Terrifying Experince at Epcot

[CanadianGuy]

Umm, Disney parks DO have a park capacity number. That is why they have all the different levels in which they stop allowing certain people into the parks. The parking lot closes first, then the ticket booths close, and so on until no one gets in. I'm not sure how capacity is determined, but if they are still letting people in, the park isn't at capacity. The problem comes from too many people trying to jam into the same part of the park at the same time.

Capacity numbers are determined by a number of factors including which rides, shows, restaurants and attractions are closed or in refurb... which walkways or pathways are blocked due to rehabs or construction as well as whether or not all rides, shows and attractions are running to full capacity etc.

As such, the exact capacity number of each park is a variable number than can change from day to day... even from hour to hour depending.

The problem people have with the crowds in the parks isn't too many people in the park. It's too many people in ONE SPOT in the park. Ultimately this is more about crowd management and control than it is reducing the size of the crowd.

You could just let as few as 300 people in the park. But if all three hundred people try to push thru a bottleneck walkway or path at the exact same time.. you got a problem.

 

[eliza61]

I remember the 1st time I did NYE in time square NY. The crowd was wall to wall thick. I kept thinking "How in the world is this fun"? I would love to see the inaugeration but there is no way I'm dealing with 5 million people. WDW during Christmas or NYE is some thing I will never do.

 

[declansdad]

Thank you for all the kind posts of sympathy. After the altercation w/the bulldozer woman behind me, a young man next to me said he was sorry that had happened to me and dd. It was wonderful that someone was kind in the midst of all this.

There is a lot in the way of crowd control that Disney could have done and should have done. We were there most of Christmas week and in all that time, never encountered such chaos. Yes, many walkways that night were packed - but they were still usable - that is, even though you and your party might be walking very slowly, you were still walking.

Disney should have had CMs there and all known log jam points. Ropes should have been set up allowing flow of traffic in one direction only on either side - like there was in Canada - another known traffic clogger. There was little problem being able to walk there. CM's could hold electric signs with arrows, noting one direction. The gridlock occurs because too many people are going every which way, and it became way too clogged for anyone to even move - or for awhile there, even push your way out.

OP - that would have been terrifying for you and your children. I am happy that nothing serious happened.

I think that you have made a good suggestion in that they need more CMs at the logjam point. It sounds as if this was the only major problem point so I don't think that lowering the capacity would make any differences. I also don't think making it in to a hard ticket event would solve the problem either. You could still easily end up with a large group of people in the same area of the park.

As for the "just push back" siggestion made in another post; well that was the scariest idea in this thread.

 

[savvy?71]

The problem people have with the crowds in the parks isn't too many people in the park. It's too many people in ONE SPOT in the park. Ultimately this is more about crowd management and control than it is reducing the size of the crowd.

While this is true, and we all have seen examples of this even on lower crowd days during an MK parade. People tend to congregate where there is high action. Yet on the other side of the park, it may be crickets.

The thing is, the OP's experience wasn't any other day, it was NYE. So I might be going out on a limb, but I would guess the crowd levels on NYE are pretty off-the-charts compared to a 'standard' post-parade-bottle-neck at the MK.

And since I have read similar experiences on high crowd times from here on the Dis or from friends who have gone, it does seem to be an issue.

So while I agree that high concentrations of people in one area contribute greatly to this issue (and often is the only reason), on NYE or Christmas or July 4th (name the high crowd time), it's quite probable the crowds are spread thicker (exacerbating the 'hot spots').

No matter how it's analyzed, better crowd management is clearly in order. Where there are potential and predictable 'hot zones', have more controls in place. If the park is overflowing with people, bottle-necking in multiple locations, then it's not unfair to say there might be too many people. As someone mentioned, scary as it can be for those moments, one of these days a not-so-patient/nice person is going to react.

 

[Chantellabelle]

that's so awful!! I'm sorry you had to go through that. I'm amazed more often than I'd like to be about how people can act in public. There are times where I swear I have to take a second look or listen to actually justify what I am seeing or hearing.

 

[maxiesmom]

Disney should have had CMs there and all known log jam points. Ropes should have been set up allowing flow of traffic in one direction only on either side - like there was in Canada - another known traffic clogger. There was little problem being able to walk there. CM's could hold electric signs with arrows, noting one direction. The gridlock occurs because too many people are going every which way, and it became way too clogged for anyone to even move - or for awhile there, even push your way out.

I'm wondering how this would be possible with the way the World Showcase is set up. People do want to cross the road, so to speak, and that would mean a huge number of cross walks. Which would impede traffic flow.

Isn't that part of the reason they stoped doing the parade in Epcot? Having all those ropes up and crossing lanes made it a huge PITA to get around.

I agree there should be some kind of solution, but I'm wondering what they could do and still allow people some kind of freedom of movement from point A to B.

 

[CarolynU]

We were in Epcot NYE 2006. Myself and my own kids and their partners decided to watch Illuminations at midnight. My sister, her DH and their two kids aged 6 and 8 decided to watch the earlier ones, and then leave.
We didn't meet up until the following day, and as it was their first visit to WDW I expected them to be full of awe and excitement about what they had seen, which they were up to a point.

However, my sister described the exact same situation to the OP, which was them having seen an amazing sight until they tried to leave and then they experienced absolute chaos. In order to find a breathing space people were climbing over the railings and were walking next to the water's edge. There were no CM's to be seen, and the crowds were pushing, shoving and using any tactic to get out.

I think my sister found it hard to believe that somewhere like Disney could be seen to be lacking in adequate crowd control causing a potentially dangerious situation. I on the other hand have spent many NYE's at all the parks and sort of know how to escape the worst of things.

Obviously there are peak times, and danger spots which do not change from year to year. Surely with some forward planning the problem could at least be tackled more effectively even if not completely solved?

 

[khertz]

OP, I'm so sorry this happened to you! This is why I don't forsee myself ever cramming myself into a Disney park on a major holiday. Too many people who think that where they need to go is more important than anyone else and will push even when there's nowhere to go! DH and I experienced this when we were in Vegas this year in front of Treasure Island where the Sirens show was happening. The viewing area is so small that people just stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to watch and tried to "squish" together. But people who were aggravated at the people stopping would try to push through even though it was obviously too congested. It was miserable (and the show was terrible!). We avoided that area like the plague at night for the rest of the trip.

 

[christinelee]

My husband went to WDW for our "empty nester's" trip in December (12th-20th). It was nice not worrying about kids (much more relaxing). A few things I noticed now that I don't have little ones to watch.
I like the parades, I line up early to watch them. I have no problem letting little kids that get there 1 minute before the parade starts, to get in front of me to watch them. The problem I have is the parents who try to shove their strollers in front of me, running over my toes so their child can see the parade (get there earlier, I did when kids were younger). Or the father who picks up his kid and puts him/her on his shoulder after I let them get in front of me.
There should be an age limit on kids in strollers, I actually heard a mother say to her child in a stroller "I'm not going to let an eleven year old tell me what to do". Let them walk, then they'll be as tired as you and won't talk back!!

And finally, Disney is about the magic, which is usually best experienced thru the kids. One night at MK I stood by a handicapped area. The spaces were filled up by electric scooters, which by the way, were empty. Their occupants were off getting snacks and walking back to sit down in them. An obviously distraught mother with a 10 year boy with cerebral palsy in a wheelchair started to cry to a CM. She had been to 3 handicapped viewing areas and they were all filled. The CM's whipped down the ropes and made room for this little boy to watch Spectromagic while his little brother sat beside him. The joy on his face watching the parade still brings tears to my eyes.His mother and father went to the back of the crowd so not to block anyone's view. I heard able-bodied people who were standing along side the occupants of the scooters complain that they had "lost their front row seats."

Let's all just remember to use common courtesy and manners and make Disney "magical" for everyone. And please............don't shove.

 

[leeh1530]

This left dd and I alone...the next thing I know, that same woman came and walked behind me and hit me on the head and kept on walking. There I was standing in the middle of Disney with my 4 year old, alone...I didn't tell anyone except dh when he came back. I was in tears and didn't know what to do and the woman was gone. (Still brings me to tears) I am astonished at the rudeness of people when they go to the parks and it has forced me to be more forceful to protect my child. I now stand and I don't move while waiting for parades or fireworks. I do however, try to let small children up front because that is what the magic is all about.

Seriously, if that woman had hit me in the head, I would have gone BESERK on her. I'm not a vicious person, but I have had two brain surgeries and have a shunt placement that I have to be very careful about when I hit my head for fear of malfunctioning. If she had hit me in the right place, I would have had to go to the emergency room for possible replacement, not something I would want. I don't allow people I know to touch my head, and I sure as heck wouldn't let that get by me! I know if I wasn't alone in the situation at the time, whoever was with me would have gone beserk as well. I know, it wouldn't make things at all better, but when it comes to my well-being, well .....

As for the OP, Good God!!! You poor things. I too had an anxiety attack reading it. I just couldn't imagine it. Especially when you have children with you and you're separated from your family.

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

WOW, so scary! I think the best thing they can do is not let so many people in..seriously!! I know they want to make money, but the stories we have been hearing are just crazy!

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

IMO letting so many people in one park is seriously dangerous. I know it's about Disney making $ and that is why they allow so many people in the park on NYE, but wouldn't it be better to make NYE or XMAS a Hard Ticket event...to limit crowds and possible dangerous situations. This way Disney can limit the amount of people in the park and charge a premium price for admission.

I'm curious if the OP would have been willing to pay extra $ to be there NYE but have to deal with less crowds...I know I would.

You know, that is such a good idea!!!! I have been to many sold out, hard ticket, events at MK and we never felt it was crazy crowded! When I hear all these stories, I just didn't get it, but obviously the hard ticket event capacity numbers are no where near the maximum capacity!

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

I had a similar experience in the Magic Kingdom on Christmas day in 2006. It was pouring rain and were trying to go both in and out of those walkways under the railroad. My girls were older so I knew they could find their way to the resort if we got separated, but some people around me were freaking out.

Finally, a cast member climbed up onto a trash can and directed people to move to the left if they were trying to exit so that people trying to get in could start moving too.

I wondered at the time why Disney--usually the example of efficiency when it comes to moving people (please move all the way to the right leaving no empty seats) didn't seem to have a plan in place. Being stuck shoulder to shoulder without moving can be frightening.

Sher

We were there that year too, and because of the rain didn't go to MK that day! We just stayed at the Resort. So glad we did not. Amazing with the way the rain was falling that day that the park was still that crowded!

 

[vsimeone]

We were there that year too, and because of the rain didn't go to MK that day! We just stayed at the Resort. So glad we did not. Amazing with the way the rain was falling that day that the park was still that crowded!

We were also there that day but left about noon. We made it back to the resort (CSR) before the rain hit. There were tornado warnings that day too if I remember. How crazy that that many people were still in the park!!!

 

[mickaholic4077]

I'm sorry,but I'm an AP'er,and I don't agree with making NYE a hard ticket event. The 2 times I have been at Epcot for NYE(2003 into 04 and 2006 into 07),the crowds,although immense,weren't as bad as what the OP described. Maybe they had more CMs on duty to control the crowds.