If parks are at capacity, and you are staying at a Disney resort

[ericandliz]

How does it work when parks are filled to capacity and closed, and you are staying at a Disney resort? Can resort guests still enter or is it more of a first come/first served # of people thru the turnstiles sort of thing? We need to drive to each park from our hotel (POR) and won't be taking WDW transportation, so I'm hoping our resort parking pass may still get us in. We'll be there 3/29 and 3/30 this time and crowds are now listed at 10's both days.

 

[francie57]

The answer would depend on the stage of closing the certain Disney park is at. According to info that has been posted in the past you would need to worry at a stage 3 and 4. Stage 3 is the park is only open to Disney resort guests using Disney transportation so you wouldn't be able to drive your car (parking lots close in a stage 1 closing). Stage 4 closes the park to everyone. If there is a chance of a closing I would suggest you go to the park that you have ADRs at because if it reaches a Stage 4 you won't be able to get in for your ADR.

 

[Missytara]

How does it work when parks are filled to capacity and closed, and you are staying at a Disney resort? Can resort guests still enter or is it more of a first come/first served # of people thru the turnstiles sort of thing? We need to drive to each park from our hotel (POR) and won't be taking WDW transportation, so I'm hoping our resort parking pass may still get us in. We'll be there 3/29 and 3/30 this time and crowds are now listed at 10's both days.

Nope - there are several stages of parking closures and even if you are staying on-site, you will not be guaranteed return to a park, even if you were there during the day or you have an ADR.

 

[ericandliz]

Thanks- we could use WDW transportation if we had to- my son has some special needs so we prefer our own transportation but we could use WDW buses if need be. No ADR's this time but do plan on park hopping those two days so I will have a few back up plans in place.

 

[plutolovr]

It appears you're going this month. I wouldn't worry about closures. You usually only see them at Christmas time, July 4th and maybe sometimes at Easter time.

 

[mmmears]

It appears you're going this month. I wouldn't worry about closures. You usually only see them at Christmas time, July 4th and maybe sometimes at Easter time.

Unfortunately, last year the MK and BB were closed due to capacity the week before Easter, so this is a very real possibility for late March.

The day we were at BB, they counted us as we left and then let in the same number of people -- there was a BIG line to enter and this was around noon.

 

[robinb]

I was at WDW between Christmas and New Years and they closed the MK to non-Resort guests at least twice. The monorail from Epcot to the MK was only open to resort guests but they could get on it to go to the MK. We just left the MK and it was *mobbed*.

The only paring lot you really have to worry about would be the MK's lot. The others stay open. I assume that you have a handicapped parking pass because of your son's special needs so that may gain you entrance into the lot while others are turned away. Honestly, I find it easier to take a bus to the MK than to drive and then take a tram to the T&TC and then finally to the MK.

 

[DebbieB]

If the MK lot is closed, could you drive to Epcot's lot and monorail?

 

[ericandliz]

He's 9 and autistic with loads of energy so we don't have a handicapped pass for parking. We've dealt with crowds before with our previous March trips so we can handle them to a degree, but things seem worse this year from posts I've read. We prefer the September trips, believe me!!

How do you know when parks close due to capacity? Is there a magic sign at the hotels that pops out and informs us and then they offer us free drinks to make up for it or do we show up at the parks and then get told, then have to explain it to the gang?

 

[DaniB]

I was just wondering the same thing.

Twice in our week, we'll be dining outside the parks at a Resort and want to head into a park after dinner. Can/will the restaurant be able to check before we head there?

 

[kaytieeldr]

They should be able to check.

Note that as a Disney World Resort Guest, you are guaranteed access to A park - not necessarily the park you want, and you may end up needing to purchase the hopper option, but A park.

 

[fla4fun]

I was just wondering the same thing.

Twice in our week, we'll be dining outside the parks at a Resort and want to head into a park after dinner. Can/will the restaurant be able to check before we head there?

This scenario is usually not a problem. If the parks close to capacity it's usually from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. By evening, enough people have left that it's not an issue anymore. The only exception is New Year's Eve, when the crowds build all day, and no one leaves until after midnight.

You should be able to check with the lobby concierge at the resort you are dining in to find the capacity status of the parks.

 

[Disneymama5816]

We go pretty much every year during Spring Break. As others have stated, if a park closes due to capacity, it is usually during the afternoon. So far, I have not experienced them being closed into the evening. Just use your fastpasses, get to the parks early in the morning. Have a great time.

 

[PearlySwan]

This is what Cheshire Figment has posted in the past:

The turnstile master computer at each park keeps track of both entries and exits. When a park at capacity closes (which is done in stages) there has to be a certain number of people exiting, with the total "in park" below a certain number, before they start allowing people in again.
There are four stages to park closing:
Stage 1 – The parking lot entrance is closed. You can only access the park if you are using Disney Transportation.
Stage 2 – The ticket windows are all closed (and the automated Ticket Vending Machines are turned off). Unless you already have a ticket you cannot get in.
Stage 3 – Only people with Annual Passes or current Resort IDs will be allowed in.
Stage 4 – Nobody is allowed in.
Note – having restaurant reservations in a park, even with written proof, will not override a stage closing for you.
Also, if you are staying at a Disney owned and operated Resort and have a ticket, you are guaranteed entry into A park. Not necessarily the one you want. And if you have entered and left a park and do not have a hopper you may not get into anything.

 

[mjp12831]

They should be able to check.

Note that as a Disney World Resort Guest, you are guaranteed access to A park - not necessarily the park you want, and you may end up needing to purchase the hopper option, but A park.

Scenerio - you leave for a mid day break back at your resort - return later in the day to the park and it's closed. You do not have PH - do they allow you to visit a second park in the same day? Are you forced to purchase a PH?

 

[dacky041208]

Scenerio - you leave for a mid day break back at your resort - return later in the day to the park and it's closed. You do not have PH - do they allow you to visit a second park in the same day? Are you forced to purchase a PH?

I'd say that is a very unlikely scenario, but the answer is yes, you would either have to 1-purchase a hopper and go to a different park, 2-Wait at the park you are at for enough people to leave that you can go in, or 3-Call it a day and go back to the resort.

 

[RMulieri]

Scenerio - you leave for a mid day break back at your resort - return later in the day to the park and it's closed. You do not have PH - do they allow you to visit a second park in the same day? Are you forced to purchase a PH?

It is a scenario that can happen but rarely..and you would have to purchase a park hopper.It is not disneys fault nor problem.If you know you want to be at MK all day and for fireworks, than you need to remain there .Now I will say that the one park that does close most often is MK, it does not remain closed.It can( and does) close and re-open when the guest numbers drop.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I'll add that if a park closes completely due to capacity - I wouldn't WANT to be there, even after some people left and WDW allowed others in. Although when it happened at Disneyland a few years ago, enough people had left by 10 PM, that it was worth entering - after spending the day at DCA. Of course, I promptly created my own, personalized attraction: "Ride the ECV Sideways off the Curb" Hey, it was DARK, and I'd never been there before... and no, it doesn't matter that Magic Kingdom is so similarly-designed when you first enter. It wasn't MY fault! Nothing's ever my fault!

 

[RMulieri]

I'll add that if a park closes completely due to capacity - I wouldn't WANT to be there, even after some people left and WDW allowed others in. Although when it happened at Disneyland a few years ago, enough people had left by 10 PM, that it was worth entering - after spending the day at DCA. Of course, I promptly created my own, personalized attraction: "Ride the ECV Sideways off the Curb" Hey, it was DARK, and I'd never been there before... and no, it doesn't matter that Magic Kingdom is so similarly-designed when you first enter. It wasn't MY fault! Nothing's ever my fault!

you really don't want to be there I have been and it was like we were sardines and they had to open the paths behind mainstreet( the CM areas) to shunt people in and out ..it was AWFUL

 

[WUVmyDISNEY]

Everytime I think I want to be there for NYE, I start thinking about the crowds and not being able to move around once we did get into MK and I decide mid-December is still the right time for us!