So lemme get this straight...

[theluckyrabbit]

Haha, I'm reading this thread and trying my hardest not to be bummed! I didn't know that there was going to be a ton of refurbishments potentially happening while we are there for the first time (and likely, our last trip). We aren't local either, (another Canadian), and Disney is a once in a lifetime thing for us. Am I entitled to be upset if things don't go my way? Yeah, I guess... but at the same time I won't allow our trip to be spoiled by my own disappointment. I'm sure there are plenty of other amazing things to see and do despite the closures. Honestly, I would rather deal with no fireworks, castle refurbishment and ride closures than the insane crowds that will ensue once GE opens.

I know you've been doing a lot of research and planning for your trip, and I'm proud of you for keeping your chin up about all the curveballs Disney is throwing your way. There is still a LOT of magic to be found in the parks, and if you and your family keep your eyes and hearts open, you will find it! Hope your trip planning is moving right along!

 

[Malcon10t]

WOC being down should have forced Disney to keep Fantasmic! up

Without an expected return date for WOC, Fantasmic! has a return date of Mar 8. (Basically, 6 weeks.) In time for the Spring Break busy time!!

 

[Christin82]

I will tell you who I think has zero right to complain, not that it will stop them...

I have no idea if this applies to anyone in this thread, but there are folks who seem to have zero time to come here before their trip and get information about typical refurb seasons and choosing dates. But they have no problem finding time to come here after to complain.

I have taken my own time to help to write up very detailed threads to help anyone and everyone who cares to come hear and check beforehand. I provide dates!!!

This forum has gone one step further by recognizing some of my threads in a Sticky thread. Really, it could not be made any easier for someone who truly wants to know.

I have some sympathy for folks who do not come here to check before their trips. I have zero sympathy for someone who comes to complain after.

I’m sort of a hybrid between the people you have sympathy for and the ones you don’t have sympathy for. I do tons of planning well in advance and knew this was refurb season. I’m not too disappointed about F!, WOC, the castle, or Space Mountain because I’ve seen them all many times, so it’s not too big a deal to me. However, I have complained here on behalf of one-time visitors who would benefit from a link to upcoming rrefurbishments that’s easily accessible on the DL site.

I agree that people should do their research, and many more do plan now, which is part of the reason why the “off-season” has become increasingly crowded. The thing is, when people google “Disneyland planning tips” or something similar, this is not the first page to come up. Many rely on very generic information and crowd calendars. People thought they were being smart by going early in the year before SWGE opens. Even if they had been savvy enough to google “Disneyland refurbishment schedule,” the historical/seasonal closures wouldn’t have been helpful in predicting the closure of the castle and both nighttime shows. Many end up joining Disneyland-planning Facebook groups, which are full of newbies and rife with misinformation. In both of the fb groups I joined recently, people had no idea about the closures. There is the DISboards Facebook page, but it’s geared predominantly toward Disney World. Is there a DIS Facebook just for Disneyland?

ETA: I’m so glad that F! is coming back!

 

[HydroGuy]

I’m sort of a hybrid between the people you have sympathy for and the ones you don’t have sympathy for. I do tons of planning well in advance and knew this was refurb season. I’m not too disappointed about F!, WOC, the castle, or Space Mountain because I’ve seen them all many times, so it’s not too big a deal to me. However, I have complained here on behalf of one-time visitors who would benefit from a link to upcoming rrefurbishments that’s easily accessible on the DL site.

I agree that people should do their research, and many more do plan now, which is part of the reason why the “off-season” has become increasingly crowded. The thing is, when people google “Disneyland planning tips” or something similar, this is not the first page to come up. Many rely on very generic information and crowd calendars. People thought they were being smart by going early in the year before SWGE opens. Even if they had been savvy enough to google “Disneyland refurbishment schedule,” the historical/seasonal closures wouldn’t have been helpful in predicting the closure of the castle and both nighttime shows. Many end up joining Disneyland-planning Facebook groups, which are full of newbies and rife with misinformation. In both of the fb groups I joined recently, people had no idea about the closures. There is the DISboards Facebook page, but it’s geared predominantly toward Disney World. Is there a DIS Facebook just for Disneyland?

ETA: I’m so glad that F! is coming back!

Thanks! As you gathered, it is not the people who found wrong information elsewhere I was addressing. It is the people maybe that did not find this forum while planning (for all the reasons you stated) but somehow DID find this forum after to complain. That just ain't fair in general or to the folks here who spend so much time providing such info.

I do know what it is like to be disappointed. I extended my stay last summer by one day to catch the opening night show of WOC after its April-June "refurb". But then it got damaged (in early June as I recall) and has not been shown since. I was disappointed in that for obvious reasons, especially since I am the biggest WOC fan out there.

But I also am an engineer and, at the time, I stated here on this forum that someone at Disney, or more likely one of their design firms, made a huge design mistake that frankly should not have been made if people were doing their jobs properly. So Disney does mess up and that was one of them. They also messed up, badly IMO, on the opening day of Incredicoaster, which I also posted, and we also extended our trip for.

 

[Jessica Nicely]

We are WDW regulars, and are only going to DL because we happen to be traveling west. We are going for the first time in mid-April in between Palm Sunday and Easter. It will most likely be a one and done trip for us. I doubt that we will be going out west again. It will be a real shame if the castle is being refurbished when we go.

I too am a WDW veteran and am going to DL for the first time May6th-11th! I sure do hope the castle is finished by then, but it is hard to say. I know either way we will have a great time but I have always wanted to see sleeping beauty castle.

 

[ivanp91]

So Cinderella's Castle is under refurb until "Spring 2019".

I'm thinking the normal HEE which obviously cant be shown due to the Caste being covered.

Not to sound too snarky, but surely you know that these are Magic Kingdom things right? If you're talking about Disneyland, you mean Sleeping Beauty Castle and Remember... Dreams Come True.

 

[mummabear]

Ease up!

My apologies, sometimes tone can be difficult to read or convey across the board.

Here's the thing though, it's not 1 person vs 20 million people. I doubt I am the only guest that believes that Disney can do better despite many posters here believing they can almost do no wrong.

There is no real off season anymore, and Disney is really making a rod for their own back. If it is too crap to visit in the "off season" then they will push everyone to visit "on season" making it even worse, they dont want that, they need guests coming for more than 3 months over summer, easter and xmas/nye.

And if peoples choice becomes going when they take everything down vs going when its unbearably crowded then people may decide it's not worth going at all.

Their only solution is to make it "more fair" across the year. Obviously things need to be taken down, sometimes without warning, but I don't think its acceptable to do all your refurbs at one time so that you dont do any at another time. Its allowing one guests experience to be a 3 so another's can be a 10, and that isn't good business.

As much as Disney relies on the locals, it cant survive on them alone. They can easily improve guests experience by providing information, they way several other theme parks, including other Disney ones do.

Now it certainly isnt all doom and gloom for our trip, I am excited to meet Mushu, to do Mickeys Valentines scavenger hunt and to be there for the Ducks day. But i am concerned that they are driving up attendance with a well advertised ticket discount (without a well advertised refurb schedule) at a time there will already be plenty of people who were intentionally visiting before GE opens, and that with the massive refurb schedule, my main concern of that being no WOC (and it doesnt matter that it wasn't planned because they have made the other decisions knowing it's not back up), no F! and a new nighttime show that's 1/2 the length of the previous one. There is really nothing to disperse the evening crowds, they are choosing not to put PTN in, or to add other evening entertainment to fill that gap or to even try to manage those crowds.

And I do think people can feel passionate about things they really love, if people dont care about a company it's easy to just stop spending your money there, stop going. Often those complaining are doing it from a place of legitimately wanting to improve things.

 

[NaturalNine]

Here's the thing though, it's not 1 person vs 20 million people. I doubt I am the only guest that believes that Disney can do better despite many posters here believing they can almost do no wrong.

I am 100% with you - Disney should and absolutely can do a lot better with this

I’m also personally affected, purchased a 4 day pass but realistically with all the things that are down, no (significant) night time shows etc, the crowd levels will be absolutely manic - makes it almost not worthwhile going

The problem with these boards, is most of the regulars defend Disney as if they own the company themselves, which then drives away those who are more level headed to other more mediums (Facebook groups etc)

 

[HydroGuy]

My apologies, sometimes tone can be difficult to read or convey across the board.

Here's the thing though, it's not 1 person vs 20 million people. I doubt I am the only guest that believes that Disney can do better despite many posters here believing they can almost do no wrong.

No worries! On the WDW vs DLR thing, I do believe, a I said in my PP, that WDW has way more data to work with and more knobs they can turn (free DDP, etc.). DLR mostly has "what happened last year" and "how is the economy doing".

And the way DLR works, with the catering to locals and, more than that, trying to keep things fresh for AP holders, means they now have automatic downtime for rides for seasonal makeovers. HM, IASW, SMGG and GOTG:MAD to name the bigger ones. Plus they change shows over like WOC to holiday themes. They have found this keeps locals coming back more often - and in years I have an AP it makes me take an extra trip or two I otherwise probably would not - even though I now live out of state. WDW by and large does not do this. But you who else does? Tokyo Disney. Because they, like DLR, have a huge local group that wants to see frequent changes.

I really do not think most people here think Disney can do no wrong. I don't. But I do think Disney has to make pragmatic decisions that are going to make some people unhappy.

There is no real off season anymore, and Disney is really making a rod for their own back. If it is too crap to visit in the "off season" then they will push everyone to visit "on season" making it even worse, they dont want that, they need guests coming for more than 3 months over summer, easter and xmas/nye.

And if peoples choice becomes going when they take everything down vs going when its unbearably crowded then people may decide it's not worth going at all.

Their only solution is to make it "more fair" across the year. Obviously things need to be taken down, sometimes without warning, but I don't think its acceptable to do all your refurbs at one time so that you dont do any at another time. Its allowing one guests experience to be a 3 so another's can be a 10, and that isn't good business.

If you pay close attention in recent years, they have been doing more things that impact summer / holiday seasons which were the two untouchables in years past. Last year they did PxP which took one of DCA's biggest rides down until the end of June (Incredicoaster). And while there may not be an off-season anymore, the crowds in Jan-March are still less than summer. So it still makes sense to use that time.

Finally, with SWGE coming up likely in June they know for a fact they will have crowds possibly like they have never seen before starting in June. Certainly that is not the time to be taking things down for refurb. They need as many people eaters as they can get once June hits.

I suspect they will try and minimize taking things down this fall because of SWGE and will probably wait until January 2020 to start doing refurbs again. I do not see what else they can do as that is when SWGE crowds will start to subside a little and refurbs are needed.

 

[sherilaine]

Here's the thing though, it's not 1 person vs 20 million people. I doubt I am the only guest that believes that Disney can do better despite many posters here believing they can almost do no wrong.

I agree you are not the only person who is upset with Disney and believe they can do a better job - but are you still going? Are you going to spend money even though you believe they can do better.

I am not defending their decisions as they impact all of us but I understand why they make some of them, but honestly with SWGE opening, they have a problem most companies never come close to having - how do we manage too much demand. Others have compared Disney's mistakes to that of Apple and how Apple is now suffering - but the thing is there is no truly comparable competition for Disneyland. It's unique and it has fans that will pay way more money than is being asked of them today to return. I don't think they have to worry about the park only having guests 3 months of the year or at Christmas time.

Disney do not want to do things that reduce revenue and having WOC down is doing that - and they are going to survey people and pay attention to complaints but honestly they are not concerned with the folks upset about the castle.
They are more concerned that the guests who aren't even real Disney fans passing that castle see it for all it's magical brilliance and glory on their way to Star Wars land once it opens and then more fans!!

 

[Skyegirl1999]

I think there’s constructive criticism... and then there’s just plain toxic negativity. There is a huge, huge difference in tone between the two. I often wonder why some people even bother to go to Disneyland when it seems to upset them more than bring them joy!

Are there things Disney could do better? Sure. And it can be nice to have a place to discuss those things. But lots of people would disagree about which things those are, and how they should be prioritized. And a lot of people get very focused on their personal situation and lose sight of the bigger picture of park operations.

I’m a “local” who is pretty passionate about helping DL tourists. In addition to the time I spend on these boards answering questions and trying to help people have the most magical time possible, I spend a lot of time at the parks trying to help people out, too. I’m the person in the security line showing all the people around me how the app works, lol. My daughter brings $1 coloring book “fun packs” and gives them out to kids waiting for parades.

I’m also making a “once in a lifetime” trip to DL Paris this April, and it looks like Phantom Manor will still be down even though it was supposed to be back up as of when we booked that trip. Am I bummed? Sure! Are we going to let it ruin our trip? Nah. But I’m not unable to sympathize with tourists just because I’m local to DL.

Anyway, I get frustrated by posters who are a constant source of negativity, but I mostly feel for the people who are in the parks with them! Going to DL with a chip on your shoulder doesn’t make for the most fun day.

 

[HydroGuy]

I’m also making a “once in a lifetime” trip to DL Paris this April, and it looks like Phantom Manor will still be down even though it was supposed to be back up as of when we booked that trip. Am I bummed? Sure! Are we going to let it ruin our trip? Nah. But I’m not unable to sympathize with tourists just because I’m local to DL.

Good for you! They have the most beautiful castle! And it is really cool walking around FantasyLand and hearing so many foreign language spoken plus British-accented English. It adds to the experience for Americans LOL, but I understand that the Europeans put FantasyLand at the bottom.

I was in France in November on business and was thinking about adding in a couple days at DLRP. But they Phantom Manor down - which I love there - as well as Crusher's Coaster. When I visited in 2007 my final day was the day before CC opened so I missed it. If those two were operating I would have tried harder to make time to go.

Don't forget to go under the castle!

Enjoy France!

 

[MrsD.Duck]

View attachment 378221 View attachment 378218

I go to the official Disney app and when you click on the calendar dates of a planned trip and scroll down past the hours it says closed for refurbishment.

I have found that mouseplanet under their weekly disneyland update they have a pretty up to date refurb schedule. Sometimes you have to search multiple sources to get all the information

 

[keaster]

We had booked our Disneyland trip (booked at 7 months-DVC) for our daughter's March break in 2018. Found out later that there would be no fireworks at Disneyland our whole trip due to the whole main street being closed for repairs. Also Pixar construction was underway at Grand California so that whole side of the park aside from Midway Mania was closed. So yes, lots of closures with not a whole lot of notice, but we had a great time anyway!

 

[mummabear]

but are you still going? Are you going to spend money even though you believe they can do better.

Yes I'm still going, for families travelling internationally it's not really something that can be moved because several rides are down, if the unthinkable happened and the resort burned to the ground we would still be stuck with a trip to LA.
The question becomes is it worth coming again, and as someone who has done either DLR or WDW annually for 14 years, I sure hope the answer is yes. As I said upthread though the choice looks increasingly like a) summer/holidays and crazy crowded, b) spring and everything is closed down or c) fall and there is refurbs still crowded and the park is closed a lot for hard ticket parties.

And a lot of people get very focused on their personal situation and lose sight of the bigger picture of park operations.

I agree, although I think part of that is people who go in summer and are unwilling to see the logic in anything at all being closed during their trip as other seasons get busier, obviously the majority of it is not going to be done then, but as the rest of the years crowds have increased, the load needs to be spread, and maybe that means 1 thing goes down in june/July so that only 5 not 6 things are down at the same time in Feb.

Anyway, I get frustrated by posters who are a constant source of negativity, but I mostly feel for the people who are in the parks with them! Going to DL with a chip on your shoulder doesn’t make for the most fun day.

I don't think that just because some posters feel that Disney can do better means they are negative, maybe again tone is hard to convey.

I am still looking forward to my trip, we will have a great time, there are several things we are specifically looking forward to that will be new for this trip. Things like the castle being closed while a little disappointing arent a make or break for the trip, in fact no one thing thing being closed or refurbished alone will.

But yeah in discussions here about these closures I can and will share my opinion on how Disney has/is managing their refurbs.

 

[Malcon10t]

Yes I'm still going, for families travelling internationally it's not really something that can be moved because several rides are down, if the unthinkable happened and the resort burned to the ground we would still be stuck with a trip to LA.
The question becomes is it worth coming again, and as someone who has done either DLR or WDW annually for 14 years, I sure hope the answer is yes. As I said upthread though the choice looks increasingly like a) summer/holidays and crazy crowded, b) spring and everything is closed down or c) fall and there is refurbs still crowded and the park is closed a lot for hard ticket parties.

Summer really is not "crazy crowded". It is busy, it is hot, and it is peak time. THIS YEAR, it will be CRAZY BUSY.

Spring is Mar 20th-June 20th. Spring is usually when rides are coming back up. They generally try to use mid-Jan-early March to get most refurbs done. Some will last into May, but MOST are back up by spring break.

So, yes Winter is a period with more refurbs. As for "everything is closed down", Fantasmic! is down til Mar 8, IASW is until Feb 1, Splash Mountain is down Feb 4-14, Astro Orbitor is down til mid March, Space goes down Feb 25 - mid March, Castle is covered thru probably May. What is up for my trip (close to yours)? Winnie The pooh, Haunted Mansion, POTC, Indy, Jungle Cruise, the train, Space, Star Tours, Matterhorn, everything in Fantasyland, everything in Toontown, Everthing on Main Street... In DCA, other than WOC, Grizzly River is down, everything else is up. I don't consider that "everything is closed down".

Fall is Halloween and Thanksgiving. A couple refurbs may happen in October.

As far as closed for "the park is closed a lot for hard ticket parties", are you referring to the evenings DL closes at 6 or 7 for the Halloween parties? They close at 6 on Tues nights, which traditionally were a 10am-8pm day, and change their hours to 8 or 9-6pm, but keep DCA open til 10. On Fridays, they do close it earlier, but they heard from the masses that they would pay more for a Friday night for those coming from out of town, so they have chosen to close early, but keep DCA open longer.

I am still looking forward to my trip, we will have a great time, there are several things we are specifically looking forward to that will be new for this trip. Things like the castle being closed while a little disappointing arent a make or break for the trip, in fact no one thing thing being closed or refurbished alone will.

I'm glad to hear you are looking forward to your trip. Tone is difficult to convey, and to be honest, I have felt you were really miserable over this trip.

But yeah in discussions here about these closures I can and will share my opinion on how Disney has/is managing their refurbs.

I would hope you voice these complaints to Disney, as other than sharing your opinion there, voting with your wallet is the only way to let DIsney know your opinion. But know that next year, similar refurbs will be in place for the winter.

 

[Christin82]

I think there’s constructive criticism... and then there’s just plain toxic negativity. There is a huge, huge difference in tone between the two. I often wonder why some people even bother to go to Disneyland when it seems to upset them more than bring them joy!

Are there things Disney could do better? Sure. And it can be nice to have a place to discuss those things. But lots of people would disagree about which things those are, and how they should be prioritized. And a lot of people get very focused on their personal situation and lose sight of the bigger picture of park operations.

I’m a “local” who is pretty passionate about helping DL tourists. In addition to the time I spend on these boards answering questions and trying to help people have the most magical time possible, I spend a lot of time at the parks trying to help people out, too. I’m the person in the security line showing all the people around me how the app works, lol. My daughter brings $1 coloring book “fun packs” and gives them out to kids waiting for parades.

I’m also making a “once in a lifetime” trip to DL Paris this April, and it looks like Phantom Manor will still be down even though it was supposed to be back up as of when we booked that trip. Am I bummed? Sure! Are we going to let it ruin our trip? Nah. But I’m not unable to sympathize with tourists just because I’m local to DL.

Anyway, I get frustrated by posters who are a constant source of negativity, but I mostly feel for the people who are in the parks with them! Going to DL with a chip on your shoulder doesn’t make for the most fun day.

I really hope I haven’t come across as toxic. If I did, I’m really sorry. I’m excited about our upcoming trip to the point that I’ve been a little obsessive in following this board lately lol. I always do that when I have a trip coming up, and right now we are only about 30 days out! Yay! I keep getting alerts for these posts and finding myself commenting again, but I’m commenting on other, more positive topics, too.

On another note, your posts are extremely helpful. It’s clear that you do a LOT to help people. I especially loved the one about Fastpass availability at different times of the day! Thank you!

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Good for you! They have the most beautiful castle! And it is really cool walking around FantasyLand and hearing so many foreign language spoken plus British-accented English. It adds to the experience for Americans LOL, but I understand that the Europeans put FantasyLand at the bottom.

I was in France in November on business and was thinking about adding in a couple days at DLRP. But they Phantom Manor down - which I love there - as well as Crusher's Coaster. When I visited in 2007 my final day was the day before CC opened so I missed it. If those two were operating I would have tried harder to make time to go.

Don't forget to go under the castle!

Enjoy France!

Thank you! We are very much looking forward to it! And I’m possibly more excited about under the castle than the castle itself! We are bummed about missing Phantom Manor, but there’s still a lot we’re looking forward to.

I really hope I haven’t come across as toxic. If I did, I’m really sorry. I’m excited about our upcoming trip to the point that I’ve been a little obsessive in following this board lately lol. I always do that when I have a trip coming up, and right now we are only about 30 days out! Yay! I keep getting alerts for these posts and finding myself commenting again, but I’m commenting on other, more positive topics, too.

On another note, your posts are extremely helpful. It’s clear that you do a LOT to help people. I especially loved the one about Fastpass availability at different times of the day! Thank you!

You haven’t come across that way to me. I hope you have a great trip!

 

[mummabear]

I don't consider that "everything is closed down".

It was admittedly being dramatic, a more about at one time or another rather than all at once.
My only real gripe being the choice to take F! Down before WOC was back up, and without any replacement, bring back PTN for that time period....

I'm glad to hear you are looking forward to your trip. Tone is difficult to convey, and to be honest, I have felt you were really miserable over this trip

Not at all, autograph books are ready to go, pins are ready for trading, cake is booked and excited for Sweetheart Nights (with Nana having made special shirts).
But the topic if this thread (and a couple of others) was the closures.

I would hope you voice these complaints to Disney,

I certainly have.

 

[Malcon10t]

It was admittedly being dramatic, a more about at one time or another rather than all at once.
My only real gripe being the choice to take F! Down before WOC was back up, and without any replacement, bring back PTN for that time period....

I understand your feeling, but having to take down the Columbia takes down Fantasmic! regardless. With no end in sight to WOC, they can't just keep running Fantasmic! hoping it won't get worse. Rumor has it WOC may be back around Memorial Day (end of May), but if they wait til it is back up (if it comes up when the rumor is thinking), Fantasmic! would be down when SW:GE opens.

It has been 18 mos since it was refurbed, with 7000-15000 guests playing on the stage/ships/backstage areas on a daily basis. It isn't a case of "Let's clean it up for the heck of it".

As for PTN, with the food booths for the Food and Wine and the Lunar new Year, it is in refurb. It isn't a case of "Let's just put this on!"