[Chat] Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

[Radiobarry]

I've been thinking a lot about posting a thread like this, and I finally decided to do it.

I love Disneyland. It's been a part of my 53-year plus life, forever. Plus, there's my nearly eight-year employment history.

I live two hours away. I did have a premium annual pass, but I had to let it lapse for personal financial reasons.

There's always been what I could call a "hassle factor" to one degree or another just getting to the front gates, from where you park your car. And with the old lot, getting a sun-baked car, or leaving the park at night.

But the more I've been reading about the crowding, the parking issues and the like...sometimes I feel like the "hassle factor" outweighs the overall diminished product I see once I get through the gates.

I would like your thoughts on this. And I can't control how a thread can go...but I'd rather not see any one group of DLR lovers getting "bashed".

No matter how close to the park we live or how many times we visit or what kind of ticket we use, we still love Disneyland, I think in spite of Disney and Team Disney Anaheim.

But it has become a lot more of a "hassle", from what I can see.

[Datameister]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

There's certainly some hassle involved. For me, just getting to the park usually entails getting up 3-4 hours early, preparing food, walking for 25 minutes to the right bus stop, and paying $7.50 to ride in a few different vehicles packed with strangers so that I can arrive at the resort some 2-3 hours later. I'm insistent on keeping a go-with-the-flow attitude throughout, which isn't really that hard, since I am going to Disneyland, but there's no denying that it's a hassle. In fact, without the time and expense and mild discomfort of the "commute," I'll bet I would have invested in an annual pass by now.

There's also the hassle of crowds in the park. I try not to let that one get to me at all, but it's a little disheartening when a favorite ride is attracting a two-hour wait. Luckily, I've gotten pretty good at going when the park is only moderately crowded at most and using FastPass to my advantage.

Then there's the fact that my feet are typically killing me at the end of the day. Even with orthopedic inserts and a change of shoes, hyperpronation does not make for pleasant sensations in the feet at the end of a long day in the park. Sometimes the pain lasts several days afterward. And I haven't even mentioned the gastrointestinal issues that I have to be annoyingly careful with in the park.

Bottom line, I still go, and I invariably have an amazing day. But I'd be lying if I said that there weren't certain difficulties that have to be embraced in order for a good time to still be had. I suppose that's life.

[swagdaddy]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

Yep. It's called Christmas time, haha.

[Mojave]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

I'm going to get philosophical here and say that something only becomes a hassle when it is one. In short, if visiting DL is a hassle, then you're obviously not going to want to go.

For me, there is no hassle. But I plan it that way. There is no hassle of overcrowding because I don't go on crowded days. There is no hassle in freeway traffic because I don't drive during rush hour. There is no hassle in parking for the same two reasons above.

On top of that, I'm always laid back at Disneyland. There's no need to go on any particular attraction, so a long line gets passed by. I'm perfectly happy just to walk around the park. I avoid the most crowded show times and see later ones. Or I ride attractions during shows to avoid lines.

I realize some people have to travel long distances to go to DLR and can only visit during hot, crowded summer days. But if you're relatively local and have the flexibility, you can avoid most hassles related to DL.

[Coheteboy]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

Yup, it's mostly the Parking right now.

[d1mex]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

Living in San Jose, it's definitely a drive heading down to Anaheim. My next trip next week will be my 5th this year. I don't see any hassle at all. Yes, there's the 6 or so hour drive, but nothing beats the moment when you see "Disneyland Dr" on the freeway and see the hotels, DD, and the attractions. It's all for that moment, the moment that your in an awesome place, away from reality.

I know I'll have an amazing time the next day or so when I'm in the park. Nothing beats it. There's no "hassle" in the park because there's always something to do. Wait times can get annoying, but its not a hassle knowing that I'm waiting for an awesome attraction that can only be found here.

There is no hassle for me when it comes to Disneyland

[sediment]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

But it has become a lot more of a "hassle", from what I can see.

Everyone should have a theoretical breaking point, unique to their level of handling hassling situations.

I don't like paying, for example. So I have to go through the hassle of being nice to my patron for a few weeks ahead of time, to butter him up.

I think we all can agree that we love the park, or whatever we conjure up in our minds that the park is (or should be) when we're not there.

[DisneyIPresume]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

I live 20 minutes away so it rarely is a hassle for me. I'm sure for those who live maybe 45 minutes or more things start to get worse. But for me it's not too much of a problem.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

If only there were high speed trains to take you there...

[sleepyjeff]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

Reason # 6,987 that the AP program should be eliminated......people are starting to see the place as a "hassle".

Does Disney really want their brand associated with such a negative word?

[SpcMtn77]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

There was one year we were in SoCal visiting family and was only able to spend one day at DL. It was August, blisteringly hot and humid, and severely crowded. There were no attraction ride wait times less than an hour (and this was before the FastPass)...the good ones were 90 min. and up. I swore that I would never again go during the summer or during a crowded season. Not to mention, just one day in the park isn't enough

[aashee]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

It's all about the parking.

[techskip]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

Our decision not to renew our AP's was based both on the financial aspect, and the hassles of dealing with large crowds while trying to navigate the park with small children. To us the "breaking point" was simply too many people within the park itself.

[seenoevil]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

I think the parking deters me sometimes. Lately, when I've gone, there's a long line to get into the structure, a big crowd at the tram, a long line at bag check. Then, if I leave too late, another big crowd for the tram. I don't go to DTD as much any more either. Even if the parking lot isn't bad, it just seems so crowded.

[sunnygirl]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

I think that anything can be viewed as a hassle if you look at it right.

I guess it just depends on my mindset. Some days, the last thing I want to do is deal with the crowds or the weather. That's when I just stay home.

[Bob Weaver]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

Last time we went there, about a month ago, we had five waits before we were standing inside the park:
1. Wait in car line to enter parking structure, 5 min.
2. Wait for tram 10 min.
3. Wait at security checkpoint 10 min.
4. Wait at ticket booth 15 min.
5. Wait at entry gate 5 min.
Add the tram ride and walking times and it was over one hour between the time we drove onto the Disney property and the time we were actually within the gates of Disneyland. It didn't bother me too much, but I could see how kids could get very bored and restless with all the waiting. The only time I felt like it was a hassle was waiting at the ticket booth. I kept thinking, "they had better speed up this part of the process or they're going to have a lot of people walking away at this point." For $72 a head, they should make that part of it go a LOT faster.
When I was a kid, we lived in the city of Orange and drove 15 minutes to Disneyland, entered the parking lot, parked, got a tram, bought tickets and went in. Looking back it seemed like the process was smooth and there were virtually no delays where you were just doing nothing but waiting. Maybe a couple of minutes for the next tram but that was about it. It certainly wasn't one hour between the time we drove onto the parking lot and were actually in the park, like it is now.

[penguinsoda]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

For me the biggest hassle is getting there. I'm also about 2 hours away, and I HATE to drive in traffic. From where I am there is no way to get there without going on the 91, and I HATE the 91. That, and arguing with my husband over going... He is not a Disney fan, hence the reason I come to the park solo.

But once I'm there, I park my car (I usually always get a motel, so I park there), wander over to the park and once I'm through the turnstile... I'm transported to another time and place, and the rest of the world doesn't exist for a day or two... and that makes the hassle to get there worth it. Because I don't stress about having to ride everything, or do everything or see everything. I can just chill, wander the parks and take in the atmosphere and relax. If I ride something cool, if all I do is sit on a bench with a frozen banana and watch people wander by... then thats good too.

Until the drive home.

[plagued]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

Last time we went there, about a month ago, we had five waits before we were standing inside the park:
1. Wait in car line to enter parking structure, 5 min.
2. Wait for tram 10 min.
3. Wait at security checkpoint 10 min.
4. Wait at ticket booth 15 min.
5. Wait at entry gate 5 min.

this literally sums up how it is almost every single day now.

add another 20-25 minutes if you come on one of the busier days and they have to close the structure and make you drive around the park to pumbaa or buzz lightyear, then put you on a charter bus to get to the park.

i live no more than 20 minutes from the park, and yes -- parking is a hassle for the locals too.

has it ever deterred me away from going to the park? kinda.. but only if i'm on a time crunch. if it's about 1pm and i have to be somewhere by say.. 4pm, you'd think "you can do a lot in 3 hours!" but.. i take into account the 'hassle' if i leave my house at 1pm, i'll get to the structure by 1:20pm, then after all the 'hassle,' i'll get IN the park by 2pm. to get to where i have to go by 4pm, i'll have to be IN my car by 3:30pm. which means leaving the park, getting through crowds, and taking the tram by 3pm. which turns my entire trip into only a ONE hour visit to disneyland..

[Barbaraann]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

I love Disneyland, and I wish that I could go more often. I don't have an Annual Pass, and I don't live close enough to make a day trip out of it. From Chicago, where I live, it takes between 4 and 5 hours to get to California by plane. A Disneyland vacation for myself means about a week away from Chicago. In order to see and do everything that I want to see and do I need at least 5 days. I count the other two days as travel days.

I won't go into all the travel specifics, but last time I came to Disneyland, I left my house at 8:30 a.m. for a noon flight, Chicago time, and I didn't walk into the park until about 4 p.m. California time.

I'd gladly trade the hazzle of an airplane trip with a drive in the car, and the parking hazzle.

I have always said that if you don't have fun on vacation it's your own fault. I'd say the same is true for Disneyland.

[Bob Weaver]

Re: Is There A Point Where the "Hassle" of Visiting the DLR Makes You Not Want To Go?

It would help if they had another entry gate, close to the Mickey and Friends parking structure. You would enter the park at Critter Country, but so what. And another gate at Tomorrowland if they do build that parking structure on the other side of Harbor. Anything to reduce crowding and waiting at the main gate.

And it would be nice if they had a shuttle from the Amtrak station which is in the parking lot of the Anaheim stadium, that takes you to the entrance gate of Disneyland and makes no other stops, so people could "cheat" and get off somewhere else. That would help relieve parking problems.

As for crowding within the park, I think the only real solution for that is to increase the park's carrying capacity, by building more rides and attractions, having more shows, using every available unused space within the park and even going outside the berm if necessary for additional space and additional attractions.