What do DVC'ers do when the parks are closed?

[redrosesix]

Like today and yesterday, crowd levels are so high that they have been at closure level 4 ie not even resort guests can get in.

Do you stay at your resort or do you have other things that you do in WDW or Orlando? What's your Plan B for times like this?

 

[bwvBound]

I've never encountered a "park closed" day -- but here are a few of my non-park activities:

• I pack a small watercolor paint kit in my suitcase. I try to spend at least at few hours each trip painting on my patio.
• I'll ride the WDW resort transportation over to Wilderness Lodge then walk from there to and through the campground. Catch a bus on the far end of the walk to return to my starting point.
• Pool hop. Start at GF's large, central pool ... mosey over to the pool with the slide .. walk along the lake to the Poly ... enjoy the volcano pool ... catch a boat to Wilderness Lodge ... (you get the idea).
• Borrow a video from the Community Hall.
• Play ping-pong in the Community Hall.
• Explore as many transportation options as possible ... try to catch every shuttle boat offered near/around Magic Kingdom.
• Rent the watermice for an hour.
• Sack out in a pool chair or hammock if you can find one ...
• Rent a waterbike at OKW and race it as far as you are allowed to go.

Just a few starters ...

 

[ChelleinNC]

I've never experienced a park closed day and hope I never do

Anyways, things we like to do besides the parks are:
Golf, tennis, relaxing at the pool, mini golf, exploring the resort, playing cards by the pool (or in the room depending on weather), reading, hanging out at Community Hall.

HTH

 

[christa112]

Well 1st off I would be P!s$ed if I was down there staying on property and I was told I could not enter a park!!!! Then have after having a hissy fit, I would probably go back to the resort and hang by the pool (still fuming ).

I have never been down there during anything but Value Season, so I really hope never to experience that.

 

[Hazzard101]

How do they work that? They close the parks and if your in your in if your out your out? what is the stopping point.

I would hate to be the one in line that they say ok I am sorry but from you back the park is closed! I would be very dissapointed to say the least.

Do people that buy tickets for that day get refunded. If people paid for a Magic Your Way package do they still get compensation for that day.

Like the other posters said, I hope I never encounter this at DW.

 

[bwvBound]

Go shopping at the Bath store in the GF ... take your time selecting a few bath bombs ... then return to your DVC villa to enjoy a long, hot soak!

 

[bwvBound]

Spend an afternoon walking along AKL's savannas. Try every educational activity, photograph or sketch the various animals, listen for the sounds they make, etc.

 

[5forDiz]

Like today and yesterday, crowd levels are so high that they have been at closure level 4 ie not even resort guests can get in.

Do you stay at your resort or do you have other things that you do in WDW or Orlando? What's your Plan B for times like this?

Wow !! Even at AK & DHS ?

Hopefully later in the day / evening enough people will leave so they can begin admitting onsite resort guests again.

Sounds like a good time to resort hop & do some exploring: at BWV rent a bike ride around Crescent Lake - get ice cream - ride the FriendShips - video games at ESPN - walk around to Swan/Dolphin & then across to Fantasia Gardens mini golf; at VWL see if you can catch lodge tour at WLR - rent boat on Bay Lake - bike to Ft.Wilderness Resort (free campfire & movie @ FWR if you need something to do in evening); SSR walk to/from DTD - take boat over to OKW - rent bike; AKV go to various savanna viewing areas - see art/displays throughout resort.

Some of our best Disney days we've spent not going to parks. Hope you find some new, fun things that you enjoy too

 

[twinklebug]

Spend an afternoon walking along AKL's savannas. Try every educational activity, photograph or sketch the various animals, listen for the sounds they make, etc.

So what sound does a Giraffe make?

When not in the parks my kids and I hang at the resort pool, activities center, shop, unwind on the internet, goto a waterpark, Grab an icecream from Beaches & Cream, Go to the campfire & movies at Ft. W, visit family (yea, that's last for a reason ) I have plans I've never gotten around to to take the kids mini-golfing, rent water-mice, see the Ft. Wilderness Stables, see some of the coastal towns, hit a beach, and even tour the disney resorts I have yet to see beyond their entrances.

 

[bwvBound]

Try organizing a Pin Trading Treasure Hunt for your group. Jot down a few goals and allow participants to draw them from a hat. First to complete their goal wins some small, token prize. Goals may be 3-5 pins of a series or an entire lanyard (12 pins) meeting a specific theme. Themes we've used:

• Americana - any pin of obvious Americana theme
• Holidays - any pin representing a holiday
• Dated pins - any pins with a specific date
• Characters dressed as Mickey (this one is tough to fill!)
• <Specific Character> - find only pins with Stitch or Figment or ...
• Flag - any pin showing flag or colors identifying another country

 

[kikiq]

Oh to have that problem today (On Spring Break at home)
A non park day...starting at our home resort, SSR.

1. Definitely a spa day, massage with mani/pedicure
2. Put on my walking shoes and stroll around the lake, over the bridge behind Turf Club and then stroll OKW. Take a break at The Gurgling Suitcase and take the boat to DTD to window shop, maybe have lunch, sit and watch the boats, birds, tourists .
3. Rent a bicycle from the community hall.
4. Take all those classes I always wanted to take at the Community Hall.
5. Take my mug and book, either sit by CP quiet pool or in one of the rockers along the water.
6. My DH would be playing tennis with as many people as he could get to play with him.
7. If we played golf better, we'd find a way to play a round of golf.
8. if I were a pool person, I would go to the main pool and do the activities or just stay at a quiet pool and float
9. Ride the boat to DTD, then get one the next one to OKW or POR. Then have lunch and walk around the other resort.
10. Rent a watermouse at DTD.
11. Walk around SSR and the river, take tons of pictures
12. Heck, what I would really do on a first non park day...get up leisurely, take a morning walk around the lake, read a bit, lunch at the Turf Club and then head over to DTD and window shop/shop until I drop

Need more, my DH and I have gone over all the different things we can do now that we stopped being park commandos. I can get the list from my DH. He's got in his planner and adds to it all the time. It started when we had a almost non park day last summer. Everyone except my DB and his DD, just chilled until dinner. My DH and DDad went to the CR/GF to look at the tennis courts. He lost my DDad (another story) but he ended up doing several things he always wanted to do AFTER he "found" DDad. He started writing other things he'd like to do in WDW.

 

[bwvBound]

So what sound does a Giraffe make?

Baaa (bleating like a sheep, according to the Lion King theatrical presentation at DAK??). But I prefer listening to the small clicking noises of their walk. Not sure if it comes from joint pops, back foot hitting front foot or other ... but it is an interesting, rhythmic sound.

 

[LIFERBABE]

We go every Christmas and this happens often. We got over being crammed in a park a long time ago, but we still enjoy our Christmas vacations at WDW because of DVC.

We take walks, go to Comm Hall, play shuffleboard or b-ball, DisneyQuest, waterparks, DTD, Fort WIlderness, stay in and play video games, soak in the jacuzzi, shop, take a nap, DH likes to put puzzles together, etc.
It's still a Disney day

 

[Bob Price]

Like today and yesterday, crowd levels are so high that they have been at closure level 4 ie not even resort guests can get in.

Do you stay at your resort or do you have other things that you do in WDW or Orlando? What's your Plan B for times like this?

 

[ChelleinNC]

Well 1st off I would be P!s$ed if I was down there staying on property and I was told I could not enter a park!!!! Then have after having a hissy fit, I would probably go back to the resort and hang by the pool (still fuming ).

I have never been down there during anything but Value Season, so I really hope never to experience that.

How do they work that? They close the parks and if your in your in if your out your out? what is the stopping point.

I would hate to be the one in line that they say ok I am sorry but from you back the park is closed! I would be very dissapointed to say the least.

Do people that buy tickets for that day get refunded. If people paid for a Magic Your Way package do they still get compensation for that day.

Like the other posters said, I hope I never encounter this at DW.

There are different stages of park closings, I don't remember all the numbers/stages but it starts with not allowing off-site/day guests into the park. Resort guests are guaranteed entry into a park, no guarantee that it's the park that you want to go to. Usually park closings (level 3 & 4) only happen during the peak/holiday weeks and mainly at MK and Epcot. For more complete info on how parks close, check on the Themeparks board.

Oh to have that problem today (On Spring Break at home)
A non park day...starting at our home resort, SSR.

1. Definitely a spa day, massage with mani/pedicure
2. Put on my walking shoes and stroll around the lake, over the bridge behind Turf Club and then stroll OKW. Take a break at The Gurgling Suitcase and take the boat to DTD to window shop, maybe have lunch, sit and watch the boats, birds, tourists .
3. Rent a bicycle from the community hall.
4. Take all those classes I always wanted to take at the Community Hall.
5. Take my mug and book, either sit by CP quiet pool or in one of the rockers along the water.
6. My DH would be playing tennis with as many people as he could get to play with him.
7. If we played golf better, we'd find a way to play a round of golf.
8. if I were a pool person, I would go to the main pool and do the activities or just stay at a quiet pool and float
9. Ride the boat to DTD, then get one the next one to OKW or POR. Then have lunch and walk around the other resort.
10. Rent a watermouse at DTD.
11. Walk around SSR and the river, take tons of pictures
12. Heck, what I would really do on a first non park day...get up leisurely, take a morning walk around the lake, read a bit, lunch at the Turf Club and then head over to DTD and window shop/shop until I drop

Need more, my DH and I have gone over all the different things we can do now that we stopped being park commandos. I can get the list from my DH. He's got in his planner and adds to it all the time. It started when we had a almost non park day last summer. Everyone except my DB and his DD, just chilled until dinner. My DH and DDad went to the CR/GF to look at the tennis courts. He lost my DDad (another story) but he ended up doing several things he always wanted to do AFTER he "found" DDad. He started writing other things he'd like to do in WDW.

Don't let #7 stop you We always have a great time golfing at Disney and neither of us are very good

 

[DVC Mike]

I never go at times when that is even remotely possible.

 

[stopher1]

We also don't go at times when that is a concern, so I don't know. Pool? DTD? Miniature golf? Water sprites?

 

[dcamdad]

Have never experianced any park closer yet, (knocking on wood) but I would probably be found at the magarita bar next to Capt Jacks enjoying the warm weather while wife and kids shopped.

 

[shellybaxter]

First, I've never heard of a time when all four parks have closed at capacity. In fact, if you stay on property (I'm assuming DVC would qualify) you are guarunteed to get into a park - not the park you choose - but a park. So DVCers should always be able to go somewhere.

As for me - I would never choose to go during the times that are traditionally that crowded (Easter, Christmas and New Years), but we usually plan one or two non-park days during our trips. We like to have a later breakfast (WCC and Boma are two favorities) and then either go to the pool. rest in our room, take a drive, shop, go to the spa, etc.

 

[redrosesix]

I never go at times when that is even remotely possible.

Lucky You! We are always there around Pres. Day -- not that crowded (but about 9 on the crowd calendars, I hear) but definitely one of the reasons we are planning to buy into DVC. We'd rather have other things to do on our last couple of days than fighting the crowds in MK.

Thanks everybody for all the great suggestions. I'm actually going to print these out.

I agree -- it doesn't matter how badly you play golf if you enjoy doing it at all. DH used a WPF&M pass to play at Oak Trail. Their club rentals are cheap ($15 for a partial set, free for kids) He's very good but not experienced at playing strange courses -- luckily he teamed up with somebody who was experienced on that course. Personally, I suck at golf but I would rather do most anything than fight the crowds in a park.

For those who wanted the rules on park closing (sorry, I had to quote from a quote -- not sure where the original thread is):

Originally Posted by Cheshire Figment
The turnstile master computer at each park keeps track of both entries and exits. When a park capacity closes (which is done in stages) there has to be a certain number of people exiting, with the total "in park" below a certain number, before they start allowing people in again.

I am low enough on the totem pole that I have no idea what these numbers are.

There are four stages to park closing:

Stage 1 - The parking lot entrance is closed. You can only access the park if you are using Disney Transportation.

Stage 2 - The ticket windows are all closed (and the automated Ticket Vending Machines are turned off). Unless you already have a ticket you cannot get in.

Stage 3 - Only people with Annual Passes or current Resort IDs will be allowed in.

Stage 4 - Nobody is allowed in.

Note - having restaurant reservations in a park, even with written proof, will not override a stage closing for you.

Also, if you are staying at a Disney owned and operated Resort and have a ticket, you are guaranteed entry into A park. Not necessarily the one you want (unless you want to go into AK). And if you have entered and left a park and do not have a hopper you may not get into anything.



Both MK and DHS apparently reached Stage 4 yesterday and today -- better in the evenings, but not great. Yes, I'd much rather hang out at AKV and listen to the giraffes.