Everything Early Theme Park Entry (ETPE) - Please Read Post 1

[Robo]

I will be a resort guest and plan to enter the park early a couple of times on my next trip.
Does it matter if I made my park reservations as an annual pass holder and not a resort guest for early entry?

Nope.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

no it doesnt, just where you are staying.

 

[friendoffigment]

Going to AK for an 8:00am opening (7:30 resort guests). What time will the gates open for those traveling by car. Will those going by bus get to the entrance sooner.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

I will be a resort guest and plan to enter the park early a couple of times on my next trip. Does it matter if I made my park reservations as an annual pass holder and not a resort guest for early entry?

no

 

[Missmaureen78]

Two questions on ETPE at MK:

(1) In videos I have seen of rope drop, they make an announcement…”Let the magic begin” etc. are they still doing that? Does it happen at ETPE or regular park opening?

(2) Even though it’s only FantasyLand and TL that are open, can you line up for other rides? for example, can we get in line for HM if we got done with PPF before 9:00?

 

[elgerber]

Two questions on ETPE at MK:

(2) Even though it’s only FantasyLand and TL that are open, can you line up for other rides? for example, can we get in line for HM if we got done with PPF before 9:00?

No. You will be held at a rope outside of the other lands. We were held by the tangled bathrooms.

 

[GBRforWDW]

Going to AK for an 8:00am opening (7:30 resort guests). What time will the gates open for those traveling by car. Will those going by bus get to the entrance sooner.

According to this thread, parking lots open about an hour before ETPE begins:



https://www.disboards.com/threads/everything-early-theme-park-entry-etpe-please-read-post-1.3855945/

 

[scrappinginontario]

No. You will be held at a rope outside of the other lands. We were held by the tangled bathrooms.

Thank you! This is a great piece of information. I've added it to Post 1. Appreciate your help with this.

Do you happen to know if there is any sort of special announcement or show that happens at either ETPE or official park opening time?

 

[elgerber]

Thank you! This is a great piece of information. I've added it to Post 1. Appreciate your help with this.

Do you happen to know if there is any sort of special announcement or show that happens at either ETPE or official park opening time?

I guess I could have answered that too LOL. At MK there is a park open, but not at ETPE.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

At a AOA and went to AK today.

The bus was a touch late and did not arrive until 6:32 a.m.

Arrived at the bus station for Animal Kingdom at 6:43 a.m.


It's 6:45 I went through security.

About 6:47 I was standing in line and I was about 10 people back from the front.

 

[jskbird13]

We're here now. They scanned our tickets, asked what hotel we were staying at and then took the Swan room key as proof. We've done EE twice with no problem at all.

Awesome! Thank you!!

 

[EasinEpcot]

We are trying to decide whether or not to book our next trip on or off property. We've always stayed in a family suite at AoA, but really need more space and can't afford a DVC villa. The only remaining benefit I can see from staying on property (besides the ambience) is ETPE. However, it seems like it would only really help us get one high-demand ride, like FoP which is a must for us. Am I missing something? And waiting in line to get in to ETPE seems like it counters the goal of not waiting in line for rides. I guess what I'm interested in are some examples of when ETPE would really be of benefit.

 

[aeasterling]

We are trying to decide whether or not to book our next trip on or off property. We've always stayed in a family suite at AoA, but really need more space and can't afford a DVC villa. The only remaining benefit I can see from staying on property (besides the ambience) is ETPE. However, it seems like it would only really help us get one high-demand ride, like FoP which is a must for us. Am I missing something? And waiting in line to get in to ETPE seems like it counters the goal of not waiting in line for rides. I guess what I'm interested in are some examples of when ETPE would really be of benefit.

On a busy day it might be helpful. Example, we are staying at the Swan and did Hollywood Studios today. We walked into the park about 8:20 and walked right onto MFSR at 8:30. Rode and immediately rode again - off second ride at 9:05. Then rode TSMM walk on, then RRC with a 30 min standby. By 10:15, we had done those 4 rides and it was starting to get crowded - hour plus waits for MFSR, SDD and ROTR. If you also had Genie Plus (as we did), you could start using it in the afternoon.

 

[CarolynFH]

And waiting in line to get in to ETPE seems like it counters the goal of not waiting in line for rides.

Many would point out that when waiting in line for ETPE, you’re not using time when you could have been riding other things.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Many would point out that when waiting in line for ETPE, you’re not using time when you could have been riding other things.

Yes, our preference is to use our 'waiting' time before the parks open and then move efficiently through attractions when the park first opens and lines are lower.

This is a great example of this:

On a busy day it might be helpful. Example, we are staying at the Swan and did Hollywood Studios today. We walked into the park about 8:20 and walked right onto MFSR at 8:30. Rode and immediately rode again - off second ride at 9:05. Then rode TSMM walk on, then RRC with a 30 min standby. By 10:15, we had done those 4 rides and it was starting to get crowded - hour plus waits for MFSR, SDD and ROTR. If you also had Genie Plus (as we did), you could start using it in the afternoon.

 

[Tiggr88]

I see in another thread that someone said they got on Rise at 7:50 and finished Rise and MFSR by 8:30 today. Have they changed the entry process for HS? Last week I believe they were holding people outside the 'lands' until 8:30.

 

[Tiggr88]

I just heard from someone that on Facebook there was a report the CMs allowed people to get into GE early today and that it might be at the discretion of the CMs. Should be interesting to follow to see how often it occurs. Looks like they restricted it to GE area and perhaps not TSL or Sunset.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

I just wrapped up a 10 day stay.

I did not rope drop Rise.

They DID let everybody in the park (resort guests) at about 730 for an 830 opening.

For example, I stood outside the door to MMRR from about 735-830 on 2 of my mornings

Quite frankly, DHS has the best RD procedure right now.

The other parks hold you at some sort of rope and part of your 30 minutes is spent walking from the rope to your ride......and that can take anywhere from 3-8 minutes depending on the ride and it's location.......FoP is the worst.

RD'd it twice and both times I got out at about 757-801...............and I was always in the first loading of the "theaters".

 

[shawthorne44]

We are trying to decide whether or not to book our next trip on or off property. We've always stayed in a family suite at AoA, but really need more space and can't afford a DVC villa. The only remaining benefit I can see from staying on property (besides the ambience) is ETPE. However, it seems like it would only really help us get one high-demand ride, like FoP which is a must for us. Am I missing something? And waiting in line to get in to ETPE seems like it counters the goal of not waiting in line for rides. I guess what I'm interested in are some examples of when ETPE would really be of benefit.

Because of the ILL$$$ rides, we can now put a price on the ETPE benefit. It is the cost of one ILL$$$ ride multiplied by however many people in your room. So, look at the list of ILL$$$ rides and figure out which one you'd RD on each of your park days. Take the cost of those and multiply that by the number of people, and mentally add that to the price of the off-site hotel/airbnb. Add in whatever parking charges. Now you are comparing apples-to-apples. It might turn out that off-site is more expensive but preferred. Although the family suites are expensive.

 

[RhodyKP]

We did AK today. Got the first bus from Pop at 6:35, disembarked at 6:48. They held us at the turnstiles until about 7:15. The only option was then to “go left.” Right after the turnstiles you had to stop and scan your magic bands to show you were staying at a resort.Then everyone headed to the bridge to Pandora, where they held us until 7:30 and then escorted us (by forming a human shield in front of us) to the FoP standby line. We were off before 8 and had time to do Navi River Journey before getting a safari right about when they opened at 8:15.