Get there early - what does that mean?

[DebMcDonald]

Hi:

We're staying off site, 4-6 miles away if I am not mistaken (Marriott Village) and am looking for suggestions to what does get there early mean. If the park opens at 9:00, do I leave my hotel at 8:00.

Thanks!

Can you tell I am a first timers with kids.

 

[Dare2Wish]

Hi:

If the park opens at 9:00, do I leave my hotel at 8:00.

Yes, maybe even earlier, especially if you are off-site. Trust me, it will be worth it. You can do a lot in the parks before the 11:00am rush comes through. You want to BE THERE when the parks open!

 

[snappy]

I agree with Dare2wish, especially if you are talking about the Magic Kingdom.
You have the extra stop at the TTC, waiting for the monorail or ferryboat.

At all the parks, the bag check and finger scan backs up the lines.

Have fun!!

 

[AJKMOM]

Depending on when your trip is, it could take half an hour just to get thru security and the turnstiles with the finger scans. Add to that the trip from the parking lot, and I would plan to be in the MK parking lot by 8am. Once, we were stuck on the monorail for 45 minutes parked at the Poly. I have been reading a lot here about delays on the monorail.

 

[champagnegirl26]

For a 9am opening i too get to the parking lot at 8am latest especially for the magic Kingdom as it takes quite sometime to get from the TCC to the park entrance then through security and turnstiles.
Claire.

 

[ThinkTink510]

OOOPS!

 

[DeluxePrincess]

You will be OK leaving at 8 for everything except the Magic Kingdom. I would leave at 7:30 on your MK days just to be sure. The monorail and security lines there make MK the most time consuming park to get in. You probably already know this, but DO NOT go to the park that has EMH hours for onsite guests. Resort guests will already be in the parks and the lines will be longer for you.

 

[Leota]

I like to be at the gate 1/2 hour before opening. I've never stayed offsite, so I have no idea how long it takes to get in from "out there"

 

[Troy08]

Be at the MK parking lot by 8 a.m. for a 9 a.m. opening-believe me you will be glad you did!!!!

 

[rpbert1]

how long does it take to get to all the different parks if staying onsite. i am staying at POFQ

 

[tekmom]

It took us about 10 or 15 minutes usually from akl. we would arrive by 8:20 for a 9 opening.

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

So when they say there is the welcome character greeting at the park right at opening. Where do we have to be to see that? Do we have to be IN the park, through security and turnstiles?

 

[stevelamb121]

So when they say there is the welcome character greeting at the park right at opening. Where do we have to be to see that? Do we have to be IN the park, through security and turnstiles?

When you go into the parks, you normally find is it roped off. Epcot is normally right outside Spaceship earth, and MGM is normally at the top of the street.

Just follow the crowds, you wont get lost

 

[mavanilly]

We stayed offsite last week (Aug. 3-6) and left our hotel near Downtown Disney at 7:45 the morning we went to MGM. Had tons of time to spare and it was already way too warm for me to be standing around at the entrance gate waiting for them to check bags, etc. So the next morning we left at 8:15 to go to Epcot and got there with enough time to spare so that when we walked up to security it was clear sailing. Then we went to the ticket taker, finger scan and walked right through that. As we walked toward Spaceship Earth we could hear the countdown and we walked right in. It worked really well that morning without standing around waiting, waiting, waiting.

 

[dougsmom98]

I have only stayed offsite and I have 4 kids. My goal is to leave the hotel one hour and 15 minutes prior to opening. Now, with kids the reality is that by the time we get all strapped into car seats in the car it is actually an hour prior. That has been plenty of time for us even for the magic kingdom. We have always been there for the openings, but on our last trip they didn't do the finger scan.
-Amy

 

[Avalanche]

We always stay onsite, but we leave our room at 8:00 (for a 9:00 opening) and head to the bus stop. We are usually at the gate around 8:30. We are able to get soooooooooooo much done before 11:00.

 

[powellrj]

there is such a thing as getting there too early!! The first time we went, I listened when everyone said to get there early. We were the 2nd car in the magic kingdom parking lot!! We had our tickets and went to the gate to the monerail. We talked to the people working 3rd shift!! They were really nice and friendly and told us they rarely get to talk to guest, because they are usually gone before anyone arrives!! This was back in the 80's so I am not sure they even let you in the parking lot that early anymore. My family still teases me about the trip where mom made friends with the cleaning crew!!!