I'm finally going to Disneyland!!

[nemofinder22]

^ ahh yes DLH maybe old and a bit ugly but the old pics and that collage in the lobby are well worth visiting for any Disney nut.

 

[CrashNet]

TP2000...you mentioned fireworks and Fantasmic...I'm looking at the calendar online and for my trip in september (17-22), there is no mention of the fireworks display. What worries me is the last day its listed is September 1st. Does Disneyland do fireworks every night? And if they don't, do they just not do them for a while after the summer rush is over?

 

[ClemsonTigger]

TP2000...you mentioned fireworks and Fantasmic...I'm looking at the calendar online and for my trip in september (17-22), there is no mention of the fireworks display. What worries me is the last day its listed is September 1st. Does Disneyland do fireworks every night? And if they don't, do they just not do them for a while after the summer rush is over?

No they don't! Fireworks and Fantasmic are limited, and offerings are less frequent after peak season. You can try to call directly or check back closer to your travel time. In the past, it's been only on the weekends for both, usually alternating nights.

 

[CrashNet]

No they don't! Fireworks and Fantasmic are limited, and offerings are less frequent after peak season. You can try to call directly or check back closer to your travel time. In the past, it's been only on the weekends for both, usually alternating nights.

Oh thats sad...I would have assumed they'd have some kind of nighttime show each night of the week.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Oh thats sad...I would have assumed they'd have some kind of nighttime show each night of the week.

No...they have some unique situations that require them to compromise. Remember that they are an oasis essentially surrounded by residential areas.
They have to do a bit more to try to be good neighbors.

Then as far as Fantasmic is concerned, they use Tom Sawyer Island and essentially block up all of New Orleans Square and Frontierland instead of having a separate ampitheater.

 

[Nicole220]

Yeah, no fireworks during the week in the off season. I could still hear the fireworks at my old house, about 30 minutes away. While I enjoy it, I know a lot of people don't.

 

[LadyDarling]

Oops!

LadyDarling can give you the best detail on specific dates, but generally the weekends in Sept. after school starts again tend to be a bit lighter. It picks up again in Oct. with the opening of NBC.

I tend to think of going to DL on weekends as going to the mall. There are a lot of young folks that just go to "hang out". Crowds are increased in some areas/attractions, not too bad for others, but more bodies "in" the parks. Also adds a different "flavor" to the visit.

I didn't see this post until just now! (That's what I get for not reading EVERY SINGLE ONE!:brick: Doh!) The good news is, just about ALL the kids will have gone back to school. The bad news is, it's most likely going to be a beautiful day at the end of peak season, so you'll run into a decent "local" crowd on weekends.

My suggestion for that would be go with a plan of what to do and where to go in what order. If you keep that in mind, you'll be safe either way.

Take heart though! You'll probably miss the really heavy crowds that the Haunted Mansion Holiday tends to bring in, as the Haunted Mansion is scheduled to be down during those dates. Once that opens for Haunted Mansion Holiday, it brings in a BUNCH of folks!

 

[CrashNet]

No...they have some unique situations that require them to compromise. Remember that they are an oasis essentially surrounded by residential areas.
They have to do a bit more to try to be good neighbors.

Then as far as Fantasmic is concerned, they use Tom Sawyer Island and essentially block up all of New Orleans Square and Frontierland instead of having a separate ampitheater.

Thats true. Sounds like how Universal has to cater to their surroundings in Florida. Oh well...hopefully they'll have them during the weekend.

 

[Mouse Wizard]

For the past ew Septembers, Mon-Thu, the only do the parade at 7:00 pm. Fri-Sun they usually do the full summertime schedule with Fantasmic! twice and the fireworks. At first post Labor day, they sometimes try and be cheap, only scheduling one or the other, between Fantasmic! and fireworks, but there are usually too many people lined up and they will add a showing later on. So you should be safe over the weekend and be albe to see the nighttime shows.

 

[TP2000]

In a recent update on Miceage, Al Lutz mentioned that Fantasmic! would have a rehab this fall for a couple months so they can install new digitial projectors for the mist screens.

Unlike WDW, Fantasmic! at Disneyland is a major, major entertainment draw and over the past few years they have been adding, refurbing and plussing up the show, the technology used, and its infrastructure.

If Fantasmic! isn't showing up on the calendar for September, it could be due to the rehab Al Lutz talked about recently.

 

[wvugeoggrad]

Thanks for all the info guys! I'm so excited, only a few more weeks to go.:sohappy: I'm actually thinking of doing the "Welcome to Disneyland" tour my first day there. Has anyone done this tour before? I just thought it would be a nice intro to the parks. Its only $25 plus I'll get a 20% discount; and it mentions two fastpasses at the end so that would be nice to help with the crowds.

 

[TP2000]

I think that tour would be overly simplistic for you as a Disney fan. It's really aimed at the first time visitor who has little to no point of reference for what Disneyland is about. It gives you no real information that you wouldn't already know, and would just be two hours walking around the park with strangers hearing things that wouldn't be new information for you.

Want to acquaint yourself with Disneyland and DCA? Take 45 minutes when you first get there and walk up Main Street, left through Adventureland and into New Orleans Square, back into Critter Country and then along the Rivers of America towards Frontierland. Head out to the Central Plaza and walk right over the drawbridge into Fantasyland, turning right past Mr. Toad to head up towards Small World Mall and into Toowtown, then back down towards the Matterhorn and around the Submarine Lagoon into Tomorrowland, as you head back out to the Central Plaza and back down Main Street. 30 minutes or less. Walk over to DCA and do the same grand circle tour through Hollywood, back out past Soarin and around Grizzly Mountain, turning right to loop around Paradise Pier before turning right at Golden Dreams and walking back towards the main entrance with a quick buzz through Flik's Fun Fair. 15 minutes or less.

45 minutes and you just covered both parks and got a good feel for the place, it's compact size, and the large number of attractions and offerings that are often stacked right on top of each other. (Check out the Alice In Wonderland ride caterpillar cars coming down the vine from the second level, where the ride building sits right on top of the Mr. Toad ride. Etc., etc.)

But there is a tour that you would probably love, the Walk In Walt's Footsteps Tour. That one is geared to the Disney enthusiast, and it really goes into detail about the sections of the park Walt designed, what he was trying to create with the concept in the first place, and how he improved upon his original 1950's ideas with the additions and refinements of the 1960's. It is chock full of Walt trivia and fascinating Disneyland information. The tour guides now have these nifty headset microphones, and you wear a wireless headset so the guide can speak to you without having to shout over crowds or bands or noisy sound effects happening throughout the park.

I would suggest you save that tour for the last day however, after you've spent time exploring the park on your own and gotten used to the vibe and the different feel to Disneyland. I'm sure the Walk In Walt's Footsteps Tour is covered at disneyland.com

 

[wvugeoggrad]

Thanks TP2000, I'll definately go look into that tour. I did the tour at WDW MK last year and we had the headsets there, it was really great for the more crowded areas.

 

[CrashNet]

In a recent update on Miceage, Al Lutz mentioned that Fantasmic! would have a rehab this fall for a couple months so they can install new digitial projectors for the mist screens.

Unlike WDW, Fantasmic! at Disneyland is a major, major entertainment draw and over the past few years they have been adding, refurbing and plussing up the show, the technology used, and its infrastructure.

If Fantasmic! isn't showing up on the calendar for September, it could be due to the rehab Al Lutz talked about recently.

That would be very disappointing if it went down for rehab during our trip. Its not listed, yet, on the rehab list. I hope it stays that way.

UPDATE: I just read that article in miceage. I SERIOUSLY hope they don't shut the thing down for all of September and October. They've already closed the Sun Wheel, Haunted Mansion, and the Alladin Show. One more thing and I'll probably have to cancel my trip.

 

[LadyDarling]

I don't see any of the areas used for Fantasmic on the refurb list. If Tom Sawyer's Island, the Mark Twain, or the Columbia River Boat go on the refurb list, so will Fantasmic. Keep holdin' out hope!

 

[CrashNet]

I don't see any of the areas used for Fantasmic on the refurb list. If Tom Sawyer's Island, the Mark Twain, or the Columbia River Boat go on the refurb list, so will Fantasmic. Keep holdin' out hope!

I hope so. I've always wanted to see DL's version!

 

[nemofinder22]

When's your trip? Also I dont think Fantasmic shows up on the refurb list but instead just dissapears from being listed since its a show. Aladdin is listed since the theater goes down. Heres hopeing you'll make it for one of its performances. Its a really great show that keeps getting better after the refurbs and advancing forward every update.

 

[CrashNet]

When's your trip? Also I dont think Fantasmic shows up on the refurb list but instead just dissapears from being listed since its a show. Aladdin is listed since the theater goes down. Heres hopeing you'll make it for one of its performances. Its a really great show that keeps getting better after the refurbs and advancing forward every update.

My trip is September 17-22...hence my fear they are shutting a bunch of stuff down after peek season.

 

[LadyDarling]

When's your trip? Also I dont think Fantasmic shows up on the refurb list but instead just dissapears from being listed since its a show. Aladdin is listed since the theater goes down. Heres hopeing you'll make it for one of its performances. Its a really great show that keeps getting better after the refurbs and advancing forward every update.

A good way to estimate if Fantasmic will be playing, while not 100% right on all the time, is to keep an eye out for any of the areas Fantasmic uses to be down. If they are, there's a good chance Fantasmic will be down too.

 

[TP2000]

My trip is September 17-22...hence my fear they are shutting a bunch of stuff down after peek season.

Have you called Disneyland's Guest Relations office and asked a CM there?
(714) 781-7290, with real humans available from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM daily

The CM's at that number won't have all of the inside scoop on the why's and the how's that Al Lutz has on Miceage about the Fantasmic! refurbishment this Fall, but they could certainly confirm for you whether or not Fantasmic! would be performing on September 17th through the 22nd.

Don't forget that It's A Small World is also closed for its massive 10 month refurbishment and doesn't reopen until Christmas.

Which reminds me of a thought I often have while reading these boards...

While I can understand the disapointment of having attractions and entertainment closed for refurbishment in the slow months, I have never understood folks who get upset about it. Disneyland is open 365 days per year for 53 years with 15 Million people tromping through the place each year. It has returned to its high standards of maintenance and upkeep, and that means multiple routine and temporary closures of the facilities.

I flew 16 hours to Tokyo Disneyland and the Jungle Cruise, Small World and their big Aladdin special effects show were all closed for refurbishment. I was bummed for a few minutes, but just focused on all the fun stuff that was open. And I had a blast. Next time I go to Tokyo, which is no small feat, I'm sure there will be other attractions closed, which doesn't surprise me because their parks are so immaculately maintained.

I've seen the condition of classic WDW attractions like Country Bears, Space Mountain, Peter Pan, Jungle Cruise, etc. And I've seen the artistically and technically inferior version of WDW's Fantasmic! (the stadium seating is nice though, just a shame the show is such a let down). And WDW management haven't done a thing to update or change that stuff in Florida in years. Decades, even! It's almost as if they don't care about showmanship and are just focused on keeping the sheep from Ohio modestly happy about their once every five years vacation to DiznyWorld.