Everything Early Theme Park Entry (ETPE) - Please Read Post 1

[scrappinginontario]

I have friend staying offsite and going to the MK next week. Are offsite guests still allowed to enter early before the park opening time, if so how early? She needs to rent a scooter and would like to have it rented before official park opening.
Thanks!

It appears some parks allow early access to the common park area (MK) but not necessarily all. I've heard mixed things about the other 3 parks so not sure what the current process is.

 

[musicguy856]

One morning at Epcot when I was there offsite guests were allowed in the front area of the park, the next day they were held completely outside the tapstiles. MK has always allowed everyone to tap in when I’ve been there but offsite guests are held in the hub. HS has always held you outside the taps if offsite when I’ve been there. Not sure about AK.

IIRC the day everyone offsite was held outside of Epcot was the first day of the Figment popcorn buckets being released so that could have been why.

 

[4forWDW]

It appears some parks allow early access to the common park area (MK) but not necessarily all. I've heard mixed things about the other 3 parks so not sure what the current process is.

Thank you!

 

[4forWDW]

One morning at Epcot when I was there offsite guests were allowed in the front area of the park, the next day they were held completely outside the tapstiles. MK has always allowed everyone to tap in when I’ve been there but offsite guests are held in the hub. HS has always held you outside the taps if offsite when I’ve been there. Not sure about AK.

IIRC the day everyone offsite was held outside of Epcot was the first day of the Figment popcorn buckets being released so that could have been why.

Thank you!

 

[abonomo]

We will be visiting in June and plan on utilizing early entry for onsite guests at each park. I know that for HS there is a separate entrance for on site guests vs. all visitors and I heard for MK, while they let all guests in at the main gates, I should stick to the right upon entering for early entry.

My question is: is there a specific entry for on site guests for AK and for Epcot. For Epcot, I am staying at BC so we would be using the International Gateway. Is there any separation there?

 

[Tom_E_D]

We will be visiting in June and plan on utilizing early entry for onsite guests at each park. I know that for HS there is a separate entrance for on site guests vs. all visitors and I heard for MK, while they let all guests in at the main gates, I should stick to the right upon entering for early entry.

My question is: is there a specific entry for on site guests for AK and for Epcot. For Epcot, I am staying at BC so we would be using the International Gateway. Is there any separation there?

See post 1 of the Everything Early Theme Park Entry thread: https://www.disboards.com/threads/everything-early-theme-park-entry-etpe-please-read-post-1.3855945/

 

[FCDub]

Virtually everyone at the IG will be a resort guest since it’s not really accessible to everyone. (Someone will chime in and try to argue semantics, I’m sure.)

Just follow the crowd.

 

[soniam]

DHS still seems to be opening attractions in Batuu earlier than the attractions in the other lands during early entry. We saw this last Saturday, not a particularly busy day I thought.

 

[carrie_rn]

I know this is more of a transportation question, but is the fastest way to DHS in the morning (other than walking from the Epcot resorts) getting an early Lyft? It sounds like you can beat the busses that way.

 

[JennCa]

We are headed to the mouse later this week and have early entry. If the park opens for early entry at 8:30 then what time should we arrive to go through security? I am not including transport time, just what time at the gate please : )

Jenn

 

[kmrobins03]

It depends … what park and what are your goals for early entry? For example, if you are going to MK and plan to RD seven dwarves (with a minimal wait), I suggest getting there an hour early

 

[TigerLaw]

... and if you are going for Rise, they have been letting people in for Rise at least 45 minutes before regular park opening at times.

 

[scrappinginontario]

We are headed to the mouse later this week and have early entry. If the park opens for early entry at 8:30 then what time should we arrive to go through security? I am not including transport time, just what time at the gate please : )

Jenn

It's not necessarily a choice you have. Post 1 explains transportation time. Depending on where you're staying you may be able to walk to a park but other than that your arrival time will be controlled by transportation or parking.

As @kmrobins03 said, each park differs too.

 

[Smugpugmug]

... and if you are going for Rise, they have been letting people in for Rise at least 45 minutes before regular park opening at times.

That was something I didn't know beforehand but was pleasantly surprised to see. When I rope dropped HS in February I entered the park at 7:30 and saw that Rise and Smuggler's were letting people ride. I managed to do both right when early entry started. Rise does go down a lot during early entry (it did for one of my HS days last week) so it's risky to rope drop it sometimes.

 

[farfaraway]

We dropped off our luggage at the hotel and then headed over to our park for ETPE. For HS we got arrived around 7:00 for an 8:00 early entry time. However, at 7:30 they let everyone into the park. We were able to get at least 3 rides done before the park opened to off site guests.

 

[farfaraway]

We dropped off our luggage at the hotel and then headed over to our park for ETPE. For HS we got arrived around 7:00 for an 8:00 early entry time. However, at 7:30 they let everyone into the park. We were able to get at least 3 rides done before the park opened to off site guests.

We will be at DHS the Thursday of Memorial Day weekend. We will be driving to the park since we are checking into All-star that day. Currently park hours are 9am-9pm, however it looks like the park may open earlier, maybe 8:30am or 8:00am.

If the park opens at 8am, then early entry is 7:30am. We’d like to try and rope drop RoTR and guessing we’d have to be at the park by 6am.

Will the parking lot open at 6am?

I'd suggest dropping luggage/stuff off at your hotel and then head over to the park. When we were there last week, the park opened at 7:30 instead of 8:00 for onsite guests.

 

[TigerLaw]

We dropped off our luggage at the hotel and then headed over to our park for ETPE. For HS we got arrived around 7:00 for an 8:00 early entry time. However, at 7:30 they let everyone into the park. We were able to get at least 3 rides done before the park opened to off site guests.

What were you all able to do before open? How were the wait times afterward?

 

[andypooh]

We are flying in to Orlando and staying at an offsite hotel the night before we officially check in to our resort. The next morning we will drop off our stuff at our DVC resort and then go to the MK. Are we eligible for the early entry since we do not officially check in till later that day? Thanks.

 

[Genie+]

Yes. All the perks of onsite are included for the full day on check-in and check-out. Doesn’t matter what hour you are officially coming or going at the resort.

 

[Ariel620]

We dropped off our luggage at the hotel and then headed over to our park for ETPE. For HS we got arrived around 7:00 for an 8:00 early entry time. However, at 7:30 they let everyone into the park. We were able to get at least 3 rides done before the park opened to off site guests.

Awesome! What rides did you ride (and in what order) when they let you in for ETPE?