How early in the morning to arrive?

[Tessa_Slytherin]

OK, all the guidebooks say to get to the park early. MK opens at 9 on the day we are planning to visit. Some of my guidebooks say that Main Street opens up to an hour before the actual park. Other books say that sometimes the park *itself* opens early (not talking about the onsite guest's early entry). So does that mean that Main Street *always* opens early, or just on certain days? Does it open at a set time (like 8 am or 8:30 am) every day, or does opening time vary? And is it likely that the park gates ever open early? What about for the rest of the parks? TIA!

 

[adambreakey]

A safe bet is that the parking lots usually open one hour prior to the scheduled park opening. - I have never heard of the actual park opening before the scheduled time.

adamb

 

[Mike Jones]

...our policy is (1) avoid early entry days for wdw guests (2) get to the gates 45 minutes before the published opening time. Even though we've been at Easter, I've never seen the gates open before the time stated, although, like you, i've heard they do do it from time to time.. possibly to release pressure if REALLY big crowds build? However, we've been to universal & IOA 3 or 4 times where they've let us in, and ride, before 0900 (once at 0820 - we'd done Hulk & Spidey before 9am!)

Mike

 

[Tessa_Slytherin]

Mike (or anyone), do you know if there will be Early Entry on Thanksgiving day? That's the day we have scheduled for MK, and it's a Thursday which is MK's EE day, but I didn't know if there would still be EE because it's a holiday.

 

[TomAndLori]

I read in another thread(sorry cannot find it) that EE for Thanksgiving week was changed.

I believe they set Epcot for EE on Thanksgiving. Hopefully someone else can confirm this for you.

 

[jimmybog]

We went to MK on the 12th Nov. We arrrived at the gates at 8-45am just as the train pulled in with all the characters on board. The characters then done a count down and opened the park at 8-50am. Up to this point no one was beyond Main street station. Thus at 8-50am you could then walk beyond the station and enter Main street all the way up to the entry points of all the lands. At each entry point they have a rope across the path. The ropes were then dropped at 9am. We waited for the rope drop in the archway beneath the castle. By 10am we rode Snow White, peter pan, Its a small world and Philharmagic (Pooh ride was closed for techincal reasons). By 11-30am we rode Splash Mountain, POTC, Tiki Room and Jungle Cruise (on a fast pass due to the 35 minute wait). This also included a drink and dole whip break. Get there as soon as the gates open and you will have a trouble free day.

 

[jann1033]

www.allearsnet.com had the differnt changes for Thanksgiving( was inthe newletter this week but sorry, just deleted it) we always get there about 30-45 mins (or more, we leave our resort 1 hr pre opening) before opening in the off season which usually puts us up close to the rope for opening
edited cause could not get the new url right!!!