Early entry soft opening

[2vets]

My sister and her DD are there now as day guests for their Remy AP preview. They went to DHS first and then skylinered to Epcot. She confirmed that they were unable to gain entry before posted opening to either park as non-resort guests.

 

[WEDWDW]

Here is a great report.

How Early Theme Parks Entry works for Walt Disney World Resort hotels guests and those staying offsite (wdwmagic.com)


Looks like it will be critical to be at the front of the Early Entry line for the headliners.

Saw this on a separate report.

Most guests headed straight towards Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, which did not start letting guests on until 8:36 AM. It quickly reached a 45-minute wait, with a line ending at H. Goff Cartography.

 

[g-dad66]

Didn’t old EMH post wait times for the early opening? I tried to check this morning to think about strategy for what rides to hit? If it’s worth it to get up early, etc.

I know wait times aren’t posted for unofficial openings (like when the park unofficially opens an hour before it is supposed to), but for EMH they posted the wait times, I think. I’d like to see it for this new early morning opening too.

I'm pretty sure wait times were posted during EMH.

Maybe when Early Entry officially begins on Friday, wait times will be posted? (I noticed also that wait times weren't posted this morning until the official Park Opening time).

 

[georgina]

We checked into the Swan and made it to the IG right at 10:30. took the boat and the guy announced that nothing would be running until 11 (wrong). Had our bands scanned for early entry, soarin was posted at 10 minutes, walked on Soarin, Living with the land, SE was 10 minute wait, spent time at the aquarium, test track was posted at 50 after being temporarily closed, single rider was zero wait and the people we rode with said it was nowhere near that long. Got some snacks and drinks and headed back to the Swan by 2. Will go back later for dinner and the evening show.

 

[gharter]

Sorry but IMHO 30 minutes doesn't mean much, compared to the previous morning or evening "EMH" being hours (plural) rather than half-hour (fractional)... definitely not enough to make me spend the extra $$$ to stay on-site again.

It depends. 30 minutes before those not staying on site could make a big difference in wait times for FoP, RoTR, Ratatouille, 7DMT. Other rides and attractions, probably not as much. However, you could get 2-3 popular rides done before the big crowds come in.

 

[AndreaDM]

We got there shortly after 8:30 (I’m never as early as I plan to be) and as resort guests went toward the right where our bands were scanned and we were let in. There were so many people headed for 7DMT that we ended up rope dropping the tea cups lol. I don’t know that we had that much of an advantage but we also knocked out Peter Pan before the queue got too long. I think the 30 minutes is just basically enough time to filter guests in so everyone doesn’t rush in at the same time.

 

[notsteve]

Yesterday at MK it didn’t help that Space Mountain did not open, so time was lost and probably contributed to longer lines at other attractions. I got Pooh and Peter Pan done before 9AM then got on haunted mansion pretty much with no wait.

 

[tguz]

Sounds great! Will be anxious to hear how it goes! We’re going in December and hope to take advantage of this “perk”,

December here too and hope this allows us to ride a few things before the masses are allowed in.

 

[gharter]

Yesterday at MK it didn’t help that Space Mountain did not open, so time was lost and probably contributed to longer lines at other attractions. I got Pooh and Peter Pan done before 9AM then got on haunted mansion pretty much with no wait.

thats one of the issues . If they don't post that a ride is down or closed, you waste some early entry time walking to a closed attraction. Hopefully, they will change that so that MDE is accurate at opening.

 

[meremac]

Had a client at MK yesterday. They had planned to arrive by 7:45am at the latest so they could knock out 7DMT right away, but they were a little slow getting going and didn't arrive until closer to 8:15am. They adjusted and did two other Fantasyland attractions first, then got in line for 7DMT shortly before 9am. At that point, it was only a 20 minute wait. If you can't arrive well before Early Entry and be at the front of the pack, it seems like it would make more sense to avoid the mass rush of Early Entry guests to 7DMT, get a few other things done first, then hop in line for 7DMT right before gen pub is let in.

 

[TioAdis78]

So basically now you have to rope drop Early Entry to be at the front of the line so you can rope drop the headliners?

 

[ZeeWP]

Was the Skyliner to Epcot open 1 hour before general public opening time or one hour before early entry?

 

[js]

So basically now you have to rope drop Early Entry to be at the front of the line so you can rope drop the headliners?

This is always my plan of attack and usually done with everything, possibly headliners twice, by lunch.

 

[peteykirch]

7DMT was already posted at 65 minutes this morning 5 minutes before 9. I really wish Adventureland was included in the early entry.

 

[iujen94]

We checked into the Swan and made it to the IG right at 10:30. took the boat and the guy announced that nothing would be running until 11 (wrong). Had our bands scanned for early entry, soarin was posted at 10 minutes, walked on Soarin, Living with the land, SE was 10 minute wait, spent time at the aquarium, test track was posted at 50 after being temporarily closed, single rider was zero wait and the people we rode with said it was nowhere near that long. Got some snacks and drinks and headed back to the Swan by 2. Will go back later for dinner and the evening show.

So staying at the Swan, scanning your magic band worked to get you in for early entry?

 

[meremac]

7DMT was already posted at 65 minutes this morning 5 minutes before 9. I really wish Adventureland was included in the early entry.

Was this the posted wait time on MDE? If so, they are pretty much always inflated. Same thing happened yesterday at 8:55, and the wait was more like 20 minutes in actuality.

 

[DebbieB]

Got into DHS around 8:20 this morning. Rode Tower with little wait. Off-site had a big line forming on the right, I assume they had to wait for 9:00? My first thought was who said on site doesn’t have any benefits anymore.

 

[peteykirch]

Was this the posted wait time on MDE? If so, they are pretty much always inflated. Same thing happened yesterday at 8:55, and the wait was more like 20 minutes in actuality.

It was on the time board outside the ride.

 

[Wood Nymph]

We did the early opening for resort guests at Epcot this morning. We arrived at Epcot around 10:24am and they had an area roped off ahead of the touch posts where they were checking to see if you qualified. We entered Epcot a little before the 10:30 early opening time and walked straight to Soarin". We walked right on the ride and were off by 10:50. It was nice to get the early 1/2 hour but it is really only time for a ride or two.

 

[Roxas_XIII]

We did the early opening for deluxe resort guests at Epcot this morning.

Isn't early entry a perk for all on-site guests? Isn't the deluxe perk an after-hours thing?

At the early entry lines this week, the cast members have been yelling "This line is for Disney Resort Guests Only." They haven't been specifying any resort levels, from what I've heard.

I'm currently staying AKL.