When Disneyland closes for capacity...

[ldymcbth]

We will be there the dreaded Carsland opening weekend. (We aren't going on the 15th, but will be there 16th/17th). We are not there b/c of carsland, but because it just happens to be the dates DH is being sent to California.

We have 2 smaller kids who still nap, so our plan was to be there at rope drop both Sat/Sun, then go back to our hotel after lunch for naps, and then back to the parks til close. My question is this: if they close parks for capacity, will people who have already been in that day still be let in?

In other words, so we need to NOT leave for naps if it looks like there will be capacity closings? I would hate to leave, nap, and then return unable to re-enter.

B/C AP's are blacked out that weekend, do you really think it will get to capacity closings? I don't know what to expect!

 

[ldymcbth]

As a secondary question, since only SoCal AP's are blocked on that Sunday 6/17, I am guessing our best best is to do DCA on Saturday (when everything except PAPs are blocked) and then do DL on Sunday when my guess would be the AP folks (except for SoCal) will be coming in droves to DCA.

PS - this AP stuff at DLR is so confusing! Planning this trip has been insane!

 

[DanT]

You get a hand stamp before you leave...
When the park closes for capacity, it is for new entries.
As long as you have your valid entry media and the proper hand stamp for the day, you should be able to re-enter when you return from nap time.

 

[Girimama33]

Hard to tell if they will reach capacity or not...That would be anyone's guess.
I have heard differently - If you do leave for a nap, and the park closes due to capacity, you will not be allowed to re-enter, even though you were in the parks earlier. I have never been to the park when capacity has been reached, so I do not know from experience.
Hopefully it won't be too bad crowd wise, but should still be fun...Summer is just busier in general.

I agree with your suggestion to hit DCA on Saturday vs. Sunday.

 

[ldymcbth]

Hard to tell if they will reach capacity or not...That would be anyone's guess.
If you do leave for a nap, and the park closes due to capacity, you will not be allowed to re-enter, even though you were in the parks earlier.
Hopefully it won't be too bad crowd wise, but should still be fun...Summer is just busier in general.

Super - thanks so much. That makes me feel better. Trust me when I say that we really need to stop for naps or there will be more than one Grumpy in the parks! ;-)

We know it will be a zoo. I have tried to prep the kids (and DH!) for the fact that it will be super crowded. We have a modest list of things that are priority 1, and anything else we get to see/do will be a bonus. I am making sure we take our good attitudes into the park or MOMMA WILL BE GOING BY HERSELF!

 

[mariners1999]

My understanding is there are 2 types of "capacity"

1. would be no new first time entry's but if you have a handstamp you will be let back in.

2. If it is REALLY packed they shut down for all first time entry's and ALSO the re-entry people until some people leave the park. (I think that this is somewhat rare)

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

My understanding is there are 2 types of "capacity"

1. would be no new first time entry's but if you have a handstamp you will be let back in.

2. If it is REALLY packed they shut down for all first time entry's and ALSO the re-entry people until some people leave the park. (I think that this is somewhat rare)

I think there's a step before #1 where they stop selling tickets.

#2 is not controlled by DLR. That's when the Fire Marshall gets involved.

 

[mariners1999]

I think there's a step before #1 where they stop selling tickets.

#2 is not controlled by DLR. That's when the Fire Marshall gets involved.

Thats what I thought. I seem to remember that is very rare.

 

[Disney Dreams]

You get a hand stamp before you leave...
When the park closes for capacity, it is for new entries.
As long as you have your valid entry media and the proper hand stamp for the day, you should be able to re-enter when you return from nap time.

This is not true.

There are different levels of "closed" due to capacity. The final level is no entry. Period. Handstamp, or not.

My understanding is there are 2 types of "capacity"

1. would be no new first time entry's but if you have a handstamp you will be let back in.

2. If it is REALLY packed they shut down for all first time entry's and ALSO the re-entry people until some people leave the park. (I think that this is somewhat rare)

I think there's a step before #1 where they stop selling tickets.

#2 is not controlled by DLR. That's when the Fire Marshall gets involved.

There are three levels. My understanding is as follows:

1. Stop selling new tickets. Anyone with existing tickets can come and go. Those with hand-stamps can come and go. Those with multi-day passes staying on-site can enter, come, and go.

2. No one new is admitted into the Park. If you have a hand-stamp you can come and go.

3. Hard closure. No entry. If you leave, you will not be allowed back in until it is determined that the Park is no longer at "capacity." This is determined by the fire marshall. It is not a number so much as a "feel." A busy summer day and NYE may have the same number of people in the Park, but on NYE, most are all in specific places and the "feel" is much more crowded than when everyone is spread out throughout the Park.

HTH,
Dreams

 

[larina]

Yes, what they said: there are levels of closure. I've only been in the parks once that it closed even to re-entry. The fire marshall even came out as a part of it. We were going to leave and were told that if we did we would not get back in. That was Memorial Day weekend 1993 and I don't think that status lasted but a few hours.

Last May there were no closures during our stay (but nothing new opened, either) and at Christmas, it went in and out of the first stage, where they weren't selling tickets, quite a bit, and a couple times was at re-entry only.

I'd have a back up plan in case you don't get back in.

 

[nannyz]

I won't be taking any chances.
We never leave for naps anyway -- kids just sleep in their strollers and the adults tough it out or go back to the room on their own.

 

[Shananana]

I am making sure we take our good attitudes into the park or MOMMA WILL BE GOING BY HERSELF!

I think this is awesome!

 

[azdoughboy]

My assumption will be that if the park does fill to capacity, it won't be until later in the evening with the local AP population.

My advice would be to break a little earlier than you normally might, and come back prior to 5p, when these folks get out of work and invade the park. My .02.



BC

 

[Disney Dreams]

My assumption will be that if the park does fill to capacity, it won't be until later in the evening with the local AP population.

My advice would be to break a little earlier than you normally might, and come back prior to 5p, when these folks get out of work and invade the park. My .02.



BC

Invade? As in, attack in an intrusive manner? Nice view of local Disneyland fans.

FWIW:
Every person I know who lives locally who has an AP has decided that they are not going to be anywhere near DCA on opening week. They will wait for it to die down a bit.

- Dreams

 

[azdoughboy]

Invade? As in, attack in an intrusive manner? Nice view of local Disneyland fans.

FWIW:
Every person I know who lives locally who has an AP has decided that they are not going to be anywhere near DCA on opening week. They will wait for it to die down a bit.

- Dreams

Invade. Overrun. Inundate. Besiege.



















































BC

 

[cyclenut]

The fire Marshall level of closure happens most often during the week of Christmas. It happened last year on a couple of different days. Those closures pertain to CMs trying to go to work as well as guests. When they say nobody is allowed in, they mean nobody.

That may occur with DCA due to CL, but not likely with DL. Each park has its own limit. CMs are being told to review the policy as they are anticipating large crowds.