Disneyland Reopening Speculation Superthread

[theluckyrabbit]

I'm sure I can find this somewhere else on the DIS forums.. but since our family travel schedule is flexible, when would you say is the best time(s) to travel to DLR for first-timers (assuming we get back to "normal times" someday). My son is a huge Nightmare Before Christmas fan (haunted mansion overlay), but I can imagine this is one of the busiest times of year to visit..

What we always tell people, first timers and DLR veterans, is to pick the time that works best for your family -- the time or holiday when you really want to visit -- and plan your trip from there. Do not use crowd calendars (that's a WDW trick -- there really aren't any crowd calendars that work well for DLR) and do not plan your trip trying to outsmart and outplan the crowds. Do your research, make your best plans, have a backup plan ready, have everyone pack their most positive and flexible attitude, then go let the magic happen. That's how to have a great DLR trip. People who try to micromanage their trips, usually plan all the magic right out of everything. DLR just doesn't work that way. Make your best plans, then relax and let go! If your son wants to see HMH, the usual time frame should be from the start of Halloween Time through mid January or so, So you have a pretty good range of dates to choose from. So choose your dates, come back here to double check that nothing crazy will be happening at that same time, then start planning your trip.

 

[midnight star]

I'm sure I can find this somewhere else on the DIS forums.. but since our family travel schedule is flexible, when would you say is the best time(s) to travel to DLR for first-timers (assuming we get back to "normal times" someday). My son is a huge Nightmare Before Christmas fan (haunted mansion overlay), but I can imagine this is one of the busiest times of year to visit..

I would say late June-mid July is a good time to visit. You get full hours, entertainment, the heat isn’t too bad, so you can do the pool. Plus there are minimal refurbs at this time.

 

[TurnDownForWalt]

Thank you all! Very helpful info. I'm sure there's many like me out there.. a WDW aficionado, but DLR is an entirely different ballgame and is so foreign to me haha One things for certain we all have in common.. Hoping & praying this pandemic becomes exterminated as quickly as possible!!! Stay safe & healthy everyone

 

[cruisehopeful]

I'm sure I can find this somewhere else on the DIS forums.. but since our family travel schedule is flexible, when would you say is the best time(s) to travel to DLR for first-timers (assuming we get back to "normal times" someday). My son is a huge Nightmare Before Christmas fan (haunted mansion overlay), but I can imagine this is one of the busiest times of year to visit..

The Nightmare Before Christmas overlay starts in September and goes through the end of the year. If you could go the last week of September, or any week in November that doesn't include Thanksgiving, you'll likely have lower crowds. Avoid October.

 

[Aurora0427]

I'm sure I can find this somewhere else on the DIS forums.. but since our family travel schedule is flexible, when would you say is the best time(s) to travel to DLR for first-timers (assuming we get back to "normal times" someday). My son is a huge Nightmare Before Christmas fan (haunted mansion overlay), but I can imagine this is one of the busiest times of year to visit..

Removing the pandemic....

I would go in November the week after Thanksgiving or early December during the week. The weather is great, Haunted Mansion Holiday is up, and Jack and Sally are greeting regularly. It’s not terribly crowded. All the Christmas stuff is out everywhere. It’s just magical. We were actually planning on going during the week this year the week after Thanksgiving and taking the kids out of school before the covid struck.

 

[ycsteves]

Friday’s going to be hard, not only because it’s the anniversary, but it would have been the reopening too! Full disclosure, I was never really a “Disney person” before January of this year, but realized that I must be as I stood outside DL at 4am in January to get a boarding group for Rise. I miss DLR so much and still have my DL stuff packed from when I thought they would open this week. If you were to have told me last year that DL would be closed this long I would have shrugged and said oh well, but I truly didn’t know how much I loved DL until it was “gone” so to speak.

 

[TikiTikiFan]

Friday’s going to be hard, not only because it’s the anniversary, but it would have been the reopening too!

I know, I was thinking that too. Wish we’d get some news but I get why it’s hard to say right now. Just a bummer. Might throw in the towel on this year because the back and forth is tough.

 

[disneychrista]

Wish we’d get some news but I get why it’s hard to say right now.

I actually applaud Disney for NOT giving false hope to people by saying anything about when the parks may open when they really have no say in it right now.

 

[wingednike]

I'm not sure if this would make you feel better or worse, but why not throw an anniversary party at home?

I've seen Mickey ice cream bars at Costco and Target.
Tio Pepe churros at Smart and Final.
I'm sure there is a music playlist on Spotify or Youtube.
I think the Disney Family Museum is also doing something virtual this Friday.

 

[ycsteves]

I'm not sure if this would make you feel better or worse, but why not throw an anniversary party at home?

I've seen Mickey ice cream bars at Costco and Target.
Tio Pepe churros at Smart and Final.
I'm sure there is a music playlist on Spotify or Youtube.
I think the Disney Family Museum is also doing something virtual this Friday.

This would be perfect!!! I was also planning on watching Disney+ all day and starting the morning with the music from soundsofdisney.com! I just wish I was doing that on my way down to Disneyland lol

 

[DizMe]

We went through a DVC rental store (not David's), and they've already told us that we can either cancel now and get no money back but not owe the rest, or pay for it and if they're closed they will issue us a credit. My gut says things won't be open, but I don't know if I am confident enough to gamble that kind of money.

I'm so sorry! I know how that feels. We booked a river cruise in Eastern Europe for the end of June. Dh and I were going to fly over with 20-year-old dd, meet 17-year-old twin dds in Rome at the end of their school Europe, then head out on the cruise. We put down a $1500 deposit in January. Then Covid started up in China and began spreading and I anxiously watched its progress, wondering what to do. I called the cruise company several times. I looked into getting the insurance that allows you to cancel for any reason, but eventually the best I could do was to cancel the day final payment was due on the cruise. At that point, it was completely unclear whether or not it would still be going, but I couldn't risk the many thousands of dollars. We had to forfeit the $1500 deposit. The twins trip, which had already been prepaid, was also cancelled and the company offered to refund all but the deposit (which was $500 each, so $1000) or reschedule the trip for next summer with no additional costs. We opted to reschedule, but it's hard to know what things are going to look like down the road. I hope things work out next summer. I'd hate to lose all of the money we have invested in trips that couldn't be taken because of covid. We also surprised the 3 girls with tickets to see Taylor Swift in LA this summer, which of course also got cancelled. It's supposed to be rescheduled in 2021 but who knows if the timing will work or if they'll even be able to do it then?

But I also had DL trips, like most of us here, and although it makes me sad and I'm mourning the temporary loss of our happy place, I'm also kind of relieved that they are keeping the safety of the public at the forefront of their decisions. It makes it easier because it takes the pressure off me having to decide whether or not it's really safe enough to go back.

 

[mentos]

Removing the pandemic....

I would go in November the week after Thanksgiving or early December during the week. The weather is great, Haunted Mansion Holiday is up, and Jack and Sally are greeting regularly. It’s not terribly crowded. All the Christmas stuff is out everywhere. It’s just magical. We were actually planning on going during the week this year the week after Thanksgiving and taking the kids out of school before the covid struck.

I agree and our usual favorite travel time is Thanksgiving week. Just a reminder to all that the chances of rain goes up progressively as you enter November/December/January. It was downpour central around Thanksgiving last year, but luckily we were in waterproof rain gear from head to toe and it was nothing...can't say the same about other folks (cheers to you Mr. Squishy Tennis Shoes Man in a waterlogged hoodie in line at HM).

But we also value the holiday decorations and HMH, so combine that with not minding the rain....no, enjoying the rain (keeps some people away), November is perfect.

I would say late June-mid July is a good time to visit. You get full hours, entertainment, the heat isn’t too bad, so you can do the pool. Plus there are minimal refurbs at this time.

June is my new favorite time to visit. Long hours as you mentioned, cloudy skies (June Gloom), and low crowds (pre-COVID) compared to the insanity that was October. The only downside to us is the lack of holiday decorations & HMH, but that's why we come back in the fall/winter!

 

[midnight star]

So I am watching one of WDW bloggers and she is showing that there is some sort of food festival happening at Epcot. I hope that means not all hope is lost for DL food festivals, such as Food and Wine and Festival of Holidays. Only thing that worries me is that DCA can get so congested with the food booths, whereas Epcot has more space.

 

[KPeterso]

Friday’s going to be hard, not only because it’s the anniversary, but it would have been the reopening too! Full disclosure, I was never really a “Disney person” before January of this year, but realized that I must be as I stood outside DL at 4am in January to get a boarding group for Rise. I miss DLR so much and still have my DL stuff packed from when I thought they would open this week. If you were to have told me last year that DL would be closed this long I would have shrugged and said oh well, but I truly didn’t know how much I loved DL until it was “gone” so to speak.

We should be at Disneyland and VGC this week (yesterday through Friday). I am pretty bummed about that today. I was willing to do a resort only visit at this point (would just like to be in 4 different walls for a few days). Sigh - this week is just not working for me. Crazy at work and then thinking of where I should be instead.

 

[KPeterso]

So I am watching one of WDW bloggers and she is showing that there is some sort of food festival happening at Epcot. I hope that means not all hope is lost for DL food festivals, such as Food and Wine and Festival of Holidays. Only thing that worries me is that DCA can get so congested with the food booths, whereas Epcot has more space.

WDW announced their food and wine (modified and more spread out as I recall) would be starting today with the opening of the park. Their longest food and wine ever.

 

[laugard]

Friday’s going to be hard, not only because it’s the anniversary, but it would have been the reopening too! Full disclosure, I was never really a “Disney person” before January of this year, but realized that I must be as I stood outside DL at 4am in January to get a boarding group for Rise. I miss DLR so much and still have my DL stuff packed from when I thought they would open this week. If you were to have told me last year that DL would be closed this long I would have shrugged and said oh well, but I truly didn’t know how much I loved DL until it was “gone” so to speak.

I so relate to this! I never thought of myself as a "Disney person" either. I'd go when friends or family visited, so maybe once a year at most. But I had a close relative move here recently and after a regular visit and introduction of the Flex Plass, ended up buying APs. Ended up going four or five times in seven months (I know that's still low for many lol), including waking up super early twice to drive down and try for Rise. (Feel very fortunate to have gotten boarding groups both times!) I'm glad CA and Disney are both being cautious now, but I miss being able to go.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Mod edit: Heads up, anyone planning a New Year's visit.

2021 Rose Parade has been canceled. The high risk of spreading the virus as well as the delayed preparation schedules led to the cancellation.

The Rose Bowl football game is expected to still be played on January 1st.


The 2021 Rose Parade is canceled for first time in 75 years
‪http://enewspaper.latimes.com/infinity/article_share.aspx?guid=1a32bca7-71b9-4f88-bc6c-76b7d9ed987e - Rose Parade is called off to counter virus‬

 

[disneychrista]

2021 Rose Parade has been canceled. The high risk of spreading the virus as well as the delayed preparation schedules led to the cancellation.

Funny I saw this headline in a local paper and I thought they were talking about a local parade (held in the spring) and I was thinking wow they sure decided that early. Didn't even dawn on me that it was THE Rose Parade. Now it makes much more sense.

 

[midnight star]

Saw a Yahoo article in regards to the parks. A portion of the article mentions DL.
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/disney-world-guinea-pig-theme-park-reopens-florida-193954146.html

 

[ycsteves]

Saw a Yahoo article in regards to the parks. A portion of the article mentions DL.
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/disney-world-guinea-pig-theme-park-reopens-florida-193954146.html

Thanks for the link! I like how they conveniently are leaving out that there are other parks that were open before WDW in FL.