Castle Refurbishment January Thru Spring

[DisneyPiPhi]

I’m not trying to sound snooty here so please don’t read it with that tone.

We’ve had threads before that talked about refurbishments in Jan/feb. it’s a trade off you will always make by going during “off season”. When planning a trip you can’t look at lower crowd time and expect everything to be going and showing. You chose the lower crowds over it. I think it’s important for people planning trips to know that and consider it. I’ll go the week between Christmas and New Years over a trip in late January every time. I prefer to have everything running and open when I’m there and the crowds don’t bother me. Disneyland probably doesn’t want any guest to feel let down. But they are open 365 days a year so I’m sure they just have to choose the least crowded times to do what they need to do.

Not snooty at all! Although with the same knowledge, we make the opposite choice of you. We prefer to be at home for Christmas and New Year due to lots of traditions with family and friends. Also, January and February are a good time to travel with the work that I do, and we enjoy the cool (sometimes rainy) weather. Finally, I prefer a low(er) crowd time, and am happy to deal with some ride closures. I can always catch them next time, right? For example, it was a bummer that PoTC was closed during our February 2017 trip, but it's open during our January 2019 trip. We enjoyed Haunted Mansion in 2017, but know with a January trip, it's down for refurbishment this year.

I think you're right on the money that people need to realize that a slower time means refurbishments, and also may not mean lower wait times due to lower staffing. This is key to not being disappointed in a "low season" strategy. Likewise, people upset that their only times to visit are during heavily-trafficked school break times might be pleasantly surprised at the crowd control, rides running at full capacity, longer daily park hours, and added entertainment.

 

[Christin82]

You also have to take in account that people have to also decide on when to go based on when they can travel.

While I def am not thrilled with with the possibility of no WOC and def no Fantasmic , I am also glad it saves me hundreds in dining packages to make finding a spot easier.

The water rides are expected for jan/feb, but really if its the castle, the two night shows and 2 water rides I can live with that. My kids will enjoy the rides more and I am so excited for soundsational and the new mickeys mix thing.

I feel the same way. It’ll be fun no matter what, but people with small children who are excited about seeing the castle will probably be better off if they know about the closure ahead of time, which was the purpose of my post.

 

[Cal-Pie]

Has Disney given any information other than saying "the exterior of the castle will undergo refurbishment"?

 

[dina444444]

Has Disney given any information other than saying "the exterior of the castle will undergo refurbishment"?

No, but this is what the permit filing says:
Disney - Fantasyland / Sleeping Beauty Castle -Reroof: 2,200 sq.ft Tear off existing material and replace with composition shingles located Sleeping beauty Castle and Holiday Shoppe Roof only.

 

[Christin82]

Has Disney given any information other than saying "the exterior of the castle will undergo refurbishment"?

No, they haven’t released any specifics, and someone new to Disneyland would be hard-pressed to even find out about the castle closure.

Many first-timers do not necessarily know where to find the official refurb list, and even if they do check the entertainment calendar, only the Castle Walkthrough is listed as being under refurbishment on the entertainment calendar page. The only way to see that the castle exterior is also being refurbished is to click on the Castle Walkthrough attraction description itself.

I know that to some people, the castle isn’t important, but to many once-in-a-lifetime visitors, the castle refurb is huge, and it seems like it should be publicized more openly, in my opinion.

 

[YayforMickey]

I know that to some people, the castle isn’t important, but to many once-in-a-lifetime visitors, the castle refurb is huge, and it seems like it should be publicized more openly, in my opinion.

Agreed! I think it's pretty awful that most people don't know about this, and it's happening very soon. Disney should be more transparent about a castle refurb.

 

[ParkHoppers]

My first and only trip to DL is in late January. I will be sad about the castle but in all fairness Disney is doing this and other refurbishments at the right time of year IMO.

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

We are planning to go late April which is close to Easter this year so I don't consider that a slow time. There are so many things that may or may not be reopened since "Spring" is very vague. We are planning a general CA trip with Disneyland as just one part. If things don't reopen it may become a 1 day visit vs a 3 day onsite hotel visit. We only get to CA every 10 years or so being from the East Coast. I would rather see other things than a lot of construction. We are taking an extended break from visiting WDW due to the amount of construction. It is disappointing that DL may be turning out to the be same way.

Us too. And I feel the same as you do. Fingers crossed.

 

[AJA55]

Visions of Cinderella's pink candy castle in 1996! ! haha....

 

[Diszona]

Visions of Cinderella's pink candy castle in 1996! ! haha....

Or the TPed Stich Castle

Imaging planning your wedding at WDW hoping to have some nice wedding pictures with the castle in the background and that is what you get.

 

[mummabear]

I’m not trying to sound snooty here so please don’t read it with that tone.

We’ve had threads before that talked about refurbishments in Jan/feb. it’s a trade off you will always make by going during “off season”. When planning a trip you can’t look at lower crowd time and expect everything to be going and showing. You chose the lower crowds over it. I think it’s important for people planning trips to know that and consider it. I’ll go the week between Christmas and New Years over a trip in late January every time. I prefer to have everything running and open when I’m there and the crowds don’t bother me. Disneyland probably doesn’t want any guest to feel let down. But they are open 365 days a year so I’m sure they just have to choose the least crowded times to do what they need to do.

I would buy that reasoning if tickets were sold as a peak/off peak pricing (which Disney does not do for multi day passes)

 

[Christin82]

No, but this is what the permit filing says:
Disney - Fantasyland / Sleeping Beauty Castle -Reroof: 2,200 sq.ft Tear off existing material and replace with composition shingles located Sleeping beauty Castle and Holiday Shoppe Roof only.

Could you share a link to wherever you found the wording on the permit? I know a lot of people who are very curious about this, and when I told them what you shared about the permit, they wanted to know where the info was coming from.

At any rate, you have been so knowledgeable and helpful to me since I joined this group. Thanks!

 

[dina444444]

Could you share a link to wherever you found the wording on the permit? I know a lot of people who are very curious about this, and when I told them what you shared about the permit, they wanted to know where the info was coming from.

At any rate, you have been so knowledgeable and helpful to me since I joined this group. Thanks!

http://permits.anaheim.net/tm_bin/tmw_cmd.pl?tmw_cmd=StatusViewCasebld&shl_caseno=BLD2018-05238

 

[AZMermaid]

We went in Feb 2015 when the castle was being refurbed. The following were also closed:
Railroad
Canoes
Peter Pan
Splash (whole land walled off past Haunted Mansion)
Pooh
Matterhorn
Castle

Soarin
Grizzly (whole land walled off between GCH and Soarin)
Flying Tires
Redwood Creek
World of Color lagoon drained
Ariel’s Grotto

We still had a wonderful trip. I will Say, having two whole lands walled off at that time made it feel more crowded and we decided to go in the summer from then on. But, we had a great trip as usual. There were no photopass outside the castle but we got someone to snap a pic so we could remember that time the castle was under a tarp

 

[MikeRx]

We are fortunate to go often, so to get a picture like the one above will be fun as we have 2 trips planned during the refurb. We've gone during major scrim'age in WDW and DLR and it really doesn't impact the trip. You can't do anything about it, so relax and plan around it and take it in as a "unique" Disney experience or postpone for a more appropriate time for you.

To us the walls on Main St. last year (2018) for the rail and brick replacement were the worst as they really impacted traffic flow in and out of the park as well as esthetics, but we still had a great trip.
Everyone have great trips and see you real soon!
Mike

 

[shooting4life]

I just wish woc would come back. I’ve had an AP for the first time in my life since last April. Been to Disneyland 5 different times since then, still haven’t seen woc. Going again in late January then mid March and still might not see woc. Being down for so long is a joke imho.

 

[mom2rb]

Visions of Cinderella's pink candy castle in 1996! ! haha....

Or the TPed Stich Castle

Imaging planning your wedding at WDW hoping to have some nice wedding pictures with the castle in the background and that is what you get.

And that is why there is no framed picture of my honeymoon!

 

[sbd78]

Anyone know if the scrim usually goes up immediately when the refurb is set to begin? It says the refurb is due to begin Jan. 17. We arrive Jan. 19. Just wondering if there is any chance the scrim won't be up yet?

 

[Christin82]

I just wish woc would come back. I’ve had an AP for the first time in my life since last April. Been to Disneyland 5 different times since then, still haven’t seen woc. Going again in late January then mid March and still might not see woc. Being down for so long is a joke imho.

Yeah, I can understand your frustration. You had no reason to believe it would be down for the whole duration of your AP when you bought it. Fingers crossed it’s up and running before your pass expires. Regardless, have fun on your upcoming trips!

 

[shooting4life]

Yeah, I can understand your frustration. You had no reason to believe it would be down for the whole duration of your AP when you bought it. Fingers crossed it’s up and running before your pass expires. Regardless, have fun on your upcoming trips!

Thanks. The wife and I agree that we are going to get another AP but will probably wait till the fall to purchase it.