25% capacity - what does that actually feel like?

[downinit]

Does anyone have any kind of reference for what a 25% capacity crowd looks like? At what point in 2019 was it actually at 25%? I am thinking maybe about 1.5-2 hours after opening on a typical Sunday, but I could be way off. Its sounds low on paper, but the reality is that the parks are a living hell from 75% up, and I only recall a couple instances of being there when it hit 100% in 20 years of regular visits (as I normally avoid or leave when it gets that crowded). We will not have FP available to mitigate the situation, so there is going to be a lot of long, winding lines that will be difficult to gauge. In addition, the people there will be more likely to be staying open to close, unlike the hoardes of AP (including myself) who usually only show up for 4-5 hours in normal times. I honestly expect it to be fairly unpleasant at 25%, and I really hope that the limit is not raised beyond that until at least mid-June (after I use up my 3 day PH). Hopefully, this will be the last time I have to go to the park without an AP or FP. Having the ability to duck out as soon as things get backed up is a great asset, but paying per day really adds some motivation to tough it out.

 

[Jaina]

I'm not sure how it will feel, but WDW at "lower capacities" with "social distancing" (I went in October and in March) felt decently busy and had very long lines sometimes. Like 30-80 minute lines most of the days. I mean, we still had a great time, but it was just two adults both times, and it would have been a bit miserable with our young kids.

 

[Disney0010]

It’s hard to know until the parks open. WDW is currently at 45% from what I recently watched on the YouTube vlogs. They do work hard at making sure that people social distance in the lines even though some people have absolutely no idea as to what that means. From what I have seen it makes the actual wait times reported longer than what they actually are. I don’t see it being that bad. Personally I’m glad that there are zero FP.

 

[dieumeye]

I was just wondering the same thing! One of the days I’m going is already “at capacity“ according to the calendar, so this is been on my mind.

I’ve always felt that a busy day with a fully open/staffed park can feel less crowded than a less busy day where the park is running at a lower capacity.

There will be fewer rides and shows and things, but also they will know the exact attendance at the park each day, so they can staff accordingly.

I suspect that if the park were fully open and operating at max capacity, a 25% crowd would be able to practically walk on any ride. But I doubt they are going to staff the park to that level.

I assume it’s going to come down to what Disney believes is an acceptable wait time at the majority of attractions, and operate accordingly.

I doubt they are going to have rides operating at maximum capacity if they don’t need to. If I had to guess, I’d say even at a 25% crowd, the wait times will be in line with a normal pre-Covid day in the park.

 

[downinit]

I'm not sure how it will feel, but WDW at "lower capacities" with "social distancing" (I went in October and in March) felt decently busy and had very long lines sometimes. Like 30-80 minute lines most of the days.

That is my main concern, especially since patience is not my virtue. Even going on busy days, I very rarely waited more than 15-20 minutes for any ride because of FP and my ability to navigate around the predictable crowds. For me, the best days to visit the park were actually over Christmas/New Years, because most of the regulars were blacked out. When it reopens, it will be 100% locals, who all know the same tricks and procedures.

 

[MsDisATC]

I'm wondering the same thing, honestly. From my family who are still AP holders in Florida it felt pretty bad even at 30% there. They believed it was due to the lack of shows/entertainment that would normally soak up large numbers of people at a time. There is no FP and nowhere else to go/be, so everyone is just in line for the rides and it feels busy that way.

 

[Gaugersaurus]

I think it depends on how you look at the 25%. Walkway wise it should feel relatively empty at 25% but with rides also at 25% capacity the wait times will be closer to what we see on normal days.

 

[ParkHopper1]

It won't feel much different for ride lines...having a percentage of guests waiting in lines is a big part of the overall capacity strategy and that is accomplished by reducing the amount of cars or speed of serval of the rides then couple social distancing measures on each attraction...while I suspect it will be more pleasant to walk around the parks I expect business as usual on wait times.

 

[bwvBound]

I'm guessing it will feel like summer 2019 around Galaxy's Edge opening. We had a blast during those weeks of lackluster attendance.

 

[707MickeyGirl]

I'm guessing it will feel like summer 2019 around Galaxy's Edge opening. We had a blast during those weeks of lackluster attendance.

LOL Verified Disney Sheeple!!! Aren't we all...

 

[evilmommie]

I went to WDW in July when it first opened. It was "sold out" but still felt like a ghost town. We were at both MK and DHS and it was eerie looking down Main Street and seeing how empty things were. I would guess that even though DL is legally allowed up to 25%, they likely capped it at 20% for the first few weeks.

We had the same experience. We also had no expectation and were just happy to be there whatever we accomplished that day. We're going in with the same mind set for Disneyland on the 30th. If it's cray cray, fine with us. If it's a ghost town, awesome.

 

[DLgal]

I have heard from a few people with "sources", that Disneyland isn't going to be at 25%. It will be more like 20%, at least for the first 2 months.

So, hoping it won't be too bad. 17,000 people in Disneyland is 20% capacity. That is a SUPER slow day at Disneyland, and honestly something we have probably not experienced in many years. Think, rainy weekday in September slow.

 

[DLgal]

I'm guessing it will feel like summer 2019 around Galaxy's Edge opening. We had a blast during those weeks of lackluster attendance.

OMG, YES! I have this great picture from like July 20, 2019 at 3pm walking through Galaxy's Edge and there was NO ONE else anywhere around except a lonely custodial CM walking in front of us. It was so funny!

 

[evilmommie]

LOL Verified Disney Sheeple!!! Aren't we all...

 

[coaches24]

I went to WDW in July when it first opened. It was "sold out" but still felt like a ghost town. We were at both MK and DHS and it was eerie looking down Main Street and seeing how empty things were. I would guess that even though DL is legally allowed up to 25%, they likely capped it at 20% for the first few weeks.

Maybe thats how they can allow park hoppers I wonder. Keep the capacity lower in both parks.

 

[Lauren in NC]

OMG, YES! I have this great picture from like July 20, 2019 at 3pm walking through Galaxy's Edge and there was NO ONE else anywhere around except a lonely custodial CM walking in front of us. It was so funny!

Opening day for Galaxy's Edge we actually walked through the land to quickly get from near Hungry Bear over to Fantasyland because it was too congested around Pirates!

 

[twodogs]

I went to WDW in July when it first opened. It was "sold out" but still felt like a ghost town. We were at both MK and DHS and it was eerie looking down Main Street and seeing how empty things were. I would guess that even though DL is legally allowed up to 25%, they likely capped it at 20% for the first few weeks.

But remember that last July, people were a LOT more afraid of COVID and no one was vaccinated. That "ghost town" feeling didn't hold, and now, even though the number of people allowed in to WDW hasn't been increased too substantially from July, the crowds and lines are much worse. These days, many are vaccinated and feeling ready to get out there. I think DLR will hit the allowed capacity and while it won't maybe be crowded in the walkways, ride lines will be long without any shows/restaurants/character meets to soak up people. If I lived in California, I would still go for sure, but I would manage my expectations. Alas, I live in Texas, so no go just yet...

 

[kelmac284]

I just got back from WDW over spring break. It was rough but we just did the best we could. As a legacy passholder who has been to DL many times I too have gotten spoiled and don't like to wait more than 30 mins for any ride. You have no choices at WDW and I am guessing it will be the same at DL. Be prepared for lines to look ridiculous. Almost every single ride that we rode had at least an hour wait and with the social distancing the lines looked a mile long. For example we went on Frozen and the line stretched all through china and wound around Norway. For TOT it went back to the parking lot and we were in a backstage area. Also most of the rides either left open rows or had barriers. That reduced the capacity as well when they can't fill the ride vehicles. Things like haunted that had indiv cars they left every other one empty so just and FYI. We aren't trying to go till Sept and I will be curious if things are different by then but I am not anticipating normal touring. Not having Maxpass is going to be rough too. You pretty much are touring like we did before FP. Waiting in long lines for every ride. One thing they haven't mentioned is food. All non-table service places you HAD to mobile order and you pretty much had to do it when you first got in the park. You picked your place and then picked a "pick up time". So for example we got into the parks at 8 and ordered and selected like an 11 or 11:30 pick up time. Then when it gets close to that time you show up and say you are there and they prepare the food. If you wait till closer till the time sometimes all the windows are taken and you can't get a window till much later. So I will def be interested to see if they do the same at DL. Also they didn't have as many table service open and those that were were at low capacity if they were indoors so pretty much everything booked up right at the 60 day mark.

 

[SoCalDisneyFan2708]

I'm very curious to see what the park will look like when it reopens. I moved to Orlando last September and have gone to WDW many times since. The thing about DLR vs WDW is that the rides are spaced further apart at WDW so there is a lot of room for the socially distanced queue to spill out into the regular walking paths. At Disneyland that isn't the case at all. Even at 20% capacity I could still see the walking paths looking pretty congested at times in certain places due to lack of space at the DLR. We'll just have to wait and see. I hope it goes off without a hitch because now that I'm not a DIsneyland local I can't get in for now. I want to come back home so badly so hopefully the California residents only thing doesn't last too long

 

[Gamedog]

I picture a 25% crowd being what a typical rainy day at Disneyland used to be.

Parks were nowhere near capacity during rain events.