Gate Entry to DL

[MinnieVanMom]

What gate goes fastest to get into DL? I know I have read in the past that there is gate to line up in front of but can't find it now.

 

[blackjackdelta]

What gate goes fastest to get into DL? I know I have read in the past that there is gate to line up in front of but can't find it now.

A previous poster did mention if you got inline behind the MM people you could get in quicker once the park opened. I am not sure why that would really make a big difference out of the whole day?

Jack

 

[skiingfast]

I can't remember the number but keep looking. I know there are a couple and I last used the one about two thirds of the way to the west.

Just before they let people in this line gets split in half. I don't know why but people form one line because it is obstructed by a tree or something. A few minutes before opening a CM will split the line to the right and left turnstyles. It's just a strange trick that is really reliable.

 

[S. S. Columbia]

Gates 13 and 20 can sometimes be faster, because I think there are trees in front of Gates 14 and 19. The people in line for Gate 13 can enter through both Gate 13 and Gate 14, and the same is true for Gates 20 and 19. (But they don't always open up all of the gates, so Gates 13 and 20 aren't always faster.)

IMO it's more important to arrive at the green security tents approx. 30 minutes early, but it doesn't hurt to know about the Gate 13 & 20 Trick.

FWIW, here's a thread that talks about Gates 13 and 20:

Gate 13
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1812810

Here's the main post (#23):

"Gate 13 and 20 do work!

Hi All!

Just back from a week at Disney and wanted to let everyone know that the "Gate 13 and 20" theory is true. For a regular opening we ended up in line for Gate 20 with a tree in the middle of where the line would be. When people began being admitted, our line shot forward as both 19 and 20 opened and people split between the two.

On the Magic Morning we lined up at 13, with the same tree obstacle in front of us. When the gates opened, the line moved very quickly.

It works!

Gianna"

- lawyergirl22 (May 9, 2008)

Link: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=25026857&postcount=23

And the following post is about the Magic Morning Gate Trick (post #39):

"Here's my line trick:

On MM days, the MM line switches over to a regular line just prior to park opening. DH stood in the "regular line" right next to the MM gate because he didn't believe me. But as soon as it switched over maybe 5 minutes before park opening I was first in line."

- 3Minnies1Mickey (Feb. 3, 2010)

Link: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=35290750&postcount=39

HTH

 

[bumbershoot]

The main thing is to just be observant. People will line up like cattle, without taking in their surroundings. And people are afraid of being the first at a gate, just in case there's something wrong with that gate. If a new gate opens (meaning the sign is flipped over to indicate that it will be in use), many people are reluctant to "cut" in front of those in front of them, even though the people in front of them aren't moving.

So be aware that there are a couple lines that are sort of hidden by the big planters, and dno't be afraid to move (we will send one adult to go there, make sure it's open, and then the other adult and our son will move over if all is well) if you notice another, shorter, line, or if a line opens up.

And yes, be there early.

Jack, to me, being one of the first in the gates means being one of the first on main street, which means being ahead of many many people. Not to mention, sooooo many people will get in the gates and then just stop. To take pictures, to consult maps, to get the strollers...then they get near City Hall and the characters will be out, which nabs more people, then the bakery pulls more, etc etc...sure there will be the OTHER people running (no running in Disneyland!) past you as you "walk with purpose", but to me, if you're among the first, those people are made up for by all those who are stopped by various things along the way.

 

[PinkBudgie]

We usually line up at 13. 14 doesn't always open and if not, we are no worse off.

 

[blackjackdelta]

The main thing is to just be observant. People will line up like cattle, without taking in their surroundings. And people are afraid of being the first at a gate, just in case there's something wrong with that gate. If a new gate opens (meaning the sign is flipped over to indicate that it will be in use), many people are reluctant to "cut" in front of those in front of them, even though the people in front of them aren't moving.

So be aware that there are a couple lines that are sort of hidden by the big planters, and dno't be afraid to move (we will send one adult to go there, make sure it's open, and then the other adult and our son will move over if all is well) if you notice another, shorter, line, or if a line opens up.

And yes, be there early.

Jack, to me, being one of the first in the gates means being one of the first on main street, which means being ahead of many many people. Not to mention, sooooo many people will get in the gates and then just stop. To take pictures, to consult maps, to get the strollers...then they get near City Hall and the characters will be out, which nabs more people, then the bakery pulls more, etc etc...sure there will be the OTHER people running (no running in Disneyland!) past you as you "walk with purpose", but to me, if you're among the first, those people are made up for by all those who are stopped by various things along the way.

Molly, you have a good point. I have not run into that problem in the last couple of years with the rope drop at the hub. We do get to the gates early because we are up at 0500 everyday and do not mind waiting for the opening. I have also witnessed the mad dash to Nemo in the past, more than just purpose walking. Absolute all out running. We always head down to adventureland with a plan unless it is MM and then off to PP. We just blow by the gaulkers and continue on.

Thanks for your honest perspective,

Jack

 

[Funball]

What gates?where?huh??

I just now came into this thread.. and now I wanna know the dealio!

 

[Lissame]

This is only an issue if you are there before the gates open...if you're there after they open, just pick those that have fewer people. I try to choose ones that don't have strollers or ones that don't have large parties of people. Because for some reason, huge parties always hold up the line.

 

[bumbershoot]

What gates?where?huh??

I just now came into this thread.. and now I wanna know the dealio!

Turnstiles.

 

[Michelle2]

Totally agree about the cattle mentality there.

In the summertime, do they open all of the lines, or just the odds or evens, etc. Seems like I have to drag someone down to ask them, if not I always stand in the wrong one....

 

[MinnieVanMom]

1 more sleep and we are going to Disneyland. Blackjack we are also 0500 people so I will be killing time waiting to enter. I just want to make sure we arrive early and avoid most of the heavy crowds when possible.

Gate 13/14 and 19/20, got it.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I had the worst luck our last trip. I kept getting in the lines where a manager had to "explain" something to someone and they blocked the stroller/wheel chair entry. On more than one occaision the CM would let my 7 and 5 year old through the turnstyles with their APs while leaving me waiting outside with the stroller.

 

[PinkBudgie]

Totally agree about the cattle mentality there.

In the summertime, do they open all of the lines, or just the odds or evens, etc. Seems like I have to drag someone down to ask them, if not I always stand in the wrong one....

We always go in the summer and I've seen them open some and leave some closes and it hasn't always been odd/even.

 

[S. S. Columbia]

"Here's my line trick:

On MM days, the MM line switches over to a regular line just prior to park opening. DH stood in the "regular line" right next to the MM gate because he didn't believe me. But as soon as it switched over maybe 5 minutes before park opening I was first in line."

- 3Minnies1Mickey (Feb. 3, 2010)

Link: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=35290750&postcount=39

We used the Magic Morning Gate Trick yesterday -- the Magic Morning gates were Gates 25 & 26.

HTH

 

[PHXscuba]

I was there last Friday and they had pretty much all the gates open. I forgot about the gate 13/14 trick and wish I hadn't. We ended up behind about 8 people with Internet paper that had to be traded for a small ticket (while waiting, we were making jokes about folding them into oragami for the FP machines). But they let us through the turnstiles about 10 minutes early onto Main Street, so it wasn't so bad.

PHXscuba

 

[MulanFan]

IMO it's more important to arrive at the green security tents approx. 30 minutes early, but it doesn't hurt to know about the Gate 13 & 20 Trick.

So does this mean that the security tent opens 30 min before the park opens? Just making sure I understood this correctly. I understand there may be a line there too, until it opens. Thanks!

 

[Eeee-va]

So does this mean that the security tent opens 30 min before the park opens? Just making sure I understood this correctly. I understand there may be a line there too, until it opens. Thanks!

It can certainly vary. On a Magic Morning Sunday in June 2009, the tent opened around 10 minutes before the gates opened to Magic Morning guests. That's the only time we got there so early that we had to wait at the tent (but then in fairness, most days we visit, we don't have Magic Morning and it's a Magic Morning day, so the tents would be open unless we arrived more than an hour before the gates open to regular guests!).

 

[mdsd8700]

We were there for MM last Thursday. We got to the security tents about 6:25 and there were only about 50 people or so there at that time. Once through security everyone lined up behind everyone else at just a couple of turnstiles. We went to an unoccupied MM turnstile and were first in that line. I don't recall what number it was. The lines filled up shortly after that. I was surprised that we were kept at the gate until the opening at 7 am. No internal rope drop or first being let into the to the area just beyond the turnstiles. We were among the first to enter the park once it was opened. My kids wanted to ride the Matterhorn first so that is where we went and we the first ride that day!