Disneyland Eliminates Early Entry for Resort Hotel Guests Beginning January 5, 2026

[BrianL]

I also think people conflate these message boards with reality. My neighbors down the street in DFW who might book a Disneyland trip will default to booking on-site. They don't care whether or not there's EE. Also, even though many of us on here arrive at RD and use EE, many of the on-site guests simply do not use it. There are many people who do not want to wake up at 6:30 or 7:00 on vacation. I am not one of those people, but many of our friends are shocked when I tell them we get to the parks by 7:30!

That may well be the case, and it may be that EE wasn't really the best offering for most guests, however it was a value-add for on-site stays, and that's important. What they are replacing it with is of significantly lower value. I mean, ONE LLMP entry, no matter how long the stay? That's just nothing. Again, if they wanted to provide some additional perks to make up for the loss of EE, that'd be one thing. It should at least be something that applies for every day of the stay. They have cut back on so many on-site perks these days, that it's just not worth it. Even at WDW they have cut back some - if transportation wasn't so important there it would be really hard to justify.

 

[ComeToSocialize]

I'm sure there are minimum weekly hour requirements for FT employees under state laws.


Many CMs at DL are working under union contracts.

I've seen conflicting numbers but there are something like 36k DLR cast members with 5-7k CMs working at any given time. I think you're probably correct that very few or even no specific cast members are going to have their hours cut by exactly 30 minutes/shift as a result of this change. But there are CMs coming and going all the time, it's not like there's a morning shift for everyone and an afternoon shift for everyone else.

This will allow a bunch of people to start 30 minutes later, which lets the next bunch start 30 minutes later, then the next then the next, and eventually those 30 minutes add up to a handful of CMs they don't need at all. I work in corporate finance and we always say staff cost savings happen in whole person increments.

 

[MartyParty]

I don't think so. If I understand DLR's argument is that the staff costs are too much, and demand doesn't exist. So, if people aren't showing up for free, why would they show up for a price?

I have deep feeling that TWDC will begin pushing WDW and DLR to move to a ticket system for rides in addition to current park admission. They have already started down this road by removing free Fastpass, changes to DAS, ILL and multiple tiers or LLMP and LLPP. Now that they have eliminated EE, it makes it far more easy to just tell people that they need to buy a ticket book (virtually through the App) and have people pay for their rides after admission costs.

The timing would be perfect with the 70th anniversary too. They could find some talentless marketing CM to start a whole new marketing campaign that this is an effort to return to Walt's roots by charging for each attraction and that it is sustainable. Because so many (especially younger adults) will do anything for sustainability.

Obi-J Kenobi,
I know your name nods to that of a Jedi, but your latest thinking feels very Sith-like!

That said, I agree with your logic. It makes sense that the parks could pivot back to the early model of paying for individual rides—like the classic A, B, C, D, and E tickets.

We were fortunate to visit Disneyland Paris this year. While we didn’t pay per ride exactly, the individual Lightning Lane payments were definitely in full effect. Yes, we did end up paying for a few rides here and there to make the most of our one day in the park. Now that the technology is in place, it would be very easy to pivot to a pay to ride format. If this were to happen, wonder if there would still be some nominal fee to enter?

You might be onto something...
I’ve got a bad feeling about this.

 

[deejdigsdis]

I don't think so. If I understand DLR's argument is that the staff costs are too much, and demand doesn't exist. So, if people aren't showing up for free, why would they show up for a price?

I have deep feeling that TWDC will begin pushing WDW and DLR to move to a ticket system for rides in addition to current park admission. They have already started down this road by removing free Fastpass, changes to DAS, ILL and multiple tiers or LLMP and LLPP. Now that they have eliminated EE, it makes it far more easy to just tell people that they need to buy a ticket book (virtually through the App) and have people pay for their rides after admission costs.

The timing would be perfect with the 70th anniversary too. They could find some talentless marketing CM to start a whole new marketing campaign that this is an effort to return to Walt's roots by charging for each attraction and that it is sustainable. Because so many (especially younger adults) will do anything for sustainability.

Ugh...I have been worried about this for a while. As nostalgic as it is to reminisce about my childhood trips with a ticket book, I really don't want to go back to those days.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Ugh...I have been worried about this for a while. As nostalgic as it is to reminisce about my childhood trips with a ticket book, I really don't want to go back to those days.

It wouldn't even be that cool unfortunately. It would be digital in the app

 

[disneychrista]

I'm sure there are minimum weekly hour requirements for FT employees under state laws.


Many CMs at DL are working under union contracts.

There is no definition of FT employees under state law. It is defined by the employer.

Like I said unless their labor agreement states something about a minimum number of hours, Disney or any other employee is free to schedule as their needs require.

 

[citruscurtis]

Obi-J Kenobi,
I know your name nods to that of a Jedi, but your latest thinking feels very Sith-like!

That said, I agree with your logic. It makes sense that the parks could pivot back to the early model of paying for individual rides—like the classic A, B, C, D, and E tickets.


I’ve got a bad feeling about this.

.. now you are thinking Sith-, like

I was a alphabet book kid and it was very traumatic making choices purely on duration of attraction...There was no new hope

Regardless how many times you say it...got a bad feeling

 

[MartyParty]

Ugh...I have been worried about this for a while. As nostalgic as it is to reminisce about my childhood trips with a ticket book, I really don't want to go back to those days.

Here's my past DCA plan for 30-minute early entry:

1 Ride Incredicoaster
2 Ride Incredicoaster
3 Ride Incredicoaster
4 Ride Incredicoaster
5 Maybe just maybe one more Incredicoaster
6 Squeeze another ride in before the standard admission starts

Now I might be one to many Incredicoasters listed above, but you get the jest. I'm guessing Incredicoaster is E and not D ticket, but none the less I'm not likely going to pay 5 D ticket prices in a single day to ride Incredicoaster.

PS Ok to judge my EE strategy. I know others prefer a different route with Guardians, Web Slingers, Radiator Springs, etc.

 

[gardenrooms]

lollllll

People on Disneyland Reddit are defending this saying "it was a hard perk to use"

Yeah Disney has the easiest fans to downgrade things and get little to no push back

lol "a hard perk to use"??? We used it every DL resort stay (we are GCV owners). I'm very old, my grandkids grew up going to DL, and we all made it.

 

[deejdigsdis]

It wouldn't even be that cool unfortunately. It would be digital in the app

So true. Not cool at all.

I went to Chuck E Cheese for the first time in years last week. Walked around with a child as she played games. Everything was done digitally with a little card around her wrist. I went home and texted my 25 year old son and told him how lame it was that they didn't have gold tokens or tickets spitting out of the games anymore!

 

[irlandaise]

We were fortunate to visit Disneyland Paris this year. While we didn’t pay per ride exactly, the individual Lightning Lane payments were definitely in full effect. Yes, we did end up paying for a few rides here and there to make the most of our one day in the park. Now that the technology is in place, it would be very easy to pivot to a pay to ride format. If this were to happen, wonder if there would still be some nominal fee to enter?

"Nominal"?? Dream on...

 

[gardenrooms]

We just stayed at Pixar place for 4 nights (first time in years that we stayed longer than one night). We did EE all 3 of our park days. We loved it. However, the process to get in through security seemed like a joke. They had 2 lines open one day (at the entrance closest to PPH). The entrance closest to the DLH had an insane line. In line I was thinking that a majority of the people in these lines at Disney hotel guests, paying lots of money. But they only have two lanes open and everyone is trying to get to EE. It was crazy to me. Was Disney doing that on purpose as an excuse to say, people aren’t using EE so we will eliminate it? Who knows.

I’m also upset about the PPH entrance being removed. We used that on our EE day and it was so much better and moved faster. I can’t imagine all the Pixar place and the GCH guests trying to use the tiny GCH entrance. Sounds like a nightmare.

I’m sad that the few perks for the Disney hotels are being removed. It was getting harder and harder to justify an onsite stay and this just furthers that point.

Yes, I am picturing the GCH entrance trying to process EVERYONE from BOTH hotels at park opening! Instead of the friendly crowd eagerly waiting for EE at the GCH we have experienced in the past, even though we know the line will be inexcusably slow due to their being only 2 lines for the GCH guests going in early, there will now be an impatient crowd of crabby people from 2 hotels all waiting to get in at park opening, still going through those 2 slow lines.

 

[Genie+]

DL gets to cut cost of park operation hours, and replace the perk with something that LL package buyers will instead pay the cost… less inventory for them at the same price.

While it irks me they keep chipping away at guest experience, we’re at the stage where this will probably not make much difference to us. We’ve done near 40 park days onsite since genie/LL released (4DL/30+WDW) and only twice did EE. Years ago we used to take advantage of every possible moment in the parks, rope drop to park close. Then we got into DVC, visiting more often, more laid back and stopped leaving the room by 7am after staying out late every night. It still is off-putting to me. I wish they’d put away their chisels for a while and try improving guest experience instead of chipping away at it in hopes of upselling even more guests.

 

[JAM9842]

Of course this starts the very day we arrive for our stay at Grand Californian.

 

[Genie+]

Of course this starts the very day we arrive for our stay at Grand Californian.

But aren’t you super excited to choose your 1 single LL for the whole stay?

Sorry

 

[Irish Duck]

I used Early Entry every trip. I have always stayed on site never stayed off site in the 30 years of family and solo vacations. I always add LLMP to my park hoppers. Now with EE gone I will stay until closing. No reason not to now.
Before I woukd leave an hour before and go back to GCH but not need for that anymore.

Disney will be forced to bring it EE back if hotel bookings drop.They make much more money from the hotel revenues than LLMP.

This was foolish decision.

I totally agree with this. We have stayed onsite multiple times, and ALWAYS used EE. I doubt we will ever stay onsite again after EE is removed. 100% a foolish decision.

 

[katmigordon]

That may well be the case, and it may be that EE wasn't really the best offering for most guests, however it was a value-add for on-site stays, and that's important. What they are replacing it with is of significantly lower value. I mean, ONE LLMP entry, no matter how long the stay? That's just nothing. Again, if they wanted to provide some additional perks to make up for the loss of EE, that'd be one thing. It should at least be something that applies for every day of the stay. They have cut back on so many on-site perks these days, that it's just not worth it. Even at WDW they have cut back some - if transportation wasn't so important there it would be really hard to justify.

What I'm wondering is how this plays if you're going to buy the pass anyway?

 

[katmigordon]

I totally agree with this. We have stayed onsite multiple times, and ALWAYS used EE. I doubt we will ever stay onsite again after EE is removed. 100% a foolish decision.

I don't even know if we would use the EE - it's just the perceived lack of care about guest experience that might well put us off staying at DL again.

 

[bakofarmgirl]

heres an example of six flags pass benefits, not sure but one skip a line sounds very familiar to one LL per guest per stay, wondering if disney will add the vip entrance (early entry option) later on as a perk, hard to imagine itll be gone forever

 

[irlandaise]

What I'm wondering is how this plays if you're going to buy the pass anyway?

This will allow you to go on a favorite LL ride again.