Easter

[moodme]

Hello
I know Easter is crazy busy. But wondering does the park ever fill to capacity? We have a F! Dining package and I am wondering if we leave the park to head back to the hotel for the afternoon are we going to have problems getting back into the park for our reservation.
Thanks!

 

[figment_jii]

Capacity closures are actually fairly rare for DLR outside of the week between Christmas and New Year. While anything is possible, I would be fairly surprised if DL actually reached capacity crowds on Easter Sunday (or in the weeks leading up to or the week after Easter). Also it's worth noting that when DL does have to institute closures, it's done in a phased approach. Returning guests (i.e., those with handstamps) are usually in one of the latter groups to be blocked, so if you're worried, be sure to get a handstamp as you exit the park.

 

[justgot2havefun]

Hate to repeat the question, but my DW and I have been wondering about capacity closures on the Opening weekend of the 60th Anniversary Memorial Day Weekend. I know you said it is uncommon (and no one knows the future), but if you had to wager a guess you think the chances are any better for the big kickoff?

 

[DisneyDreamer1229]

Between the trips taken by myself and my brother, there has only been one time that we saw the parks at capacity and it was on July 4th.

 

[figment_jii]

When you ask about the chances being better, do you mean is the capacity closure more likely for May 22nd and the following weekend than for Easter? I think there will be a surge on the evening of May 22nd when the new shows debut, but it's worth noting that only the Premium/Premier and Deluxe APs are valid. So while I think there are a lot of guests that will want to see the new shows, I don't know know how many SoCal and SoCal Select AP holders will spring for a one-day ticket when they can just wait until the next week/weekend to see the shows. Also, a lot of schools are still in session, so it's not quite the same as July 4th and Christmas when most folks are out of school or has a holiday. So, no, I don't really think Memorial Day weekend is likely to see capacity closures. It's also worth noting that it's pretty rare for the park to reach the full capacity closures. More often, it's one of the earlier phases that is reached (e.g., stop selling tickets, etc.) and when the parks do close due to capacity, they don't say closed for the entire day.

I think there is chance that the parks will reach at least the lowest phase the phased closures on July 17th (the actual anniversary day).

 

[SMD]

Hate to repeat the question, but my DW and I have been wondering about capacity closures on the Opening weekend of the 60th Anniversary Memorial Day Weekend. I know you said it is uncommon (and no one knows the future), but if you had to wager a guess you think the chances are any better for the big kickoff?

Well, there was a capacity closure during the first 24 hour event in 2012. The last 2 years there was a 24 hour event the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, so it's possible. The most recent time I recall seeing one outside of December or July was in 2013 I was there in early February and when we tried to hop from DCA to DL mid-afternoon they had stopped allowing people into DL. A few of us with APs decided to eat in DTD, and when we went back about an hour or so later the gates were open, but the lines were insane so we went home. I later heard from co-worker who was there that they waited 40 minutes that day to get in. Not sure how much of that was the closure and how much was just the lines. I also don't remember if it was Presidents' Day weekend or not. Capacity closures also happen sometimes for Thanksgiving. And I read that one happened a few years ago on Veterans Day. http://www.disboards.com/threads/veterans-day-weekend.2901271/

So, I'd say it's more likely on a 3 day weekend, but only for DL park and probably won't last the whole day.

 

[figment_jii]

I don't think the parks ever reached capacity closure last year during the 24-hour event. At least I don't recall hearing anything about it and I didn't have any troubles hoping between DL and DCA (we hopped a few times throughout the day and night).

That's an interesting note about Veteran's Day. It makes sense that the most busy times are going to be the 3-day weekends, but it still doesn't seem like it's common for the parks to reach capacity outside of Christmas and July 4th. It seems like there are sporadic days, but very few that are consistently at capacity from year-to-year.

 

[SMD]

I don't think the parks ever reached capacity closure last year during the 24-hour event. At least I don't recall hearing anything about it and I didn't have any troubles hoping between DL and DCA (we hopped a few times throughout the day and night).

That's an interesting note about Veteran's Day. It makes sense that the most busy times are going to be the 3-day weekends, but it still doesn't seem like it's common for the parks to reach capacity outside of Christmas and July 4th. It seems like there are sporadic days, but very few that are consistently at capacity from year-to-year.

I don't think they did, but the crowds fell somewhere between 2012 and 2013. If there were a hypothetical 60th themed event that weekend, I could see it being a lot more popular than last year's event. Without an event I don't think a capacity closure is likely, but if it were going to happen between now and July, I'd say that that's the most likely weekend.