Early Entry - Disneyland Hotel

[OlliePop27]

I have several questions about the early entry experience from the Disneyland Hotel.

1. Do the security checkpoints near the DL Hotel open at 7:00?
2. What time should I start lining up at the security check to be near the front?
2. Is it obvious which security check lanes will open at 7:00 or do only certain lanes open up first thing? I'm not familiar with this checkpoint, so curious if I'm the first one to arrive if I line up in a lane that won't open.
3. Does the walk from DL Hotel to the parks put DL Hotel guests at a disadvantage when lining up at the front gates considering the farther walk than GCH (or PPH guests walking through GCH)?
4. How long does the line for Peter Pan get during early entry? If it gets long, how quickly does it take to get to that point?

Thank you to anyone with advice!

 

[katyringo]

Did EE for 5 days a couple weeks ago from DLH


1. Do the security checkpoints near the DL Hotel open at 7:00?
Yes, on the dot. Unless they don't have a security dog show up on time. Which happened one day. It was 7:05.

2. What time should I start lining up at the security check to be near the front?
6-6:15am. Yes. I'm serious.

2. Is it obvious which security check lanes will open at 7:00 or do only certain lanes open up first thing? I'm not familiar with this checkpoint, so curious if I'm the first one to arrive if I line up in a lane that won't open.

There was not consistency. Some days it was just one and others it was multiple at the same time. Best have your bag open and ready for them to be quick.

3. Does the walk from DL Hotel to the parks put DL Hotel guests at a disadvantage when lining up at the front gates considering the farther walk than GCH (or PPH guests walking through GCH)?

You will want to walk quickly. The bigger issues is actually the guests flowing in from the harbor side since there are not designated EE lines at the turnstiles. But you will be fine if you are through security quickly and walk "with purpose" through DTD. You don't need to be first at the turnstiles, just toward the front. Once you are scanned into the park you will filter to the designated EE spot in the park. I promise if you are toward the front of the turnstiles you will be good.

4. How long does the line for Peter Pan get during early entry? If it gets long, how quickly does it take to get to that point?

Following what I said above we rode Peter Pan multiple days with no wait by being one of the first several on. We knocked out fantasy land by 8:00am on our EE days.

 

[Cid315]

I had read on somewhere on this forum that DL hotel guests could use the PPH entrance. If that is the case, would it be quicker than the front gate? Does the PPH entrance go into DCA or DL? Are the EE lines and designated spots well marked?Is there a dedicated DLH entrance or security line? Staying at DL for 5 days end of Feb. beginning of March

 

[OlliePop27]

Did EE for 5 days a couple weeks ago from DLH


1. Do the security checkpoints near the DL Hotel open at 7:00?
Yes, on the dot. Unless they don't have a security dog show up on time. Which happened one day. It was 7:05.

2. What time should I start lining up at the security check to be near the front?
6-6:15am. Yes. I'm serious.

2. Is it obvious which security check lanes will open at 7:00 or do only certain lanes open up first thing? I'm not familiar with this checkpoint, so curious if I'm the first one to arrive if I line up in a lane that won't open.

There was not consistency. Some days it was just one and others it was multiple at the same time. Best have your bag open and ready for them to be quick.

3. Does the walk from DL Hotel to the parks put DL Hotel guests at a disadvantage when lining up at the front gates considering the farther walk than GCH (or PPH guests walking through GCH)?

You will want to walk quickly. The bigger issues is actually the guests flowing in from the harbor side since there are not designated EE lines at the turnstiles. But you will be fine if you are through security quickly and walk "with purpose" through DTD. You don't need to be first at the turnstiles, just toward the front. Once you are scanned into the park you will filter to the designated EE spot in the park. I promise if you are toward the front of the turnstiles you will be good.

4. How long does the line for Peter Pan get during early entry? If it gets long, how quickly does it take to get to that point?

Following what I said above we rode Peter Pan multiple days with no wait by being one of the first several on. We knocked out fantasy land by 8:00am on our EE days.

Thanks for all the helpful info! Is it true that the Harbor security doesn't open until 7:15?

As to Peter Pan, my family is unlikely to be one of the first ones on. We have a stroller and a toddler, and between parking the stroller and moving into line, one of the first will not be possible. I'm very familiar with getting on Peter Pan without kids, but those days are behind me for now. Does the line stay relatively short for the first 5-10 minutes of early entry?

 

[tink89]

I have several questions about the early entry experience from the Disneyland Hotel.

1. Do the security checkpoints near the DL Hotel open at 7:00?
2. What time should I start lining up at the security check to be near the front?
2. Is it obvious which security check lanes will open at 7:00 or do only certain lanes open up first thing? I'm not familiar with this checkpoint, so curious if I'm the first one to arrive if I line up in a lane that won't open.
3. Does the walk from DL Hotel to the parks put DL Hotel guests at a disadvantage when lining up at the front gates considering the farther walk than GCH (or PPH guests walking through GCH)?
4. How long does the line for Peter Pan get during early entry? If it gets long, how quickly does it take to get to that point?

Thank you to anyone with advice!

1. Security normally opens about 30 min to an hr before the first park opening.
2. If doing EMH at 7 am I would normally leave the DLH at 6:15 to grab coffee that we pre-ordered, and go wait in line. Probably at line by 6:30
3. You will see ppl there that will guide you. Depending on how busy they expect it to depend on how many lanes are open. Once you are there you will see its a very easy set up.
4. It puts you at a disadvantage if you do not like to wake up early. We have stayed at DLH many times and EMH thins out the crowds. It is only about a 5 minute difference from GCH.
5. I'll say it, I am not a fan of Peter Pan, and the line is always 30-40 min right at opening and it never really goes lower. I use my time elsewhere.

 

[tink89]

I had read on somewhere on this forum that DL hotel guests could use the PPH entrance. If that is the case, would it be quicker than the front gate? Does the PPH entrance go into DCA or DL? Are the EE lines and designated spots well marked?Is there a dedicated DLH entrance or security line? Staying at DL for 5 days end of Feb. beginning of March

PPH entrance goes in to DCA as far as i know.
We were last there in Aug and no EMH gates were not marked everyone just walks in together but you will need to show your room key, by Plazza inn at DLH and by Catharay Circle in DCA, otherwise, you get held up at the rope drop. Hopefully they have changed it back to a designated entrance like they used to do.

 

[AZMermaid]

Peter Pan builds to 20-30 minutes pretty much immediately. Everyone going into the castle is heading there. Unless you are really upfront and can send one adult to quickly drop the stroller and connect back with the other adult and kids…. I’d do everything else in FL first and then get in line at the end of EE ahead of the non EE crowd. If it’s more than 30 min- do Adventureland or Storybookland Boats instead at 8 and go back to PP later when lines are long everywhere.

 

[alleighboo]

I will add, be prepared for Peter Pan not to be open. We did 2 days EE at DL and the first day it was completely down well into normal park opening and the second day we were were in the line for Peter Pan for about 10 minutes, about 15 people ahead of us, and it broke down and was evacuated.

We stayed at Paradise Pier and we left our hotel around 6:30 every morning to walk to security. We were only about 20-30 people back each morning. The line follow the road/sidewalk towards Paradise Pier, so if you're coming from Disneyland Hotel and there's a decent size line, you'll have to walk down to the end of the line and basically double back walking. We had at least 3 security lines open at 7. The real bummer are the people flooding in from the parking lots on the other side. Their security opens at 7:15, so almost the exact moment we entered the esplanade, the Harbor side started flooding in. Stay to the right walking down main street to cut some time off weaving in and out of crowds once you get in.

10/10 recommend checking to see if anyone is already lined up for Storybook Land Canal Boats a little before 8. After Peter Pan and Alice breaking down on us the first day, we rode the carrousel and went and waited for the boats at 7:50ish. We were first and I got to sign the guest log book and open the ride for the day. Super cool experience!

 

[shosh1530]

I had read on somewhere on this forum that DL hotel guests could use the PPH entrance. If that is the case, would it be quicker than the front gate? Does the PPH entrance go into DCA or DL? Are the EE lines and designated spots well marked?Is there a dedicated DLH entrance or security line? Staying at DL for 5 days end of Feb. beginning of March

Yes, the PPH entrance goes into DCA. When we stayed at the Paradise Pier we were able to go through the Grand Californian to get to Disneyland, which was a shorter walk than going through DTD. You could try that depending on what tower you are staying at DLH, but it probably wouldn't save much if any time.