Why we aren’t visiting Disneyland this week, despite the yen to compare it directly with Disney World:
Disneyland Is Full
That cheerful message greeted visitors as they entered the Disneyland Resort Christmas Day. Disneyland was so crowded that the park halted sales of same day tickets before noon. Only those who already had valid admission media in hand – park-hoppers, pre-purchased tickets and annual passes – were allowed into Disneyland park. All others were encouraged to purchase tickets to Disney’s California Adventure.
By 3:00, Disneyland stopped allowing any new admissions, regardless of ticket media. Reports from cast members working that day say that there were anywhere between 70,000 and 85,000 people inside Disneyland when the closure happened. Visitors who left Disneyland for a mid-day trip to their hotels were warned that they might not be allowed to re-enter the park that day. The front gates reopened by 5:30, though same-day ticket sales never resumed.
The park was crowded enough that a third performance of Fantasmic was added Christmas night, and cast members around the park were asked to extend their shifts to help with guest control in the parade, fireworks and Fantasmic viewing areas.
Good news for the park, if not such good news for visitors.