Have you ever been at the parks when they reached "Capacity"?

[Alpha Jeanie]

Have you ever been at the parks when they reached "capacity" and stop letting guests in?
What are the procedures if you are at the gate and they are at capacity. Do they let more in depending on how many leave?

[Dakota Rose]

It happened to me. July 4th, 1996 at Magic Kingdom. Those of us trying to get in were re-routed through a side entrance and ended up entering the park in the middle of Tomorrowland. But they were only allowing in groups of people according to how many people were leaving. That was almost 20 years ago, I'm sure things have changed.

[bxrluv]

It happened to us on New Year's Eve day 2001. I believe around 2pm they began only letting those in that were resort guests. We hurried back to Epcot and were in but it became so overwhelming that we ended up leaving a couple hours later. I'm not sure if it has ever happened during Spring Break time. It looks like that is when your trip is planned. We went in 2010 during that time and it was manageable. Going back again this Spring Break. Hopefully since Easter isn't until end of April that will help spread the crowds out a little.

[jnfr2424]

July 4 2005. They made an announcement on the bus to MK saying the park is almost at capacity but being resort guests were only allowed in. They had sectioned the entrance checking KTTW and scanning people in then the other side you could see them turning away folks. It was hot and people were packed like sardines. We also went through some side entrance and ended up at Adventureland/Frontierland. The only ride we were able to get on was HM and that was a 2 hour wait.

[1DisneyNut]

It was July 4 2005 for us also. In my opinion, they allowed way and I mean way too many people in. We arrived when they were only allowing resort guests in around lunch time and we entered through the normal front entrance. It took us almost 1 1/2 hour to get from the entrance to the round-a-bout in front of the castle. It was literally shoulder to shoulder people packed in so tight nobody could move.

The CM's were standing on top the benches yelling at people to keep moving. One singled me out and yelled to keep moving, I couldn't stand in the street.....I snapped. I yelled back, I have been trying to get down this **** street for over an hour and a half and I can't move so why don't you quit yelling and get down here and escort me through......he quit yelling at people. lol

I don't think we even rode anything. We made it over to where they were allowing people to leave through the side in tomorrowland and exited the park. We went back to the resort, got in the car and went to the beach instead.

I emailed WDW after we got home from the trip and expressed my concerns. I told them that I thought it was a safety issue allowing that many people in, especially with small children. If a situation would have arisen, something as simple as a disatisfied guest causing a scene; it could have led to people pushing and shoving, knocking people over onto small children or a panic. That is why we left....it just didn't feel safe to be there. They actually called me a couple days later and discussed my concerns and what could have been done differently so they did care. I told her that myself as well as many others would have been less disappointed if they would have not let us into that mess and turned us away. She also said that they had received quite a bit of complaints about that day so they knew it was bad.

About a week later, in the mail I received complimentary one day tickets for everyone that was in my party that day. I didn't ask for nor did I want free tickets, I just didn't want anyone else to have a bad experiece like that in the future.

Do yourself a favor. If you ever arrive at the park and they say it is almost to capacity and they are only allowing resort guests in, turn around and go do something else.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

We've been at MK a couple of times during Christmas week and the parks were at capacity. We arrived early and got in but friends of ours tried to get in around noon and were turned away. From what I remember late in the afternoon around 4 or 5 pm when some people left they started letting people in again.

[AndrewJackson]

Disney closes parks in phases, i.e. Resort guests only, dining guests only, no guests.

We were at Epcot on December 31, 1992. We were in the park when it reached capacity. Crazy!

After Illuminations at midnight, it took us 90 minutes to get to the entrance.

That was the only time and last time I would go to WDW over Christmas break.

[Susan A]

No thank goodness, but it was pretty close. It was the Saturday before Christmas and very busy. We had to leave!

[DonaldDuckUSA]

Once and I was a kid. I don't remember much except my parents looking SUPER stressed out.

Never again.

[Kenny1113]

Yes. Spring break/Easter week several years ago. We were already in the park so I can't speak to how the gates were, but the park (MK) was packed just a sea of people everywhere. We were still able to have a good time and ride what we wanted.

[Aurora]

I've been at the parks when it's been extremely crowded and alternate exits were opened up, but I've never been when it's reached capacity. We were there July 4, 1997, but didn't attempt to enter the parks that day.

However, call me crazy, but reading these posts makes me sort of want to try it. I feel like I can't really say I'm a Disney expert if I don't have this experience at least once.

[#1donaldfan]

NYE once .... they said it was at capacity, however they were letting in guests as we left, so I've never experienced the gates closed and turning anyone away !! I will say that it was so crazy and not enjoyable at all !! I love the crowds, I even love the heat of summer, but NYE although fantastic until that evening, I just wanted out by nightfall !!

[FLKatie912]

The CM's were standing on top the benches yelling at people to keep moving. One singled me out and yelled to keep moving, I couldn't stand in the street.....I snapped. I yelled back, I have been trying to get down this **** street for over an hour and a half and I can't move so why don't you quit yelling and get down here and escort me through......he quit yelling at people. lol

e.

I do not envy those poor CMs. People can be just brutal and entitled when they are told what to do, stressed, or confused. I'm glad some people are willing to put up with it so that I can keep enjoying the parks.

I've been stuck in those crazy crowds particularly by the "death bridge" as I call it, (the bridge by Crystal Palace), where some people decided to just stand in the middle of the bridge to watch Wishes despite CMs instructions to keep moving.

In addition, after being in the parks multiple times when reaching capacity, I will never do it again! Not worth it!

[Middle of the Map]

I emailed WDW after we got home from the trip and expressed my concerns. I told them that I thought it was a safety issue allowing that many people in, especially with small children. If a situation would have arisen, something as simple as a disatisfied guest causing a scene; it could have led to people pushing and shoving, knocking people over onto small children or a panic. Do yourself a favor. If you ever arrive at the park and they say it is almost to capacity and they are only allowing resort guests in, turn around and go do something else.

Excellent points - especially about safety. We were in MK in the middle of July and noticed the crowds getting worse and worse around noon. We heard people saying the park was closed to all except resort guests. It was an ordeal to get back to the buses in the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd. I kept thinking "don't fall down" because you'll be trampled.

Disney has surely revamped their park limits since that time. But your last suggestion is the best. Turn around and go somewhere else if the park is at capacity.

[bxrluv]

Excellent points - especially about safety. We were in MK in the middle of July and noticed the crowds getting worse and worse around noon. We heard people saying the park was closed to all except resort guests. It was an ordeal to get back to the buses in the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd. I kept thinking "don't fall down" because you'll be trampled.

Disney has surely revamped their park limits since that time. But your last suggestion is the best. Turn around and go somewhere else if the park is at capacity.

We were thinking the same. With a toddler and a very tiny 8 year old I was really afraid they would get hurt. It was so packed we couldn't move forward or back. We had to hand kids and strollers over a wall to escape.

[Main Street Jim]

It was July 4 2005 for us also. In my opinion, they allowed way and I mean way too many people in.

The parks will never "let too many people in". The Reedy Creek Fire Marshall will (basically) "set the limit". It all depends on how the foot (guest) traffic is flowing.

If more guests are indoors (inside attractions, stores, restaurants, etc.), then more guests can fit in the "streets" (outdoors). If guests are not moving indoors much, then less guests can come into the park behind them.

When it does get *that* busy, we as CMs would try to keep the street traffic moving, so that "traffic jams" *didn't* occur.

As for the four phases of closing, I believe these are the "terms" for phases:

Phase I: Closed to single-day, single-park guests

Phase II: same as above, plus non-resort guests

Phase III: same as I and II, plus annual passholders

Phase IV: closed to all guests

[RavsRuleDisney!]

Lucky for us we've had a few crowded days in all our trips but the capacity-type days just don't seem worth it even if you do get in early. What can you really do or experience? Obviously, if that's the time of year you can go you make the most of it (hey, you ARE at Disney!) but it has to be tuff especially if u have younger kids or older folks in the group, a hot, Florida summer day etc. God bless ya!!

[goofygirl67]

Last year I upgraded from seasonal to annual pass so I wanted to try those block out dates. New Years 2012 was crowded and getting on certain rides I knew ahead of time was not worth even trying. I did have a good time though. I tried July 4th 2013 and it was crowded but still manageable. I am going again for New Years this year and I know what I will be able to do and not do, you just have to be prepared beforehand.

[1DisneyNut]

The parks will never "let too many people in". The Reedy Creek Fire Marshall will (basically) "set the limit". It all depends on how the foot (guest) traffic is flowing.

Well they did on that day. If they were within the limit set by the Fire Marshall, then the limit was set way to high. It was literally shoulder to shoulder throughout the park. If there would have been some sort of emergency that caused panic, there would have been trampled to death children everywhere. All it would take is one little thing and it would be mayhem if it is that crowded. "The foot (guest) traffic" was not flowing, it was complete grid lock due to overcrowding. It reached "closed to all guests" that day. It wasn't safe, we left due to those concerns and WDW received a lot of complaints.

[Susan A]

Last Monday, the 21st was VERY busy at the MK. Later in the day I realized that the park was open late for extra magic hours. Avoid extra magic hours!!!!!
We did ok since we had some fast passes. If the wait for small world is over 20 min. You know it's a busy day!