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gerry
07-18-2005, 12:41 PM
Hi Everyone,
We will be visiting DL in Oct. and staying at GCH. On the second Sat. of the month, after a long morning in the park, I will want to rest in the afternoon before going back for Remember...DH is worried about lots of people and the possibility of exceeding capacity. Does anyone think there is any chance of this happening? Thank you.

phoenixfire2k5
07-18-2005, 12:44 PM
Hi Everyone,
We will be visiting DL in Oct. and staying at GCH. On the second Sat. of the month, after a long morning in the park, I will want to rest in the afternoon before going back for Remember...DH is worried about lots of people and the possibility of exceeding capacity. Does anyone think there is any chance of this happening? Thank you.

The park exceeding capacity in October? Highly unlikely. Very highly unlikely.

MyBeast
07-18-2005, 12:48 PM
I don't think it even hit capacity yesterday.

phoenixfire2k5
07-18-2005, 12:49 PM
I don't think it even hit capacity yesterday.

According to another post, it didn't. Never came close.

Barbossa
07-18-2005, 01:04 PM
What is "capacity" at Disneyland?

My guess it's when they can't pack any more people through the turnstiles a-la-Tokyo subways. :p

phoenixfire2k5
07-18-2005, 01:09 PM
What is "capacity" at Disneyland?

My guess it's when they can't pack any more people through the turnstiles a-la-Tokyo subways. :p

I'm gonna say anywhere between 60 and 85 thousand.

Disney Vault
07-18-2005, 01:35 PM
Does DL reach capacity on Christmas day?

The only time I know of when it reached capacity for sure is new years and I think the 4th of july too.

phoenixfire2k5
07-18-2005, 01:36 PM
Does DL reach capacity on Christmas day?

The only time I know of when it reached capacity for sure is new years and I think the 4th of july too.

I think I heard about it reaching capacity on Christmas Day either last year or the year before. But definitly on New Years Eve, it usually does or comes really close.

pisces
07-18-2005, 01:37 PM
Sorry, not this past New Years. And, not this past NYE either. Maybe the days of Disneyland hitting capacity are over.

Actually, I think they did hit capacity this past Christmas. According to a CM, ---I wasn't there, and didn't see it.

Opus1guy
07-18-2005, 01:38 PM
Maximum Capacity, Total Attendance and Total In-Park are three totally different sets of numbers, though I often see folks here confusing the three and/or tossing out mixed but erroneous numbers all the time.

Maximum Capacity (the most the Park is allowed to hold and is what shuts down further admissions when it's reached) is monitored by how many folks are actually in the Park at one given moment. This is often referred to as the "In-Park" number.

Total Attendance is the number first-time admissions that pass through the turnstiles.

The record numbers you often hear about in the 85,000 range, are Total Attendance numbers. That's not how many were ever in the park at any one time! The total in-park attendance numbers fluctuate due to folks entering the Parks and exiting them throughout the course of the day, producing constant ever-changing "in-park" totals.

Most Park managers get two planning numbers to work with for their scheduling of operations: Total Attendance and Peak In-Park (which is an estimate of the maximum (or peak) number of Guests that will be in the Park at any one time that day). Estimated In-Park numbers can be further broken down by the hour.

Disney Vault
07-18-2005, 01:41 PM
I heard DL use to reach capacity pretty often before they built DCA. Glad the crowds can spread out now.

hlbtimes2
07-18-2005, 01:45 PM
I dont think you have anything to be concerned with. I was there once in Oct when it was very full- but that was what was advertised as the last week for the light parade. They extended it by a few weeks, and well, we all know where it is now. LOL But thats probably the only time in park history that Oct has seen those kind of numbers.

Opus1guy
07-18-2005, 01:51 PM
I heard DL use to reach capacity pretty often before they built DCA. Glad the crowds can spread out now.

Expansions of the Park and even Redistribution of Guests, can effect the "re-set" of the Maximum In-Park Capacity numbers, as well.

An example of Expansion would be ToonTown. This allowed Disneyland to raise the Maximum In-Park Capacity numbers.

An example of Redistribution of Guests would be the opening of Splash Mountain. Bear Country was there for some time, but not many Guests went back there. But when Splash opened, the new Critter Country "sucked up" many more Guests into that area, once again allowing Disneyland to re-set the Maximum In-Park Capacity numbers.

Reverse is true, also. If Disneyland closes an area for rehab or something, they have to re-evaluate what effect that will have on other parts of the Park and again re-set the Maximum In-Park Capacity number downward, instead of up.

It's not set in stone, was we saw yesterday. They halted admissions for a very short time yesterday not because the park hit Capacity. But because there was a huge "bottleneck" plug on Main Street for the morning Castle Event that was so great, they just had to temporarily halt the flow of new Guests into the park. It's a safety issue more than a Guest comfort one.

Other times they might lower the Maximum Capacity for Special Events, filmings, and other irregular operations.

October? Unless a string of buses pulls up holding about 20,000 unexpected Guests...I'd say you have nothing to worry about. :)

gerry
07-18-2005, 01:52 PM
Thanks everyone.

phoenixfire2k5
07-18-2005, 02:27 PM
Thanks everyone.

You're welcome. :)

Disneyfun
07-18-2005, 02:40 PM
Just a note on three important date that THe park "advertised" for lack of better word fear of reaching the limit of in park guests and having to close recently.

The dates are New years eve for the 2000 New year.
May 5th, 2005
July17, 2005


And on all three dates they never did have to actaully close the gates and not let people in.


So to answer your question no Fear not I do not think you will have a problem on OCT. Have a good trip and worry about less things

Pat-n-Eil
07-18-2005, 02:46 PM
Hi Everyone,
We will be visiting DL in Oct. and staying at GCH. On the second Sat. of the month, after a long morning in the park, I will want to rest in the afternoon before going back for Remember...DH is worried about lots of people and the possibility of exceeding capacity. Does anyone think there is any chance of this happening? Thank you.

First off, I would be willing to bet my paycheck that anyone with a parkhopper will be able to leave either park and come back in whenever they like in October.

Secondly, because you are a guest of GCH, I'd be willing double that bet.

(and yes, I am gainfully employed and receive a paycheck!)

MommyTo3Boys1Girl
07-18-2005, 03:25 PM
Hi Everyone,
We will be visiting DL in Oct. and staying at GCH. On the second Sat. of the month, after a long morning in the park, I will want to rest in the afternoon before going back for Remember...DH is worried about lots of people and the possibility of exceeding capacity. Does anyone think there is any chance of this happening? Thank you.

Since it didn't exceed capacity yesterday I would almost bet my AP it won't in mid October. I say, no worries!

adriennek
07-18-2005, 04:56 PM
The park has reached capacity in the recent past (meaning past few years,) but I can't quote exact dates off the top of my head.

I cannot remember a recent occasion where no one was allowed back in for the rest of the day, though. First they'll stop selling new admission tickets. Then they'll close the gates until some people have left Disneyland. After the park has emptied a bit, they re-open the gates to let in "new" guests (people arriving for the first time that day but who previously purchased admission or have APs,) and/or returning guests from that same day.

And as others have said, I have no reason to suspect that would happen in October. The most likely day for it to happen is on New Years Eve, imo.

Adrienne

coronado_g
07-18-2005, 08:49 PM
Opus - very informative posts. You know your stuff well.

SCUBAbe
07-18-2005, 09:03 PM
it must have reached capacity last summer at one point. I was driving past it on the freeway and they had signs out that said DL was closed...???

Vegitabeta
07-19-2005, 01:18 AM
Does anyone think it could get near to being totally full at the start of August?

Malcon10t
07-19-2005, 07:22 AM
Just a note on three important date that THe park "advertised" for lack of better word fear of reaching the limit of in park guests and having to close recently.

The dates are New years eve for the 2000 New year.
May 5th, 2005
July17, 2005


And on all three dates they never did have to actaully close the gates and not let people in.


So to answer your question no Fear not I do not think you will have a problem on OCT. Have a good trip and worry about less thingsI agree about Oct. However, in 2000, there were 3 days during the week between Christmas and NYE where the capacity shutdown did occur. Also, we have been there twice during the summer when they have shut the gates (this was 2 years ago I believe.) It is rare, but it does happen. And last NYE was not even close. New Years day rarely has a capacity problem due to the Rose Bowl game. This year may be different due to playing on the 2nd.