International Gateway Rope Drop

[neutie88]

I did a search of all of the forums, and could not find an answer that satisfies the commando in me.

We will be staying at Dolphin this trip. When we usually arrive to Epcot through Main Gate, we know that DS and DH will be the first and second people at Soarin'. Always. But we want to enter Epcot through IG this trip, so we do not have to drive to Epcot.

So my questions are....

1) If we enter through the International Gateway, what time will we be allowed to go through the turnstile and enter the Park? Usually Main gate is 5-7 minutes prior to 9am on non-EMH days (as this day will be for us).

2) If we do enter prior to 9am, is there a holding point at which we will not be allowed to proceed until 9am?

3) I read on another forum that if you are held at the bridge to UK, AND you use the Rose Garden path, that the distance is 540 feet longer than entering the main gate to Soarin'. Has anyone made this trek and successfully been onto Soarin' at the same time or even before Main Gate guests?

I know this sound really compulsive and all, but we are a family that prides itself on being on the first ride of the day for the attraction we choose to go to at rope drop. We are always at rope drop at least 45 minutes early (please no eye-rolling) and strategize how we will achieve this goal.

The answers to these questions will determine whether we drive to Epcot or walk to IG on this particular day. Thanks to those who are willing to respond!

 

[Robo]

I did a search of all of the forums, and could not find an answer that satisfies the commando in me.

We will be staying at Dolphin this trip. When we usually arrive to Epcot through Main Gate, we know that DS and DH will be the first and second people at Soarin'. Always. But we want to enter Epcot through IG this trip, so we do not have to drive to Epcot.

So my questions are....

1) If we enter through the International Gateway, what time will we be allowed to go through the turnstile and enter the Park? Usually Main gate is 5-7 minutes prior to 9am on non-EMH days (as this day will be for us).

2) If we do enter prior to 9am, is there a holding point at which we will not be allowed to proceed until 9am?

3) I read on another forum that if you are held at the bridge to UK, AND you use the Rose Garden path, that the distance is 540 feet longer than entering the main gate to Soarin'. Has anyone made this trek and successfully been onto Soarin' at the same time or even before Main Gate guests?

I know this sound really compulsive and all, but we are a family that prides itself on being on the first ride of the day for the attraction we choose to go to at rope drop. We are always at rope drop at least 45 minutes early (please no eye-rolling) and strategize how we will achieve this goal.

4) The answers to these questions will determine whether we drive to Epcot or walk to IG on this particular day. Thanks to those who are willing to respond!

1) Generally the IG opens within a few minutes of the main gates.
BTW, the main gate can open 10-15... up to 30 minutes before the posted opening time.

2) No.

3) Meh.

4) In that case, I suggest that you drive to the main gates.

 

[Marthasor]

I don't have exact answers to your questions, but I can tell you I have done RD at IG and hightailed it to Soarin'. Maingate people definitely beat us there and, while we were extremely happy with our 5 minute standby time, we were not on the first ride of the day. If that's important to you, I would drive and park at EP and go through the Main Gate.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

We stayed at Beach Club in late May of this year and used the International Gateway to enter Epcot at rope drop. We were let in just a few minutes until 9. We have a very fast 'Disney walk' but we were still beat to Soarin.

I don't understand why Disney doesn't let the International gateway people in a few minutes earlier than the main gate. I believe it is a longer distance, especially to TT.

 

[NewRVLady]

Why don't you get a Fast pass? I got one for 9:30 - my DH refuses to run

 

[dres40]

Go to the main gate if you really want to be the 1st riders. We stay at Boardwalk and the last visit they waited until normal opening time to let us in. Did not let us in early. Kind of drove me crazy, but I didn't want to drive around to the front gate.

The people at the main gate did beat us to the line at TT. We still had a short wait but not 1st in line.

 

[neutie88]

Thanks everyone for your responses! On this Sunday, we have our Tier 1 FP+ for TT. We have a FP+ for Soarin' on our last day at WDW, but 1/2 of our party will already be gone so Soarin' has to be standby on this day.

We will drive to Epcot that day. Walk back to Dolphin for mid-day break (already plans for lunch in France), then walk back out the front at the end of the day and drive back to hotel. May have to designate a driver so we make it back in one piece (the only underage person in our party is 13yo DS!).

 

[POOHsie]

Thanks everyone for your responses! On this Sunday, we have our Tier 1 FP+ for TT. We have a FP+ for Soarin' on our last day at WDW, but 1/2 of our party will already be gone so Soarin' has to be standby on this day.

We will drive to Epcot that day. Walk back to Dolphin for mid-day break (already plans for lunch in France), then walk back out the front at the end of the day and drive back to hotel. May have to designate a driver so we make it back in one piece (the only underage person in our party is 13yo DS!).

IMO, I would drive the car back to the Dolphin for the mid-day break (only one of you has to do that). At Epcot close, you'll probably be in World Showcase (IllumiNations). A stroll to the Dolphin at the end of the evening would be much nicer than fighting the crowds getting out of the Epcot parking lot in the dark.

 

[vicb]

We stayed the first week of May this year at Dolphin and used IG entrance. We rode the boat over early, got there about 8:40 for 9am opening. We were allowed through security about 5 min prior to opening. It was a very small crowd there. We had FP for MS 9-10 am, Soarin 10-11, Living with the Land 11-12. We walked quickly but not crazily to TT. Even stopped for a few photos all alone in Epcot . Got to TT it was virtual walk on said 5 min. wait but really wasn't. Rode, skipped interactives, got back in line now said 15 min. wait but again really wasn't, maybe 5-10 min. Rode again, spent time doing interactives. Got to MS with just min. to spare on FP, wait time 15 min. there, rode. Zipped to Soaring to use FP . Had snack while waiting for Living with Land FP.

From there we diverted from touring plan, DS wanted to do Sum of All Thrills and DD wanted to visit Lou the Manatee so we split up. Got 4th FP for Spaceship Earth for later in day. Met up to walk up left side of WS to lunch at Via Napoli. All worked well for us.

 

[BJSforVols]

I don't have exact answers to your questions, but I can tell you I have done RD at IG and hightailed it to Soarin'. Maingate people definitely beat us there and, while we were extremely happy with our 5 minute standby time, we were not on the first ride of the day. If that's important to you, I would drive and park at EP and go through the Main Gate.

I agree with this. We do the RD at IG and are very pleased with the lack of a wait for standby at Soarin, but we were not on the first ride.

 

[WEDWDW]

I would not ever "count" on the IG opening at the same time as Main Gate.

It "may" happen at times.

The last time I used the IG at Park Opening we watched Guests who had been let in the Main Gate at 8:45 AM stream across the English Channel Bridge headed for the bakery in France before they opened the IG turnstiles at 8:58 AM.