Park Closure Phases

[WDW Mad4Mickey]

Does the Magic Kingdom typically go into any park closure phases the week before Christmas Dec. 19-23rd? I am heading down there but will not be staying on property this trip but am an Annual Passholder with dining reservations at the MK for Dec. 23rd. Thanks for any insight!!

 

[Robo]

No, but if it did, expect it to be at a level that having an AP or ADR would circumvent.

 

[jaysmom4285]

From Touring Plans. As you can see, having an AP and/or an ADR will get you in at the first three closure phases, just not in the final one. Phased closures historically have been the week between Christmas and New Year's, and around Easter.

Phase 1 Closure
Casual visitors are turned away at the automobile toll plazas. This means that people without tickets, those with one-day, single-park tickets, and those intending to use cast member passes will not be allowed to park.

Other guests may enter such as:

• Those with multi-day or multi-park tickets
• Those staying at a Disney Resort
• Annual Passholders
• Those re-entering the park that day.
• Those "hopping" from another park.
• Those with in-park reservations or appointments.
• Those arriving via Disney transportation

The following are dates within the past 10 years when Walt Disney World parks have reached, yet not gone past, a Phase 1 capacity closure:

• Magic Kingdom: December 25, 26, and 29, 2014

Phase 2 Closure
The only guests allowed through the turnstiles and into the parking lots are:

• Those staying at a Disney Resort
• Annual Passholders
• Those re-entering the park that day.
• Those "hopping" from another park.
• Those with in-park reservations or appointments.
• Those arriving via Disney transportation

The following are dates within the past 10 years when Walt Disney World parks have reached, yet not gone past, a Phase 2 capacity closure:

• Magic Kingdom: April 8 and 9, 2009; December 28 and 30, 2009; December 29, 2010; December 25 and 28, 2011; December 24, 25, and 30, 2012; December 25 and 30, 2013; July 4, 2014; December 31, 2014.
• Hollywood Studios: December 29, 2009 and December 28, 2011
• Animal Kingdom: December 28, 2009 and December 28, 2011

Phase 3 Closure
The only guests allowed through the turnstiles and into the parking lots are:

• Those staying at a Disney Resort
• Annual Passholders
• Those with in-park reservations or appointments.

The following are dates within the past 10 years when Walt Disney World parks have reached, yet not gone past, a Phase 3 capacity closure:

• Magic Kingdom: April 7, 2009; December 29 and 31, 2009; March 30, 2010; December 25 and 31, 2010; December 31, 2011; December 27, 28, and 31, 2012; January 2, 2013; March 25-28, 2013; July 4, 2013; December 31, 2013.

Phase 4 Closure
The park and parking lot are closed to all arriving guests. The only Phase 4 Closure in the past 10 years has been Magic Kingdom on April 7, 2009.

 

[AngiTN]

Would be curious to find out the numbers but some say that now that MK is larger than it was in 2009 it will never reach Phase 4 again.
Wonder too, with the current closures at HS, does it have any chance of a higher Phase closure? In other words, is it capacity down enough there?

 

[Robo]

Would be curious to find out the numbers but some say that now that MK is larger than it was in 2009 it will never reach Phase 4 again.
Wonder too, with the current closures at HS, does it have any chance of a higher Phase closure? In other words, is it capacity down enough there?

DHS actually has very little that is closed.
It's most popular attraction, TSM has just gained additional 50% capacity, and it's other must-do's are going strong.
Of the DHS closures, LMA had the largest capacity, but it had only a very few performances a day.
Regardless, the number of guests who attend DHS has always been a much smaller number than those who attend MK.

 

[AngiTN]

DHS actually has very little that is closed.
It's most popular attraction, TSM has just gained additional 50% capacity, and it's other must-do's are going strong.
Of the DHS closures, LMA had the largest capacity, but it had only a very few performances a day.
Regardless, the number of guests who attend DHS has always been a much smaller number than those who attend MK.

I was actually referring to acreage vs attractions. Places for bodies to stand