Disneyland Again Stops Ticket Sales

Filled to capacity for the third time in a week, Disneyland once again suspended ticket sales early Thursday--then said it is extending the Anaheim park’s holiday festivities for an additional week.

Ticket sales were halted at about noon Thursday, even earlier than Wednesday, when visitors were turned away at about 12:30 p.m. Turnstiles were opened again about 6 p.m. Wednesday as crowds thinned.

On Christmas Day, crowded conditions caused the park to stop selling tickets at about 3 p.m.

Disney officials also said Thursday that the park’s special holiday festivities will be extended from New Year’s Day through Jan. 6.

This week’s actions are rare.

The last time Disneyland halted ticket sales was in the waning days of the popular Main Street Electrical Parade in late 1996, when the park reached capacity on several days in a single week.

The park’s attendance this month has been bolstered by heavy marketing, multi-day promotions and the addition of fireworks followed by falling machine-made snow.

Spokesman Tom Brocato would not state the park’s capacity, citing a longtime policy of not divulging attendance numbers.

The trade magazine Amusement Business estimates Disneyland attendance this year at 13.9 million--up 3% from last year.