Disneyland crowd control

[mel]

How does the cms control crowds at Disneyland ?what happens when the park is too crowded?

[BrerGnat]

Not very well.

Nothing. It is too crowded every day.

[mook3y]

How does the cms control crowds at Disneyland ?what happens when the park is too crowded?

I can give you a little insight into how "guest control" was done years ago. I worked on a 4th of July in the late 80's that was a capacity crowd (no more guests were being allowed into Disneyland).

It was a madhouse. I worked in Tomorrowland and there was complete gridlock for a little while. Security ended up opening up the gates by the exit of space mountain and allowed guests to walk along a path (orange cones and security guards) that took them to the front of Main Street where the parades stop or start depending on time of day.

This lessened the congestion in that specific area enough to get people moving again.

Today, with the rockets blocking the entrance area to Tomorrowland, it has got to be a pain on busy days.

Also... Last time I was at Disneyland in April, I noticed they have a path now that goes to the right of the main street shops, allowing an easier path through mainstreet. I can see where this is a huge help, especially when crowds are lining up for the evening parades and fireworks.

Not a total insight into how they handle guests on busy days, but insight into what I saw first hand on the busiest day I ever worked.

[BrerGnat]

To answer seriously, they utilize a lot of "one way" traffic management when the crowds get very large (usually only at night). They rope off "lanes" and only allow people to walk in one direction in them. They use lighted sticks and wave them in the direction they want people to walk.

And they yell...a LOT.

[#1donaldfan]

To answer seriously, they utilize a lot of "one way" traffic management when the crowds get very large (usually only at night). They rope off "lanes" and only allow people to walk in one direction in them. They use lighted sticks and wave them in the direction they want people to walk.

And they yell...a LOT.

I have to agree with this ... and to add ..... those one way lanes are terrible in that it's hard to tell when the front of the line comes to a halt. My brother-in-law, years ago, had a scooter ride up the back of his calf TWICE by a sweet older lady. It's funny now, but that night he was kinda upset. Thank goodness it was his leg and not mine !!

[Main Street Jim]

How does the cms control crowds at Disneyland ?what happens when the park is too crowded?

At Walt Disney World: Your definition of "too crowded" and what Disney's definition of "too crowded" is are two different things. Disney never lets the parks get "too crowded". They have a set attendance figure that they stop letting people in the front gates, depending on whether guests are "in the streets" or "moving indoors" (less crowds out in the streets). That figure is determined by the Reedy Creek Improvement District Fire Marshal. At Magic Kingdom in Florida, I've seen/heard as high as 77,000 people in the Magic Kingdom, and that, of course, is during Christmas week. Cast are trained to direct guests *with courtesy* through some "backstage areas" (at MK, it was usually behind Main Street on the Tomorrowland side).

Some guests may think 30,000 people is "too crowded" - that's a *good* springtime/summer vacation crowd in Florida.