Update on Disneyland and Early Entry

[Michelle]

Change in Disneyland Park Opening Hours, Effective January 6, 2002

The Disneyland Resort has developed a new plan which provides an expanded guest experience at the Disneyland Resort. As of 1/6/02, Disneyland park will open one hour earlier than normal each day. (Previously early entry was available every day except Wednesday and Sunday.)

DCA has never offered early entry, and that will not change.

[WDW2002]

Can you please clarify, does this mean that the early entry has been expanded to cover all days? Or is this Disneyspeak for saying they are doing away with "early entry" and opening the park an hour earlier, which of course we have no way of knowing if they really are or not.

[lfwebb]

It sounds as if the 1 hour earlier opening is available to anyone, and not just to people who are staying on-site or book through Disney. Correct? If so, there's even less benefit to staying on-site.

[Michelle]

Basically they are opening the park an hour earlier than "normal" each day and doing away with early entry as a perk for onsite guests and those with special types of park passes. From what I can tell, everyone is eligible to enter the park for that extra hour now, and it is offered every day.

If something comes out that clarifies it even more, I'll be sure to post it. :)

[Bob O]

This sounds like they are reducing the perks for onsite guests. They should expand the perks for on site guests rather then reduce them, escpeically with a troubled economy.

[lfwebb]

I agree, Bob O. We had booked at DLH for 6 nights, but after hearing of early entry cancellation, made reservations at Desert Inns & Suites. We're not going to cancel the DLH reservation yet - never know what will happen between now and March. But it is harder to justify the cost differential when there are few on-site perks left. In any case, we're excited about the trip, no matter where we stay!

[Uncle Buck]

On-site still gets you priority boarding on the Monorail to DTD at the end of the night. The line could be brutal, even on a off-season week night.