Extended Evening Hours: Standby line or lightning lane?

[Straulin]

For the extended evening hours, what is the standard system of access?

In the old days of Fast Pass we did it once and they had us go through the fast pass /lightning lanes to scan our bands to verify we were eligible to ride during the extra magic hours.

We were at Epcot a few weeks ago and staying in a deluxe resort. We stayed for the extended evening hours and went to Remi’s. When we got there, the line was about an hour and a half long. We asked the CM standing at the end of the line that holds the Line Starts Here sign if we used the lightning lane for the extended hours and they said we use the standby entrance. We moved on and all the popular rides we had waited to ride had long waits listed in the app. We gave up and went on back to our room without checking with the CM’s anywhere else.

I just wanted to verify that was correct? After we left I started wondering how they verify you are eligible if they don’t use the lightning lane scan in for extended hours.

 

[SheSingsAlong]

In January for Deluxe Evening Hours, we did use the standby line, but there were CMs posted at the entrance areas with mobile Magic Band scanners (like they use for setting up rider swap). You identified your group and usually the CM would only verify by scanning 1 person's magic band. I have heard of situations where ALL magic bands are scanned though. Lines may have been long when you were there because regular guests still have the option of hopping in line right before park official close.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

For the extended evening hours, what is the standard system of access?

In the old days of Fast Pass we did it once and they had us go through the fast pass /lightning lanes to scan our bands to verify we were eligible to ride during the extra magic hours.

We were at Epcot a few weeks ago and staying in a deluxe resort. We stayed for the extended evening hours and went to Remi’s. When we got there, the line was about an hour and a half long. We asked the CM standing at the end of the line that holds the Line Starts Here sign if we used the lightning lane for the extended hours and they said we use the standby entrance. We moved on and all the popular rides we had waited to ride had long waits listed in the app. We gave up and went on back to our room without checking with the CM’s anywhere else.

I just wanted to verify that was correct? After we left I started wondering how they verify you are eligible if they don’t use the lightning lane scan in for extended hours.

We've done EEH at MK and it's scanned MB through the regular line with CMs posted to scan cards/MBs with iPads. You do not use the LL line for EEH, they will usually verify you're a deluxe guest when you get in line and again at some point before you board the ride. I'm sure it could vary at some attractions but for the most part, you use the standby queues.

I've not done EEH at Epcot but I've heard from people that have and they said the lines for EEH are longer than they expected. They thought, as do I, it's because Epcot has less rides to absorb the number of deluxe guests compared to MK. We have done EEH during spring break and over the summer at MK and it really felt more crowded the first hour with popular attractions still showing 45min+waits, but by the last 1.5 hours or so, it's a ghost town and most all rides are walk ons. Sadly, there's just not as many Epcot attractions to accommodate the number of deluxe guests. But, I do think you need to give EEH time and wait for the last 1-1.5 hours to really enjoy lower waits.

 

[musicguy856]

For the extended evening hours, what is the standard system of access?

In the old days of Fast Pass we did it once and they had us go through the fast pass /lightning lanes to scan our bands to verify we were eligible to ride during the extra magic hours.

We were at Epcot a few weeks ago and staying in a deluxe resort. We stayed for the extended evening hours and went to Remi’s. When we got there, the line was about an hour and a half long. We asked the CM standing at the end of the line that holds the Line Starts Here sign if we used the lightning lane for the extended hours and they said we use the standby entrance. We moved on and all the popular rides we had waited to ride had long waits listed in the app. We gave up and went on back to our room without checking with the CM’s anywhere else.

I just wanted to verify that was correct? After we left I started wondering how they verify you are eligible if they don’t use the lightning lane scan in for extended hours.

Highly unlikely the line was 90 minutes in reality. They love to inflate the times near park close. Normally they use a handheld scanner at the standby entrance for extended hours.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Highly unlikely the line was 90 minutes in reality. They love to inflate the times near park close. Normally they use a handheld scanner at the standby entrance for extended hours.

Yes, this too, rides will literally be walk ons and the posted wait time will say 60 minutes.....and if you ask the CM, they will say the same, they won't give away their secrets to try to discourage guests getting in line at close.

 

[musicguy856]

Yes, this too, rides will literally be walk ons and the posted wait time will say 60 minutes.....and if you ask the CM, they will say the same, they won't give away their secrets to try to discourage guests getting in line at close.

And sometimes they are extra sneaky and close switchbacks that you can’t see from outside the queue. Space Mountain and ToT are examples of these.

 

[wdw&sonny]

Seems like the resort guests should get to use the LL for EEH, no? And, regular guest use SB.

 

[sky13]

Did MK and Epcot EEH last year in November. They definitely scanned my MB to verify that I was staying at a deluxe resort at the rides. The only ride that didn't was Space Mountain, because apparently their scanner device broke down... but they were asking everyone to show evidence of staying at a deluxe resort before letting people in the queue e.g. the resort stay showing up on MDE app.

Regular queue if I don't remember wrongly.

I had a surprisingly good time at Epcot EEH, not sure if I got lucky. Did GOTG with the VQ. Remy was a walk on so I did it twice in a row. Soarin was so empty (last 15 minute or so before end of EEH) that they were only loading the centre section... I asked the CMs if I could just stay in the theatre to ride again and they let me and even got me a front row seat for my re-ride... This was all in about 1.5 hours as for a few reasons I only got started with going on rides half an hour into EEH.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Seems like the resort guests should get to use the LL for EEH, no? And, regular guest use SB.

No, once regular guests can no longer enter lines, it's one line only. During EEH, regular guests cannot ride anything after the EEH cut off at a certain point.

 

[Straulin]

Glad we didn’t have one CM that was confused and have us miss out, but man that kinda sucks. Half the 2 hours would be taken up by a single one of the popular rides if they were accurate on their times.

The posted wait times were all about what they had been through the evening. They may have done some sort of manipulation of the switchbacks. We didn’t wait around to figure it out. Our thought was that it was just everyone that ran and got in line prior to “closing” for their final ride.