Early park hours...how does that work?

[littleladykaty]

As a resort guest we are allowed into the parks early on certain days...do we just go up to the gate past people waiting in line and flash our resort room key?! Or is there a specific entrance for resort guests? I HATE going past people waiting in line! I'm not special...just staying at the resort for my honeymoon!!!!

We have ADR's for the Crystal palace at 8:25 am and the parks don't open until 9...

anybody have any idea about this? THANKS!!!

 

[Robo]

As a resort guest we are allowed into the parks early on certain days...do we just go up to the gate past people waiting in line and flash our resort room key?! Or is there a specific entrance for resort guests? I HATE going past people waiting in line! I'm not special...just staying at the resort for my honeymoon!!!!

We have ADR's for the Crystal palace at 8:25 am and the parks don't open until 9...

anybody have any idea about this? THANKS!!!

If its an EMH morning (and EMH starts at 8am) arrive at the front gate of MK between 7:30am-7:45am.

You can choose to enter MK at any time after they open that gates to resort guests at about 10 minutes before 8am.

If its not an EMH morning, arrive at MK by 8:10am and you will be allowed in the "restaurant" gate (far end of the entance) to go to your Crystal Palace ADR.

And I guess you'll just have to feel guilty about passing by all the other folks waiting...
I've got to say I really don't know WHAT to make of that statement.


Whatever you do, if "going past people waiting" bothers you, stay away from the Fastpass machines.

 

[BeckWhy]

I have a different question about EMH pertaining to Epcot. This one is for evening hours though. It says the park is open up to 3 hours after regular closing time, does that mean that Epcot is open until 10 pm(Future World closes at 7:00 pm) or Midnight (cuz World Showcase is open til 9:00pm) or is it both?

 

[brentalex]

For Epcot, the majority of the park will be open until midnight on the EMH nights. Although not all attractions are open, most are.
For the morning EMH, yes you do simply walk past the other people. Make sure that you both have you resort keys out so that the CM can see them. In theory, at the MK the non resort guests should be at the TTC since they should not be allowed to the front gates without the resort key. So you don't generally need to go by as many people.

 

[Robo]

In theory, at the MK the non resort guests should be at the TTC since they should not be allowed to the front gates without the resort key. So you don't generally need to go by as many people.

That's not how it works.

Anyone (even without an MK ticket) can ride the monorail or ferry from TTC to the front gate area of MK.

So anyone who is not a resort guest can still be standing at the entrance gates waiting for "regular" opening time.

 

[littleladykaty]

thanks everyone for your help...

Robo, you are rude. Who cares what you think of my statement of feeling badly about walking past people who are waiting...as a kid from a fairly large family I'm still very much about who got there first and people cutting in line. There was no need to get snotty about it. but thanks for the info either way!

 

[Robo]

Robo, you are rude. Who cares what you think of my statement of feeling badly about walking past people who are waiting...as a kid from a fairly large family I'm still very much about who got there first and people cutting in line. There was no need to get snotty about it.

Well, YOU made a point of saying you didn't want to "pass" anyone.

The only way I can respond, is to tell you that if you do early EMH or FastPass you WILL be doing that.

If you go through life assuming you are being insulted, you will FEEL insulted every day.

But I forgive you for being snippy with me.
I was raised that way.

 

[drogerstn]

That's not how it works.

Anyone (even without an MK ticket) can ride the monorail or ferry from TTC to the front gate area of MK.

So anyone who is not a resort guest can still be standing at the entrance gates waiting for "regular" opening time.

Years ago, we parked at TTC for MK Early Entry prior to Early Entry opening; we were checked for resort keys before being allowed up the monorail entrance ramp. We haven't tried this recently since we usually ride the bus when going to the MK now.

 

[littleladykaty]

Robo, you make no sense whatsoever...I never said I was feeling insulted...I said I felt badly about passing people who were there first...I was asking a question, not asking for personal opinions pertaining to my thought process in regards to those waiting in line ahead of me...as i said, thanks for the PARK info...

 

[Robo]

I said I felt badly about passing people who were there first...I was asking a question, not asking for personal opinions pertaining to my thought process in regards to those waiting in line ahead of me.

You keep bringing that up.
It must be something very painful in your past to make you so sensitive about it.

I hope you heal soon.

I won't trouble you again.

All the best.

 

[dizenthusiast]

That's not how it works.

Anyone (even without an MK ticket) can ride the monorail or ferry from TTC to the front gate area of MK.

So anyone who is not a resort guest can still be standing at the entrance gates waiting for "regular" opening time.

Just to clarify though, Disney DOES check for resort ID at the TTC, and on an EMH morning won't let anyone without resort ID board the monorail until about 15 minutes before "regular" opening time.

 

[Robo]

Just to clarify though, Disney DOES check for resort ID at the TTC, and on an EMH morning won't let anyone without resort ID board the monorail until about 15 minutes before "regular" opening time.

I'm glad they started this.

It will be a relief to those who are allowed to go in early.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

We were at WDW last Easter/Spring Break, and it was MK early hour every morning. On our MK days (3 days), we always got there in that extra 1st hour. We never were asked to show our resort ID (and I'd bought our tickets from a broker, so they weren't tied).

Can't comment of what was done at the TTC because we took the monorail from the Poly, but even then, just because you got on at the Poly. didn't mean you were staying on-site, and no checked IDs to get on there, either.

Yes, I know that it was a popular time, but 3 times we went and 0 times did they check any of us. Have things changed in < a year? And, if so, were a lot of people abusing the privilege.

 

[drogerstn]

... On our MK days (3 days), we always got there in that extra 1st hour. We never were asked to show our resort ID (and I'd bought our tickets from a broker, so they weren't tied)...

Were you there prior to EMH park opening, or did you arrive after the parks had opened for WDW resort guests?

Also, what time was "regular" park opening on those days; around Easter they often have regular opening at 8am (EMH at 7am?).

... Yes, I know that it was a popular time, but 3 times we went and 0 times did they check any of us. Have things changed in < a year? And, if so, were a lot of people abusing the privilege.

It was 10+ years ago when we were checked. Don't know if WDW changes policy frequently or how early they quit checking on days they do.