Question about Christmas and parks closed due to capacity

[dipastor]

Hello Disney Christmas Experts...
We have always visited Disney the week before Christmas (Dec. 18th to 24th). This year my husband wants to drive and our park hopper tickets are for Dec 20th to 25th. We've always been fine with crowds leading up to Christmas. We were there in June with no issues. Will we have a problem park hopping on the 24th and 25th (based on your experience with capacity closings) for dinner at Epcot? We are staying at YC. We have MK on 24th during the day and HS on the 25th. Have you ever experienced not being able to get into Epcot at night on 24th or 25th?

Your input is greatly appreciated!!!

 

[Robo]

We have always visited Disney the week before Christmas (Dec. 18th to 24th).

Will we have a problem park hopping on the 24th and 25th (based on your experience with capacity closings) for dinner at Epcot?

Nope.

 

[Newbie500]

We haven't had a problem around that time but be aware that his year could be different because a lot of people didn't go last year and we are in the season of "revenge travel". This could result in MK or other parks closing for several hours on the dates you mentioned.

 

[Robo]

We haven't had a problem around that time but be aware that his year could be different because a lot of people didn't go last year and we are in the season of "revenge travel". This could result in MK or other parks closing for several hours on the dates you mentioned.

The question was specifically about hopping to Epcot.
Epcot traditionally does not close due to hitting "capacity."

 

[Jedimike]

Similar question for MK on Thanksgiving. I have dessert party reservations and park reservations for MK on Thanksgiving Day. I plant to leave to have lunch at Springs, then come back to MK in the evening for my dessert party reservation. As an on-site resort guest, with park reservations and dining reservations, will they let me in if they are at full capacity?

 

[Robo]

Similar question for MK on Thanksgiving.
- lunch at Springs, then come back to MK -
As an on-site resort guest, with park reservations and dining reservations, will they let me in if they are at full capacity?

As far as we know... yes.

But, since these things are "brand new" this year, if you want to be "safe" I'd stay at MK.
If for no other reason than knowing you won't have a transportation SNAFU at some point.
(Disney Springs is a long way from MK.)

 

[maltdizzy]

Similar question for MK on Thanksgiving. I have dessert party reservations and park reservations for MK on Thanksgiving Day. I plant to leave to have lunch at Springs, then come back to MK in the evening for my dessert party reservation. As an on-site resort guest, with park reservations and dining reservations, will they let me in if they are at full capacity?

Yes. If you have a Park Pass for the day, you are guaranteed re-entry all day. Being a resort guest and/or having a ADR no longer has any bearing, the old tiered closures are gone entirely with the park reservation system. All reserved guests are guaranteed entry all day long. The only thing that closes due to capacity now is PH. If PH, you may be denied entry into a park, even if you have an ADR.

For the OP, we really don't know, PH came back after the holidays last year, so the current PH capacity is something we are still learning, but Epcot is huge and rarely reaches capacity (historically, Dec. 31 is the busiest day at Epcot).

 

[jimmymc]

Very unlikely to have issues at Epcot. Magic Kingdom is the only park that usually closes for capacity on Christmas.

 

[focusondisney]

Yes. If you have a Park Pass for the day, you are guaranteed re-entry all day. Being a resort guest and/or having a ADR no longer has any bearing, the old tiered closures are gone entirely with the park reservation system. All reserved guests are guaranteed entry all day long. The only thing that closes due to capacity now is PH. If PH, you may be denied entry into a park, even if you have an ADR.

For the OP, we really don't know, PH came back after the holidays last year, so the current PH capacity is something we are still learning, but Epcot is huge and rarely reaches capacity (historically, Dec. 31 is the busiest day at Epcot).

Great answer! The only other point I would make is about the guaranteed reentry. As far as I know, Oct 1st is the only day that park hopping has been stopped so far. Park hopping was stopped at MK midafternoon. Some people who left the MK were later told they couldn’t return if they hopped to another park. If you didn’t enter another park, you were fine. Now this is what people posted they were told. I don’t think I read that anyone went to another park & were then actually denied reentry to MK. But just something to be aware of.