Getting very nervous about trip

[j_lehr]

We will be at the parks from Dec 23 to 27. I get nervous when i read the posts about how the parks close. I know it will be busy...i expect crowds. I don't have very high expecatations....I want to be able to enjoy the atmosphere and ride a few rides. I have warned dear boyfriend about the crowds. I have warned him that we will need to get to the parks super early and we don't plan to hop even though we have the option on our tickets. The only day i was going to hop was Christmas day but that now seems out of the question.

I have two questions...

On Christmas Day, we planned to go to Animal Kingdom in the morning...take an afternoon break, and we have an ADR for Chef Mickey's. I wanted to go to the Magic Kingdom for the EMH night. Will i be able to get in? How do i get the wristband for EMH if I can't even get into the park?

The day after Christmas we have an ADR for Rainforest Cafe. I am not sure if after dinner we are going back to AK or back to the resort. If we choose to stay at AK, will we be able to get back into the park? I thought RFC was outside of AK so now I am worried about that too.

Thanks for all the help...please help me get the knots out of my stomach.

 

[MomofKatie]

1) If the park is at capacity, you will not be allowed in, EMH night or not. At that time of the evening, I don't know if the MK will be at capacity or not. The only way to be sure to be able to do the EMH is to go early, and stay in the park all day.

2) The Rainforest Cafe at AK has an outside-the-park entrance, so even if the park was at capacity, you'd still be able to eat at RFC.

 

[Indy's Girl]

Also be aware that if you do not have th epark hopper option on your tickets, you will not be able to get into MK in the evening after having been at AK in the morning, even for evening EMH. So if you want to visit more than one park a day, and take advantage of morning and evening EMH each day you will need the park hopper pass. I also think that even when the parks are to capacity Disney resort guests are allowed in, but not sure about this one.

 

[j_lehr]

Thanks for the replies. We do have the park hopper on the tickets.

My question about Rainforest Cafe...I am not worried about getting to RFC, i am worried about getting back into the AK after dinner. We will be at AK before dinner and I just want to make sure after dinner we can go back. Does Rainforest Cafe have an entrace to the park too?

Thanks again!

 

[blessedby3]

Yes they do have an entrance from the park side- at least to get in to the restaraunt. We always eat at RFC on our AK day and we always enter from inside the park- we dont go out to get in. I assume you can get back in the same way, but we are usually leaving after we eat and dont go back into the park.

 

[mickaholic4077]

Yes, RFC has an entrance to the park.

 

[SaraMc]

I do believe that even if parks close to capacity that WDW guests staying on property still can get in.

 

[crazy4dizney]

I do believe that even if parks close to capacity that WDW guests staying on property still can get in.

This is true...
Only the parking lots close to non onsite Disney guest.

 

[cleo]

I do believe that even if parks close to capacity that WDW guests staying on property still can get in.

I'm afraid that is not strictly true. On site guests are guaranteed to get into A park, but it may not be THE park they want to visit. For example, if Magic Kingdom is closed to capacity, it doesn't matter if you're in the Honeymoon Suite at Grand Floridian, you ain't gettin' in. Bummer, hey?

But you WILL get into ONE of the Disney parks. Magic Kingdom is the only one that consistantly closes (by mid-morning, mind you), so you may get into AK or you may get into Epcot....

But if AK closes to capactity, even on site guests won't get in.

 

[mlill]

I guess I'm not too worried about the parks closing because they've hit capacity. I wouldn't want to be in a park that crowded anyway! There is so much to do on Disney property, that I'm sure we'll be OK, even if we don't go to a park on Christmas Day. It might even force us to slow down and relax for awhile! LOL!

Happy Holidays!
-Michelle

 

[kohlby]

Not answering your questions, but posting to make you feel better. My husband and I went to Disney three years in a row, from Dec 26-Jan 2. We were able to easily get a lot of rides in. We walk faster than others, know how to use our fast passes, and used single rider lines. (Not sure how many parks have these anymore though). The only park that we had unbearable crowds was Magic Kingdom. However, by coming early and doing just the rides we really wanted to do, we were fine. Now we're travelling with kids and it's so much harder. Our pace is so different. Without young kids, even big crowds didn't stand in our way. So early and go hard. Then take in shows and a long leisurely lunch. Then some families start to go home and the paths become passable again.

 

[MomofKatie]

Thanks for the replies. We do have the park hopper on the tickets.

My question about Rainforest Cafe...I am not worried about getting to RFC, i am worried about getting back into the AK after dinner. We will be at AK before dinner and I just want to make sure after dinner we can go back. Does Rainforest Cafe have an entrace to the park too?

Thanks again!

If you are eating at RFC, I believe you wouldn't have a problem getting back in AK, since there is an "in the park" entrance and an "out of the park" entrance. I think that usually only the MK gets so overcrowded that it closes its gates, but I suppose it is possible for AK to, also. I wouldn't worry too much, though.