Mommy, I went to Disneyland and they made me WALK!" I'm sure if Disneyland was built today you would hear fanboys argue that it's the superior park because it's the only park Walt rode his rascal through.

[Nrthwnd]

This isn't a restaurant.

 

No "15 minute late allowance" here.

 

Face it. It's Disney.

 

Wonder how poor DLParis is going

to work out with enforcing it?

 

And don't any and all TPR Tours start

with Rule #1 - Do Not Be Late - Ever...?

 

Just a thought on it.

[WFChris]

We have found that if you take the day at a more leisurely pace, making the FP window is not difficult. If you decide when the window comes up that you don't want to walk across the entire park, then you just don't ride the attraction that day. Remember, this is all designed to make the stay more pleasant for the visiting traveler, not the over-zealous 'I need to ride everything and wait in no lines' AP holder.

[Wes]

^ It also potentially keeps people at the park where their Fastpass originated from. If you get a Racers Fastpass and think you can return whenever you feel like it, you could hop over to Disneyland for the whole day and just go back to DCA at night.

 

I'm glad they are enforcing the rules.

[robbalvey]

I enjoyed the entitlement of doing whatever the hell I wanted to.

Fixed!

[cfc]

:

 

Wonder how poor DLParis is going

to work out with enforcing it?

 

 

French farmers are probably burning tires in protest.

 

As for the Japanese, if they're as much as one second late for their Fast Pass window, they're probably bowing and apologizing to each other as part of some elaborate ritual.

[Simipour'sTrainer]

I'm actually happy that the FastPass return windows are now starting to be enforced. Last visit, we got FastPasses for Space Mountain and when we came back later to ride (before the fireworks), we found that the line stretched all the way to the ride's entrance sign. Granted, it only took us 30 minutes to get through it (as opposed to the 60-minute stand-by), but even so I imagine that those waiting in the stand-by line weren't happy).

 

If enforcing the return times means that situations like that will be decreased, I'm all for it.

[rcdude]

Even though I took advantage of the loopholes in the system on occasion (usually when I happened to be in the other park during my return time), I'm glad that the park is enforcing return times as the system was originally designed. I've run into too many situations at the parks where the Fastpass line was overflowing due to people returning outside their window, forcing the standby line to come to a near standstill. It's not difficult to make it back at some point in the window, and if you know you won't be able to do so, don't get a Fastpass. This might also reduce park hopping as well and keep crowds more stable during the day, as unless your return time isn't for several hours switching parks is probably more hassle than it's worth.

[SharkTums]

I think the only exception (other than the ride breaking down) that they could add to FastPass return times would be if you eat IN the park at a SIT DOWN restaurant. Then the restaurant could 'validate' your fastpass almost like how parking works at some places! That would be a cool perk!

[cfc]

^That is a good idea.

 

I, too, have used Fast Passes after the "window" has closed (but I usually make it to the attraction in time), but have no issues with the park deciding to enforce the Fast Pass rules more strictly. In the long run, it'll be better for the park and the guests.