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[DanGrover]

Hi All,

Not really a planning question, but I thought I'd ask here anyway, and it may well end up impacted others' plans! Firstly, some details...

It was Thursday 20th December 2012. The Disneyland Park has closed at 6pm. My girlfriend and I enjoyed a wonderful evening at the California Grill restaurant in the Disneyland Hotel, getting seated at around 9.30pm. Being our last night, we took our time and basically eat and drank to excess, so we were still in the restaurant until just before midnight.

What we noticed is that there was a constant stream of people leaving the park. "Castmembers!" You cry! Nope. There were lots and lots of kids, too - and kids with all sorts of toys and hats and whatnot and in family groups (for all I know there could be some sort of employee crèche back stage, but that certainly didn't appear to be the case here). This continued almost until we left, with drips and drabs coming out all the time, sometimes in little flurries of groups.

Now, Dreams finished some hours before we were even sat, let alone by the time we left. We had previously eaten at the Blue Lagoon in the park on a night that the park closed at 7pm (the preceding day, Wednesday) and we took the last booking - which was at 5.45pm, so I'm not sure if it could have been late restaurant bookings. I know Main Street stays open for some time after the rest of the park closed - and perhaps the restaurants do too? - but over the course of the evening there must have been more people coming out than could comfortably fit in the Plaza Gardens and Walts, and besides, by the time we left the restaurant, the park had been closed for almost five and a half hours!

So basically, who were these people, where were they all night and what were they doing?! Any ideas?

[DisneyDonna]

That is indeed strange... Maybe it was some kind of group who 'rented' the park?

[Elaine]

That is indeed strange... Maybe it was some kind of group who 'rented' the park?

yes, that could be it - it regularly happens after official park closing hours I believe.

[mattboywonder]

There was a huge queue of people to into WDS last saturday night long  after closing as well -

[perrollaz]

Yeah that must be teh solution- you can rent whole attractions, lands and even whole parc if you want.
I wonder how often this happen. Together with the convention centers a strong selling point for DLRP!

[never2old]

It could have been the CMs Christmas party? It was around those dates, CMs and their families had the park to themselves in the evening.

[Elwell2009]

Think it was cm christmas party as we were there and when we were leaving they were preparing

[DanGrover]

Thanks for the suggestions!

During the CM Christmas Party, I wonder who draws the short straw and has to work... ?!