Disneyland visitors say the park is ’empty’ and a ‘ghost town’
Disneyland visitors shocked to find the park is a ‘ghost town’ – despite the opening of $1BN Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – with new crowd control measures blocking annual passes all summer and widening walkways working a little TOO well
- The resort in California put a number of crowd control measures in place
- They were bracing for huge queues after the opening of the new Star Wars land
- But it looks as if the measures have worked a little too well with the park ’empty’
- One of the queue-busting measures Disney implemented was to only allow guests with a reservation to enter Galaxy’s Edge – this ended after June 23
- But many annual pass holders are blocked out across June, July and August
- Paths have also been widened and some planters and food carts removed
- One visitor tweeted: ‘It’s kinda scary how empty Disneyland is’
Disneyland has been described a ‘ghost town’ despite the opening of new $1BN Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge land in May.
The resort in California put crowd control measures in place, including special reservations, removing food carts and banning annual pass holders, as park-goers braced themselves for gigantic queues.
But it appears the measures have worked a little too well, with one visitor tweeting on July 9: ‘It’s kinda scary how empty Disneyland is.’
One visitor tweeted on June 27: ‘By Disneyland standards, this place is a ghost town.’
Disneyland has been described a ‘ghost town’ despite the opening of the new Star Wars land
The resort in California put crowd control measures in place, including special reservations, removing food carts and banning annual pass holders
But it appears the measures have worked a little too well, with one visitor tweeting on July 9: ‘It’s kinda scary how empty Disneyland is’
One of the queue-busting measures Disney implemented was to only allow guests with a reservation to enter Galaxy’s Edge, though this rule ceased to be after June 23
Visitors had been limited to four hours inside the immersive new land, the largest single-themed land inside a Disney park. A special wristband identified a visitor’s time window
There were also plans for park employees dressed as Star Wars characters to ultimately ask visitors to make their way toward one of the three exits so a new group can enter
Ahead of the opening Kris Theiler, vice president of Disneyland park, said walkways were widened from three to about six feet in different areas, and stroller parking is available
One of the queue-busting measures Disney implemented was to only allow guests with a reservation to enter Galaxy’s Edge, though this rule ceased to be after June 23.
Visitors were limited to four hours inside the immersive new land, the largest single-themed land inside a Disney park.
A special wristband identified a visitor’s time window, and once it expired, it shut off access to key attractions and merchandise locations.
WAIT TIMES ‘DOWN’ AT DISNEYLAND
The average wait time for rides at the park is also down, Yahoo News reports.
Visitors are waiting 30 to 60 minutes for The Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run not the two or three hours initially predicted.
The Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean have seen their lines cut in half to 20 to 30 minutes.
And Matterhorn Bobsleds and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad also have lower wait times.
Disney’s California Adventure vice president Patrick Finnegan said wait times have not been this low in decades.
There were also plans for park employees dressed as Star Wars characters to ultimately ask visitors to make their way toward one of the three exits so a new group can enter.
Kris Theiler, vice president of Disneyland park, said: ‘There might be some First Order officers out there helping us or maybe some Stormtroopers asking people to move along.
‘We’ll employ the First Order maybe later in the reservation period if we need to.’
Aerial images of Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge taken July 4 appear to show few crowds enjoying the space.
Secondly, annual passes for the park have been blocked out across dates in June, July and August. There are one million annual pass holders.
And lastly, Disney has been working on coping with increased capacity at the park by examining its infrastructure and trying to improve traffic flow and access.
Measures have included widening paths and removing objects such as planters and food carts.
Ahead of the opening Theiler said walkways were widened from three to about six feet in different areas, and stroller parking is available.
Around 7,500 new parking spaces along with new parking lot entrances and toll booths were added. A new pedestrian bridge was also built to help avoid jams.
But a new a virtual queuing system which would use a ‘boarding pass’ during busy times has been used infrequently.
Aerial images of Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge taken July 4 show few crowds
One of the queue-busting measures Disney implemented was to only allow guests with a reservation to enter Galaxy’s Edge, though this rule ceased to be after June 23
The eagerly awaited 14-acre attraction has rides, shops selling personal droids and lightsabers and ‘Star Wars-appropriate food and drink’
In addition, reports The OC Register, most guests are heading to the new Galaxy’s Edge land rather than touring other areas of the park.
The eagerly awaited 14-acre attraction has rides, shops selling personal droids and lightsabers and ‘Star Wars-appropriate food and drink’.
But Trevor Okazaki tweeted on July 8: ‘At Disneyland, piloted the Millennium Falcon. Walked around a lot, park is pretty empty.’
While on July 7, Matthew Arevalo added: ‘Another day at (a pretty empty and with no wait to enter Galaxy’s Edge) Disneyland.’
Disneyland doesn’t seem too fussed about the apparent lack of visitors, though.
It told The OC Register: ‘We are incredibly focused on delivering a great guest experience for the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
‘This land has added 20 per cent more capacity to Disneyland Park, and together with all of our new offerings, advanced planning and innovative technology, has resulted in incredible feedback and satisfaction from our guests.’
Disney has made Galaxy’s Edge look and feel like part of the Star Wars universe. It’s designed as a grungy outpost on a distant planet.
The marquee attraction is a massive replica of the Millennium Falcon, where guests can roam the ship’s halls and engage in a dogfight with Tie Fighters. Another ride called Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is set to open later in the year.
The same Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge land will open for visitors to Florida’s Disney World Resort on August 29.
And it seems ‘word got out that #Disneyland was empty’ according to one visitor online who posted a picture of huge lines at the park Tuesday.
DailyMail.com has contacted Disney for comment.
It has been reported that most guests at Disneyland are heading to the new Galaxy’s Edge land, pictured, rather than touring other areas of the theme park
It seems that crowd control measures put in place at Disneyland in California have worked too well as the park has been described by visitors as ’empty’ and ‘a ghost town’ (file picture)
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