Well, of course it depends on WHERE you PARK (or how long it takes to to walk to the tram or to the front gate.
Here's an average:
1. Enter Parking lot, find a spot, park. Exit car. (3-5 min.)
2a. Walk to tram-load, wait, board, ride to gate of AK (5-10 min.)
2b. Walk to front gate of DAK from car. (5-10 min.)
3. Security bag check (2-4 minutes).
4. Enter front gate (ticket and finger-scan) (5 min.)
5. Walk to Rope Drop area (3-6 min.)
They "open the gates" about 10-20 minutes before the sched. open time (EMH or standard open).
This allows much of the crowd to get in and walk all the way through the Oasis area and back to the area for the Rope-Drop Ceremony called "The Adventure Begins".
The approx. 5-minute ceremony is timed so that it ENDS at the "exact" opeing time.
As always, your actual times will vary, but my estimates will be pretty close.
Plan on it taking more time than you think... get there EARLY and (even if you have to just STAND THERE for a few extra minutes) you can have fun knowing that you are now AHEAD of 95+% of the folks coming to DAK that day!
A lot of times "Wes Palm" the "talking tree" will be out kidding around with the folks who are waiting for the gates to open. He's one of the funniest trees ever, (next to certain former VP's.)
