MK opened earlier than scheduled?

[dkrauss]

Twice this week we were at MK enjoying early morning breakfast reservations (park was scheduled to open at 9am) and twice we saw crowds entering the park at 8:40am? I specifically made these reservations so we could finish breakfast at enjoy the parks at 9am. I did NOT plan waiting for our check while watching everyone rush to the most popular attractions. Why the early opening?

Your original post.............

When did say that I was guaranteed special access? I was just asking because we were still eating and saw the masses pouring into the parks when we thought we had 20 minutes before the attractions opened?

My statement was a general statement within your post based on reading many similar statements in many Disney social media areas. Specifically when I read what you wrote........and how your wrote it.......Tell me you weren't looking to game the system and get to A&E or 7DMT first? Maybe my using "special access" wasn't quite appropriate. Hey, I have no problem with using what's available to avoid a long line..........really no issue. I guess what I have issue with is the indignation (and please know you aren't the only one.........) with seeing others beat you to the punch with regards to getting to the rides. You had a plan but no plan is fool proof. Opening at the MK has always been a moving target, the fact that it happened twice to you is unfortunate..........but it did. Hopefully it didn't ruin your trip.

Its this scenario of the early morning ADR to get "us" to 7DMT ahead of everyone else, that has led to the Special Early morning "Pay per ride" days Disney is implementing. They see an opportunity based on how people act and they're taking action on that.

Doug

 

[Shanti]

Twice this week we were at MK enjoying early morning breakfast reservations (park was scheduled to open at 9am) and twice we saw crowds entering the park at 8:40am? I specifically made these reservations so we could finish breakfast at enjoy the parks at 9am. I did NOT plan waiting for our check while watching everyone rush to the most popular attractions. Why the early opening?

That's typical at MK. Pre-park opening ADR's only get you breakfast, not an empty park. If you eat quickly & request the check right as you first sit down, you might get a leg-up on the crowds.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

Twice this week we were at MK enjoying early morning breakfast reservations (park was scheduled to open at 9am) and twice we saw crowds entering the park at 8:40am? I specifically made these reservations so we could finish breakfast at enjoy the parks at 9am. I did NOT plan waiting for our check while watching everyone rush to the most popular attractions. Why the early opening?

Yep, we didn't know this either. I lived in Florida for six years and went to MK countless times, but I've never seen it open any earlier than the posted time, on the dot.

But, we were at MK on Thursday, April 7. We got off the monorail during the welcome show (so probably about 8:35?) and watched the tail end while we went through security. To our surprise, they were letting people into the park at 8:40. DD and I were off Peter Pan and heading to ETWB by 8:55. I had no idea, but it was a nice surprise when we were planning to hang around out front for 20 minutes.

 

[Lucius Best]

When did say that I was guaranteed special access? I was just asking because we were still eating and saw the masses pouring into the parks when we thought we had 20 minutes before the attractions opened?

You never said you were guaranteed special access, you had a valid question. Also not sure why you are being accused of "gaming the system", makes it sound like you were trying to do something sneaky or shady or against the rules. Booking an early breakfast ADR is a long-standing well-known WDW tip, but not worth as much now since they started opening MK 15 minutes early a few years ago.

We encountered the same thing on our trip last year. We always do rope drop, and also have traditionally done an 8:05am Crystal Palace ADR on our first MK day. We would take a family photo in front of the castle, have breakfast, and then be a few steps ahead of the crowds when the park opened at 9am. On our last trip, when we came out of CP at 8:55am, we were surprised to see the crowds already flowing up Main St.

 

[maxiesmom]

You never said you were guaranteed special access, you had a valid question. Also not sure why you are being accused of "gaming the system", makes it sound like you were trying to do something sneaky or shady or against the rules. Booking an early breakfast ADR is a long-standing well-known WDW tip, but not worth as much now since they started opening MK 15 minutes early a few years ago.

We encountered the same thing on our trip last year. We always do rope drop, and also have traditionally done an 8:05am Crystal Palace ADR on our first MK day. We would take a family photo in front of the castle, have breakfast, and then be a few steps ahead of the crowds when the park opened at 9am. On our last trip, when we came out of CP at 8:55am, we were surprised to see the crowds already flowing up Main St.

Park hours are always subject to change. So Disney can (and does) open them early pretty often.

 

[Lucius Best]

Park hours are always subject to change. So Disney can (and does) open them early pretty often.

Thank you for pointing that out. But there is a difference between park hours and the timing of the welcome show. It did not happen to me, but there have been reports of people booking an 8:05am breakfast ADR and then Disney later changing the park hours from a 9am opening to an 8am opening, causing them to re-think their breakfast. That's different from OP's question.

In this case, park hours did not change, official park opening is still listed as 9am. Up until a few years ago, the MK welcome show almost always ended at 9am. We discovered on our last trip that MK was opening around 8:45am every non-EMH day, that is the new normal, which is understandably surprising if you haven't been to MK rope drop for a few years.

 

[asbyrneva]

And it has been for years.

Yes! Which is why those of us RD folks get there so darn early . I know Alesia and I do at least

 

[asbyrneva]

No, you can't really see it from outside security. You'll need to be in the plaza area to see it well, in front of the Mickey flower bed

"Please move to the center of the Mickey floral"

 

[Deffenm]

They opened both MK and Epcot early on Monday and Tuesday this week (8:45ish)

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

I suspect with the paid morning hour folks they will get to go through the FP line with their sticker until 9 am or so - so if the crowds do come in early it won't be a terrible situation (nobody will have FP before 9 am). They'll still get on the ride really quickly.

 

[Pemeberly]

Thank you for pointing that out. But there is a difference between park hours and the timing of the welcome show. It did not happen to me, but there have been reports of people booking an 8:05am breakfast ADR and then Disney later changing the park hours from a 9am opening to an 8am opening, causing them to re-think their breakfast. That's different from OP's question.

In this case, park hours did not change, official park opening is still listed as 9am. Up until a few years ago, the MK welcome show almost always ended at 9am. We discovered on our last trip that MK was opening around 8:45am every non-EMH day, that is the new normal, which is understandably surprising if you haven't been to MK rope drop for a few years.

Perhaps surprising, but there's no harm/no foul on Disney's side. Research will help with planning if beating the crowds is a priority.

 

[Xennia]

Twice this week we were at MK enjoying early morning breakfast reservations (park was scheduled to open at 9am) and twice we saw crowds entering the park at 8:40am? I specifically made these reservations so we could finish breakfast at enjoy the parks at 9am. I did NOT plan waiting for our check while watching everyone rush to the most popular attractions. Why the early opening?

You chose to have breakfast and other decided to wait for rope drop. Choose your poison.

 

[Lucius Best]

Perhaps surprising, but there's no harm/no foul on Disney's side. Research will help with planning if beating the crowds is a priority.

You are correct, it's my own fault for not knowing that MK opened early, we should have done more research. Perhaps you can suggest where we should have done this research? Everywhere I look online it says MK park opening is 9am. I haven't seen any online WDW guide web site that says MK is now opening regularly at 8:45am. It's only mentioned in random infrequent threads on the DISboards.

 

[maxiesmom]

You are correct, it's my own fault for not knowing that MK opened early, we should have done more research. Perhaps you can suggest where we should have done this research? Everywhere I look online it says MK park opening is 9am. I haven't seen any online WDW guide web site that says MK is now opening regularly at 8:45am. It's only mentioned in random infrequent threads on the DISboards.

Disney states park hours are subject to change. They always have been. 8:45 may not be the scheduled opening time, but Disney is free to open their parks whenever they choose to.

Just be grateful the Magic Kingdom didn't change their official hours to 8 am. They do do that!

 

[msdaisy]

You are correct, it's my own fault for not knowing that MK opened early, we should have done more research. Perhaps you can suggest where we should have done this research? Everywhere I look online it says MK park opening is 9am. I haven't seen any online WDW guide web site that says MK is now opening regularly at 8:45am. It's only mentioned in random infrequent threads on the DISboards.

You can look it up on their website the closer it gets to your trip. They don't even have May posted yet. Hope this helps.

 

[Lucius Best]

Disney states park hours are subject to change. They always have been. 8:45 may not be the scheduled opening time, but Disney is free to open their parks whenever they choose to.

Just be grateful the Magic Kingdom didn't change their official hours to 8 am. They do do that!

I am aware that MK has been known to move opening from 9am to 8am, I mentioned that in my previous post. However, if MK had changed their hours to 8am, that actually might have been better, because I would have seen the new 8am hours on any number of websites.

And if an 8:45am MK opening is now normal/common and it's been that way for years, then Disney is not changing their park hours or opening whenever they choose to. If MK opens every non-EMH day at 8:45am, for years, then that's the "scheduled" opening time.

Note that I'm not complaining about Disney opening early. I'm at rope drop every day of my vacations, so it was fantastic that all the parks were opening 10-15 minutes early. I'm just disappointed by some of the negativity on this thread. I've been to WDW over 20 times, I did my research, and read the DISboards regularly before my trip, and the 8:45am opening was a surprise.

 

[Lucius Best]

You can look it up on their website the closer it gets to your trip. They don't even have May posted yet. Hope this helps.

That's interesting, thank you. But also interesting they don't explicitly state the park opens at 8:45am. I notice that nothing else is listed before 9am at MK. And no indication that the other parks open early.

 

[Pemeberly]

You are correct, it's my own fault for not knowing that MK opened early, we should have done more research. Perhaps you can suggest where we should have done this research? Everywhere I look online it says MK park opening is 9am. I haven't seen any online WDW guide web site that says MK is now opening regularly at 8:45am. It's only mentioned in random infrequent threads on the DISboards.

I am not blaming you for not researching, simply saying that if something is a high priority - whether it's beating crowds, getting FP+, what have you - a deeper dive of research is a good strategy.

I have never rope dropped but have seen that information in numerous rope dropping threads, enough that I remember it even without the experience.

 

[AngiTN]

You can look it up on their website the closer it gets to your trip. They don't even have May posted yet. Hope this helps.

That's not going to do any good for the actual opening times. All parks have a published regular, non EMH, opening time, which that chart will show. Most often that is 9:00 am. But 99% of the time each one of the parks will allow guests to start entering the turnstiles about 15 min prior to that. They do not do it 100% of the time but it's pretty close to 100%. They are never going to publicize they do this. But they will do it. I assume it's so folks are in and ready to head to their rides at official opening, but that's just my best guess

 

[AngiTN]

You are correct, it's my own fault for not knowing that MK opened early, we should have done more research. Perhaps you can suggest where we should have done this research? Everywhere I look online it says MK park opening is 9am. I haven't seen any online WDW guide web site that says MK is now opening regularly at 8:45am. It's only mentioned in random infrequent threads on the DISboards.

Unfortunately they will never publicize they open the gates a few minutes before official park opening. It's just what they do most of the time at each of their parks. Lots of folks don't know, so don't feel bad. Really, unless you read trip reports or know someone who goes or read various bloggers you won't know