9 AM Park Opening On A Friday

[danceanddisney2010]

Hey everyone! So I have a quick question to ask. We are NOT morning park goers at all, but on our upcoming trip we do have to be up and in the park earlier than normal. It will be a Friday and the calendar says that the park opens at 9am. We will be coming from the Grand Californian and will need to be inside the park over by Thunder Mountain by 9:20. What time would you suggest making our way over? I can't remember the last time I went to the park this early.. so I don't know what to expect. I know it will be crowded, but just how crowded.. I have no idea. Plus, security... I know that can be quite a hold-up. I have experienced that later in the day as well! If we head out from the Grand at 8:30am will that be enough time to get through security (we will have 16 people in our group all with bags), enter the park, and be able to make it to the Thunder Mountain area? Any advise would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so very much!

 

[chickapin parterre]

which friday?

leave the building by 8:30, security lines have been long, that should put you at the line into the gate at 8;50, line moves up to 9:10 at the gate, sixteen folks having their photographs snapped, you are all in front of the parterre by 9:30, nice walk to Frontierlnad, you should be there by 9:40

 

[danceanddisney2010]

which friday?

leave the building by 8:30, security lines have been long, that should put you at the line into the gate at 8;50, line moves up to 9:10 at the gate, sixteen folks having their photographs snapped, you are all in front of the parterre by 9:30, nice walk to Frontierlnad, you should be there by 9:40

It will be Friday, july 13.
So earlier departure from the hotel?

 

[chickapin parterre]

If you join the security line at 8:00, arrive at 8:15 behind a admission gate line, line starts moving at 8:20, you are done with photos at the gate by 8:35, line up at rope drop, then you will be at BTMR by 9:05. But do not think that if you make the time at at security at 8:15 is the latest and puts you at less risk of missing 9:20, any time after 8:15 you are joining masses of foliks who need security and photographs for admission, . But if you are at rope drop by 9:00, then you are only a very short walk of under 5 minutes to BTMRR yards away from BTMRR

 

[Skyegirl1999]

You aren't going to have a long security wait going from the Grand into DTD, from what I've heard/seen. But we were there last Friday for a 9am opening and by 8:30, the park entrance lines stretched to the middle of the esplanade and met up (I took pictures of it at 8:27). They started letting people in moments later, and I'm not sure how long the actual wait to get in was because we were close to the front.

So, if you absolutely have to be at Big Thunder BY 9:20, I'd probably leave earlier. You might get there quite a bit early, but better than being stuck in an entrance line that's not moving and being late!