If overcrowding closes the gate.....

[DWLA]

And you have a 1 park ticket, do they let you try to get into the other park? Or if you don't have a park hopper do you just have to wait for the overcrowding to subside?

In other words, if I have a 1-park ticket, go to Disneyland in the morning, go take a hotel break, and come back to find the gate closed to DL due to overcrowding, will Disney do anything like let you cross to the other park?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

And you have a 1 park ticket, do they let you try to get into the other park? Or if you don't have a park hopper do you just have to wait for the overcrowding to subside?

In other words, if I have a 1-park ticket, go to Disneyland in the morning, go take a hotel break, and come back to find the gate closed to DL due to overcrowding, will Disney do anything like let you cross to the other park?

From what I understand, no. A 1 park ticket is a 1 park ticket. Once it's used at either park that's the 1 park it's valid at.

 

[lorijohnhill]

I understand it the same way as PrincessShmoo... if you wanted to then go into California Adventure, even in Disneyland is at capacity, you would have to upgrade to a hopper ticket.

 

[bumbershoot]

If you go on a day where that sort of thing is possible, just don't leave the park. That's NOT a day for a break.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

Happened to me on a random day in November during the 50th. You have to upgrade to a hopper if you want that. Honestly if you go on a day that seems like it might reach capacity, best bet is to stay in the park and not take a break. You can rest on the train or a bench instead.

 

[londonlovesdisney]

If you have a dinner ADR in the park will they let you in?

 

[tarheelalum]

If you have a dinner ADR in the park will they let you in?

No.

 

[londonlovesdisney]

Yikes. I'm not having any luck finding out when DL is likely to reach capacity. Does anyone know if this is likely on the Saturday of Columbus Day weekend? Thank you!

 

[Sherry E]

Yikes. I'm not having any luck finding out when DL is likely to reach capacity. Does anyone know if this is likely on the Saturday of Columbus Day weekend? Thank you!

Not really. The park reaching capacity is an expected and regular thing -- but only at a very specific time of year. It doesn't really happen on a "normal" crowded weekend. It happens in the week between Christmas and New Year's.

Any other days it might happen are random and arbitrary, and not too predictable -- though I think it happened during the recent 24-hour event too, but that was Memorial Day weekend and the start of the 60th anniversary festivities.

 

[londonlovesdisney]

Thank you!

 

[scrapshappen]

I would be shocked if it ever reached capacity in October. I suppose it could happen, but you would have an idea before you left the park for break because it would be very hard to get around the park. In my experience, Sundays in October are more crowded than Saturdays anyway since some local APs aren't blocked that day.

 

[Fantaluminishes]

Yikes. I'm not having any luck finding out when DL is likely to reach capacity. Does anyone know if this is likely on the Saturday of Columbus Day weekend? Thank you!

You probably should have mentioned the date in your OP. Disneyland won't reach capacity on that day. Like Sherry E said, capacity closures are quite rare, except from Christmas Day through New Years Eve. And even then, any closures are quite brief. The prolonged closure on May 22 was even more rare. The parks weren't at capacity, but the parade route at DL was packed due to anticipation for Paint The Night. I was inside Disneyland during that time. Many rides were walk-on. The longest line I stood in that day was Starbucks on Main Street before the first parade. It was a 45-minute wait.

 

[disneychrista]

If you go on a day where that sort of thing is possible, just don't leave the park. That's NOT a day for a break.

This is exactly what I was going to say. But the days with closures are not that many. If you are going during a busy busy time of year (Christmas - New Years) then pick a park and stay there. Take your breaks by riding the train, watching the afternoon parade, a sit down meal etc.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Does DL do any phased closures like WDW? At WDW it is closed to certain people at different levels. Like first closing to day visitors but still allowing WDW resort guests? Just wondering because that might be a perk of staying onsite for busy seasons.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

Does DL do any phased closures like WDW? At WDW it is closed to certain people at different levels. Like first closing to day visitors but still allowing WDW resort guests? Just wondering because that might be a perk of staying onsite for busy seasons.

I've heard they do, but no one really knows what those levels look like. Just rest assured that unless you're going during the 2 weeks surrounding Christmas or a 24 hour party, you'll probably be safe. There are random closures (usually coinciding with something big happening at the parks, a big convention, or a combination of the 2), but in general, that's rare.

 

[disneychrista]

Does DL do any phased closures like WDW? At WDW it is closed to certain people at different levels. Like first closing to day visitors but still allowing WDW resort guests? Just wondering because that might be a perk of staying onsite for busy seasons.

It goes something like this.

No NEW single day tickets, except onsite guests
No NEW multi-day tickets, except onsite guests
No re-entry, except onsite guests
NOBODY

 

[bumbershoot]

You know, actually, 5.5 years ago over Columbus Day DL did close for a bit. I know this because when we first entered DCA the following day, despite having APs they made us get hand stamps, just in case. They were worried that a park would close again and we would need handstamps in case of a certain level of closure (I'm just reporting what the CMs at the gates said).

Funny how there are two Col Day and two Mem Day weekends I strongly remember...my birthday is sometimes (this year!) on the Monday holiday, and DS's birthday is sometimes over Mem Day weekend, and we've been at least twice on those weekends.

Whichever year it was ALSO Gay Days over Col Day weekend it didn't close at all, however. And given how unpleasant the crowds were on the Sunday and the morning of the Monday that year, and how the crowds didn't even compared to the horrible crowding we experienced 7/26-31 of this year, I cannot even imagine what it's like in a park on a day it's going to close to capacity! Ick!