Parks closing for capacity and DL hotels

[Simba's Mom]

I recently read on another board that DL sometimes closes due to park capacity on certain days in July (which is when I'd go, no choice on the month). Is this true? And if so, do guests at DL hotels still get in? I'd only be at DL for a few days, and if the parks close due to capacity on just one of those days, it really cuts down the amount of time I could spend there. So maybe I'd be best to reserve a DL hotel, in order to avoid that possibility.

 

[Califgirl]

I don't think it really matters where you stay. If the firemarshall says that the park is at capacity, they will not let anyone else in. Period.

That being said, remember that there are two parks, and if Disneyland is closed there is always DCA.

 

[Gopher#1]

Califgirl's right, if the park's closed no one can go in, but this is rare. What they usually do is stop selling tickets for the Disneyland early in the day (so if you have them already you're fine), and put up signs saying the parks are full/busy to help warn people. Not too often do they actually close the gates off.

 

[ZeusNike]

DL was closed a few times when we were there over the Nov 11th weekend, so it does happen. There were lots of very unhappy people around the gates. We had no problems going as soon as they would let us. We left DL on the Saturday because it was getting so busy about noon or so (that was our plan all along...head to DL really early, stay until it got busy). We then headed over to DCA and wondered why there was such a long line to get in. We asked and were told that DL was at capacity and the fire marshal had closed it so they were sending everyone over to DCA. Other than having a hard time getting something to eat without standing in a huge line, there was no problem at DCA despite all the additional people (room to walk, we got on rides etc.). There was no line at the soft ice cream stand...that worked for lunch!