Extra magic hour am issues

[MaddlesMom]

We are staying at Pop and today was EMH at MK. We left Pop at 6 by car... got to TTT before 630... bag check not open and a long line. Monorail running was just resort one not express. We ended up not getting into MK until after 7 am opening time. Rushed to 7 Dmt And was already at 30 minute wait. Just wanted to let people know who might be in same situation!

 

[Ensusieasm]

We are staying at Pop and today was EMH at MK. We left Pop at 6 by car... got to TTT before 630... bag check not open and a long line. Monorail running was just resort one not express. We ended up not getting into MK until after 7 am opening time. Rushed to 7 Dmt And was already at 30 minute wait. Just wanted to let people know who might be in same situation!

It’s always best to go to MK EMH by bus because your experience today happens all the time.

 

[SgtTibbs]

It’s always best to go to MK EMH by bus because your experience today happens all the time.

What about Uber to Contemporary then walk over? Would that have the same issue with security line not being open?

 

[Wish Upon A Starbucks]

What about Uber to Contemporary then walk over? Would that have the same issue with security line not being open?

If you were using Uber, cant you just Uber directly to the guest drop off for MK? Or don’t they allow that any more?

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Why didn’t you take the bus?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

If you were using Uber, cant you just Uber directly to the guest drop off for MK? Or don’t they allow that any more?

No, there is no “guest drop off” are at the MK for cars/Uber/Lyft/Taxi, they will drop you off at the TTC. Alternatively some people set the destination for CR and then walk over to MK.

Minnie Vans CAN take you straight to the MK (Bus Stop #11 to be exact). But otherwise it’s only Minnie Vans and Resort Busses that bypass the TTC.

 

[CAS239]

Confused if you're glad 7dmt was ONLY a 30 min wait by the time you got there...or if you were disappointed it was ALREADY a 30 min wait?

If you weren't at the MK gate about 30 min prior to opening, then a 30 min. wait after getting there after park opening was pretty good.

But if you're on site, you should always take the bus to MK as you get dropped off right at the park.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Never drive to MK if you don't have to.
Also they generally have a bus from TTC to MK if the monorail/ferry is not up and running yet.

 

[Robo]

Driving to MK for AM EMH is unwise.

They basically "pre-screen" for WDW resort guests at TTC.
Drivers are nearly all from non-WDW resorts, so they inhibit travel to MK from TTC until much closer to "regular hours" open time.

 

[SgtTibbs]

Confused if you're glad 7dmt was ONLY a 30 min wait by the time you got there...or if you were disappointed it was ALREADY a 30 min wait?

If you weren't at the MK gate about 30 min prior to opening, then a 30 min. wait after getting there after park opening was pretty good.

But if you're on site, you should always take the bus to MK as you get dropped off right at the park.

My take was that MaddlesMom was upset that despite arriving early to the TTC, the security checkpoints there did not open early enough and caused the family to be later into the park than expected. I can see where that would happen, I'm a fairly meticulous planner (even by Disboards standards) and I would not have know the check points at TTC open that late.

 

[Carriemel]

My take was that MaddlesMom was upset that despite arriving early to the TTC, the security checkpoints there did not open early enough and caused the family to be later into the park than expected. I can see where that would happen, I'm a fairly meticulous planner (even by Disboards standards) and I would not have know the check points at TTC open that late.

But by taking the bus, you completely bypass the TTC...OP was driving, and left to chance the transportation from TTC to MK proper.

 

[SgtTibbs]

But by taking the bus, you completely bypass the TTC...OP was driving, and left to chance the transportation from TTC to MK proper.

And when they had an issue posted about it here to warn others. Well played. Thank you MaddlesMon.

 

[JohnneeO]

I can hear the complaints now.

"This is unacceptable! I am paying $xx per night to park my car at your hotel, I expect that the security checkpoint and the monorail/boat/bus will be operating early enough to transport me to the MK gate in time for EMH!"

 

[revdon64]

I can hear the complaints now.

"This is unacceptable! I am paying $xx per night to park my car at your hotel, I expect that the security checkpoint and the monorail/boat/bus will be operating early enough to transport me to the MK gate in time for EMH!"

I don't know... this doesn't sound wholly unreasonable to me.

 

[HopperFan]

The expectation is non-Disney resort guests are coming via TTC, not able to do EMH and therefore “kept” at TTC longer.

I know we’ve taken the bus from TTC for EMM (since offsite can participate) but might not be an option EMH days.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

We have also been the "victim" of arriving early only to find the security checks have not started. We have also been burned by lining up in front of one of many identical tables only to find out our table was not going to be used. All those security people standing off to the side (about 5 or 10 feet away) could have provided guidance to the crowd indicating which tables would be manned, and which ones would not be used.

I certainly am in favor of the security checks, but they need to minimize the negative impact on people that arrive approximately one hour before rope drop.

The excitement of arriving early and seeing the park practically empty can be soured by a bad security check experience.

 

[revdon64]

The excitement of arriving early and seeing the park practically empty is something that just doesn't really happen anymore.

 

[soniam]

We learned this the hard way this summer with an Early Morning Magic. Both monorails were unexpectedly broken, and the ferry wasn't running. We ended up being a few minutes late. Two weeks ago, we did MK AM EMH and an EMM, even though we had a car, we took the bus from POR both days. The AM EMH was at 7am, which really worried me. The buses always seem to be running pretty early, even by 6am for a 7am opening.

 

[limabeanmom2003]

Good to know! We usually drive but thanks to your heads up we will take the bus for our EMH MK day.

 

[disneylover102]

Wow. I’ve personally never had the experience of security not being open yet. In fact, at DL last year when we stayed close enough to walk to both parks, I was there between 6-6:30 AM every day and security was always open, even though barely anybody would be crazy like me to be there that early. Thanks for reporting because otherwise we might have driven to TTC.