Christmas and New Year 2013 capacity phased closings and wait times

JenniferS

JenniferS

When you're the leader, you don't have to follow.
MissM said:
Just got home. We exited around 10:50pm (trying to get out before the 11pm parade) to MORE chaos in the form of express monorail line literally filling the entire entrance plaza. The sign had an optimistic "30 minute" estimate but it was beyond packed. Same with the ferry which the line wasn't even a line, just a swarm. We walked over to the Contemporary where I got a few photos of the Castle from the patio area on the 4th floor and then picked up the resort monorail back to the Transportation & Ticket Center. The trams were completely overwhelmed as well so we walked it. (Along with a ton of other people. The walkway was packed. I don't think I've ever seen so many people walking.)

Overall, it was a mess. Having been on phased closing days before many times, I did not expect so much pure chaos tonight. 4th of July? NYE? Cakewalks compared to tonight. Epcot was fine, no problems there but of course, it eats so many people easily. MK however was a disaster. I just do not understand why they did not have the crowd control measures they normally enact for packed days completely missing. Perhaps someone thought no phased closing = no need for crowd control? I don't know. But it was epic fail at MK tonight. :hungover:
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I gave you a "like" for this post - not so much because I like that you had a terrible time, but more to say thanks for the update.
There really needs to be another option to "like", such as "I agree" or "I hear ya".

Anyway, glad you made it out in one piece. Are you crazy enough to go back tomorrow? Later this week?
 
PhilharMagician

PhilharMagician

Well-Known Member
Interesting to hear that the MK lot closed before the park even reached a phase one. I don't remember that happening before. This happens occasionally at DHS but the TTC parking lot is huge.

Thanks @MissM for the updates. Sorry you had such a crappy visit.

Merry Christmas all!!!
 
TheRabbit

TheRabbit

Well-Known Member
MissM said:
Just got home. We exited around 10:50pm (trying to get out before the 11pm parade) to MORE chaos in the form of express monorail line literally filling the entire entrance plaza. The sign had an optimistic "30 minute" estimate but it was beyond packed. Same with the ferry which the line wasn't even a line, just a swarm. We walked over to the Contemporary where I got a few photos of the Castle from the patio area on the 4th floor and then picked up the resort monorail back to the Transportation & Ticket Center. The trams were completely overwhelmed as well so we walked it. (Along with a ton of other people. The walkway was packed. I don't think I've ever seen so many people walking.)

Overall, it was a mess. Having been on phased closing days before many times, I did not expect so much pure chaos tonight. 4th of July? NYE? Cakewalks compared to tonight. Epcot was fine, no problems there but of course, it eats so many people easily. MK however was a disaster. I just do not understand why they did not have the crowd control measures they normally enact for packed days completely missing. Perhaps someone thought no phased closing = no need for crowd control? I don't know. But it was epic fail at MK tonight. :hungover:
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I was in the MK last night (xmas eve) as well. It was a New Years Eve crowd withOUT the NYE crowd control. People on Main St had no where to go, the Emporium was a disaster zone. The sweatshirt racks reminded me of a grocery store the night before they announce a hurricane. Total mess. I made it out right when first parade started (9pm) and there was no wait for Express. So if anyone goes during these weeks and wants out before the mess...leave right when first night parade starts.
 
JimboJones123

JimboJones123

Well-Known Member
MissM said:
Just got home. Wted around 10:50pm (trying to get out before the m parade) to MORE chaos in the form of express monorail line literally filling the entire entrance plaza. The sign had an optimistic "30 minute" estimate but it was beyond packed. Same with the ferry which the line wasn't even a line, just a swarm. We walked over to the Contemporary where I got a few photos of the Castle from the patio area on the 4th floor and then picked up the resort monorail back to the Transportation & Ticket Center. The trams were completely overwhelmed as well so we walked it. (Along with a ton of other people. The walkway was packed. I don't think I've ever seen so many people walking.)

Overall, it was a mess. Having been on phased closing days before many times, I did not expect so much pure chaos tonight. 4th of July? NYE? Cakewalks compared to tonight. Epcot was fine, no problems there but of course, it eats so many people easily. MK however was a disaster. I just do not understand why they did not have the crowd control measures they normally enact for packed days completely missing. Perhaps someone thought no phased closing = no need for crowd control? I don't know. But it was epic fail at MK tonight. :hungover:
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I hearD around the time you left it really started dying down and was wonderful after that.

If you try to leave the same time as 15k people, it is going to be crazy. That is the way it goes most nights.

I would suggest trying to stay an hour later next time or leaving an hour earlier.
 
JimboJones123

JimboJones123

Well-Known Member
TheRae post: 5850480 said:
I was in the MK last night (xmas eve) as well. It was a New Years Eve crowd withOUT the NYE crowd control. People on Main St had no where to go, the Emporium was a disaster zone. The sweatshirt racks reminded me of a grocery store the night before they announce a hurricane. Total mess. I made it out right when first parade started (9pm) and there was no wait for Express. So if anyone goes during these weeks and wants out before the mess...leave right when first night parade starts.
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Yep, an hour earlier did the trick.
 
M

maxairmike

Well-Known Member
PhilharMagician said:
Interesting to hear that the MK lot closed before the park even reached a phase one. I don't remember that happening before. This happens occasionally at DHS but the TTC parking lot is huge.

Thanks @MissM for the updates. Sorry you had such a crappy visit.

Merry Christmas all!!!
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Heard from a friend that went in the late morning/early afternoon that they didn't even open the back right corner of the lot where they park the trams. When the group left around 5pm there were 4 trams parked there and not a single car. That's gotta be about 200 cars worth of parking they didn't even open.
 
MissM

MissM

Well-Known Member
JimboJones123 said:
I hearD around the time you left it really started dying down and was wonderful after that.

If you try to leave the same time as 15k people, it is going to be crazy. That is the way it goes most nights.

I would suggest trying to stay an hour later next time or leaving an hour earlier.
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You literally couldn't get out earlier. The backstage overflow wasn't open. The bridges to the Hub were closed. Main Street was gridlock. And we got stuck in a literal mob of not just normal crowd jostling but violent pushing and shoving trying to follow the "exit" sign through the Tomorrowland Terrace area. I was shoved so hard, had it not been for the insane press of people, I would have been knocked down. No CM's to direct traffic. No lines of flow. People stopped everywhere, people going in all directions, etc.

We finally gave up, fought our way back the way we came and waited around in New Fantasyland for the fireworks to end. We had to let the post-fireworks crowd then disperse enough before we could get back down Main Street to exit at which point, it was about 10:50pm. Since our day started this morning around 9am, we were trying to get out earlier rather than later since we still had an hour+ drive home but we literally couldn't.

9pm parade meant sidewalks were already filling up upon our arrival at MK at 7pm. No overflow exit meant you could not leave.
 
drp4video

drp4video

Well-Known Member
And this is why we stopped going to WDW the week of Christmas and between New Years in 2007.

As far as the monorail from MK, we stay till the park closes, then to avoid the insane crowds trying to get on the monorail, we take our time, get an ice cream, sit down, wander through shops, then when the line clears, we leave.
 
ImagineerDude

ImagineerDude

Well-Known Member
TheRabbit said:
I was in the MK last night (xmas eve) as well. It was a New Years Eve crowd withOUT the NYE crowd control. People on Main St had no where to go, the Emporium was a disaster zone. The sweatshirt racks reminded me of a grocery store the night before they announce a hurricane. Total mess. I made it out right when first parade started (9pm) and there was no wait for Express. So if anyone goes during these weeks and wants out before the mess...leave right when first night parade starts.
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I arrived around 9:45 and Main Street was at a standstill so we were taken backstage to tomorrowland. But seriously after 11:30 every land except for MS and TL was EMPTY, EMPTY I TELL YOU. We stayed until 1am and we got a ton accomplished!





I understand that it is going to get worse as the week goes on, but we hopped between EPCOT, Hollywood, and MK yesterday and honestly I didn't experience any of the horror stories other people have talked about. Guess we got lucky...
 
JohnD

JohnD

Well-Known Member
Can anyone really enjoy these critical mass times or get much done? With 120 min wait for TSM, is it any wonder park hours are extended. The little secret is that you probably have more fun and get more done during non-peak periods with shorter park hours. (Related: going to MK the same day as a party when regular hours close at 7)
 
PhilharMagician

PhilharMagician

Well-Known Member
JohnD said:
Can anyone really enjoy these critical mass times or get much done? With 120 min wait for TSM, is it any wonder park hours are extended. The little secret is that you probably have more fun and get more done during non-peak periods with shorter park hours. (Related: going to MK the same day as a party when regular hours close at 7)
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120 minutes is not too bad. Seen Soarin' reach 240 minutes and TT at 180. I wonder how bad it will get over the next week.
 
Jwhee

Jwhee

Well-Known Member
Can some one please explan thsse phases for me? I am an annual pass holder but will be spending two nights at the Contemporary, arrive the 30, stay for 31, and leave the first. Our room is club level of the resort with Mk view. I was ggoing to try and see the 9 pm wishes in the park, but I guess it will be too busy! Can I hear tthe music from the 12 floor atrium room?also are the midnight fireworks wishes, or are they different?
 
TheRabbit

TheRabbit

Well-Known Member
Jwhee said:
Can some one please explan thsse phases for me? I am an annual pass holder but will be spending two nights at the Contemporary, arrive the 30, stay for 31, and leave the first. Our room is club level of the resort with Mk view. I was ggoing to try and see the 9 pm wishes in the park, but I guess it will be too busy! Can I hear tthe music from the 12 floor atrium room?also are the midnight fireworks wishes, or are they different?
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Basically...if your an annual pass holder, you are allowed in any time. The only phase that closes out everyone is phase 4, but it never goes to 4, not even on New Years Eve.
 

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