ADRs if park closed temporarily

[cmfranklyn]

Ok, I'm reading about MK closing until further notice due to crowd capacity. What if we leave at lunch and have an evening ADR? Will they let us in for an ADR even if the park is closed? I'm going in late June so the thought is crossing my mind. ARGH!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

From what I have read when the parks are in their closing stages you will still not be allowed in, even though you would have an ADR. So the best thing to do is to stay in the park just incase they go into their closing stages.

 

[cmfranklyn]

UGH! Thanks for the info. Keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't get that ugly

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

You're welcome and good luck.

 

[Bob P]

ADRs do NOT guarantee you park admission. Here are the stages of park closing from DIS member Cheshire Figment:

The turnstile master computer at each park keeps track of both entries and exits. When a park 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.

I am low enough on the totem pole that I have no idea what these numbers are.

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 (unless you want to go into AK). And if you have entered and left a park and do not have a hopper you may not get into anything.

 

[Dippy the Goof]

Ok, I'm reading about MK closing until further notice due to crowd capacity. What if we leave at lunch and have an evening ADR? Will they let us in for an ADR even if the park is closed? I'm going in late June so the thought is crossing my mind. ARGH!

I doubt you'll have anything to worry about. I noticed your vacation is late June. Spring Break is the peak season so this is why the park has reached capacity. I'm not saying it won't be crowded but I doubt the park will close during those dates.

 

[Bob P]

I doubt you'll have anything to worry about. I noticed your vacation is late June. Spring Break is the peak season so this is why the park has reached capacity. I'm not saying it won't be crowded but I doubt the park will close during those dates.

The parks will sometimes fill to capacity around July 4 though...

 

[dzorn]

Ok I understand you will not get in with an ADR. But will they charge you the cancellation fee for the ones you have to put a credit card on or CRT which you pay in full?

Denise in MI

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Ok I understand you will not get in with an ADR. But will they charge you the cancellation fee for the ones you have to put a credit card on or CRT which you pay in full?

Denise in MI

That's something I have also wanted to know the answer to.

 

[ancestry]

I have to say this has me slightly worried as well. We are scheduled to be there at the end of June, the 20th through the 27th. The crowd levels are showing as 9s for most of that week although when I made my ADRs they were showing as 6s and 7s. I set up our ADRs and park plans in half days -- i.e. since we have park hoppers we do the morning in one park, take a rest in the afternoon-swim, and then go to another park in the late afternoon and evening. I'm worried about being able to get into the second park each day where our dining reservations are usually. UURRGGH. Hopefully it won't be that bad.

 

[Bob P]

That's a very good question.

I just called Disney Dining and asked the person who answered the phone. His reply was that you would NOT get a refund; that they strongly recommend that you arrive at the park early on those few extremely high attendance days, and that you stay in the park.

He also said that if you went to guest services and requested a refund it would be up to the individual manager.

So my opinion is: you probably would get a refund, but it will likely cost you some time and some aggravation. I agree with the CM: if you have an ADR at CRT for a day like July 4, or some time this week, or Christmas week, get to the MK when it opens and don't leave. That way you can't get shut out.

 

[MJMcBride]

The parks will sometimes fill to capacity around July 4 though...

absolutely. As with Christmas

 

[Bob P]

We are scheduled to be there at the end of June, the 20th through the 27th. The crowd levels are showing as 9s for most of that week although when I made my ADRs they were showing as 6s and 7s.

I think I said this in another thread...but I don't know what the UG guys were smoking when they put 6s and 7s at the end of June. That's why in my opinion, crowd calendars are slightly more reliable than Magic 8-Balls, but slightly less reliable than Ouija Boards.

It's all very simple. If schools are in session through most of the country, crowds will be manageable. if schools are out, crowds will be very large. Late June falls under the "schools are out" category.