What Happens:Park closed Due To Capacity?

[abwdreaming]

I was wondering what happens when Disneyland is closed due to park capacity? If you have a PS Dining reservation will they let you "reenter" park?
Will they let you "reenter" park with a hand stamp?
Is the park closed for the remaining day/evening or do they later reopen access?
Just trying to prepare for a busy Christmas Day 2011! Thank you for your help.

 

[papamouse1]

I know in the past, if the park is closed, you can't get in, even for a ressie. The good news is the park DOES NOT remain closed all day. Usually within a short time (after a few folks leave) they open it back up. So on the ultimate crowd days the rule of thumb is always... DON'T leave the park once you are in.

 

[disneychrista]

There are different levels of "park closure"

First - they stop selling single day tickets, if you have a ticket/AP you can still get in
Second - they stop letting in "first time" park guests (you weren't there earlier that day) but you can continue to get in if you previously were in the park or have an AP
Third - the park is "full" and noone can enter until enough guests leave to make the park under full capacity.

If the park is at full capacity, you will not be allowed in regardless of being in the park previously, having a PS/Reservation or having an AP.

 

[starshine514]

There are different levels of "park closure"

First - they stop selling single day tickets, if you have a ticket/AP you can still get in
Second - they stop letting in "first time" park guests (you weren't there earlier that day) but you can continue to get in if you previously were in the park or have an AP
Third - the park is "full" and noone can enter until enough guests leave to make the park under full capacity.

If the park is at full capacity, you will not be allowed in regardless of being in the park previously, having a PS/Reservation or having an AP.

Wow! I hadn't even thought about that with reservations. Last year, when we went to WDW, they made us pay in advance for lunch at Cinderella's Royal Table. If the park had reached capacity and they hadn't let us in, I would have been really ticked and wanted a refund of my $250+.

So, the moral of the story is don't prepay for anything between Christmas and New Years?

 

[Mama Who]

Even when the park is "absolutely full" Disney leaves themselves some wiggle room. If you MUST leave the park for some reason (like a medical issue) they will issue you a pass that gets you back in regardless of the "no more entries" status. We had first hand experience with this on December 31st one year and Disney's CMs were gracious and helpful and we returned to the park when the crisis was handled without any issue.

 

[cyclenut]

There are different levels of "park closure"

First - they stop selling single day tickets, if you have a ticket/AP you can still get in
Second - they stop letting in "first time" park guests (you weren't there earlier that day) but you can continue to get in if you previously were in the park or have an AP
Third - the park is "full" and noone can enter until enough guests leave to make the park under full capacity.

If the park is at full capacity, you will not be allowed in regardless of being in the park previously, having a PS/Reservation or having an AP.

That third level is more rare and is usually temporary, but it happened on two consecutive days last year and has occurred before. When that third condition occurs, they don't even let cast members in to start their shift. This is something that happens when the fire marshall is the one who has declared the parks at capacity. When Disney can manage park crowds effectively using methods one or two, then they usually have a bit more flexibility.

Something else to remember. APs don't generally need a hand stamp to reenter. However, on those really crowded days, get one. They won't let you back in without one if they reach stage two.

 

[bumbershoot]

So, the moral of the story is don't prepay for anything between Christmas and New Years?

I think the moral of the story is actually "go to the park you have plans in, and get there EARLY" during the busiest times.

I've noticed that they actually tell you to get hands stamped when it's that busy.

I was there in March one year ('09?) and I was actually leaving the park and Anaheim entirely that day, and wasn't going to be coming back in, but they offered a handstamp to me (AP holder) because they were anticipating high crowds.

And Columbus Day weekend of '09, they insisted that we get hand stamps on our way IN to DCA, because it had been so busy the day before that DCA had closed to capacity (aka fire marshall says TOO MANY PEOPLE, not just one level of closure). So we got our hands stamped, just in case we'd wanted to park and there was a level of closure that handstamps could get us back in for.