Park Capacity?

[BusySpeechMom]

Hi! I was wondering if park capacity has been discussed? I have read several posts today about how horrible the crowds were over Spring Break. We are going the last week in July so I know it will be crowded then as well. I am just curious how Disney deals with crowds. For example, a poster said the crowd for The Haunted Mansion was so bad it was dangerous. Anyone care to educate me? Thank you!

 

[mom2rtk]

My hunch is that attendance is down at DHS and Epcot. People are likely spending more time in the MK since there's more to do there and more FP capacity.

Maybe more people will move back over to Epcot when the new things open? No way to tell. It's not a ton of new capacity, especially if you don't care about Frozen.

 

[MammaMoe48]

I'd love to know this too. I know Disney can't disclose all their security measures but when parks are bursting at max capacity, how do they ensure crowd safety? What if there was a fire or something that would cause a panic? I remember the Hillsboro (UK) disaster in 1989, as well as others, and one of my biggest fears is getting caught in a stampede. Especially if my son is with me.

 

[strat68]

You really can't plan for full scale panic or riots. I might guess that park capacity is probably set by Florida law based on acreage.

 

[anniemae]

My hunch is that attendance is down at DHS and Epcot. People are likely spending more time in the MK since there's more to do there and more FP capacity.

Maybe more people will move back over to Epcot when the new things open? No way to tell. It's not a ton of new capacity, especially if you don't care about Frozen.

This is what I think too. Many are avoiding DHS and Epcot, especially if you don't have hoppers. I posted on another thread that I heard the crowds are much better this week. I have a friend in FL that had to leave the parks last week they were so crowded, today it is much better and they breezed through bag check, where last week it took a very long time. I wonder if last week was some sort of "perfect storm" or something.

 

[JimmyV]

Also, there is a big, big difference between

• "The park is at full capacity and I can't even walk down Main Street"; and
• "The lines are really, really long."

Recent cuts in staffing are having an impact on attraction load capacity causing Spring Break lines to be as long as Thanksgiving/Christmas lines. But that does not mean that there are as many people in the parks in April as there are in November/December. Capacity cut-offs are the result of total body count and not line length.

 

[MammaMoe48]

Also, there is a big, big difference between

• "The park is at full capacity and I can't even walk down Main Street"; and
• "The lines are really, really long."

Recent cuts in staffing are having an impact on attraction load capacity causing Spring Break lines to be as long as Thanksgiving/Christmas lines. But that does not mean that there are as many people in the parks in April as there are in November/December. Capacity cut-offs are the result of total body count and not line length.

I can deal with long lines, but I can't deal with crowds. I imagine that Disney wouldn't let the parks get so crowded that it becomes dangerous - they've been doing this a while - but I still get scared in big crowds.

 

[JimmyV]

I imagine that Disney wouldn't let the parks get so crowded that it becomes dangerous...

I think it is fair to assume that Disney has this under control. At some level, I suspect, (without knowing), that certain crowd levels trigger immutable, non-discretionary security/closure protocols. We see such closures a few times each year, but never during Spring Break that I can recall. So if a park continues to admit people, it is fair to assume that the critical mass number has not yet been reached.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I agree with PP's. Epcot was pretty empty over Easter. It is my favorite park but there isn't anything except TT worth a FP+ so we planned my MK days then we ever did in the past. Ride 3 and then out or go over after dinner and ride 3 and out.

 

[c3h3a3r]

We'll be there at the end of July too

 

[MammaMoe48]

You really can't plan for full scale panic or riots. I might guess that park capacity is probably set by Florida law based on acreage.

I know but I tend to think the worst all the time.

 

[Boski]

http://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/ma...vice-menu-joy-where-does-the-line-start-4616/

 

[Jestocost]

Only once, in numerous visits, have I been in a crowd where I became a bit concerned that it could have been dangerous. That was in the MK just after the nightly fireworks, on the walkways and bridges that run outside the hub over by Liberty Square/Adventureland/Crystal Palace. I believe it was spring break several years ago.

It was so packed that there was no place to move and people started to push and shove and panic a bit. The problem was created because the CMs doing crowd control in the area allowed people to stand in the designated walkways to see the fireworks so--surprise, surprise--the walkways weren't walkable when the show ended and people tried to move along. It all ended OK but it was a little dicey for a few minutes.

 

[JimmyV]

FWIW, my most crowded days at the MK have paled in comparison to what I have experienced as "average" days at DL. A lot of that has to do with the relative size of the two parks and the width of the walking areas and design of the queue areas. But I have never experienced a "crush" at the MK the way I did after the end of the "Disneyland Forever" Fireworks show. These parks can (and will) hold a lot of people before the powers that be determine that there is an added danger component.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Only once, in numerous visits, have I been in a crowd where I became a bit concerned that it could have been dangerous. That was in the MK just after the nightly fireworks, on the walkways and bridges that run outside the hub over by Liberty Square/Adventureland/Crystal Palace. I believe it was spring break several years ago.

It was so packed that there was no place to move and people started to push and shove and panic a bit. The problem was created because the CMs doing crowd control in the area allowed people to stand in the designated walkways to see the fireworks so--surprise, surprise--the walkways weren't walkable when the show ended and people tried to move along. It all ended OK but it was a little dicey for a few minutes.

I have seen the crowds like this countless times after fireworks in several WDW parks. If you fear crowds, WDW fireworks are going to be a problem. Forget about NYE - we were in a crowd for 20+ minutes when leaving the park that would have terrified several people that I know. No way to escape - no where to go - just people everywhere that you could see, for as far as you could see, chest to back, elbow to elbow.

 

[wilkeliza]

There are plans for exits and emergencies and they change based on the phase of closure. All CMs are trained on them but they will be reminded in the event it is needed. For example in the event of an emergency at Epcot they will evacuate guests through the gates between countries if it is above a certain phase closure or the emergency calls for it. At that point because Safety trumps Show they don't care who is backstage they just want everyone safe. They will instruct guests not to take photos backstage but nobody listens to that when it happens. All parks are the same way. So even though it may be shoulder to shoulder in the guest areas of the park and have very little movement there are procedures to release the pressure so to speak in an emergiency and open up avenues that can absorb the panicked crowds.

 

[snoopy352]

I'm surprised no one has commented yet on what I consider to be the biggest takeaway here: that the staffing reductions are wildly inappropriate and will impact my family's vacation in a negative way. If I go at rope drop and have to wait 45 mins at BTMR, for instance, due to only one side being open, that is unacceptable. We bought DVC last year and we won't hesitate to stay on DIS property and go to Universal and not spend a dime at DIS next year if this continues.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

There are plans for exits and emergencies and they change based on the phase of closure. All CMs are trained on them but they will be reminded in the event it is needed. For example in the event of an emergency at Epcot they will evacuate guests through the gates between countries if it is above a certain phase closure or the emergency calls for it. At that point because Safety trumps Show they don't care who is backstage they just want everyone safe. They will instruct guests not to take photos backstage but nobody listens to that when it happens. All parks are the same way. So even though it may be shoulder to shoulder in the guest areas of the park and have very little movement there are procedures to release the pressure so to speak in an emergiency and open up avenues that can absorb the panicked crowds.

Agree that there are measures, but fears are not so easily assuaged. Countless people are afraid to ride Tower of Terror, even though the ride is clearly very safe.

 

[wilkeliza]

Agree that there are measures, but fears are not so easily assuaged. Countless people are afraid to ride Tower of Terror, even though the ride is clearly very safe.

You are correct. If someone is afraid of crowds knowing that there are plans isn't going to change that. Now if people are just wondering what happens in emergencies with crowds and capacity then they know that there are plans in place and they take into account the # of people in the park.

 

[pa. dad]

The only time that I know of that they have capacity is when the parking lot is full and they have room for no more cars. And even then, they're still admitting some people that arrive by boat from resorts and monorails. They will direct people that arrive to the parking lot to go to one of the other parks for a few hours until some spaces open up in the parking lot.
That is usually the MK but you may also see that on a really hot day at the waterparks.

The MK or at least the parking lot for the MK was closed for a few hours while I was there over new Years. They were directing people to the DHS . Some people were upset because they had already been to that park or they had fastpasses or ADRs at the MK.
We arrived at rope drop so we got in but this was more like early afternoon that the lot was full.

That has to be a mixed feeling though when you encounter that. If you see a lot that full, you know the place must be mobbed and you must question whether that is the place you want to be then.