Getting Park ECV before park opens

[PrincessSuzanne]

My mom decided to take our family to CP for breakfast for my birthday next Friday and the Reservation would require us to enter the park prior to opening, my question is Will they allow us to stop and rent an ECV as we enter to go to our reservation, or are we going to have to risk coming back later? I called WDW but the CM just hemmed and hawed, but she said it shouldn't be a problem, but I know you guys know the answer to this. I will change my reservation if I have to, but really don't want to

Suzanne

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I just spoke with someone at MK Stroller Rental about this. The answer is that Stroller Rental is open as soon as they let the first Guests in for early breakfast, so you would have no problem.

 

[phillybeth]

You won't have any problems. DH got an ECV prior to opening on the day we did the Keys to the Kindom tour. Have fun!

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Thank you both so much, I knew I could count on the DIS community to answer my questions.

Suzanne

 

[CAJUNBLAZE]

not to hijack but can you get an ecv before the park opens to use in the park with no breakfast ressies? Save time will waiting for the park to open?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Unless you have reservations for a meal in the park prior to the regular opening time you normally are not allowed in the gate until official opening. Sometimes they will allow people in 10-15 minutes early, but then they are still restricted to the gate area.

 

[HarbinsMom]

And, if you're hopping it's sometimes hard to get an ECV after around 11am. I have rheumatoid arthritis and to top that off I've had 2 knee surgeries since January and am still on crutches. I had to break down and rent an ECV all last week for our stay....mandatory if I wanted to go. We hopped 4 days and 2 of them I was on wait lists for an ECV. The 1st time at MGM I didn't wait more than 2 hours, but at the MK I waited almost 6. My husband and son took turns pushing me in a regular wheelchair. Let's just say I don't want to EVER repeat that experience again.

 

[shellybaxter]

not to hijack but can you get an ecv before the park opens to use in the park with no breakfast ressies? Save time will waiting for the park to open?

If you arrive prior to the rope drop you will be let into the park far enough to get an ECV unless things have changed since I last went. For example, in the MK they let guests into the area in front of the train station. I was allowed to rent an ECV while waiting for the opening ceremonies. This was true in each of the other parks as well.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

If you arrive prior to the rope drop you will be let into the park far enough to get an ECV unless things have changed since I last went. For example, in the MK they let guests into the area in front of the train station. I was allowed to rent an ECV while waiting for the opening ceremonies. This was true in each of the other parks as well.

Friday morning they weren't letting anyone in that far unless they had dining reservations.

Suzanne

 

[shellybaxter]

Friday morning they weren't letting anyone in that far unless they had dining reservations.

Suzanne

Hi Suzanne,

Did they not do the opening number at the train station? If they did, didn't they let people in to stand in front of the mickey flower bed and fill in back to the turnstiles?

That's how for they let people in when I was there and they let you go under the rope to rent the ECVs. That was at the MK. Of course at AK, DS, and EPCOT the rental place is before the rope drop so you could easily get to the ECVs there. That's just my expirience. Its completly possible that they are doing things differently.

Shelly

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Hi Suzanne,

Did they not do the opening number at the train station? If they did, didn't they let people in to stand in front of the mickey flower bed and fill in back to the turnstiles?

That's how for they let people in when I was there and they let you go under the rope to rent the ECVs. That was at the MK. Of course at AK, DS, and EPCOT the rental place is before the rope drop so you could easily get to the ECVs there. That's just my expirience. Its completly possible that they are doing things differently.

Shelly

I have no idea if they did these things, we were at the park before 8:00am, about 1 hour before the park opened and the only people they were letting in were those with breakfast reservations. There weren't many people around at that time either. We had to show our resort ID to even be let through the TTC. The boat wasn't even running yet from the TTC, only the Express Monorail to the resorts and the MK.

We didn't go back to Main Street after breakfast either, so I don't know if they did this or not. They called us in really early for our reservation. We were scheduled for 9:05 am and we were called in about 8:15am. There weren't many people at that time, but when we got through about 1 hour later, there was a line of people waiting to get in.

Suzanne