If you're a Magic Key holder like us, you're probably wondering...why is it so hard to get a park reservation these days?
*ticket reservation calendar from Saturday, October 16th
We have multiple theories as to why the reservations are being booked up quickly and so far in advance:
1) The Disneyland Resort has to set aside a certain amount of tickets for non-Magic Key holders in case people decide to visit last-minute and purchase a day ticket. Remember, not all guests are Magic Key holders! A lot of people are visiting from out of town, especially now that Halloween is in full swing. Which leads us to our next theory...
2) Guests are too excited for the spooky season at the parks! We missed out on Halloween at the parks last year due to the shutdown, so everyone is wanting to see the Mickey pumpkins, try all the festive treats, ride Haunted Mansion Holiday and enjoy the fall season at the Happiest Place on Earth.
3) A lot of people are purchasing Magic Keys, which is inevitably going to take up reservations on the calendar. The more people can visit using their keys, the more Disneyland is going to have to limit capacity.
4) Although we do not know the exact capacity level at which Disneyland is trying to maintain the crowds, we know that they are very much keeping these limitations in place for safety purposes. If every Magic Key holder could go on their non-blockout days, it would be mayhem!
Even with the reservation days disappearing daily for Magic Key, the crowds are still very much alive and well everyday now at Disneyland and California Adventure. Wait times have been increasing since the end of September, Main Street has been packed with more and more people throughout the day, and mobile order times are being pushed back further around lunch and dinner time.
If October is any indication of the crowd levels for Holidays at the Disneyland Resort, we are in for one very busy season! Stay tuned for more crowd and reservation updates.
