Will I be allowed to my dining reservation if park is at capacity?

[NEV2OLD4DIS]

I am thinking of making a dining reservation at MK or Epcot for dinner for the 4th of July, if any are still available. If the park is at capacity, would we still be allowed in due to the reservation?

 

[Kae]

No.

Kae

 

[NEV2OLD4DIS]

Thanks Kae, that was fast!

 

[jlewisinsyr]

That's a really interesting question...and interesting response. Imagine if you booked CRT for dinner which requires prepayment and you were denied at the gate because of capacity, I wonder how Disney handles that.

 

[Kae]

Thanks Kae, that was fast!

You are welcome. Another good choice is to make a ADR at a resort near the parks in case you can't get into the park you want.

Kae

 

[rlovew]

That's a really interesting question...and interesting response. Imagine if you booked CRT for dinner which requires prepayment and you were denied at the gate because of capacity, I wonder how Disney handles that.

They tell you when you make the reservation (in the fine print of the confirmation) that you are responsible for getting into the park beforehand and that the park could close for capacity. They remind you at the same time as they let you know you need park tickets for in park restaurants.

 

[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.

And, if you have a prepaid meal inside a park and you do not show up you will lose your prepayment or if a guarantee your card will be charged as a no-show. It is your responsibility to get to a prepaid or guaranteed meal.

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.

 

[mkleinbe]

I agree, pick a restaurant outside of the park at a nearby resort. Lot's of good choices. OR eat counter service that day and save the TS for another, not as busy day.

 

[goofy4prez]

I'm curious if anyone has been denied access to the park and had a prepayed reservation on their Visa card for CRT and then contested the charge with the Visa company and then won???? I completely understand why WDW has the policy of closing the park off and have no problem with them doing it. But I have a feeling there have been some reversals on peoples credit cards once a complaint was filed with their card carrier for services not rendered.


With that said, I'd either stay in the park the entire day so that I am assured of my seating or as others have said, make an ADR in one of the resort restaurants instead. This is what we did on Christmas.

 

[LaurenT]

If you were going to make an ADR for 4th of July and were't planning on already being in that park from the morning on, I'd recommend making your ADR in Epcot, not in MK...MK stands a much greater chance of reaching phase 4 closure.

 

[PixieTopaz]

If you were going to make an ADR for 4th of July and were't planning on already being in that park from the morning on, I'd recommend making your ADR in Epcot, not in MK...MK stands a much greater chance of reaching phase 4 closure.

Great idea!

 

[TDC Nala]

That's a really interesting question...and interesting response. Imagine if you booked CRT for dinner which requires prepayment and you were denied at the gate because of capacity, I wonder how Disney handles that.

Not even a prepaid CRT reservation will get you into MK if it is closed to you for capacity at the time you arrive. At that point you will lose your payment for the reservation, because you won't be able to show up and it will be too late to cancel it. No idea if a credit card company will permit you to contest the charge - as chances are you paid for the meal long before you were turned away from it. Best advice is if you want a meal at MK on a date capacity closure may be possible, go early and stay in the park until after you've had the meal. If it's not CRT you lose nothing, but any other approach may increase the risk that you will lose what you have paid for a CRT meal.

Epcot is much larger, so it isn't as likely to close for capacity as MK is.

 

[MissionMouse]

Interesting. I just checked my on-line confirmation statement and it contains no text regarding anything other than it requires valid theme park admission. No reference to park capacity. I know we will not have an issue when we go, but for others when no service is provided in exchange for a payment and you followed the instructions/policy and were denied access I would contact your credit card company.

 

[Pumbaa_]

If they close for capacity, do yu really WANT to be there?

 

[TDC Nala]

Capacity closure is pretty rare, it's usually only Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, the 4th of July, maybe around Easter that one has to really think about it. MK is usually the only park affected.

 

[ickletarakins]

EPCOT almost never reaches capacity. In fact...I don't recall that they ever have. Their "streets" are so wide and the park area is so big that it's nearly impossible. I was there on NYE 2005-2006 and at one point there were 80,000+ people in the park, but they never closed the gates. Of course...it was miserably crowded, haha.

 

[NEV2OLD4DIS]

Thank you, I'm glad I asked before making a reservation. Thought of a CS meal at the Poly and watching fireworks from the Poly beach. I'd actually prefer this, but just trying to have a backup plan in case the family decides they want to be in a park. Will have to check the schedule to see if water parade is scheduled for the 4th, but I think I read on the DIS that fireworks are at 9:00 p.m., so maybe the water parade wouldn't be scheduled to float? Do Fantasmic or Illuminations include anything special for the 4th?

I know the parks/restaurants will be mobbed, but we wanted to take advantage of the QSDP pin we received. By checking in on 6/29 we will have free QSDP for our stay through 7/12. School gets out late here, so really we had to include the 4th no matter how we planned. For a family of 5 though, it beat all other deals!

That said, we have been for the 4th before (10 years ago though), and always end up going in July when we do go, so we are used to the crowds. As you DISers know already, it is very doable with some planning!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

My advice is be at the park when they open and don't leave until after your ADR, this way you don't need to worry about being denied entry into the park incase it's at capacity.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Interesting. I just checked my on-line confirmation statement and it contains no text regarding anything other than it requires valid theme park admission. No reference to park capacity. I know we will not have an issue when we go, but for others when no service is provided in exchange for a payment and you followed the instructions/policy and were denied access I would contact your credit card company.

(Bolding added above)
When a Park is at Stage 4 Closing there is no valid admission to that park.

 

[MissionMouse]

(Bolding added above)
When a Park is at Stage 4 Closing there is no valid admission to that park.

Do you have a link to where this is reference on the Disney site?