Crowd Control at Magic Kingdom

[diz74]

Just returned from a one week vacation at WDW. Had a FANTASTIC time except for one incident. On Friday night, we tried to leave the park at about 9:40 before the fireworks. We absolutely could not get down Main Street. Granted we had a double stroller, but usually there are areas that are cleared by the cast members so that people are able to get by. Since we couldn't get out, we settled into a spot close to the castle and watched the fireworks show. After the show, it was literally chaos. Because it was extra magic hours that night, the majority of the people were not exiting the park, so there were people going every which way. We literally could not move in any direction for about 10 to 15 minutes. People were pushing and shoving, children were crying, we were surrounded by people and could not move anywhere. It just seemed extremely unsafe to me. I did not see any cast members in the vicinity to help clear the crowds or guide them in a particular direction. I have been to MK many times and nothing like this has ever happened before. Yes, it has been crowded leaving the parks, but nothing like this. Anyone else have this experience, or was this just a one time fluke?

 

[ValinWV]

When we tried to leave the park during the parade on Thursday they had a section of the sidewalk set just for people who wanted to leave or get down main street. I am sorry you had such a terrible time with the crowd Friday night.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Unless things have changed I think it was a fluke, they almost always have CM's guiding guests going different ways.

 

[tami82]

No it was like this for us also last year for Spectro and late hours two nights we went. I knew the next time to watch Spectro very close to the MK entrance on main street and definitely will never go back far again. I dont want to bother with the late hours, not worth it too me to be packed in like sardines unable to move anyway.

 

[Pakey]

We experienced this on our last visit to MK on an EMH night. We also had a stroller and decided that we'd just stand where we were for a good 15-20 minutes because it was just too hard to try to fight the hordes going in 2 different directions.

 

[sydneysmom]

I think that honestly, it's going to be anywhere that a crowd is that large. The CM's can only do so much, but if people don't move, there's not alot they can do either but wait.
We ran into that a few years ago on July 4th. it was disgustingly hot and there was like (what seemed like) a gazillion people around the hub watching the fireworks. You literally could not sit because people were so close to you in the front and back that you couldn't bend or sit. I'm kind of clausterphobic as it is, so it was almost a panic attack for me ! But the CM's looked like they were doing what they could to keep people moving but you always have the errant "map lookers" that stop in the middle of the road, park it, and decide what to do next. Nothing will hold traffic up like that !

Glad that your trip was wonderful though (except for that !)!!!

 

[Jedi]

thats when I cut through the stores on mainstreet

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

This is one of the many many many reasons that pm EMH's are not worth it and we don't attend the parks on those days.

 

[lugnut33]

This exact thread seems to come up 3-4 times each year.

 

[V a n e s s a]

We experienced the same thing last December - I was in the MK with my oldest daughter and we were trying to leave about 20 minutes before the start of the fireworks - it was impossible to move forward on Main Street toward the exit (this is just the two of us, with no stroller)- my dd became quite distressed.

At the end, we only succeeded in moving forward by getting into one of the shops and walking through the shops (they are all connected) to get closer to the exit.

 

[Huff]

Disneyland has the same problem during shows, fireworks, parades etc. In past years people were allowed to sit anywhere on Main Street or in the road around the hub. Disney then had the idea that making people stand to watch the fireworks was a great idea. More people could be packed in that way. Now, 15 minutes before fireworks CM's make everyone stand and begin to pack more in.

The sidewalks along Main Street are used for people to walk along but its just too crowded and many people not moving. It's almost impossible to get in or out of the park for 30 minutes prior and 30 minutes after the fireworks.

Disneyland had another problem compounding the issue. Fantasmic is shown on the Rivers of America just before the fireworks. When it lets out 1000's of people rush out Adventureland onto Main Street to then watch the fireworks.

 

[glassslippergirl]

The last few times that it has been very crowded on Main Street, we've noticed that they open a behind-the-scenes area behind Main Street. Next time you notice crowd control issues, look to the left of the entrance to Plaza Restaurant. There may be a cast member waving people through a "Cast Member Only" door. This passage is far less crowded, and it lets you out next to the hat store and Tony's Town Square on Main Street near the train station. Take a look around while you are there. This is one of the behind-the-scenes areas that we paid $70 to see on the Keys to the Kingdom tour.

 

[DisneyTeacher]

The last few times that it has been very crowded on Main Street, we've noticed that they open a behind-the-scenes area behind Main Street. Next time you notice crowd control issues, look to the left of the entrance to Plaza Restaurant. There may be a cast member waving people through a "Cast Member Only" door. This passage is far less crowded, and it lets you out next to the hat store and Tony's Town Square on Main Street near the train station. Take a look around while you are there. This is one of the behind-the-scenes areas that we paid $70 to see on the Keys to the Kingdom tour.

That's how we left a couple of weeks ago. The park was packed and a CM was directing people through the area behind the shops. It made for a quick and easy exit from the park.

 

[jc040404]

I think at 9:50, we were moving to the exit. It's kinda funny because dh and I both commented that this was the easiest time we'd ever had trying to get our double jogger through Main Street and out to the ferry before fireworks! I guess it depended on which direction you came from, but the sidewalk by the bakery was being kept really clear.

I agree that this is just usually how it is though. The worst place for poor crowd control, IMO, is anything on the side of Frontierland during the evening parades. People rush along the water and everyone gets jammed by the boat. People get extremely nasty, yell, fight, push.. I've complained a few times that they really need to close that area or get a CM out there, but it's never changed. There's only enough space for two bodies to walk shoulder to shoulder. Maybe it the handicap access to the boat? Anyways, once a stroller or a scooter decides to try that path, things get soooo ugly!

 

[MomtoAlexnWilliam]

It happens!!! And the crowds are not fun to deal with!!!

Last December we were trying to leave prior to the parade and Wishes. It was so packed near the castle we decided to try to find a spot to "park" our bodies and wait. At one point, our family of 4 got in the middle of another group --- much bigger than just us 4! One of the husbands proceeded to scream and curse at me for splitting up his group. I turned to apologize for accidentally getting in the middle of his group and he just kept screaming and cursing at me. I was like geez, it was an accident and we were desperately trying to get out of the way of the majority of the crowd. You would have thought I was trying to steal his wallet the way he acted.

I don't know if we'll ever let ourselves be caught in that particular area at that particular time of the evening!!!

 

[goofy4prez]

This exact thread seems to come up 3-4 times each year.

So do threads about which resort is better, tipping, which park is the best, what is the best Counter Serve, Top 5 TS's, Monorail resort or not, weather, and just about any other subject. In fact, many topics appear several times a month. In otherwords, "nothing is new under the sun."

Not trying to flame you, but 3-4 times is really not that bad compared to many other topics.

 

[2Tiggies]

On Friday night, we tried to leave the park at about 9:40 before the fireworks. We absolutely could not get down Main Street. Granted we had a double stroller, but usually there are areas that are cleared by the cast members so that people are able to get by. Since we couldn't get out, we settled into a spot close to the castle and watched the fireworks show. After the show, it was literally chaos. Because it was extra magic hours that night, the majority of the people were not exiting the park, so there were people going every which way. We literally could not move in any direction for about 10 to 15 minutes. People were pushing and shoving, children were crying, we were surrounded by people and could not move anywhere. It just seemed extremely unsafe to me. I did not see any cast members in the vicinity to help clear the crowds or guide them in a particular direction. I have been to MK many times and nothing like this has ever happened before. Yes, it has been crowded leaving the parks, but nothing like this. Anyone else have this experience, or was this just a one time fluke?

This, as per the quote, is almost a mirror reflection of my most frightening moments in Disney. It was Easter week and we had tried to get out before Wishes. We were 30 minutes early for the fireworks but we decided we wanted to go. We got jammed between Tomorrowland and the main street hub, unable to move for the total gridlock. We watched anyway since we couldn't get out and then the chaos broke out. People using strollers to herd people out of their way, lifting double stollers over people's heads..... It took us the better part of 2 hours to get out of the park. There WERE CMs attending to getting the traffic flowing, but the park was closed so it was madness. It is the only time I have ever experienced this, but it was awful. We ended up squeezing into MSB and waiting for what seemed like forever for the people to filter out. It was the very reason I had wanted to leave before Wishes, but obviously I should have been at the exit a good hour ahead of time that day.

 

[Planogirl]

If I see such a crowd, I back up and find a quieter place to sit for a while. I hate trying to struggle through such mobs.

 

[diz74]

It's interesting to hear the experiences that others have had. I was just caught in an extremely bad spot. Live and learn, I guess. Just when I think I know all the ins and outs of Disney...I learn something new Guess that's why I have to keep going back.

 

[2Tiggies]

It's interesting to hear the experiences that others have had. I was just caught in an extremely bad spot. Live and learn, I guess. Just when I think I know all the ins and outs of Disney...I learn something new Guess that's why I have to keep going back.

Mine was definitely a once off experience and my timing could have been tweaked to avoid it. But you know what, it will probably never happen to us again - we will plan to avoid it.