Any chance they will need to do any phased closures in the few days leading up to Easter?
Short story, my elderly inlaws have cooked up this cockamamie plan to spend Thurs 3/24 at MK with my SIL, with an arrival time some time after noon. I have not said but am worried about them getting there and being turned away…
Crap. I just answered my own question by looking at the TP page with historial park closure information. My next question would be how this year’s overall crowds have compared with 2009. In 2009 all the days leading up to Easter, from Wednesday forward, had some level of park closure.
Can you please tell me where I can find this closure calendar?
It’s not a calendar. It’s a page on the TP website:
https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/capacity-closures
Scroll down and it gives the dates for park closures (in phases) for the past 5 years.
Thanks!
Now I wonder if FP+ counts as an in-park reservation or appointment for purposes of capacity closure Phases 1-3…
Doubt FP+ would count. I’m sure it’s a $ reservation that would get you in. ADR, BBB type stuff…
I wouldn’t think so. Are you an on-site guest?
Nope. If I were an on-site guest, having FP+ would be moot in reference to capacity.
Right - tht’s what I was going to say.
My ILs will be day guests with single day tix. They are done-for if there is a closure
I would recommend they make an ADR somewhere if at all possible. That should get them in the door at least except in the worst possible crowds. Would commit them to an expensive meal, but…
I can’t talk reason with them on any of this. I doubt they could get an ADR at this point anyway.
You’ve tried, though. You may have to just step back - not my circus, not my monkeys.
Except it IS My 82 year old FIL and 77 year old MIL and I am worried as heck. Not just about the park issue but there is a lot of driving involved in the rest of the story of this crazy plan of theirs and it’s bound to end in some form of drama.
In some ways if they got turned away at the parking plaza it would be a blessing…
They may be able to get a Skipper Canteen day of reservation potentially. Wouldn’t know until that morning, but that does mean they’re not “sold out” yet either…
Gotcha, I can understand worrying about them. I apologize if I seemed dismissive or blasé, I know that family can be a challenge. But if you can’t make them listen to reason, I’m not sure what else you can do. It sounds like they’re unprepared and unwilling to listen. The good news in this case is that if it does go into phased closures, they’ll be the first ones unable to get into the park.
Instead of encouraging them to go early or make an ADR, could you encourage them to go late? If would be a blessing in some ways for them to get turned around at the parking plaza (as you said), maybe you can attempt to engineer that?
Edit: I really do hope that you find some way to work this out without going mad!
I did look and there are a very few tables available for that date during the hours they will be there, mainly at Liberty Tree and Plaza. I have emailed MIL to ask if she wants help in making any reservations…
No. As it is they are planning to drive my SIL back to Jacksonville (2.5hrs drive) after leaving the park. Driving at night, in an unfamiliar place, after a day of park touring on a 10/10 day… You see why I’m so worried? 
The earlier they leave the better. They are planning to leave around 7p, which will still be dark(ening) but at least maybe FIL will still have a little energy left for the driving… 
Okay, yes, that’s an ambitious day for anyone!
Also, too, they are driving from Vero Beach that morning… 2hrs away…
Okay now you have the whole story LOL
I’m not sure I could safely manage all of that driving plus touring!