My wife and her sister recently planned a trip to Disneyland for their 50th Anniversary Grand Re-Opening. I had very little say in the planning, and much of what I did say was disregarded. So I went and I played by their rules. Which was good for all of us because now I’ve been inspired to write some new tips. The tips that I’ve always known that have been so deeply engraved in my subconscious that I do them without conscious thought. So a new Disneyland section of this web site has been born. And I’ll be writing more basic tips in the near future as well.
It was my Sister-in-Law’s idea to go to Disneyland on the day of the grand re-opening: May 5th, 2005. And my wife cheerfully played along so that we could all go and suffer together.
It was crowded beyond my wildest expectations; and Disneyland was forcing these large crowds through two very narrow walkways on each side of the media’s “tent city”; which was located directly in front of the castle on the central plaza and the surrounding circle drive of Main Street, blocking all the major access points to the park. There were no benefits for being there on the 5th; we could have gone anytime in the next year and received everything that we received on the 5th. And we could have done so without all the crowds. But no one was listening to me when I tried to sell that idea months ago.
All we got for going on May 5th was frustrated. Frustrated with the crowds, the media, and larger than expected crowds. Disneyland was clearly not prepared for the extra crowds, and they planned poorly when they chose their location for the media circus.
So my first tip for the new Disneyland section of this web site is that Disneyland, and all the Disney theme parks, will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Disneyland ALL YEAR LONG. You needn’t go now when the crowds are at their worst, and Disneyland is still trying to figure out how to cope with larger than usual crowds. Go in September or October, when the weather is cooler and all the little kids have gone back to school. And you needn’t go to California. All the parks are offering the same celebration, so choose the park closest to you.
Oh, and if your Sister-in-Law has a different idea…. Send her by herself!