How long to enter parks

[jrandall]

How long does it normally take to get through the turnstiles & bag checks. I won't be going at rope drop. More like 9:00 most days. Are all the parks about the same arrival process. It's been about 8 years since I've been so I don't remember the waits at all!

 

[kwdw]

From in line at bag check to just past the turnstile - 5-15 minutes unless you get in line with a problem (alot of bags/problem with ticket). They really have this down to a system and it all moves pretty quick. Now if 9 am is opening and you get there at 9 - might take a couple minutes more to get the herd through.

 

[Dan Murphy]

It's generally very easy and quick, 5 minutes or so. Might seem longer, but very quick.

 

[jrandall]

From in line at bag check to just past the turnstile - 5-15 minutes unless you get in line with a problem (alot of bags/problem with ticket). They really have this down to a system and it all moves pretty quick. Now if 9 am is opening and you get there at 9 - might take a couple minutes more to get the herd through.

That is true! I may adjust my time a bit but I never remember it taking very long. I never went before with kids though & waiting was never really an issue so now I think of these things. Thanks everyone!

 

[disnut8]

The "trick" to entering a park is to look at ALL the lines. For example, at the security check point, make sure you and your family have all bags off your body and all compartments opened up. Then, scan the lines and try not to get behind a group of people who haven't done the same thing. This includes families with strollers and bags under the strollers that they don't realize need to be put on the table and opened up. That takes the time you are waling up to the lines. You could be behind someone who is slower but it's no big deal. BTW - your entire family doesn't have to go one behind the other. Both sides of the security tables will be open so you can split a few on each side.

At the ticket turnstiles, same thing. Look at ALL the lines and if there is a green arrow on the stile, you can enter. Frequently, there will be groups that once one person goes in a line, the rest of the group follows. And not just groups traveling together but groups that have just emerged from one bag check line and just follow the person in front of them. Here, however, I would advise to keep your family together and enter the line in a row. That way, if one of you has a problem, the others will know about it. This takes maybe a minute or so.

Also, you can put your bags back together after you go through the ticket turnstiles or reassemble while in line for the second queue. Or, you can go off to the side and do all that and then get into the ticket turnstile lines.

 

[eyehartdisney]

It always seems like Epcot takes longer than the other parks to get in, but that just might be me.

 

[Ismo]

I've been there when the park levels were 10's and I'm still sure we made it past the turnstiles in about 10 minutes tops. I think it can take a little longer if you get there just as they start letting people in. But if you get there a little after park opening, things seem to go pretty smoothly.

 

[CAS239]

It always seems like Epcot takes longer than the other parks to get in, but that just might be me.

Epcot is probably the quickest park to enter. Enter from the far left entrance. Everyone uses the main front entrance and leaves the left one basically empty.

Same thing for HS. Use the far left entrance and not the main one. Saves a bunch of time going through security and both are shorter walks if you didn't take the tram.

I'm glad most people don't use these other entrances and it makes it a lot quicker for us.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Don't bring a bag and you can skip bagcheck.

 

[Ress76]

Note that you can use both sides of the table! If I see 10 people in line on one side of the table and no one on the other, I'll get in the no-line side. The guards do make sporadic announcements to the effect that both sides are open, but with the lines constantly moving, a lot of guests don't hear it. I also try to avoid getting in line behind (and I harbor no ill-will, a lot of people are in the same boat) the families with a stroller or two, diaper bags, a backpack, a cooler, and the underside of the stroller loaded full of ponchos and princess dresses. Some guards are very efficient and will look through every pocket of every bag, others do not.

Having your purse/backpack/camera bag open as you get to the guard is the fastest way to get through quickly.