crowds at disneyland for president days

[eym]

me an my family are planing to go on Feb. 18-19 sunday an monday doin the 2 fer

 

[mindylovesmickey]

It will definitely be busy! Enjoy your trip and use fast pass wherever you can!

 

[Monkey Monkey]

And get there early!

I was there during that weekend a couple of years ago and people were being turned away!

 

[DLR29]

Very crowded. I highly recommend arriving at the gates 45-60 min before park opening. Use FP as much as possible. Also since Sunday is a Magic Morning day and Monday is not, I would recommend touring Adventureland, Frontierland, New Orleans Square, and Critter Country on Sunday. That leaves Toontown, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland for Monday.

That's because assuming that you aren't staying at an onsite hotel, other guests will be allowed into the park to ride Fantasyland and some Tomorrowland rides because they will have Magic Mornings. So then when the park is open to everyone, steer clear from the rides that already have lines.

 

[Macy Bear]

We are going the Thursday and Friday before president's day weekend. HOPEFULLY it wont be as crowded.

 

[jlmarr]

All 3 days - Sat/Sun/Mon - are blocked out for SoCal AP holders, so that's a good sign that DL expects big crowds.

 

[Leofoenget]

All 3 days - Sat/Sun/Mon - are blocked out for SoCal AP holders, so that's a good sign that DL expects big crowds.

What about the rest of the week? Tues-Thursday? Thinking about grabbing the kids and racing up there. Is it like spring break?? I did it once but I honestly can't remember how the crowds were. I had an infant and i was in a bit of a fog.

thanks
jan

 

[mindylovesmickey]

We are actually there the rest of the week after that holiday, and it seems to be pretty stacked. Most of the good hotels seem to be pretty booked, the room choices are slim pickings. I have a feeling it's going to be pretty busy that whole week much to my dismay.

 

[DLR29]

What about the rest of the week? Tues-Thursday? Thinking about grabbing the kids and racing up there. Is it like spring break?? I did it once but I honestly can't remember how the crowds were. I had an infant and i was in a bit of a fog.

thanks
jan

It was crowded a couple years ago, but certainly not unbearable. Using these tips, it's not hard to tour during President's Week:

1) Arriving early. My #1 tip. Just because you can get done so much more in those first 2 hours than the whole afternoon.

2) Using FP effectively. On a bad day we use 2 or 3 FP sets. On a good day 5-7. This cuts down greatly on line waiting. But again you need to know how to use the system very well.

3) Understanding the type of ride. You obviously don't want to spend your precious morning touring on a ride that won't have a line all day. You want to ride the low-capacity rides early and save the "people eaters"/high-capacity rides for the busier afternoon/evening.

 

[Jenn1116]

And get there early!

I was there during that weekend a couple of years ago and people were being turned away!

Oh no!!! I CANNOT afford to be turned away! Is that for people who don't already have tickets?? I need clarification!!

 

[Monkey Monkey]

Oh no!!! I CANNOT afford to be turned away! Is that for people who don't already have tickets?? I need clarification!!

I don't know what the deal was, but it was in the afternoon, and the lines for DL and DCA were indistinguishable. I don't know for how long they were turning people away.

Just get there before it opens and you should be fine.

 

[mindylovesmickey]

I believe if you are staying onsite and the park reaches capacity you can still get in. However, if they reach "capacity" they stop selling tickets. Here is what I found:

Disney does not have an offcial capacity for any of it's parks due to the fact that they are outdoor venues. That said fire codes only limit the number of people in any given building. Though at some point it becomes unsafe in the park with over crowding.

To regulate over crowding Disney does a few things:
Level 1: Normal entry and re-entry to the park
Level 2: The park stops selling admission tickets (about 60,000 guests) Pass Holders and pre purchased tickets are still allowed entry.
Level 3: Admission only to hotel guest and readmission, with hand stamp for Pass and ticket holders. (about 75,000)
Level 4: Close the park no one enters the park. (about 85,000) If attendance lowers to about 75,000 Level 3 will be reinstated.


Remember, you can always head over to DCA for awhile if the crowds get overwhelming.

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

A friend of mine went this past New Years Eve and she said that they turn people away from entering.. So even if you have tickets, you have to wait in line until some people leave, and then you can enter.. She had 1 day park hoppers, and she couldn't hop to DCA because they told her she probably wouldn't be let back into DL..

If you get there early and since you won't be park hopping to DCA since you have a 2fer, you should be fine..

 

[Macy Bear]

I was there for New Year's Eve too. I will never do that again.

 

[Vanvmom]

Disney's World of Martial Arts tournament is going on that weekend at the Anaheim Convention Center (this is a HUGE martial arts competition), and Sunday the 17th is Martial Arts Day at DCA - martial arts demos at the park, and all the competitors get to march in the parade. Most of the competition is on Sat. but I would expect many of the competitors to go to the parks on Sun and Mon, as tons travel from FL, and many travel to DL from outside of the US to compete. We went last year (and are going this year). Last year it was super bowl weekend, and at the DLH in all of the ballrooms, but as it is expected to be larger this year, they moved it to the convention center.