Early Admission (MM/EMH/APEE) Super Thread

DLR29

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Joined
May 30, 2006
Last updated: 4/7/15

So there have been a ton of Magic Morning question threads, so I just wanted to make a big large thread to send people to. So here we go:

Just a quick history note to start off with. Disneyland changed Early Entry's name to Magic Morning in 2008, so I will be using the abbrv. MM instead of EE. Nothing else about the program has changed other than the name. Some people will still be calling it EE though, but just saying, they are the same. For the summer of 2012, Disney began using 3 different terms for different types of "Early Admission". As of 5/3/13 we will be talking about only 2: Magic Morning (MM) and Extra Magic Hour (EMH). The third, Annual Passholder Early Entry (APEE), has run multiple times in the past, however is not currently in effect.

Disney has used the blanket term of "Early Admission" to talk about both Magic Morning, Extra Magic Hour and Annual Passholder Early Entry, so any information that applies to all 3, I will use the abbreviation "EA" for Early Admission. Sorry for the confusing abbrevs. Let's get into specifics...

1. Magic Morning (MM)

What? Entrance to Disneyland Park one hour before official park opening to ride select attractions. You cannot use MM at DCA at this time.

Who? Guests can take advantage of MM by purchasing ANY ticket of 3 or more days. This will entitle the ticket holder to one MM admission. There are some exceptions such as Gay Day, military, and convention tickets, but most big name ticket sellers have MM eligible tickets (Disney, AAA, Costco, So. Cal City Pass, most online sources such as ARES Travel)

When? MM is currently offered on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. And MM is ALWAYS one hour before official park opening.

How? Enter just like you would normally and the MM is deducted from your ticket. There is no extra piece of paper or voucher needed for MM.

2. Extra Magic Hour (EMH)

What? Entrance to Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure one hour before official park opening to ride select attractions

Who? Guests can take advantage of EMH by staying at one of the 3 onsite hotels (Grand Californian (including the new VGC DVC places), Disneyland Hotel, or Paradise Pier Hotel). This will entitle the hotel guests EMH every day during their stay, including arrival (yes, possibly before your room is ready) and departure days.

When?
The schedule for EMH is as follows:
-EMH for Disneyland Park is offered on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
-EMH for Disney California Adventure is offered on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Again, EMH (at both parks) begins 1 hour before park opening.

There have been times where EMH is offered at both parks each day. This is not guaranteed. This happened from July-September 2012, and again from 12/20/12-1/4/13.

How? Each guest must have a valid source of park admission and also show their active hotel room key card. In the past, a piece of paper explaining EMH procedures has been given to onsite guests at check in. That paper, by itself, does not grant any EMH privileges, so you cannot pass it on to someone else. All you need is your ticket and your room key.

Where? Guest can line up for EMH at either the main entrance to DCA or the Grand Californian Hotel entrance. The main park entrance is probably a faster route to hit up Carsland.

Early Admission (EA) general FAQ

Is this the same as Mickey's Toontown Morning Madness?
No, Mickey's Toontown Morning Madness (MTTMM) was ONLY for people who bought packages from AAA, Costco, Disney, etc. MTTMM was entry into Mickey's Toontown one hour before it opens. The MTTMM program has been discontinued as of early 2013.

Touring:
What attractions are open for EA?

Well the rides open are technically "subject to change", but here is a list of rides that can be open during this hour.

At DL:
-Peter Pan's Flight (closed until 5/21 for refurb)
-Dumbo
-Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
-Alice in Wonderland
-Mad Tea Party
-Matterhorn Bobsleds (closed until 5/16 for refurb)
-King Arthur Carousel
-Snow White's Scary Adventures
-Pinocchio's Daring Journey
-Sleeping Beauty's Castle Walkthrough
-It's a Small World Holiday (only November-January)
-Princess Fantasy Faire
-Space Mountain
-Buzz Lightyear Astroblasters
-Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
-Star Tours
-Astro Orbitor

NOTE: It's a Small World (non-holiday version), Casey Jr. Circus Train and Storybookland Canal Boats are NOT open for EA and open at official park opening. Pixie Hollow is also not open during EA, but they open later than most other attractions, often an hour after official park opening.

A recent report said that the following rides are open for DCA EA:
-Radiator Springs Racers (assuming it doesn't have any technical difficulties)
-Luigi's Flying Tires
-Mater's Junkyard Jamboree
-California Screamin
-Toy Story Midway Mania
-Ariel's Undersea Adventure
-Soarin over California (closed until 5/15 for refurb)
-Tower of Terror

As always, rides and attractions are subject to change.

What's the best "touring plan strategy" for EA?
At DL, assuming you are doing Fantasyland for your EA, in order to have the shortest lines, this strategy is recommended:
(0). Arrive before EA begins and run straight to...
1. Peter Pan (always first!!!)
2. Dumbo
3. Matterhorn/Alice
4. Mr. Toad
5. Pinocchio/Snow White/Mad Tea Party/King Arthur's Carousel

If you are there for the beginning of EA, you can easily complete this list, and possibly more, during your hour.

The reason why many don't recommend riding Space or Star Tours during EA is that they have FP, meaning, with a FP, you can ride them with a short line even during normal park hours. The rides in #1-3 (in the above FL plan) don't have FP AND they will most likely have lengthy lines during the day. Thus, the best time to ride them is in the early morning.

As for Nemo, I wouldn't recommend riding it either during EA because unless you are one of the first ones in line, the combined wait time + ride time can suck up at least half of your EA hour, if not the whole thing. I'd much rather ride 9 rides in an hour than 1-2 rides.

For DCA, it seems best to run to either Radiator Springs Racers or Toy Story Midway Mania, depending on your preferences. But unless you are there at the beginning of EA, you may run into long lines.

If RSR is operating during EA, run to that first and hopefully hop on with a short line. Follow that with Luigi's Flying Tires or Toy Story Midway Mania. It's not cruicial that you ride Mater's Junkyard Jamboree during EA because its line seldom reaches more than 30 min during the rest of the day, especially during late afternoon/early evening.

Are Fastpasses offered during EA?
No, FP machines for all attractions including Radiator Springs Racers will not begin operating until official park opening.

Is EMH at DL like EMH's at WDW? Should I avoid certain EA days at DLR like I avoid EMH days at WDW?
EA is EXTREMELY different from EMH and one should not avoid MM days at DLR to try and beat the crowds. MM does not affect park attendance at DL like EMH's affect park attendance at the WDW parks. If you have EA privileges, definitely don't hesitate to use it. Also, there is no evening Extra Magic Hours at DLR.

Which day of our trip should we go to EA?
Generally if there are two EA days offered during your trip, but you only have 1 MM to use, the best day to use it would be the first possible day. So if you were going to the parks for a very long weekend (Saturday-Tuesday) and you only had 1 MM, you would have to choose to use it on Saturday or Tuesday. My recommendation is to use it on Saturday because by the end of your trip you WILL be more tired and less inclined to wake up early.

Also, even though crowds on Saturdays will be greater, it is better to choose this day (if possible) than weekdays during offseasons. This is true because the parks open sometimes 2 hours earlier on the weekends than on the weekdays and less people will be inclined to get up for EA at 7AM on a Saturday than 9AM on a Tuesday.

Opening Procedures:
For guests staying at the DLH or PPH can you take the monorail?

You may use the monorail to enter the park for DL's EA; however it is usually a better option to walk through DTD and use the main entrance. The monorail sometimes beats the front gate crowds. Sometimes not. It's a toss up. Use the monorail more for at the end of the day when your feet are tired and you don't feel like walking all the way back to the hotel. The monorail does not have a station at DCA, so you cannot use the monorail for DCA EA access

Is there rope drop on EA days?
At DL, on days where official park opening is 8AM, EA would be 7AM. There is no rope drop at 7, but there is a rope drop on Main Street at 8 and at that time Frontierland and Adventureland will open as well. Also nobody is let into the park until 7AM. Non-EA guests might be allowed in any time between 7:30 and 8AM. Opening procedures may change depending on crowd size.

DCA reports are showing that there is no rope drop for EA guests at 7AM. Furthermore, they have been allowing non-EA guests in at 7:30 but holding them with a rope at the end of BVS until official park opening at 8AM.

What time should I arrive for EA?
Half an hour before EA time (1 1/2 hours before official park opening) is generally a good time to be at the gates. However if you want to be one of the first ones on Peter Pan or the rides in Carsland, plan on arriving 45+ before EA time (so 1 hour and 45 min before official park opening). You may be surprised at the number of people lining up that early.

What time does the parking lot open on EA days?
The Mickey and Friends Parking Structure opens an hour before EA begins, so unless you are one of the first couple cars in line, if you plan on parking in the lots, you may not get to the gates before the beginning of EA due to the time it takes to wait in line, pay, park, walk to the tram, wait for the tram, take the tram, and walk to the parks.

What time do the ticket booths open on EA days?
The time that the ticket booths open on any given day is subject to change, but an email from the park states that they open 30 minutes before EA.

If I pick up my tickets on a EA day, can I use my EA right then and there?
Yes, provided that you get to the ticket booths early enough.

When does security open on an EA day?
According to one board member, the security lines have opened at 6:25-6:30 on a day when the park opens at 8AM and EA is at 7AM.

Where should I wait in line?

The best bet to secure your front of the line spot, is to just wait by the security tables, even if the esplanade is open. The guests in the esplanade will be forced to backtrack and go through security when Cast Members show up.

I don't have EA!!!
What if I don't have EA. Should I still go to the parks on an EA day? Will it be already extremely crowded when I enter?

Only Fantasyland and some Tomorrowland rides are open during EA, so you can still get an equal rope drop for the Adventureland/Frontierland side of Disneyland Park. If you're not staying onsite and your goal is Carsland, it would be best to start at DCA on a day when there is no EA (Tuesday or Thursday). Otherwise EA doesn't really affect morning crowd levels in most other places in DCA.

If I don't have EA, how can I use EA for my advantage?
On EA days, both DL and DCA have specific gates designated for "Magic Morning" and others that say "Entrance". Those who have EA can enter through the "Magic Morning" gates all the way up until official park opening. Those without EA usually line up at the gates marked "Entrance". HOWEVER, if you arrive early enough and wait by the gates marked "Magic Morning", oftentimes some of those gates will turn into "Entrance" gates as the time approaches official park opening. If you do it right, when a "Magic Morning" gate turns into an "Entrance" gate, you can actually be one of the first ones in line at a gate. This has been reported to work at both DL and DCA!

If I don't have EA, can I still go to the Minnie and Friends/Ariel's Grotto character breakfast?
Yes! You do need to call ahead to make a reservation. CMs from Minnie and Friends will then meet you at Gate 1. Don't worry if the sign at the top doesn't say Minnie and Friends breakfast when you get in line. They generally show up just a minute before the gates are going to open and change the designation at that time. They then ask your name and check it against their list. They will then give everyone a button and escort you to breakfast. Similar procedures happen at DCA with Ariel's Grotto breakfasts.

Misc.
What about during special events?

Sometimes for certain events (grad nights, running events), DL will change the EA dates. They do not do MM on the morning after a Grad Night, but they try to keep 3 MMs in the week by rearranging the schedules. Also DL, on some special events in the past (the Pirate movie premieres, Miley's Birthday), has opened ridiculously early (6AM). In this case EA may not be offered that day. It's always a good thing to check these boards for special event EA changes as the event approaches. The DLR website calendar now has EA dates and hours on it, making special EA changes easier to see.

What about Annual Passholders?
The only current way for AP holders to have any kind of Early Admission is through EMH and staying onsite. DLR has done Annual Passholder Early Entry in the past (summer 2012, Spring 2013), but with a smaller than expected participation rate, the likelihood of this program returning is not good. Guests who want to have a MM but also buy an AP may be encouraged to buy a park hopper that has MM on it and then upgrade the ticket to an AP after the MM has been used.

That should be it for now. I will update this thread if any other questions come up. I'm happy to add anyone else's info on EA/EMH/MM/APEE to add. Thanks! :thumbsup2 Sorry if you've left the thread feeling even more confused than when you got here. I blame Disney's confusing jargon...:upsidedow

Thanks to Hydroguy, Hound109, Bumbershoot, northshoremama, S.S Columbia, DisneyJulieZ, sonnyjane, Sherry E, disneychrista, disfan100, Patrick in Oregon, subtchr, SherriA1, and 3TinksAndAnEeyore for help so far. Always looking for more input.
 
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Great Post. :thumbsup2

A couple of additional MM (formerly known as EE) thoughts:

- The three DLR hotels onsite include - Grand Californian Hotel (GCH), Disneyland Hotel (DH) & the Paradise Pier Hotel (PP).

- If staying at an onsite Hotel, MM is available the day you ARRIVE AND the day you depart.

Example - Staying at the DH on a Sunday & Monday night.

- Arrive at the Disnelyand Hotel two hours before MM begins Sunday morning.
- Check in & get your DH room receipt (signifying you are entitled to MM) from DH front desk. (Your room probably won't be ready.)
- Park your car & or give your bags to the bell captain for the day.
- Walk to DL & enjoy MM Sunday morning.
- No MM on Monday.
- Enjoy MM on Tuesday morning prior to checking out. (& you can use the DH parking lot until 11:59pm Tuesday night).

:)
 
Great post. ::yes:: Here are a couple additional thoughts you may want to add:

1. If the EE name has in fact changed to Magic Mornings this year, then you will want to use both in the thread and possibly the title to clarify (so that everyone knows they are the same thing and not different things).

2. EE is not TTMM.
 


Hi,

Ok this is interesting. We are going in April. I put in my dates and put in the Grand California. It is listed as a resort package. I clicked on the link they give and here is what popped up as a description of the resort package:

http://bookdlr.reservations.disney....sor?strPageName=2008_Guest_STD_PackageR_PopUp


Disney's Resort Dream Package 2008
Disney's Resort Package upgrades you and your family with accommodations at a Disneyland® Resort Hotel, where you'll be just steps away from Disneyland Resort attractions.
Package Includes:

*
Accommodations at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa, the Disneyland® Hotel, or Disney's Paradise Pier® Hotel
*
Disneyland® Resort Hotel self-parking, recreational facilities and Fitness Center access
*
Collectible Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® souvenir ticket.
*
Disney Character Calls - Receive a phone call from Mickey and his pals!
*
One Magic Morning into Fantasyland in Disneyland® Park*; valid with Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® souvenir tickets of 3-Days or longer.
*
Mickey's Toontown Morning Madness - An interactive Guest and Character experience.
*
Preferred seating to select shows in Disney's California Adventure® Park
*
Collectible Dream Coin (one per package)
*
Walt Disney Travel Company Collectible Pin & Lanyard (one per person)
*
Walt Disney Travel Company Luggage Tag (one per person)
*
Downtown Disney® District Fun Card (one per package)


It is different then what you are listing,. It says 1 magic mornings if you bought a ticket and does list how many toontown madness you can attend. Did they change this for 2008 and limit the Magic Mornings?

Bug
 
It is different then what you are listing,. It says 1 magic mornings if you bought a ticket and does list how many toontown madness you can attend. Did they change this for 2008 and limit the Magic Mornings?

Nope, trust me. It is an unwritten rule to offer onsite guests multiple MMs. It's not advertised on the website, but once you arrive I believe they inform you of the onsite MM perk.
 
Nope, trust me. It is an unwritten rule. It's not advertised on the website, but once you arrive I believe they inform you of the onsite EE perk.

It is absolutely a valid (& much enjoyed) perk for DLR hotel guests that has been unwritten for several years. If this perk was EVER taken away it would be a HUGE topic of discussion here the minute we are aware of it (which would be the day it happens, is suspect). It would be HUGE.....MAJOR LEAGUE. :scared1: :)

Always a good thing to check here a few days before departure for up to the minute info on all things Disneyland Resort.
 
Don't know if this will be helpful, but I'll put it out there.


If you are getting EE/MM from your ticket, you'll show your ticket ("admission media") and they somehow mark it/deduct it/take it off of the ticket.

If you are getting EE/MM because you're staying onsite, you get a smaller-and-flimsier-than-expected slip of paper, the same slip of paper that you show to charge food and merchandise to your room, and that is what you show at the gates (along with your hopper or AP) to get you in for EE/MM.



If you have a package, you get in to MTTMM by showing the people at the ToonTown gates (yes there are gates!) your voucher that states the days of MTTMM (very helpful that they state the dates on it, b/c it helped calm me down when I messed up on a Friday with opening time, but was able to see that we had one more chance for MTTMM the next day).



Hope that helps others who have brains like mine (poor folks), who want to know WHAT exactly they will have, or need to have, to get in to various things. :)
 
If you have a package, you get in to MTTMM by showing the people at the ToonTown gates (yes there are gates!) your voucher that states the days of MTTMM (very helpful that they state the dates on it, b/c it helped calm me down when I messed up on a Friday with opening time, but was able to see that we had one more chance for MTTMM the next day).

We had to actually give our vouchers to the CM at the Toon Town gates, not just show them to him.
 
We had to actually give our vouchers to the CM at the Toon Town gates, not just show them to him.

Oh yeah, duh at myself. I've been on Nyquil all day, and that's something I haven't taken in 10 years so it's slammed my brain into oblivion (you don't want to know how many times it took me to spell that word right).

You have to give, not show. Wish they could mark it so it can't be used again, but still used for keepsake purposes (wished the same thing about the park hoppers that they took away when I upgraded to an AP), but they don't.

Thanks for catching that!
 
A slight nitpick - take it for what its worth - but the list of rides for MM/EE is not absolute. DL is always saying "subject to change" with MM/EE rides. The list you give is usually the rides that are available. I have heard of Star Tours being open for MM/EE for example, and Astro Orbiter not being open. Someone recently posted IASWH as being open for MM/EE this year. Suggestion is just to qualify the list of rides open as being what usually happens. :)
 
A slight nitpick - take it for what its worth - but the list of rides for MM/EE is not absolute. DL is always saying "subject to change" with MM/EE rides. The list you give is usually the rides that are available. I have heard of Star Tours being open for MM/EE for example, and Astro Orbiter not being open. Someone recently posted IASWH as being open for MM/EE this year. Suggestion is just to qualify the list of rides open as being what usually happens. :)

::yes:: This is a very good point. Back a few years (15+), the then called Magic Morning meant that one land would be open early...in our experience, it was EITHER FL or TL, but not pieces of both (we also got breakfast included and the characters came out to visit). Granted, the whole MM/EE has morphed over the years, but it is still a good idea to remember that everything is "subject to change" with what rides will be available.
 
Does anyone know where to get the magical mornings schedule? We are staying offsite so we will only get one MM. Want to plan ahead if possible.
 
Does anyone know where to get the magical mornings schedule? We are staying offsite so we will only get one MM. Want to plan ahead if possible.
What do you mean by "schedule"? If you want to know what days they occur, see the first post in this thread.
 

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