When will Disneyland go back to operating at 100% capacity?

[deejdigsdis]

Let’s put it this way, even at its busiest immediately before the pandemic, there was probably an additional 10-15% more people in Disneyland Park in the 80’s and 90’s. There was no second gate to absorb capacity, no Toon Town, no Galaxy’s Edge. An 85,000-guest day translates into 120-180 minute waits on most E-ticket rides and no FastPass lines to make any of it any shorter.

Ahh, I remember those days. I tell my kids it was just normal to wait in line for 2 hours to ride POTC. They have asked, "Why is there all this empty space up here?" while in line for Space Mountain. They were surprised to hear that it was normal to wind all around that area while moving through the line, back in the day. I also remember standing in line to ride Indy, and the line was backed up to the Mark Twain entrance. Of course that was the year it opened, so a little later than your CM days.

 

[Chickinvic]

Let’s put it this way, even at its busiest immediately before the pandemic, there was probably an additional 10-15% more people in Disneyland Park in the 80’s and 90’s. There was no second gate to absorb capacity, no Toon Town, no Galaxy’s Edge. An 85,000-guest day translates into 120-180 minute waits on most E-ticket rides and no FastPass lines to make any of it any shorter.

I went several times in the 80s and I certainly never saw those kind of long lines. I think the longest I ever waited for a ride was about 45 minutes for Space Mountain.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Ahh, I remember those days. I tell my kids it was just normal to wait in line for 2 hours to ride POTC. They have asked, "Why is there all this empty space up here?" while in line for Space Mountain. They were surprised to hear that it was normal to wind all around that area while moving through the line, back in the day. I also remember standing in line to ride Indy, and the line was backed up to the Mark Twain entrance. Of course that was the year it opened, so a little later than your CM days.

And the extended queue for Pirates ran the entire length of the left side of the building, all the way back almost all the way to the Steam Train tracks (before they built Indy, and there was nothing between the Treehouse and POTC). It would loop back and forth that full length 3 or 4 times. A good barometer to tell how busy the park was, was to see how much of the queue was open.

You also knew it was a busy day when the the two Matterhorn lines met at the back side of the mountain.

 

[DonMacGregor]

I went several times in the 80s and I certainly never saw those kind of long lines. I think the longest I ever waited for a ride was about 45 minutes for Space Mountain.

That’s an impressive memory for a couple of trips over 40 years ago. You must have been very lucky or were smart enough to visit in a weekday. As @deejdigsdis mentioned, the line for Space could take up almost the entire upper deck, and before they enclosed that space for the theatre, the line could snake well out into Tomorrowland. Heck, that standby line can get to 60 minutes before noon on even a slow day these days.

But, to place things in proper context, I never said the Park was always busier, just that busy days were often busier. No AP’s and different visiting habits in general meant fewer weekday visits (the Park was actually closed 2 days a week until the mid eighties), plus shorter operating hours, meant going to Disneyland was more of a weekend or holiday trip for many, which meant larger attendance swings and serious congestion on certain days, while other days (like a Wednesday, maybe) could be downright empty.

 

[deejdigsdis]

You also knew it was a busy day when the the two Matterhorn lines met at the back side of the mountain.

I remember that too.

I watched old footage a few days ago from our 1989 family trip to Disneyland. Very different times. Long lines were just a normal part of the experience for us.

 

[DLgal]

Current Inspire Key availability, 11:00am, 6/25/23:

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I can literally drive over to the resort and head into either park, and it's almost noon.

And I guarantee the 4th will come available too, by the 2nd. We made a reservation for 4 people for the 4th 2 days ago as Inspire Key holders.

 

[DLgal]

How much time is usually given between when Key sales are announced and when they actually begin? I was advised to keep the Disneyparks blog page open in a browser and check it daily, so I'm doing that, but if it falls on a workday for me, I want to be ready with paid time off so I can spend the day waiting out the queue if needed, and not lose the opportunity because of work.

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/

A few days is all the lead time you will get.

I wouldn't take a day off work. You can do the entire process on your phone. Get in the queue and turn your sound up. You'll get a ping sound when it's your turn. I did it the first time in 2021 when sales resumed literally from Naples restaurant at Downtown Disney. Had my passes purchased an hour later. Took 2 minutes. Didn't impact my day at all.

 

[DonMacGregor]

And I guarantee the 4th will come available too, by the 2nd. We made a reservation for 4 people for the 4th 2 days ago as Inspire Key holders.

I wouldn’t doubt it. It was available before and it will probably open up again.

 

[Foxhound3857]

A few days is all the lead time you will get.

I wouldn't take a day off work. You can do the entire process on your phone. Get in the queue and turn your sound up. You'll get a ping sound when it's your turn. I did it the first time in 2021 when sales resumed literally from Naples restaurant at Downtown Disney. Had my passes purchased an hour later. Took 2 minutes. Didn't impact my day at all.

Only problem is having my phone out at work is an immediate write up. Second offense is termination.

 

[DLgal]

Only problem is having my phone out at work is an immediate write up. Second offense is termination.

Can you have it in your pocket? Once you hear the ping, you have 10 minutes to complete your transaction. Go to the bathroom or something.

And look for a new job. That sounds awful.

 

[Foxhound3857]

Can you have it in your pocket? Once you hear the ping, you have 10 minutes to complete your transaction. Go to the bathroom or something.

And look for a new job. That sounds awful.

I keep telling myself this is the year I'll get out of Nordstrom, but alas, life rarely goes the way we want it to.

Regardless, I'll set up my credit card information so I can have a smooth transaction when the day comes and not get tripped up trying to enter information last-second when I'm on a timer.

 

[Foxhound3857]

A few days is all the lead time you will get.

I wouldn't take a day off work. You can do the entire process on your phone. Get in the queue and turn your sound up. You'll get a ping sound when it's your turn. I did it the first time in 2021 when sales resumed literally from Naples restaurant at Downtown Disney. Had my passes purchased an hour later. Took 2 minutes. Didn't impact my day at all.

Just more morbid curiosity, but how many times did keys go on sale in 2022, and how many times have they gone on sale so far in 2023?

 

[DLgal]

Just more morbid curiosity, but how many times did keys go on sale in 2022, and how many times have they gone on sale so far in 2023?

I honestly don't remember. I feel like 2 times a year has been average?

 

[Foxhound3857]

I honestly don't remember. I feel like 2 times a year has been average?

They're really that rare or in that short supply? That honestly sounds more and more like Disney just doesn't want to sell them and wants to drive up regular ticket sales.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

They're really that rare or in that short supply? That honestly sounds more and more like Disney just doesn't want to sell them and wants to drive up regular ticket sales.

It does, doesn’t it?

 

[DisneylandFan22]

They're really that rare or in that short supply? That honestly sounds more and more like Disney just doesn't want to sell them and wants to drive up regular ticket sales.

Disney wants to have a favorable mix of Magic Keys.

 

[Foxhound3857]

Disney wants to have a favorable mix of Magic Keys.

I hope scalping and reselling keys isn't a thing in this market...

 

[JerrodDragon89]

I was at the parks last Thursday-Sunday. While it wasn't dead, the lines were very easy to get around waiting too long.

Mickey got to 45 mins at its peak and Indy and space got to 75 mins but I've seen them at much higher times before. So for sure they are not letting in 100% still

 

[BrianL]

The LL for Guardians is FREQUENTLY 45 minutes. It's very annoying.

Yeah, the issue with GG or ToT is that they often let too many people through the pre-show and it backs up - especially if an elevator shaft goes down. Do they time to the actual ride, or just to the pre-show?

 

[DLgal]

I hope scalping and reselling keys isn't a thing in this market...

You can't resell Keys. It's all electronic at this point. Once you buy them, you have to assign them to a person via the app.