Resort Guest "Guaranteed" Entry?

[Dale-n-Chip]

Someone help clarify this one for me, please :

If I'm a guest at DLH/GCH/PPH, do I have "guaranteed" entry to the parks if they reach capacity? And if so, for which day? For example, if I have a single night stay for Dec 31, and have a two-day park hopper. . . am I good for Dec 31 or Jan 1? (Those dates are arbitrary, just for the example.)

This is all hypothetical, since I don't envision myself going when the parks could reach capacity (and I'm too cheap!), but I'm curious and it could happen.

Thanks!

 

[Tink33]

You are not guaranteed entry. Once the authorities (fire marshall et al) close the park, no one is admitted.

 

[Dale-n-Chip]

I thought I read somewhere about the priority of guests. Maybe resort guests, AP holders and then the general public. . . I don't remember. I was just trying to figure out how re-entry would work with a ticket and a hand stamp.

I get the whole fire marshall thing, I was just trying to figure out whether staying on property had any park-related perks. IMHO, it's just too darn expensive to justify. But I totally recognize I'm cheap! In my world, that makes Disney vacations possible.

 

[Rivergallery]

The not having the ability to reenter is scaring me now. as I plan to leave the park 2 x per day every day from Dec 20-22...!

 

[jocotter]

When it was so crowded and shut down on Veteran's Day, the only people they were letting back in, were people who had been in earlier and gotten their hands stamped.

 

[Rivergallery]

WHEW!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the reassurance!

 

[AFMom]

I don't think the parks usually hit capacity on the 20-22 - I think right on the holidays it's more likely. Does any one here remember if the park hit capacity over the anniversary dates, and if so - what they did then?

 

[jocotter]

I don't know about the anniversary date, but on Nov. 11, Veteran's Day, they said the State Fire Marshall shut the park to any new visitors at Noon. We were thinking about going in, but they were not letting anyone in they said, even resort guests, unless you had been in earlier and had your hand stamped. That way, you were considered part of the count.

People were very angry and yelling at the Cast Members who were talking to the crowds of folks around the ticket booths. Some were resort guests who were expecting to go in for the first time that day to eat and stay for the fireworks. A couple had PS's at Blue Bayou. The Cast Member lady we were listening to said that when the State Fire Marshall shuts the park down, they can't allow anyone new in. She said it didn't matter how much parents yelled at her or how many children were crying, she couldn't let anyone new in. She said she was so sorry, offered us money back on our park hoppers, or said we could have a free day added if we wanted to go to DCA for the evening, but she couldn't change anything. I felt sorry for her. Several people were pretty brutal to her.

 

[Dale-n-Chip]

Just making sure I've got this right:

If I enter DL at park opening, then decide to leave, have my hand-stamped for re-entry, leave and go back to my NON-Disney hotel on Harbor (or lunch or DCA or whatever), then return to find the parks are "at capacity" I'm going to be able to get in? As long as I'm a "return guest" on the same day, my resort de jour is irrelevant? Somebody correct me if I'm off here.

Certainly the lesson in all of this is go early, GO EARLY, GO EARLY!

 

[jocotter]

That's what they were doing on Friday, November 11. We asked several cast members why were there still long lines being let into Disneyland in late afternoon and they said the ONLY ones getting in, were people who went in early and had their hand stamped and were now returning. We stayed off-site and I specifically asked them if we had gone in early and gotten stamped, then we could go back in and they said yes. So the next day, Saturday, we were there 1/2 hour before opening, just in case, and we had our hands stamped before 10.

We heard several resort guests yelling because they had made a short trip and then were trying to enter for the first time that day and couldn't. They were saying that they had been guaranteed entry and the cast members said "Not when the State Fire Marshall shuts the park down."

I don't know what their official rules are, and I supposed they could change, but that's what we saw. I think they were woefully unprepared for that many complaints that day.

 

[silence]

So anyone knows what happens if you have non-refundable dessert buffet tickets and they close the park to new entries?

My mom and son won't arrive until the evening on 12/3 which is also the day of the candlelight show and I'm worried about park capacity......

 

[jocotter]

I'm only judging by what I saw, they wouldn't let anyone in when the fire marshall closed it. I guess there is always the possibility they would let you in, but they might also offer you the money back for the tickets.

I think that after Veteran's Day crowds and so many complaints, they could change some of their rules. It's not a holiday weekend when you are going, and that would certainly help things. I don't want to say "sure, no problem" when I saw so many upset folks that were trying any way to get in and they were holding firm. My brother was one of the ones who was arguing with them, so we were there listening for quite awhile. My brother's issue was that they sold the tickets and now wouldn't let him in. I tried to explain to him that they don't have dates on them, like for a concert or sporting event. Disney has no way of knowing what day you will show up. He settled down after awhile and we went early the next morning instead.

 

[ZeusNike]

We were there 30 minutes before the park opened on Nov. 11th. The crowds were light for the first couple of hours. We went on Buzz, Space, BTMRR, Splash, Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Matterhorn, Indy and some of the smaller rides, all before we left the park at noon to head to CA.

I know it has been said before but ARRIVE EARLY!!! The key to having fun in DL in my opinion.

Late is often good too...we usually head back around 9:30 or so and ride until they kick us out!

 

[xmelissax]

That's what they were doing on Friday, November 11. We asked several cast members why were there still long lines being let into Disneyland in late afternoon and they said the ONLY ones getting in, were people who went in early and had their hand stamped and were now returning. We stayed off-site and I specifically asked them if we had gone in early and gotten stamped, then we could go back in and they said yes. So the next day, Saturday, we were there 1/2 hour before opening, just in case, and we had our hands stamped before 10.

We heard several resort guests yelling because they had made a short trip and then were trying to enter for the first time that day and couldn't. They were saying that they had been guaranteed entry and the cast members said "Not when the State Fire Marshall shuts the park down."

I don't know what their official rules are, and I supposed they could change, but that's what we saw. I think they were woefully unprepared for that many complaints that day.

I went on Veterans Day not realizing it was Veterans Day and though it was ridiculously busy when we got there at about 6 pm we were let in and we hadn't been there earlier in the day.

 

[jocotter]

I'm not going to tell my brother that! He was the one in our group who was arguing with them the most. We were there about 4-4:30 and that's when they were turning us away and many others. At any rate, I'm glad you got in, xmelissax.