50th Love it or Hate it???

[Goofster]

With the 50th slowly coming to an end did you love it or hate it? Sure the decorations and all the new merchandise were great. The park getting lots of love from paint to new attractions was awesome too. Celebrating 50 years of Walts dream coming to life was something Ill never forget as well. But what about the massive amounts of people who yes keep the park finnacially going but also make the park way more crowded. Also what about AP rates at hotels, those are few and far between this year because massive attendance, means massive amounts of people staying on property which means really expensive hotel rates.Im kinda stuck on the fence here because I love seeing the park get the love it deserves but sometimes the amount of people hinders the magic.What do you all think?

[The Mad Hatter]

These types of things are great. But if drawn out too long can become tiresome. I know disney is trying to maximize profit, but I think the event would have been even more special if it was shorter. Kind of like how the official anniversary day was...we still hear stories from that day.

[Goofster]

Dont get me wrong I love it but this year Ive gone the least. The crowds and the lack of hotels. I just like to stay on property and thats alot of the reason I bought the Premium AP. This year it wasnt as worth it. I miss the october day were you could just walk through the park without being eaten alive by a stroller with Rosie Oddonel driving it. Ill still go and enjoy it but hopefully next year wont be crowded all year long.

[The Mad Hatter]

Dont get me wrong I love it but this year Ive gone the least. The crowds and the lack of hotels. I just like to stay on property and thats alot of the reason I bought the Premium AP. This year it wasnt as worth it. I miss the october day were you could just walk through the park without being eaten alive by a stroller with Rosie Oddonel driving it. Ill still go and enjoy it but hopefully next year wont be crowded all year long.

I agree with you there. But it's really a two edged sword. Yes the crowds can be annoying. But then the crowds bring in the big bucks so we get new attractions and such.

A rock and a hard place....that's the situation we're in.

[Gemini Cricket]

I love the fireworks show, I loved the added attention some of the rides got, I love all the paint... I don't really care for the blinged out castle...
I can't wait for things to get back to normal.

[Pisces]

I liked the fact that everything was up and running, other then when things broke down.

I don't know when it will be, again, where all attractions are available.

[XCLIPSE129]

I loved it because it actually brought back the shine to DL but I never liked the crowd situation. Even with the decorations gone I will still be happy on how the park looks. Hopefully it stays that way.

[LlamaLover]

I loved it because it actually brought back the shine to DL but I never liked the crowd situation. Even with the decorations gone I will still be happy on how the park looks. Hopefully it stays that way.

I agree, I hope they keep things up around the park the way they have done through the 50th celebration. I visited in the summer of 2001 and was so disappointed to see how dirty and run down some of the areas had become (Snow White's Scary Adventure was one that comes readily to mind since I recall it having quite a bit of old trash in some of the que areas). When I had the grand opportunity to visit again this past Christmas I was SO happy to see just how grand everything looked.

In my opinion, I really loved the celebration for a number of reasons. First off, as most of you have mentioned, they really went gung-ho on sprucing everything up and making sure it was all in working order. Next, I don't get to visit DL on a regular basis so for me to go during the celebration was really incredible. For you lucky AP holders, you have the privilege of visiting more frequently but for a lot of people they have to plan for a year or more on when they will be able to make the long trek to the Happiest Place on Earth. I think with the prolonged anniversary celebration, more people will be able to experience it than if it was a one-day event or even a few months. This makes people like me happy but people like the AP holders not so much (which I can understand and I am sure if I was an AP holder I would share your feelings). Finally, I think the celebration was good to bring attention to everyone that Disneyland is really special out of all the parks because it is the original and the blueprint for all the others. I know some of the other parks have bigger lots, faster rides, and more options but for me there is nothing like where it all was started.

[Wotan]

I think the 50th may be one of the best things to happen to the park since, well, since it first opened.

Although it's sad that we all rejoice in how everything has been cleaned up and painted to the way it should have been looking all along. But it was, and it is, and may it continue to be so.

Yes, a lot of people went. This is also good. I'd rather see it packed any day. Some of the merchandising was very well done.

I just hope that once it's all over, DLR doesn't slip into bad habits again.

[RenMan]

As someone who lives far away, the length of the 50th celebration hasn't affected me except to make it more accessible. I do think 365 days would be enough though!

[Gigan]

I love it, Nice to go there and see the park looking in pretty good shape. I coincidentally started freqeunting the park again about the time it started. It will be interesting to see how things change post 50th. Gonna miss the fireworks show...

[Experiment626]

I love it, Nice to go there and see the park looking in pretty good shape. I coincidentally started freqeunting the park again about the time it started. It will be interesting to see how things change post 50th. Gonna miss the fireworks show...

Me too! I think this is the most I have gone to Disneyland since I've had my AP. And I'll be sad to see it all go...

[travelmom]

I love it, but then I don't live in OC.
I can see how it would be a downer to regular visitors who are looking for the signs of a non-peak day that never seems to come. But good attendance can't be bad for the park!

[Nela25]

I live in Phoenix and usually go once a year but over last year I have gone more than usual because of the 50th. I have really enjoyed it. I will be said to see it go but I know it's time!!

An anniversary can't last forever...
but DISNEYLAND can and that's all that matters!

[LlamaLover]

An anniversary can't last forever...
but DISNEYLAND can and that's all that matters!

Well said!