LONG delays at the Entrance Gates

[Malcon10t]

Why would a 2 yr old have their picture taken? They don't have a ticket.

I agree...

We were there the 3rd through the 8th, doing EE/MM most days, and were usually in the gate in under 5 mins. We usually arrived 5 mins after EE started (I'm not one to wait 30 mins to enter the park) and were through quickly. We did experience the major wait times in Jan/Feb when the first started this, but our trips in April, May, June and July didn't have any significant wait times.

 

[sherilaine]

No, there is no EMH in DL on Wednesday. Early entry for hotel guests is at DCA that day. 8:10 AM is the earliest reservation they will assign for Minnie and Friends for a day when the park opens at 8 AM and there is no early entry.

We had a 9:40 reservation on a day when the park opened at 10AM - and it was not an MM/EMH day - so no, you can get a reservation before the park opens!

 

[Malcon10t]

We had a 9:40 reservation on a day when the park opened at 10AM - and it was not an MM/EMH day - so no, you can get a reservation before the park opens!

Yes, but on a day that opening is 8:00, there is no rope drop, and first reservation is 810a, whereas when the park opens at 10am, turnstiles open at 930a and first reservation is 940a, and when park opens at 9, turnstiles open at 830a, and first reservation is 840a.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

We had a 9:40 reservation on a day when the park opened at 10AM - and it was not an MM/EMH day - so no, you can get a reservation before the park opens!

Yes, but on a day that opening is 8:00, there is no rope drop, and first reservation is 810a, whereas when the park opens at 10am, turnstiles open at 930a and first reservation is 940a, and when park opens at 9, turnstiles open at 830a, and first reservation is 840a.

Yes, as Malcon10t mentioned, I was speaking to the specific case of an 8 AM park opening on a non-early entry day.

 

[ValpoCory]

We had a 9:40 reservation on a day when the park opened at 10AM - and it was not an MM/EMH day - so no, you can get a reservation before the park opens!

Yes, but on a day that opening is 8:00, there is no rope drop, and first reservation is 810a, whereas when the park opens at 10am, turnstiles open at 930a and first reservation is 940a, and when park opens at 9, turnstiles open at 830a, and first reservation is 840a.

I just called to get an early ressie for Wednesday, September 4th. The park opens at 10am that day, no Early Entry. The earliest dining time offered is 10:10am. It appears the policy of letting people start eating at 9:40am has changed.

 

[cp11]

We just got back from two weeks and we also felt it took longer. The lines were long in morning and especially afternoon. It actually became a game for us. We then started jumping lines, especially if you saw families with papers in their hands, that means it was their first time in the park so they needed to get their tickets printed. That seemed to slow the lines up more in our opinion. It was crazy, that's for sure.

 

[Girimama33]

This is STILL happening. We arrived for EE about 20 minutes early each morning. We were about 20 people deep in line and each time it took 15-20 to get through the gate.

Once, a CM's iphone wasn't working. Once a 2 year old REFUSED to have their picture taken. After standing there watching this for over 5 minutes, my family switched lines and we still got through before the kid had his photo taken.

I made a comment every morning and put it on my survey when I got home.

It was a frustrating way to start the morning to be honest. There must be a better way Disney!

This is not the same situation. There was a time where folks did not reach the entracne gates until 45 minutes after the park opened. If you waitied 20 minutes before the gate opened and then another 15-20 to get through the gates...that does not sound out of the ordinary to me.

Why would a 2 yr old have their picture taken? They don't have a ticket.

I guess the PP assummed the guest was 2.

I agree...

We were there the 3rd through the 8th, doing EE/MM most days, and were usually in the gate in under 5 mins. We usually arrived 5 mins after EE started (I'm not one to wait 30 mins to enter the park) and were through quickly. We did experience the major wait times in Jan/Feb when the first started this, but our trips in April, May, June and July didn't have any significant wait times.

I was there on the first and second. Did DL the morning of the 1st and opened with DCA on the 2nd. On the first, we got a late start and did not get to the gates until 8:15. No line to get in, and walked on ST and BLAB...really surprised me since it was 20 minutes into the park opening during 4th of July week. For DL from now on...I am planning on showing up a few minutes after they open.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

It seems to me that the obvious thing to do is have the picture-taking operation separate from entrance to the park. They could do it (1) at the ticket-purchase booth for those buying tickets when they walk up, (2) somewhere near the ticket-purchase booth for those who bought their tickets elsewhere, and (3) at resort check-in for those who are staying on property.

I try to be patient and reasonable, but finding myself in line to get into the park behind 15 teenagers who need their photos taken would frustrate me.

And comparing the experience to 6 Flags carries no weight in my opinion. Don't we all expect MORE from Disney?

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I haven't been since the photo thing started, so I can't comment on that. But I do agree comparing it to a Six Flags is comparing apples to oranges. Disneyland APs are just that - annual. So you will have people getting new ones through out the year. Same with tickets. SIx Flags has season passes and operates for a season. So when somebody has to activate their season pass, the line to do that in the beginning of the season can be hours long. But somebody trying to activate now, with the season half over, will find no wait. We are season pass holders to Six Flags (Discovery Kingdom being our home park) and have not waited more than 1-2 minutes getting in ever.

That all said, Six Flags is NOT Disneyland and I will gladly wait longer to get into Disneyland.