Crowd levels & park closure question

[DsnyTxn]

We changed our minds this morning and thought we might try to change from the Embassy Suites to the Disneyland hotel, HOWEVER, it seems ALL the resort hotels are sold out June 16-22. Now I am very fearful that we might have chosen to go during a VERY high attendance time (due to FNSV opening, summer season, Father's Day holiday, ???). It is our DS3 first time and we really wanted it to be magical. I have read that if the park attendance gets too high, they will close Disneyland! I have also read that as the park closes, only resort guests will be allowed to re-enter the park. Is this correct? If this becomes the issue, what time do the parks usually hit full capacity? We will only have 1 EE day with our park hopper(doing that on Tues.), but plan to be at the gates the other days ASAP. Of course with a 3 year old, who knows what is possible! Should we skip nap/afternoon break at hotel and plan on STAYING in the parks Mon, Tues and Wed (June 18-20) so we don't risk not being allowed back in? OR when we leave the gates for mid-afternoon break will they tell us there's a possiblity we won't be allowed back in? OR do the crowds clear out around 5:00pm which would allow us re-entry?? I am SOO worried now! Any help (or reassurance) you could give me would be very appreciated!!! TIA

 

[HydroGuy]

In truth I would be shocked if the crowd levels during your days in June were anywhere near the level needed to close the parks. The only possible day would be June 22 - and that is because of a unique set of circumstances and not because June 22 is any otherways a bad time to go.

June 22 is a Sunday, a non-blackout day for AP holders, the last weekend before summer blackout starts, and the Nemo ride is supposed to open on June 11 (Nemo is the key). Even then, I doubt it will be crowded enough to close the park. So in general I think you are worrying unnecessarily. The only times you hear about the park being at capacity are New Year's Eve and days like July 11, 2005 which was DL's actual 50th anniversary. And there are occasional other days usually around holidays. But not June.

With that said, when the parks close it is because of fire marshall decisions and it doesn't matter who you are or where you stay - no one enters until an equal number of people leave.

If it was me I would not worry park capacity on any other day than June 22, and even then I still would not worry enough to avoid leaving the park. If for some reason it reached capacity I would go to DCA or wait until the park re-opened which would happen by late afternoon/early evening.

 

[Adi12982]

June 22 is a Sunday,

June 22 is a Friday . . .


I would try booking a resort again, I heard they released some of the rooms. Also try tripadvisor, expedia, etc.

 

[vbecky]

Sorry to jump in on this thread but I to was thinking of going in June the 23-29 with planning on being in the park Mon-Wed. What do you think crowd levels will be at on those date? only been to DL one other time and the was in May of 2005 Thanks for any advise.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

Your plan is a good one, and I cannot stress it enough: try to get to the park prior to opening so you are one of the first ones in. Run to Dumbo first, then go on all the other rides right around there. That will equal LOTS of magic for your family before the crowds become unbearable.

I have never been when the parks have reach capacity, but my friend was there this year the week right before Easter and they closed the gates one day while she was there -- so, the scenario you are talking about just recently happened.

Good luck! You're going to have a GREAT time!

 

[HydroGuy]

June 22 is a Friday . . .


I would try booking a resort again, I heard they released some of the rooms. Also try tripadvisor, expedia, etc.

Ooops, looked at April and not June by accident. Thanks.

The issue in general are Sundays in June, specifically the two Sundays between Nemo opening (June 11) and AP blackout (June 29). That would be June 17 and 24. So, take my post above and insert either of those two dates and everything else works.

With regard to the OP, then June 17 would be the day to be most concerned about during the stated visit of June 16-22.

 

[HydroGuy]

I have never been when the parks have reach capacity, but my friend was there this year the week right before Easter and they closed the gates one day while she was there -- so, the scenario you are talking about just recently happened.

Good point.

The caveat here is that June crowds are typically not that bad (compared to Spring Break) and there is nothing historically which would cause the parks to reach capacity. Nemo and those AP holders are the wild cards this year. I just do not see the parks reaching capacity in June. But if they did, it would be on Sunday June 17 or 24. And possibly June 11, the day Nemo opens, but I find that doubtful since it is a week day (Monday).

 

[Adi12982]

Ooops, looked at April and not June by accident. Thanks.

NO PROBLEM, I was just flattered/excited I knew something you didn't. . . even if it was just a mistake. . . And the only reason I KNEW was because it is during our trip

 

[DsnyTxn]

Thank you all so much for the replies! It makes me feel somewhat better. I guess I'm just nerveous since ALL the Disney hotels are sold out AND most of the good neighbor hotels. Is this typical for June? I know that Camp Pin-e-ha-ha is June 16 and 17, so that may account for some of it. I figured since Thurs. June 21st was a grad night, a lot of people would try to stay away that week, but I guess not! And since we plan on being in the parks Mon, Tues and Wed, maybe the crowd levels will not be as high. Does anyone know when California schools let out for summer vacation?

 

[fidoprincess]

We have been there several times when the parks were full and closed!! Almost every trip was at Thanksgiving though so I would doubt that the crowds would be that big at the times you are going.

But....here are some tips and hints if it "looks" that way:
First of all, on a day there is a chance DL might close, there is a big giant "you can't miss it" sign right at the security check entrance that says, "Disneyland is very busy today." If you see that sign going in, don't leave the park!!

Around 11 am, when DL closed, we were told the sign was changed to say "DL is full, enjoy CA" or something like that. They did not tell people that were leaving that the parks were full and they could not or might not get back in!! Don't count on any Cm telling you or you will be disappointed. When we were there, people were practically fighting outside the gates because they were not told. One mom went to their car to get the kids sweatshirts and was not allowed back in, can you imagine!??!

We heard that people just waited in line and after some people came out, they would let some in. I was told there are several levels of closed: first they stop selling one day tickets for example, then no new entries, just people who had been there already(so if it is busy, make sure you get your hand stamped) and so on down the line until the fire marshall says "No one at all!!"

When the parks closed, it was always after at least 10:30 am so as long as you get there early, you won't have a problem. For us, the problem was we were afraid to leave and we were staying at the DLH just so we could take a break, swim and then head back. They told us when the fire marshall closes it, even resort guests were not let back in.

We learned to do some alternative planning just for the days we knew it might close. For example, we really really wanted to do the Thanksgiving Dinner at the hotel but decided instead not to leave the park that day and made ps for Blue Bayou. Instead of Goofy's for breakfast, we did the Plaza Inn so we would not have to leave the park. In the end, the park only closed on Thanksgiving Day(2&3 years ago) and one of the Fridays after so it was not too big a deal since we were there a few days.

On those crowded busy days, we really had to make good use of fastpass and know that it would be slow going with the crowds but it was all worth it. We were at DL!! You will have a great time no matter what but just pay attention to the signs. If you can not walk down main street without your feet touching someone else's feet, that is a good sign it is really crowded and if you get stuck in a massive traffic jam in front of Indiana Jones, that is another sure sign that DL is filling up-lol.

 

[HydroGuy]

NO PROBLEM, I was just flattered/excited I knew something you didn't. . . even if it was just a mistake. . . And the only reason I KNEW was because it is during our trip

I will have to try making mistakes more often if it made you feel so good.

Have a great trip.

 

[VWCat]

Thank you all so much for the replies! It makes me feel somewhat better. I guess I'm just nerveous since ALL the Disney hotels are sold out AND most of the good neighbor hotels. Is this typical for June? I know that Camp Pin-e-ha-ha is June 16 and 17, so that may account for some of it. I figured since Thurs. June 21st was a grad night, a lot of people would try to stay away that week, but I guess not! And since we plan on being in the parks Mon, Tues and Wed, maybe the crowd levels will not be as high. Does anyone know when California schools let out for summer vacation?

The dlh has been booked for those dates for over a month now I believe. We tried to for june 16-24th waaay back and it was full then. I had to settle for june 10-17 which now sounds like it could be better. Good Luck

 

[cinderella_mom]

Thank you all so much for the replies! It makes me feel somewhat better. I guess I'm just nerveous since ALL the Disney hotels are sold out AND most of the good neighbor hotels. Is this typical for June? I know that Camp Pin-e-ha-ha is June 16 and 17, so that may account for some of it. I figured since Thurs. June 21st was a grad night, a lot of people would try to stay away that week, but I guess not! And since we plan on being in the parks Mon, Tues and Wed, maybe the crowd levels will not be as high. Does anyone know when California schools let out for summer vacation?

The schools 20 minutes south of DLR get out 6/19-6/22.

 

[HydroGuy]

My sister and kids are joining as at DLR the week of June 25, and their schools in Riverside (east of DLR about 40 miles) get out June 18.