Closing Parks for Capacity?

[LuvnMickey]

Hi,
Has anyone ever experienced WDW when they have closed the parks due to huge crowds as a capacity control? I'm worried about the upcoming week March 20-26.

I'll have 3 teenagers along who like to sleep late. Will they be able to get into the parks for EMH in the evening? Does the capacity control vary throughout the day (say close MK to newcomers during the morning, but re-open if the crowds thin out later in the day?)?

We've never been to WDW during such a busy time--so I'm a little apprehensive.

 

[Gymbomom]

We have, but we stay on property so you will always get to go in, if you are a Disney guest at a hotel.
But, the times we have, we always leave as I get a little panicky in the huge crowds.
Last New Years Eve, I have never seen so many drunk people in one spot (Epcot). We waited 45 minutes to go to the bathroom.

 

[peter11435]

We have, but we stay on property so you will always get to go in, if you are a Disney guest at a hotel.
But, the times we have, we always leave as I get a little panicky in the huge crowds.
Last New Years Eve, I have never seen so many drunk people in one spot (Epcot). We waited 45 minutes to go to the bathroom.

Just to clarify, being a resort guest only guarantees entry into a park. Not necessarily the park you want to go to. If MK is at capacity even a resort guest will not be allowed in. They will have to go to one of the other parks.

 

[Gymbomom]

You learn something everyday!!
Okay, let me ask you this, if the park is at capacity, do they let resort guest in before other guests??

 

[LuvnMickey]

Do they "open" and "close" the parks throughout the day? I assume you just have to go to a park to find out if it's open. Would someone at the hotel know (we're staying at BCV) to save you a trip?

Also, do you need to arrive at a park 2 hours before (to get a wristband) for the EMH or can you come later and still get in?

So many questions, so little time. Sigh. It's not like I've never been to WDW before (I think about 15 times) just never when it is so busy.

 

[peter11435]

You learn something everyday!!
Okay, let me ask you this, if the park is at capacity, do they let resort guest in before other guests??

The parks have four phases.

-Phase 1 = normal park operation everyone is let in.
-Phase 2 = day guests are no longer allowed in. Resort Guest, CM's going for fun, and AP holders are still let in.
-Phase 3 = CM's and AP holders are no longer let in. Only Resort Guests are let in.
-Phase 4 = No one is let in

As you can see the parks do close to non-resort guests first. However, they will eventually close to everyone. The combined gap between a phase 3 and 4 for all four parks is large enough to allow all resort guests in, just not the park of their choice.

 

[peter11435]

Do they "open" and "close" the parks throughout the day? I assume you just have to go to a park to find out if it's open. Would someone at the hotel know (we're staying at BCV) to save you a trip?

Also, do you need to arrive at a park 2 hours before (to get a wristband) for the EMH or can you come later and still get in?

So many questions, so little time. Sigh. It's not like I've never been to WDW before (I think about 15 times) just never when it is so busy.

They will open and close throughout the day. However it is not a 10 went out, lets let 10 more in type of thing. The attendance must drop a certain amount before the let anyone in. The hotel will be able to tell you if the park is closed, however even if they tell you it is open, it could close before you get there.

As for EEMH, you do not need to get there 2 hours before. If the park closes at 9 and EEMH is from 9-12. You could enter the park at anytime after 7 and still get a wristband

 

[whithouston]

We went for New Year's 2002 and the MK was closed around noon on New Year's Eve due to capacity. We got there around 8 AM on Dec. 31st and didn't leave until 1:45 AM on Jan. 1st. We were afraid if we left we wouldn't be able to get back in later, so we stuck it out all day!

 

[Luv2Roam]

What I have read from Disney. (And I am sure subject to change):

Phase 1:
Guests who have not already bought tickets and CMs using their passes are turned away at the auto entrance. Those guests are told the park has reached capacity.

Phase 2:
Admission is limited to
* resort guests
* AP/PAP holders
* park hoppers and others re-entering
Guests arriving via resort busses and taxis are admitted.
All others are turned away and told the park has reached capacity.

Phase 3:
The park is only open to resort guests using Disney transportation or AP/PAP holders.
All others are turned away and told the park has reached capacity.


Phase 4:
Closed to all and told the park has reached capacity.

And my understanding is by resort guests, also included is SoG and DTD resort area hotels, who bring in guests on their own resort transportation.
Someone mentioned awhile back one of the main criteria for park closing is due to lack of parking.
DH has seen where cars are even parked on the grass surrounding Petty speedway.
We were in MK on NYE and we did see guests enter late afternoon. I do not know what stage the park was in at that time.
And as many have said, you may not want to be there. It is still enjoyable. But we could see more guest's tolerance and patience worn thin that day.

 

[princess aurora]

I think it's all a matter of perception. If you're going to be panicky in crowds get there early then leave. Throw water on your sleeping teens to get them up if you have to (or threaten it at least ).

We've been at Christmas time before (max crowds) and I guess I didn't know any better so it didn't bother me. This was BEFORE fast passes even. We waited in long line ups but nothing more than 45mins or we moved on to the next ride. Also in my experience the ride wait is rarely as long as the posted wait time. We always have hoppers so just prior to parades we escape to other parks.

We've been to EPCOT on New Year's Eve and again didn't notice drunk people but there were TONS of people. Just hold your parties hand and relax and move with the crowd anticipating long waits for buses ect... or wait it out another 30 minutes have a drink and just people watch until the crowds disapait a little when closing time.

It was always mid-afternoon when parks were at capacity in our experience.

 

[peter11435]

Parking has very little to do with determining park capacity. Most park guests do not even drive to the parks. The parking lot only dictates when the park goes to a phase 2 close(no more day guests). As for actual maximum capacity this number changes every day. Many factors contribute to deciding what the capacity is for a day. These include the number of attraction operating, the amount of food they have, the number of CM's scheduled, number of attractions running fastpass, etc. For example Small World being closed lowers the parks max capacity. Also the parks capacity decreases as the number of attractions running fastpass increases. This is because Fastpass puts more people back into the park and out of lines, therefore causing a lower park capacity.

 

[LuvnMickey]

Thanks all! We'll see how things go with the "guys." My DH and I are early risers so we may go into the parks early on our own and return to wake the teens. We're staying at the BCV so can walk into Epcot or even over to MGM easily.

Our family has been to WDW many times so we don't have to do it commando-style. But we're bringing one of DS's friends who hasn't been since he was little so I'm sure there will be lots he'll want to see and do.

I long for the "olden days" when the boys were little and we could pull them out of school to do Disney in late Jan. and early Feb. with few crowds! It was so peaceful to walk the parks in the morning. Wish our Spring Break was at a different time.

But I still love WDW--even if we aren't doing many rides. It still puts a smile on my face (and my teens too).

 

[crow11ad]

The week of Easter last week, few of the parks, including water parks were closing due to the crowdes. It just happened that they were not the parks we were going to that day....

 

[nearlychildless]

How old are your teens? Do they have cell phones? I went with DH17 and her friend last summer and sometime they went on thier own commando style and my friend and I at a different pace. In fact they left illuminations one night and made it in time to see wishes at MK. They checked in regularly by cell phone and with Disney transportation they came to the parks in the morning after we did but we did not need to go back for them. Just called to get them up and they call and let us know when they were on thier way. When are you going? We will be there next week with our teen.

 

[jl3614]

From your posts I understand- resort guests are gauranteed entrance to a park (except phase 4), they are just taken to the park which is the overflow for the closed park.

We are not buying the Hopper Option on our tickets - does this gaurantee entrance still apply? Say we go to MK in the morning, go back to the room for a nap, then return early evening to find MK at a level 1 or level 2 closing, will they honor the gaurantee park entrance at another park, even though we do not have a hopper ticket, therefore should not be allowed to enter any park other than our original (MK in this example)?

 

[zurgswife]

From your posts I understand- resort guests are gauranteed entrance to a park (except phase 4), they are just taken to the park which is the overflow for the closed park.

We are not buying the Hopper Option on our tickets - does this gaurantee entrance still apply? Say we go to MK in the morning, go back to the room for a nap, then return early evening to find MK at a level 1 or level 2 closing, will they honor the gaurantee park entrance at another park, even though we do not have a hopper ticket, therefore should not be allowed to enter any park other than our original (MK in this example)?

From my understanding if you don't have a hopper option and you have entered and exited a park say MK and MK reaches capacity and closes and you wish to return.. you will not be able to enter another park because you do not have the hopper option...

 

[peter11435]

From my understanding if you don't have a hopper option and you have entered and exited a park say MK and MK reaches capacity and closes and you wish to return.. you will not be able to enter another park because you do not have the hopper option...

You are correct.

 

[Greenhouse]

Is there a number to call ahead and see if any parks are closed before making our way there?