Early Entry - How Early And Which Parks Are Worth It

[zaja4]

THIS IS OUR FIRST TRIP, WE HAVE 3 BOYS, OLDEST 8 AND THE YOUNGEST ONLY 1 YEAR. I AM HAVING A TOUGH TIME DECIDING ON AN ITINERARY. WE WILL BE THERE NOV 20-27. I AM WONDERING IF EE ARE WORTH IT OR DOES IT JUST MAKE THE PARKS MORE CROWDED THE REST OF THE DAY. IF WE DO EE IS IT WORTH IT FOR ALL PARKS, SUCH AS AK SINCE I HAVE HEARD THERE IS NOT AS MUCH TO DO THERE.
THE UNOFFICIAL BOOK SAYS YOU MUST ARRIVE LIKE AN HOUR BEFORE THE PARKS OPEN, SO THAT WOULD BE 7AM INSTEAD OF 8AM. I AM CONFUSED, IS THERE ANYTHING TO DO IN THAT HOUR OR IS IT JUST TO BE FIRST IN LINE? ALSO WE WERE THINKING IF WE DO EE WE WOULD DO MGM EE ON THE TUE BEFORE THANKSGIVING, DOES ANYONE KNOW IF MGM WOULD BE REALLY BUSY THAT DAY - WHEN DO THE PARKS ATTENDANCE GO UP FOR THANKSGIVING AND WHICH PARKS ARE AFFECTED FIRST. THANKS SO MUCH

 

[disneyag]

EE is definitely worth it for the Magic Kingdom. It's not really that needed for Epcot (unless you want to ride Test Track multiple times.) At MGM, you need EE if you want to ride TOT or RNR. You probably don't need EE for AK (although we always take advantage of the earliest safari.) The parks usually open at 9am, so on EE mornings they will open at 8am. Realize that not all the rides are open at each park during EE. For a list of what's open, check out www.wdwig.com. Also, we always take advantage of the EE park and then leave to go to another park when the crowds get unbearable. Enjoy your trip!!!

 

[vhoffman]

If you're staying offsite and not eligible for EE, here's a way to get in early--schedule a PS for breakfast in the park shortly before it opens. You'll be allowed to enter the park early if you give your PS confirmation to the CM.Try to schedule your breakfast on a day the park doesn't have EE so you don't have those crowds. Best of both worlds--early entry and less crowds!

 

[dznyntnh]

It really depends on the time of the year and the crowds.

I usually go slower times and I've never needed and EE day to ride all of the rides I want.

I actually use them as a measure of which park to not visit that day, since I know where the crowds will be .

If its a busier time fo the year, at least it gives you headstart on the crowds, even if you can't do everything in that hour.

Its also smart to get an idea of which days are busier for which parks. I've always found MK busy on Sundays and Mondays, but my last trip we went to MGM on a Sunday morning and ran between TOT and RNR and rode each three times in about 90 minutes.

 

[HunnyPots]

We loved EE at all parks except Epcot, which is our least favorite park anyway.

True, there is not a lot open at AK for EE, but it was really cool just to be there and feel like we were the only people in the park. There were ducks, geese, and rabbits out everywhere, since there were so few people around. I know they are not the most exotic of animals, but it was still fun. My DD had several ducks fly about two inches above her head, going from one pond to another! It about scared her to death but I got a good laugh out of it! Other than that, it was very peaceful.
Dinosaur opened about 15 minutes before scheduled park opening, so we got several rides before any lines formed. And of course the early morning safaris are really special.

As you probably guessed, we are big AK fans!

 

[drogerstn]

We have arrived at the park gates at around 7:40 for EE and that has worked well for us; I don’t see a need to arrive earlier than that. If you go to EE at a park and you feel that it is getting really crowded late in the morning or around noon, then you can hop to another park or return to your room for a break and go back to the park later that day.

Midday breaks are great if the parks are open late, but I don’t know about NOV 20-27. It seems that WDW extends park hours during time periods when bigger crowds are expected; you may get an idea on crowd expectations by looking at a November park schedule.

 

[Heather]

Just our experience -- we've gone 4 times, three in November (although generally earlier than Thanksgiving, although this year we're braving turkey week) and NEVER once has the EE park opened (for rides) earlier than it said it would. For instance, if the park generally opens at 9, the EE day it would open at 8. Often, you can get into an area of the park (Main St., for instance) at about quarter till 8, but you are blocked by ropes which don't drop until the EE hour on the dot.

So, for us, we would get there about 15 minutes earlier and sometimes get into the blocked off section of the park, sometimes not. It is not worth it (to us) to get there any sooner than 15 minutes before EE starts because the kids get bored and ancy. In fact, on the days they let you in 15 minutes early, the whole crowd tends to get pushy and shovy due to the buildup. My then-6 year old got knocked down and almost run over by a woman with a stroller at rope drop at the castle because she had been right at the front of the rope and got separated from me and the littler one. It might almost be worthwhile to wait five minutes and then enter. The lines are still do-able.

EE is definitely worth it at MK with little kids who want to ride Dumbo in Fantasyland!!! Fantasyland alone gets really packed by mid-morning, but with Early Entry, you can at least ride Dumbo and Pooh a couple of times before the crowds start picking up.

At Epcot, it really wasn't worth it unless, like someone else said, you want to ride Test Track over and over. Same thing at AK with the Safari ride or Dinosaur.

MGM is a toss up. If you or your spouse or oldest child want to ride Tower of Terror or Rock N Roller Coaster, Early Entry is a great way to do that. I'm not sure what else is there right now during EE, but if the Little Mermaid show is open, you should do that, as it can get really crowded (not sure why). Muppets is a large theater and it is VERY loud -- our youngest, now 4, still won't go anywhere near it, it has scared the tar out of her for years . . . from the outside!!

If you are not going to use Early Entry, definitely avoid the park that has it for that day! Good luck with your trip and have a GREAT time!!!