Admission when crowded

[MulanMom]

Can someone refresh my memory? This upcoming trip will be one of the few times I stay completely off-property. I'm an annual passholder. If I go to the MK early, then leave the park, do I have any dibs on getting in if the parking lot is closed later in the day due to crowd levels?

TIA!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Nope, if the parking lot is closed, resort guests will still have access to the parks via Disney transportation. If you are driving your car, you might be able to park in another themepark parking lot and see that park. Just not the one that is closed. You'd probably have to show a resort ID.

 

[MulanMom]

So being in the park and having my hand stamped does no good? Nor does the annual pass?

I seem to recall someone having posted (last year perhaps) the different levels of closing off the parks due to capacity. Would you happen to know what they are?

Thanks!

 

[princesstommi]

Originally posted by MulanMom
So being in the park and having my hand stamped does no good? Nor does the annual pass?

No, it doesn't. IIRC - the only thing that would help is being a resort guest, but that only guarantees you access to a park, not necissarily the park that would be your first choice.

If you leave and return, you have the same chance of getting in as anyone who is arriving/returning at the same time as you do. No way to get around that, really.

Sorry, can't answer your other question. That would be interesting to see though. When I was a CP, I remember for sure that MK and Epcot closed on NYE, and I think there were issues on Thanksgiving and Christmas. But I can't remember for sure.

What time of year are you going?

 

[WDSearcher]

Phases For Park Closing

At certain busy times of the year the parks experience great numbers of visitors. These fall mostly on the holidays but can happen any day of the year. In order to ensure safety and a magical time for all once a certain number of guests have entered the park, certain attendance measures go into effect. They are as follows:

Phase One -- Day Guests who have not already purchased tickets and Cast Members using their Maingate & Silver Passes will be turned around at the Auto Plaza.

Phase Two -- Currently, admission is limited to Resort Guests, Premium and Annual Passholders, crossovers and other Guests re-entering one of our Parks today. Guests using WDW Resort Transportation and Guests in taxis, will be admitted.

Phase Three -- The theme park is only open to Resort Guests using Disney transportation from their Resort or other theme parks or Annual and Premium Passholders. Shades of Green and Downtown Disney Resort Area Guests using their respective transportation will also be admitted. Guests not meeting the above criteria are told the Park has reached capacity.

Phase Four -- Closed to all Guests and Guests are told the Park has reached capacity.

 

[XStAnt]

MulanMom, when are you going to Disney? The parks (specifically MK) only reach capacity a few days a year. I believe Xmas week, New Year's Eve, and July 4. I'm not sure if they reach capacity during Easter Week, but someone else may know this.

If you're not going at those times I don't think you have anything to qworry about.

If I'm wrong someone please correct me.

 

[MulanMom]

WDSearcher....Thank you for your posting! I have saved it so I can reference it in the future. I'm still confused about Phase two...will they still admit/readmit an annual passholder into the parking lot?

XStAnt....Thanks for your encouragement, but the times we were at MK when the parking lots were closed were during "off-peak" times (but we were staying on property, so no problem). Usually, though, there's something special going on that brings in the crowds. Someone mentioned cheerleader competitions going on and I don't know if the end of that combined with Spring Break would be enough to push capacity for a day. For my planning, I try to prepare for the worst and hope for the best!

 

[WDSearcher]

Originally posted by MulanMom
WDSearcher....Thank you for your posting! I have saved it so I can reference it in the future. I'm still confused about Phase two...will they still admit/readmit an annual passholder into the parking lot?

That depends. In your scenario, probably. In this phase, the number of guests is controlled by requiring that guests use resort transportation (which would indicate that you are staying on-site) or that they be guests re-entering a park (which would indicate that you're already part of "the count"). If you are trying to re-enter the parking lot and you have your parking pass in your window from earlier in the day, you are likely to be able to re-park, since the parking pass will prove that you were in another park earlier in that day, which is all that is required for Phase Two.

That said, however, if the parking lot is indeed closed, all you have to do is park at Epcot and take a quick monorail ride over to MK. Either way, your car will be on property.

 

[rpbear]

This will be my third trip to the World the same weekend as the cheer competition and Spring Break Crowds. To my knowledge none of the parks have closed during that weekend due to crowds. I might avoid MGM if possible on Saturday, the past two years part of the cheer competition has been held at MGM at the Indiana Jones Stunt Show Stage and things are pretty hectic. We went to MK on that Saturday, it was crowded with 60-75 minute waits on the Fantasyland rides but not to capacity.

 

[MulanMom]

WDSearcher...thanks for the clarification. We're starting our Monday with an 8am character breakfast and looking to take advantage of the park being open till 11. Looks like going back to the hotel in the afternoon is viable.

Hi rpbear! We've been to WDW for the past two Marchs. For 2002, the crowds were down due to 9/11. And in 2003, the crowds were supposedly decreased due to the Iraq war. Last year, though the parks weren't at capacity, it felt very crowded because park hours were reduced. I'm hoping the extended hours give everyone some breathing room!

 

[princesstommi]

I think there's a difference between the parking lot being full/closed than the park being full. IIRC - there were some very busy days at MGM when the parking lot was full, and people were directed to park elsewhere and take Disney transportation. But MGM never closed the gates for admission.

I could be crazy though, it's been quite awhile since I worked there.