We are (essentially) first-time family vacationers (
Disneyland veterans, though) here this week. We heard about the party, decided we'd try to go... with no real notion that going would be challenging- we went to MK during the day, left around 5pm, came back to AKL to swim for a bit and see how we felt. Around 8 we went to the buses (my 11yo wisely suggested we go to DHS and eat there, because if we ate first we'd probably just feel full and tired and not want to go... she wasn't sure she wanted to go *anyway*, because she doesn't like crowds or loud events much, so her suggestion was a way to work through her own misgivings)- there was a crowd at the bus stops looking cranky, but a HS bus came almost immediately! A CM got out and told us that the traffic was *terrible*, the ride would be very long, and then the driver got out and gave a detailed lecture about the 1.5hour+ the drive to DHS would take, that traffic was gridlocked, police were trying to direct traffic, that yes we would get into the park once we got there, probably, but it was going to require HUGE amounts of patience, and if you didn't have a LOT of patience then please do not get on his bus. Poor guy looked exhausted.
We went back into the lodge and got a nice dinner at Mara, promising my 8yo that we'd go check the news about the event after we ate and if it seemed at *all* promising, then I'd take just her and leave the 11yo (8yo deals with crowds and noise better
), but when we went up and asked it around 9:30 the very sad bell desk guy ("ALL my coworkers are there, and I didn't get to go") said that word was it was still awful, there were gate closures and etc. So, meh. Mostly I feel satisfied that we were alert enough to not get caught in the middle of it, and glad we didn't make the decision at MK to head directly to DHS with no break (we would likely have gotten in and then been very frustrated with the crowd levels- we're really not long line for characters or wait-for-hours-for-shows people).
Lots of grumbly people in the AKL lobby. Saw one mom complaining about a very rude bus driver who rerouted (or got rerouted) without telling the passengers, and was short with them when confronted about it, the whole thing making her miss her Boma reservation (I think- I didn't catch all the details)- I don't think they were even trying to go to the Villains event. The desk guy was sympathetic to the bus driver ("frustration coming out on one of his worst work nights ever"), but also to the guest, and gave her a $100 credit to pay for a meal at Mara (only place open by then) and whatever else she could charge.
We will try to be extra nice to the bus drivers today. We've got noon ADR for Akershus and FP+ for Illuminations, so it'll be an Epcot day for us.