Early Entry in- Extra Magic Hours out

[wilbret]

I disagree with you on this a little. Universal Early Entry is very limited during that first hour. For example this past summer, it was one park and only two rides. So it’s a little advantage, but really not much.

Also during their early entry, they would still let no resort park guest in the park. But you had to show a room key inside the park to get past a certain point.

But you are already inside the park when the masses arrive. Plus, if you are into Harry Potter, it's typically early entry into the wizarding world.

 

[yulilin3]

Six Flags has early entry. I guess Chapek wants to be like Six Flags?

Whatever the case is for these changes, it's certainly a bad look to announce the changes without also announcing the replacement.

I don't think they have a replacement in mind at all

 

[Juventus]

I mentioned this elsewhere, but being a frequent off site guest, I guess thats the end of strolling up main street at MK and hour early and hanging out at the spokes waiting for the intro entertainment and opening. Bummer. They started that a few years back and I liked it much more than waiting at the front of the park for the characters to arrive by train for the intro.

 

[wilbret]

I don't think they have a replacement in mind at all

I agree, that's what makes it such a bad look. Some company will provide the service, and Disney will step in and squash them at some point in the future when market conditions change. For instance, they may decide offsite shuttles have to park at a specific spot and transfer to disney buses or something.

 

[nkereina]

I disagree with you on this a little. Universal Early Entry is very limited during that first hour. For example this past summer, it was one park and only two rides. So it’s a little advantage, but really not much.

Also during their early entry, they would still let no resort park guest in the park. But you had to show a room key inside the park to get past a certain point.

I didn't mention any of those things in my post that you quoted. I wasn't comparing the features of Universal's early entry to what WDW will be offering, but simply pointing out that they are now called the same thing which is funny. Regardless of the caveats of each early entry, the hour given at Universal still beats the 30 mins at WDW. An extra 30 minutes maybe allows one ride for resort guests... maybe.

 

[chekhovgirl]

The benefit now is that there is no such thing as rope dropping a park unless you stay on property.

We love rope drop and can't afford to stay on property. Hate this.

 

[Farro]

We don't mind this change.

30 minutes early everyday, at every park. Works for people like us as we will use the time to take pictures and just stroll, then get in a line for a ride. We go for longer trips, so this is definitely a benefit.

This will be especially good if they ever bring back some form of fast pass (monetized or not, maybe give a couple to resort guests for free). Then this extra half hour will be great for resort guests.

 

[4My3KGirls]

Disney used to have great benefits for staying on site that blew away Universal. Free parking at your resort and the parks, daily EMH of either 1 hour in the AM or 3 hours at night, early access to FP, package delivery from the parks to your room, magical express. . . things that really made a difference between staying on site or not.
All of that is now gone or will be soon and the only thing they are bringing back seems to be a token 1/2 hour of early entry. It probably not fair to criticize it until it has been implemented and people can report on experience, but on the surface this is declining by (multiple) degrees. I am really tempted to change my plans in July and move off site.

I find myself hoping for the "Universal Resort Experience" at the very least now. If the following were offered, it would match Universal and restore some value to the on site resorts:

• Return the free parking for resort guests, or at least reduce it to one flat rate ($15 per day) for all resorts. I really don't understand why the different tiers of resorts have different parking rates, other then they think if you can pay more for the hotel, they feel entitled to make to pay more for parking. There's no difference in amenities for my car that just sits there more of our visit. Its not like the parking lots have bigger spaces, or they are washing my car for me while I am there!
• One hour early entry to one land at each park, available every day. Fantasyland at MK, World Discovery at EPCOT, Pandora at AK, and Toy Story Land (with Runaway Railway) at DHS. I would also consider Galaxy's Edge, but if Rise is going to continue with Boarding Groups, then there is only one ride in that area, besides GE could be one hour (or more) early exclusive for those staying on the Galactic Starcruiser.
• It seems the migration to Disneyland's MaxPass is coming to WDW. Make that complimentary for on site resort guests and an upgrade charge for off-site or day guests.
• Allow on site guests advance access for making ADRs. Most of these guests are willingly stuck in the Disney bubble and will need to eat all of their meals on site. Let them have priority for ADRs. With the current 60 day window for everyone, let on site guests start making their ADRs at 90 days, or if you don't want to go out that far, do 75 days. I think this is a better benefit that the reserved seating areas at restaurants that Universal provides.

Just my $0.02.

 

[chekhovgirl]

It's really not going to make a difference in your day, that's the issue. This is, at best, a large reduction in the perk of EMHs, at worst this will make literally no difference in your day. Also, I'm sure in a year, maybe two they will start scaling back "early entry" to only some days a week..

It won't make a difference for off-site folks? Yes, it will. We were actually able to get in line and ride things first thing in the morning that would be crazy waits within 30-60 minutes.

 

[wilbret]

It won't make a difference for off-site folks? Yes, it will. We were actually able to get in line and ride things first thing in the morning that would be crazy waits within 30-60 minutes.

I agree. We would avoid the big ticket rides (hopefully we would have had a FP), and just knock out a ton of rides before and after the crowds started rolling in. Jungle Cruise, Pirates, Flying Carpets, BTM, HM... all while everyone is rushing to SDMT and SM, etc.

 

[GreatLakes]

I prefer early entry to EMH so I am good with this change. I'd rather pick the park I want to go to as opposed to needing to go to the anointed park on a particular day. I will miss evening EMH but maybe they will make that a hard ticket option and really limit the amount of people in the park.

 

[MBTigger]

I did not care for the EMMH experience. For me it was only slightly better than a normal rope drop day.
I LOVED the EEMH experience because I saw more of the park at night, And the crowds tended to be less.
I think I am going to prefer 30 min entry at any park to EMMH.
I am surprise by the DME announcement. Perhaps Rideshares just make it too easy for people to go off campus anyway, so it is no longer worth trying to keep people in the Bubble...

 

[monkyby87]

I just don't think 30 minutes, regardless of the park, is that great of a benefit. Given the time it takes for stuff, you're really only going to be able to get one, maybe two rides in before regular opening, if they aren't the headliner rides. Waiting in line is going to quickly going to eat up that 30 minutes. If you have one specific ride you must do, then I guess this gives you a chance to avoid a bit of crowd. But that's still not much of a perk anymore for staying onsite. And honestly, I can't think of many other on-site perks anymore. EMH really was the selling factor for a lot of people I know.

 

[wilbret]

I just don't think 30 minutes, regardless of the park, is that great of a benefit. Given the time it takes for stuff, you're really only going to be able to get one, maybe two rides in before regular opening, if they aren't the headliner rides. Waiting in line is going to quickly going to eat up that 30 minutes. If you have one specific ride you must do, then I guess this gives you a chance to avoid a bit of crowd. But that's still not much of a perk anymore for staying onsite. And honestly, I can't think of many other on-site perks anymore. EMH really was the selling factor for a lot of people I know.

I also agree with this. It's a perk that a park like Six Flags offers to pass holders. It's not very magical. I guess we should view it more as express entry or something, rather than early entry.

 

[SmittS]

Not a fan of this change. With no expanded FP window, no MDE, no free magic bands, and now no EMH, they’ve removed a lot of the perks to stay onsite. This change to Early Entry at every park, every day, for resort guests is less of a benefit for resort guests and more of a detriment for offsite guests. I say it’s not much of a benefit because there’s not much you can do in 30 minutes. It’s a detriment for offsite guests because now you cannot rope drop any park, any day. Rather than adding value to onsite, they just made being offsite more painful.

 

[YayforMickey]

We are rope droppers who usually stay off-site. This lessens my desire to return to WDW anytime soon.

 

[DisneyTarheel]

I can live without Magical Express but no EMH will change a lot for us. Our last three trips we've stayed onsite solely for the benefit of EMH. The trips before that we rented villa's with pool. As a family we preferred the space the villa's gave us and the private pools were huge bonuses. The price compared to being onsite an even bigger bonus. With being able to book fastpass online, there was no need to get up at a ridiculous time so we were able to sleep in and make the most of EMH on a beautiful warm night. It felt like a vacation. Getting up at 6am to wait for a bus to take us to a park does not sound ideal on vacation and I can't imagine it will be something our family will do. There just doesn't seem to be a reason to stay onsite now.

If they end up doing the have-to-be-through-the-gate-to-reserve some of the E-ticket rides coming online ala ROTR, it could be a nice perk for those guests who get to reserve their spots 30 mins early.

 

[DavidNYC]

I didn't mention any of those things in my post that you quoted. I wasn't comparing the features of Universal's early entry to what WDW will be offering, but simply pointing out that they are now called the same thing which is funny. Regardless of the caveats of each early entry, the hour given at Universal still beats the 30 mins at WDW. An extra 30 minutes maybe allows one ride for resort guests... maybe.

An extra 30 minutes when offered at all 4 parks can easily mean 2-3 top rides you can get on before the crowds build. That's a pretty big deal. Even when I rope dropped at a park without early entry I could usually get on 2-3 major rides in the first hour of park time. Assuming the full park is open for those 30 minutes - it's a pretty big perk for being on site if you take full advantage of it.

 

[wilbret]

If it wasn’t for DVC, we’d never stay on site. (Cost) Disney is going to hate it when loyal fans learn a room at the holiday inn is just as nice, with more amenities, and costs 1/5th

 

[DavidNYC]

We love rope drop and can't afford to stay on property. Hate this.

Same here - people are really underestimating what you can do in that 30 minutes in terms of riding a couple and beating the crowds for another. To me with a good plan this means 3 rides with little wait to start the day. But if there was even a shred of doubt in my mind - this cements in that I will not be going back until FP is back.