EE strategy please help

kwoods

Earning My Ears
Joined
Dec 17, 2022
Messages
1
My family have 3 day park hopper and going Dec 19-21. Staying at DLH Very excited to go this time of year as never been for the holidays. So couple of questions:
1. What time should we leave to get through security to be close to front for EE. (also what is the "best" line to be in for each park as I know everyone gets let in at same time)?
2. For EE thinking of doing Space Mountain and then heading back to rope drop Rise. Is this doable?
3. For EE for DCA thinking of doing Soaring and then rope droping Cars?

If there is a better strategy please let me know. Thanks!
 
We were at security before 6:45 or so and there were already a lot of people there. We still were able to get on the first monorail into the park and were in an empty Tomorrowland by about 7:35. If you're heading to SM, you may want to see how the monorail situation looks.
 
If you are not doing the monorail, the current wisdom is to be at DTD security by about 6:25am to be near the front of the line. They have been opening the DTD security line close to 7am, while Harbor gets opened around 7:10/7:15ish. The goal is to be in line at the gate before the crush from Harbor gets there.

I'm not sure if there is a "best" line, but since the EE corridor is on the right side of the hub it sort of makes sense to come in on the right side. I'm not sure it makes much difference, though - knowing where you are going is half the battle.

You can probably hit Space Mountain and maybe Buzz or Star Tours en route to the Fantasyland gate to Big Thunder Mountain Trail depending on how the crowds are looking.

There is a pinned thread that has tips for EE/rope drop. It is well worth a read.

For DCA, Soarin' is a fine choice. Alternatively some folks do Web Slingers and/or Guardians before getting in line for RSR. YMMV.
 

1. What time should we leave to get through security to be close to front for EE. (also what is the "best" line to be in for each park as I know everyone gets let in at same time)?
You should be at security by 630am-640am

2. For EE thinking of doing Space Mountain and then heading back to rope drop Rise. Is this doable?
Yes, BUT know that Rise can be down at park opening and have a plan if that happens. BTW DO NOT pay attention to the CMs that say Rise is down before park opening. It is possible that ride will be up or about to open at park opening. I usually stay near the attraction entrance for 15-20 minutes to see if it opens.

3. For EE for DCA thinking of doing Soaring and then rope droping Cars?
That could work, but keep in mind that Soarin is a slow loader and they tend to be down to one screen and only a certain number of seats during EE and park opening.
 
If we don't care about being in the first few cars on a ride, and just want to make sure we have a good 20-25 minutes of EE time to hit a few Fantasyland dark rides, how early do you think we need to get in the security line? We're staying at the GCH and so would be crossing through DTD to DL, presumably using the GCH/DTD security line.

It seems crazy to me that we need to line up 45 minutes before EE starts, just because Disney doesn't have a dedicated EE ticket line. Why would they make one of their main on-site perks so difficult to use in a completely avoidable way?
 
If we don't care about being in the first few cars on a ride, and just want to make sure we have a good 20-25 minutes of EE time to hit a few Fantasyland dark rides, how early do you think we need to get in the security line? We're staying at the GCH and so would be crossing through DTD to DL, presumably using the GCH/DTD security line.

It seems crazy to me that we need to line up 45 minutes before EE starts, just because Disney doesn't have a dedicated EE ticket line. Why would they make one of their main on-site perks so difficult to use in a completely avoidable way?
Yes you can arrive later, but then it is up to the line and guests in front of you at the entrance. At least arriving early you should barely have anyone in front of you.
 
If we don't care about being in the first few cars on a ride, and just want to make sure we have a good 20-25 minutes of EE time to hit a few Fantasyland dark rides, how early do you think we need to get in the security line? We're staying at the GCH and so would be crossing through DTD to DL, presumably using the GCH/DTD security line.

It seems crazy to me that we need to line up 45 minutes before EE starts, just because Disney doesn't have a dedicated EE ticket line. Why would they make one of their main on-site perks so difficult to use in a completely avoidable way?
It's not a "need to" but a "if you want to get the most of of it" situation.

That said, I agree that they are minimizing the usefulness of the perk. MM/EMH used to be a full hour, and had dedicated turnstiles (which switched over at official opening), and I really don't see why, for the price of staying on site (since the perk has been eliminated from park hoppers), that can't be the way it is. But I'm guessing the cost of having both parks open early every day necessitates that it be for half the time in order to keep it economical for the bean counters and the current staffing levels.

Having never experienced the new EE, I will hold off on judgement until I try it in January.

Once I try it, though, Disney will get my feedback, be it good or ill.
 
Ok, makes sense, thanks both. I would just hate to get my family out of our room at ~700am just to spend 25 minutes in security and 25 minutes at the turnstiles, so then by the time we get to Fantasyland it's basically already 8 and EE is over. Sounds like there's a risk the line could be bad but still a reasonable chance if we leave at 7 we can be in FL by 735/740 or so. I guess we'll try to leave at 650, but getting the family out the door at 620 to be in line at 630 (and then asking them to stand there for 30 minutes) is a big ask.

I don't mind if leaving our room (at GCH) at 7 gets us to Fantasyland at ~735/740... from what I understand the lines are short enough anyways we should be able to do ~4+ rides by 830 if we're quick. I just don't want to go through the hassle of getting us out the door at 7 just to only get to Fantasyland after 8am anyways which would be pointless...
 
Anyone have any info on how early we would have to be there if we wanted to use the new DCA entrance by the Corn Dog Castle? I would think even though the walk to rides might be a little longer but because only hotel guests can use it we wouldn't have to be there so early. I have a 3 year old who is not tall enough for most of the stuff open during early entry so we are probably going to go do Mater a few times or do Webslingers and then Mater depending on how we feel. We will probably try to be on Pixar Pier around actual rope drop because we love Midway Mania (sad that isn't open EE) and my daughter loves the carousal.
 
We got aced by the PPH elevators for our EE time on Sunday (like seriously wasted 20 min and after watching the same elevator go by our floor going UP twice while we were still waiting for the assigned elevator going down we finally just said we wanted to go up to 10. The elevator we'd watched go up twice came right away, we got on and only had to go up a couple more floors before we went back down and were finally out). So we weren't at the PPH DCA gate right away but still walked right in when we got over there. We never saw more than a handful of other people using this entrance the entire time we were there-to the point it made me wonder if they will keep it open if usage doesn't pick up somewhat. There were at least 2 security folks there (sometimes 3) and 1-2 CM's to scan tickets every time we went through and that can't be especially cost effective.

Honestly, I might even aim to arrive there just at or a few minutes after 7:30 and I'm sure you'll sail right through. (same with using the monorail for EE for DL).
 
Anyone have any info on how early we would have to be there if we wanted to use the new DCA entrance by the Corn Dog Castle? I would think even though the walk to rides might be a little longer but because only hotel guests can use it we wouldn't have to be there so early. I have a 3 year old who is not tall enough for most of the stuff open during early entry so we are probably going to go do Mater a few times or do Webslingers and then Mater depending on how we feel. We will probably try to be on Pixar Pier around actual rope drop because we love Midway Mania (sad that isn't open EE) and my daughter loves the carousal.
We just did this today! We were in line at 7:10 and about 50 people back. At about 7:20 they started letting people through security and then through to the side of the sunglasses shop. There were maybe 20-30 people behind us when the line started moving. We got a bit lucky and slid up when “filling all available space.” We went to Incredicoaster first and were the second family in line. FYI they don’t let you line up for TSMM ahead of time- but people started lurking around it at 5 till.

Going in the DL/DTD entrance from the Grand we were 50ish back at 6:45 and 25th ish at 6:30. Both times we were first at the gate- but not first to the gates!
 
Do park gates open at 7:30 for EE or are you let in earlier than that? It seems like it would eat up a fair bit of time just to get in if the lines don't even start moving until 7:30.
 
A few days ago the gates opened at about 7:20. Everyone is let in and those with EE are split off and let through right at 7:30. There are signs saying where to go But basically keep right
 
Has anyone used the monorail to enter DL for EE at 7:30? Any feedback from the experience, such as what time the monorail left Downtown Disney and what time you arrived in Tomorowland?
 
Has anyone used the monorail to enter DL for EE at 7:30? Any feedback from the experience, such as what time the monorail left Downtown Disney and what time you arrived in Tomorowland?

We did in October. We were near the beginning of the line and we were scanned in sometime after 7:20. There was already a monorail waiting. It left at 7:30 and we were in Tomorrowland about 7:35.
 








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