Early Entry Question

[Stargazer9]

We are visiting from 6/17 to 6/23, staying at Portofino Bay, so we have express passes as well as the early entry.

Just curious, for those who may have visited during a similar period... is the early entry so crowded as to be not worth the trouble?

As the week we visit will most likely be crowded, we want to maximize our park time, but we also want to have enjoyable experiences... so I'm trying to figure out if I should avoid EE or go for it...

We are the people who go to Disney but never go to the EMH... too nuts...

Thanks for your input!!

 

[TommyJK]

IMO, now that all of the Potter Rides accept express pass, early entry is really not all that necessary if you have EPs.

 

[Koz]

I was wondering the same thing. We are a long-time Disney family and I'm used to waking the kids at 6AM for breakfast so that we could be at rope drop an hour before. Die hard rope drop devotees. Someone made a remark to me that such an experience isn't a "vacation," instead, it's a "trip." My kids are older and prone to sleeping in now when they aren't getting up for school, which I totally agree with. Since we are staying @ HRH for a week at the end of AUG, and given that we have EP's for the week, other than knowing that the Harry Potter land is nice to see with lower crowd levels, is there any other reason to rush to the parks? Are we missing any other experience by not being there early and beating the masses? I get it that for Volcano Bay, it still pays to get there early and use your first hour to your advantage.

 

[Stargazer9]

But... is the EE time really lower crowds in WWOHP? Or does the entire mass of EE people rush for that area of the park? I'm thinking less about the rides (since the EP will get me in there at any point) and more about the crowding of the WWOHP area....

 

[TommyJK]

I think you'll find that the HP areas are most crowded in the morning as it's the only destination for EE and preferred initial destination for rope droppers.

Best time to visit HP worlds is early afternoon IMO

 

[Stargazer9]

I think you'll find that the HP areas are most crowded in the morning as it's the only destination for EE and preferred initial destination for rope droppers.

Best time to visit HP worlds is early afternoon IMO

This is what I'm thinking as well.... thanks!

 

[helenb]

FWIW, we have had good luck visiting the HP areas at night, in the last 2 hours of park operation. It's cool to see the areas lit up, and the lines/crowds are significantly diminished as compared to midday/afternoon.

 

[BubblyTrip]

Ugh. You guys are making me rethink my EE plan! We are also very early RD at WDW people, and we go hard in the mornings. HP is the main focus of our trip though. I wanted an hour to do DA without crazy crowds. Our days just got upped from level 3s to 4s.

We are going to hit DA the night before for a couple hours, so maybe that will help me decide about the next morning.

 

[bchbetha]

The HP areas might be crowded during EE but they get a lot more crowded later. I found EE lovely and worth doing.

 

[Galwayman81]

For EE do you have to be there at 8 (or whatever time it will be ) could you arrive at half hour after and go in , past those not entitled to EE ?

 

[bchbetha]

For EE do you have to be there at 8 (or whatever time it will be ) could you arrive at half hour after and go in , past those not entitled to EE ?

We had no chance of making the full hour. Even a 15 minute head start was good.

 

[bchbetha]

For EE do you have to be there at 8 (or whatever time it will be ) could you arrive at half hour after and go in , past those not entitled to EE ?

We had no chance of making the full hour. Even a 15 minute head start was good. You can show up mere minutes before general entry but they often start letting in everyone a few minutes early anyway.

 

[slpeters]

Are the HP restaurants open during EE?

I'm kind of looking at what we can do during that hour as well. We're sort of early risers and when I told my husband that there might not be much reason to do EE he asked what time it was at and when I said 8 his response was sort of well, if we're staying 10 minutes from the park and the park opens at 8 why wouldn't we go at 8?

Is the rest of the park sort of cordoned off Disney style or are the attractions just not running? A morning stroll though the empty park might actually be sort of a nice way to start the day...

 

[damo]

Are the HP restaurants open during EE?

I'm kind of looking at what we can do during that hour as well. We're sort of early risers and when I told my husband that there might not be much reason to do EE he asked what time it was at and when I said 8 his response was sort of well, if we're staying 10 minutes from the park and the park opens at 8 why wouldn't we go at 8?

Is the rest of the park sort of cordoned off Disney style or are the attractions just not running? A morning stroll though the empty park might actually be sort of a nice way to start the day...

The entire Harry Potter section will be open, including restaurants. The rest of the park has nothing running and employees keep you out of those areas. It is quite a walk to get to the Harry Potter areas, though, so you can walk more slowly through those sections.

 

[bumbershoot]

A morning stroll though the empty park might actually be sort of a nice way to start the day...

It really is.

 

[macraven]

Are the HP restaurants open during EE?

I'm kind of looking at what we can do during that hour as well. We're sort of early risers and when I told my husband that there might not be much reason to do EE he asked what time it was at and when I said 8 his response was sort of well, if we're staying 10 minutes from the park and the park opens at 8 why wouldn't we go at 8?

If you are staying onsite and walking to the park, or if you are doing a package that included EE at an offsite hotel, entering the park anytime before it officially opens, is good.

If you are driving from an offsite hotel, give yourself plenty of time for parking in the garage.

 

[jperrot1]

I have a question. Is Early Park Admission schedule like Disney's where only one park has it per day? Or is there always a one hour early park time for all 3 parks, each and every morning?

 

[macraven]

Most times it is one park only out of the Studios and IOA

A few times I have been at UO and both parks were open in October due to the expected crowds in advance.

But don't count on that happening in October.

For Vbay, check their hours on the website.
I don't go to the water park so not familiar with hours they keep regularly.
I only know by what is listed on the UO site.

 

[jperrot1]

Most times it is one park only out of the Studios and IOA

A few times I have been at UO and both parks were open in October due to the expected crowds in advance.

But don't count on that happening in October.

For Vbay, check their hours on the website.
I don't go to the water park so not familiar with hours they keep regularly.
I only know by what is listed on the UO site.

Thanks so much for the response. We are going late August. Would you know how soon in advance they will post Early Park Admission for those dates?

 

[bobbie68]

Thanks so much for the response. We are going late August. Would you know how soon in advance they will post Early Park Admission for those dates?

Hi you should know by the beginning of July. It usually is about one month ahead, but on occasion I have seen this website be behind to update for park hours and early entry hours.

VB will have EE probably at 8 and general public at 9. I looked on the website hours and for the month of August VB opens to the public at 9 so it will be at 8.

I have been to the parks three summers late July and Early August and was always fortunate to have both dry parks open for EE. I noticed each year around the middle of August it goes to one park. Anything can change though.

Happy planning!