EE into DCA on a Sunday - 7am

[egritz]

We are staying at PP on Saturday night so that we can get EE on Sunday into DCA at 7am. Since EE is only for Resort guests, and since EE is really early at 7am, I'm *guessing* we can get away with leaving the hotel around 6am? Or am I mistaken?

 

[gottalovepluto]

Oh yeah! You will definitely be among the first into DCA.

 

[egritz]

Truth be told, we may end up leaving closer to 6:30.

I'm also wondering about the GCH entrance and if we should shoot for that. I was thinking of getting breakfast at the little counter restaurant (had their breakfast burrito before and it was yummy!!)

 

[realrellim]

You can leave a lot later than that. I think we left DLH at 6:45 for a 7 am early entry on Sunday. We just missed rope drop, but it was smooth sailing through security and the ticket line. The next morning it was an 8 am early entry and we didn't leave the room until 7:50, booked it through Downtown Disney, and actually made it in time for rope drop. That surprised even us. (DL, on the other hand, already had people in line and the lines were long by 8:25 when we left DCA to be in time for rope drop at DL.)

 

[realrellim]

I wouldn't do the GCH entrance. It's a bit of a maze to get to the entry and there aren't as many ticket booths or security people. It's definitely faster to head to the main entrance.

 

[egritz]

Great, thanks for the suggestions, leaving later will make the husband VERY happy (and the 5 year old too probably). We'll just hit La Brea for breakfast on the walk to the main entrance, and maybe go to the GCH for a mid-morning snack when we get hungry

 

[mom2rtk]

No need to leave at 6 unless you have your heart set on being first at the gate. The 7 AM openings have fewer people. I'd probably leave at 6:30.

And totally agree using GCH would be a mistake. There is only one line there in the morning and it backs up a lot. Go on through into DTD and through the main gates.

 

[Jerryp49]

Check in at the hotel Saturday morning around 6am or 630am and even though your room wont be ready untiol 3pm they will give you your hotel room keys which you can use for EMH for DL at 7am . Make sure everyone in your party gets a room key. You need to show it along with admission to get in early

 

[egritz]

Check in at the hotel Saturday morning around 6am or 630am and even though your room wont be ready untiol 3pm they will give you your hotel room keys which you can use for EMH for DL at 7am . Make sure everyone in your party gets a room key. You need to show it along with admission to get in early

Ye,s I'm aware that can be done, however it is not an option for us (DH & DD's AP's are blocked for Saturday, plus we aren't leaving home until Saturday morning and have a 6-8 hour drive).

Thanks for letting me know everyone needs a room key, i'll be sure to request one for the kiddo too!

 

[Nevada Jen]

6:30 will be absolutely fine as long as you use the main entrance to DCA. If you happen to make it out the door at 6 you will likely be in the very front of the line (although it is beyond me why anyone would want to do that).

 

[robin2588]

I enjoy being out in DTD when it is a ghost town. I take the opportunity to get pictures of my family with no one around. Also, I find it awesome to be in the Esplande with hardly a soul in sight We like to get a lot done in the AM and come back for an afternoon rest/pool time, so being up early isn't a big deal. I know a lot people say well your still waiting in line to get in the park, but I just find it nice since hardly anyone is around, and we find it helpful because we're always on and off RSR within the first 10 minutes of EMH.

 

[cmph]

We walked into EMH at like 7:15 on Sunday. The kids couldn't deal with EMH that early two days in a row! But we still got a lot in that day, so it was fine with us. By the way, at DL and DCA, I'm the only one who ever showed our room key in the family. I hadn't even bothered to bring the kids' room keys, and no CM asked for my husband's either (although he was carrying it for room charging purposes). No one asked to see them at the gates at all, just the CMs within the parks. I had it in my lanyard facing out and held it up, and they just waved all 4 of us in each time. Guess I would have been in real trouble if they asked for the kids'!!

 

[realrellim]

By the way, at DL and DCA, I'm the only one who ever showed our room key in the family. I hadn't even bothered to bring the kids' room keys, and no CM asked for my husband's either (although he was carrying it for room charging purposes). No one asked to see them at the gates at all, just the CMs within the parks. I had it in my lanyard facing out and held it up, and they just waved all 4 of us in each time. Guess I would have been in real trouble if they asked for the kids'!!

No one asked us either, though I wondered if maybe somehow that information was included in our park hopper ticket? We were there because DH was attending a conference at DLH and we bought our park hoppers with a special conference discount. Maybe the hotel stay was also somehow linked to the account? (Or maybe they didn't care?) I was surprised by that too.