Walt Disney World closes at 11:30 AM due to capacity crowds.
 

Maybe others already know this, but I had no idea that WDW would actually close the gates once the parks are filled to capacity. What would you do if you had taken your children for a holiday only to be told the park was closed? The linked blog below gives a sad account of one family's experience over Christmas. However, it sounds like this could happen almost any time of the year. I can't imagine the disappointment of a three year old in this instance.

http://www.allenontravel.blogspot.com/

I didn't know this, but the 2 times we were in WDW, we went into the parks at 8am to maximize our time there, so never experienced this.

Interesting though, and thanks.

The gentleman in the blog, Will Allen who is a very experienced business traveler, also took his children into the park for "early entry" only to find some of the most popular rides didn't open until 8:00AM - regular park hours. Doesn't seem the best use of the early entry feature.

This happens all the time during Christmas and Easter. I always tell anyone who will listen that you would be crazy to try to go to Disney at these times.

From living here it seems like almost every Christmas-New Years week the park closes early for one or more days. This is a really busy time of year and the park can only hold so many people.
The best thing to do is be there when the park opens. This lets you be sure to get in and you can see some things before the crowds really build up.

Hm... I can understand his frustrations, but really "a tactical nuclear weapon-grade fit" from a grown man? Wow.

I would have just suggested the hotel comp my family's stay at a comparable place since there is clearly a reservation in place. No need to throw a tantrum.

Disney doesn't close all the parks, only the ones filled to capacity.

If you go and one park is closed, move on to another.

Also, they only close until people start leaving and capacity dwindles.

Disney doesn't hang a sign outside property that reads, "All parks closed because the are full".

mcnyc....At that exact point, I realized this world class traveller didnt do a few things he should have.First, if he had spent as much time researching as he does blogging, he would have known Disney is bizzy @ Christmas.But then again, he would have lost all those valuable blogging hours.I'm always amazed at million mile travellers dont know that Southwest Airlines is the largest carrier of domestic passengers in the US.What a concept! A LCC a leading airline? Who woulda thought.And my sympathy runneth over when I see that a Hilton Diamond member doesnt know to call the hotel before he left his house to get the Front Desk to block a room for him.I'm not a Diamond member, and Hilton always does this for me.And others.Maybe he didnt realize, uh, it was ,uh, Christmas.I am sad for the kids.

We have been to Disney a few times and it was crazy and it was not Christmas or Easter!
We left the day after Christmas one year to visit grandparents in Florida. I was never so exhausted in my life. The travel days to and from Fl. were a nightmare. Coming home, Delta did a slow down and cancelled all of their flights....stranded for two days in Fl, luckly we went back to my parents.
Just too much to travel at that time of year.
I would never plan a Disney trip between Christmas and New Years, especially with small kids.

OK, I read it. Other than the fact this guy is a complete idiot and a blowhard, what else is the point of this?

Meanwhile I hope those people who keep posting about how expensive Disney has become and how they aren't going to go there anymore read this. Obviously, no company that is so busy it has to close its doors is going to lower prices when so many people obviously don't mind them at all.

I like the various groups who have boycotted Disney through the years.

Yep, that really worked.

Disney is insane.

This guy is kidding right??? 30 years traveling and he didn't know that Disney would be slammed at Christmas?? Christmas is one of the few times that families have for vacation besides the small summer window and with the lure of "festive, holiday, decorations and special events.... well that "world traveler" should get out more. And in case he doesn't know: you don't book a cruise or the caribbean in the fall and complain about the hurricane, and you don't go to Miami in July if you don't like the heat, and you don't go to Chicago for vacation in January if you don't like the cold:-)

Well, maybe he should have known, but my own reaction after two visits to the Orlando area--and not primarily to visit WDW or at peak times--is that the rooms and services are not value for dollars comparable to many other destinations.

These Christmas week early closures are VERY predictable.

Too bad he didn't spend any time here. Then he'd have known.

We went the week of parent/teacher conferences. That way the kids only missed 3 days of school, and it's the first week of October - still warm and the parks were not busy at all.

Not sure I understand all the hostility toward the blogger. Isn't he just doing the same thing we all do here - posting his experience for the benefit of other travelers? And why so critical of his going during Christmas? Isn't that what all these other "guests" are doing, which is why the place is packed? Sometimes that is the only holiday a family can take together. I think his point (and mine for posting here) was more that the warning to WDW "guests" isn't sufficient regarding the unexpected and arbitrary closing of park gates. If one goes during a busy time, knowing that it will be hectic, but is prepared to put up with the crowds its one thing - to show up at the gates with those expectations in place and small children in tow only to be turned away is quite another. Maybe he should have known better, but he's a "business" traveler so I cut him some slack. I wasn't thinking about him so much as I was thinking what I (a lowly nothing perk traveler) would have been feeling in the same set of circumstances. What could I do? Bundling small children around from one park to another, when the busing system is filled to capacity doesn't sound too feasible. Between travel time and wait time, how could one really get much good of the entrance tickets?

TC, the guy is a moron.

He acts like the crowds at Disney between Christmas and New Years are something Disney is trying to hide from the general public. Like it is some big conspiracy.

If he went on just ONE travel forum, and he would know Disney is PACKED during his time frame.

That and the fact that he is a pompous ass.

I'll send him the link to this thread.

TC, I don't thing anyone is saying the guy is a jerk because he went at Christmas. What we're saying is that he's a jerk because he's surprised about the crowds -- among other things.

I even thought about going up to Disney World for a couple days at Christmas this year. But 10 minutes of searching and I saw numerous reports of how the park closes and the crowds are just plain intolerable. The bottom line is "do your homework" or else don't complain.

OK..so you've got kids who are disappointed...why, because you were too stupid and/or self-absorbed to figure out to get into a Disney park on ANY day of the year it is better to go early rather than later.

Maybe those kids can divorce Daddy while there's still time.

Sounds like he has never been to Disney before either. He seems surprised at traffic and full buses.