My empty Main Street/early entry CP morning is gone...

[BurleyGirl]

Thanksgiving week morning hours changed...I know it's not the end of the world, and there are many more worse things that could happen, but here in the "World" this was the very tip top of my most important things list: pre-opening breakfast in the MK! When my ADR time opened up, I had secured my coveted 8:00a for the 25th (our last day in Disney). I have been checking (and hoping) that the hours would not change, and thought I was in the clear when they went through their big changes last month. But, this morning I see that my date now opens at 8:00a, so my much anticipated and must-do empty Main Street is no longer going to happen. (I've tried to secure other morning CP reservations to no avail.)

I'm so disappointed...can't even begin to convey just how disappointed I am. (If there was a deflated balloon emoticon, I would place it here).

 

[paigeag]

Ugh I hear you, I have an 8:15 CRT. Will they let you in prior to 8am to make the reservation on time?

 

[olwyngdh]

I am so sorry--empty main street is one of the most awesomest things at Disney. Here is some pixiedust to help you get a reservation on a different day!

 

[jo-jo]

Sorry to hear that. If the parks open at 8, will they let you in maybe 10 mins before 8? I know I've tried to get that early early ADR and never achieved it, so I don't know the rules exactly.


How about this guy........I think I'd be sick over my plans being ruined.

 

[kittyab]

I would give them a call, they may let you in early since you have a reservation.

 

[Donald - my hero]

Don't use the "empty-main street" as your only reason for a Pre-Park reservation. We were there last week and had a tour booked for 8:00 a.m. and we walked into the park to discover a film crew taping the Brazilian equivalent to Good Morning America. We got filtered through the stores all the way up to Casey's. Didn't bother us much but there were several parents SUPER UPSET that they wouldn't get those extra special shots. One mom was berating a CM quite loudly that she should have been informed when she made her reservation. I felt really bad for the rest of the woman's family who were trying to calm her down. I, on the other hand, got some great shots of the film crew

You will get into the park about 15 - 20 minutes prior to your reservation though. Just get to the gates around 7:30 and look for the signs pointing you towards the "turnstiles" that are being used for ADR's & tour groups.

 

[catne]

they will generally let you in the park 10-20 minutes before your reservation time so you may still be able to grab a couple of "empty" Main Street photos. I would suggest you get to the reservations entrance no later than 7:40 AM and see if they will let you in ...they usually have one area that they are letting people in for reservations. They tell people to be there 10 minutes before their reservation, and it will take you time to walk up Main Street so they will let you in early. You should still be in ahead of the crowd, if even just by a few minutes.

 

[Airship Ariadne]

I feel for you...our first visit, our first day, we had a pre-opening ADR at CRT and walked up an empty Main Street...I was too new to all this to realize that I should have taken a bunch of pictures.

 

[bumbershoot]

At least you found out now. On our first visit to WDW, on our first day at MK, I had that early reservation. Walked up, the place was full of people getting in! What? I had NO idea that they would change hours on us. So surprised, and not in a good way.

Then again, the other day we had it reversed. First day of the trip, my buddy's first time to WDW, went to MK for a few hours after landing...found out they had extended hours from 10 to 11pm. A good surprise!

 

[MermaidMommy]

Typically, they don't let you enter early on an EMH day. You'll most likely end up entering with the rest of the crowds at park opening.

 

[summerskye]

Thanksgiving week morning hours changed...I know it's not the end of the world, and there are many more worse things that could happen, but here in the "World" this was the very tip top of my most important things list: pre-opening breakfast in the MK! When my ADR time opened up, I had secured my coveted 8:00a for the 25th (our last day in Disney). I have been checking (and hoping) that the hours would not change, and thought I was in the clear when they went through their big changes last month. But, this morning I see that my date now opens at 8:00a, so my much anticipated and must-do empty Main Street is no longer going to happen. (I've tried to secure other morning CP reservations to no avail.)

I'm so disappointed...can't even begin to convey just how disappointed I am. (If there was a deflated balloon emoticon, I would place it here).

I wanted to thank you for posting this. I went and checked for our date on the 28th, same thing. We have an 8:05 and the new park hours show 8am. If anyone is looking for a CP ressie, Disney will have an opening real soon.

 

[BurleyGirl]

I appreciate everyone's responses

Yes, I'm glad to know it now rather than later, and yes, I know there's a good thing/bad thing going on, as I was the recipient of the "good thing" last month when they unexpectedly gave us a 2AM closing, which will be a first for us, so I know it cuts both ways, and this time I'm on the bad thing side of it...

Here's my thing: The early entry CP is two-fold. 1) it allows you the empty Main Street experience, which is just about the coolest thing to me, and 2) it allows you to get a jump on the crowds so that you're first on the rides. (We were going to eat quickly and pay for our meal when we first got seated so that we could try to be first riders on Space Mountain, something we have yet to accomplish.)

So, if I keep the reservation as is, I'm told by a dining CM that they should allow us into the park 15 minutes prior (so, 7:45-ish) which will get me the empty Main Street experience (unless something happens like Donald-my hero...that really stinks, but I liked your ending outlook on it), but we miss out on being the first (or close to it) on any ride.

Bottom line: it's not a good thing in any way, shape, or form. But, I can try to figure out a solution that will give me some form of good from it. Right now, the options are not appealing to me at all, but I will sleep on it and perhaps things will look brighter tomorrow

I told my DH that we could just keep the reservation, get into the park and experience the empty Main Street, and then go ride Space Mountain and let our credit card be charged for the $28.95 pp (there's three of us), so that would be one really expensive Space Mountain ride (but I'd miss my French Puff Pastry, too!)

 

[Bellanota]

yea we got burned with an early CP too... ours was the 28th at 815. Going to keep it I think ...maybe... i dont know we have 1900 the morning before so not sure I need two Pooh meals... if i could find something I liked better I might do that instead for our last meal...

 

[BurleyGirl]

I wanted to thank you for posting this. I went and checked for our date on the 28th, same thing. We have an 8:05 and the new park hours show 8am. If anyone is looking for a CP ressie, Disney will have an opening real soon.

yea we got burned with an early CP too... ours was the 28th at 815. Going to keep it I think ...maybe... i dont know we have 1900 the morning before so not sure I need two Pooh meals... if i could find something I liked better I might do that instead for our last meal...

 

[MermaidMommy]

I appreciate everyone's responses Yes, I'm glad to know it now rather than later, and yes, I know there's a good thing/bad thing going on, as I was the recipient of the "good thing" last month when they unexpectedly gave us a 2AM closing, which will be a first for us, so I know it cuts both ways, and this time I'm on the bad thing side of it... Here's my thing: The early entry CP is two-fold. 1) it allows you the empty Main Street experience, which is just about the coolest thing to me, and 2) it allows you to get a jump on the crowds so that you're first on the rides. (We were going to eat quickly and pay for our meal when we first got seated so that we could try to be first riders on Space Mountain, something we have yet to accomplish.) So, if I keep the reservation as is, I'm told by a dining CM that they should allow us into the park 15 minutes prior (so, 7:45-ish) which will get me the empty Main Street experience (unless something happens like Donald-my hero...that really stinks, but I liked your ending outlook on it), but we miss out on being the first (or close to it) on any ride. Bottom line: it's not a good thing in any way, shape, or form. But, I can try to figure out a solution that will give me some form of good from it. Right now, the options are not appealing to me at all, but I will sleep on it and perhaps things will look brighter tomorrow I told my DH that we could just keep the reservation, get into the park and experience the empty Main Street, and then go ride Space Mountain and let our credit card be charged for the $28.95 pp (there's three of us), so that would be one really expensive Space Mountain ride (but I'd miss my French Puff Pastry, too!)

If you do a search on the boards, I think you'll find that the parks generally will not let you in early on an EMH day. I definitely wouldn't trust what a phone CM tells you -- they're just at a call center somewhere and are notorious for giving out incorrect information. (There's a post on the Dining Forum right now with this same question, and a poster noted that they couldn't get in before 8:00 on an EMH day, and some people were quite upset.)

 

[BurleyGirl]

If you do a search on the boards, I think you'll find that the parks generally will not let you in early on an EMH day. I definitely wouldn't trust what a phone CM tells you -- they're just at a call center somewhere and are notorious for giving out incorrect information. (There's a post on the Dining Forum right now with this same question, and a poster noted that they couldn't get in before 8:00 on an EMH day, and some people were quite upset.)

I don't believe these new extended hours are EMH hours...I think they've just changed the regular park hours to 8:00a (or that's how I read it on Josh's site, easywdw)...which kind of makes it even worse...it's open to everybody, not just resort guests, so now the opening crowd will be even bigger...

 

[Bellanota]

If you do a search on the boards, I think you'll find that the parks generally will not let you in early on an EMH day. I definitely wouldn't trust what a phone CM tells you -- they're just at a call center somewhere and are notorious for giving out incorrect information. (There's a post on the Dining Forum right now with this same question, and a poster noted that they couldn't get in before 8:00 on an EMH day, and some people were quite upset.)

Its not an EMH morning the entire park has a normal opening of 0800 that morning. So the CM might be right n here getting in early. the EMH on the 25 is for Epcot and for the 28th (the other day people keep talking about) its not at MK either

 

[summerskye]

Its not an EMH morning the entire park has a normal opening of 0800 that morning. So the CM might be right n here getting in early. the EMH on the 25 is for Epcot and for the 28th (the other day people keep talking about) its not at MK either

I agree with you. It looks like the 25th is an EMH for Epcot.

I decided to drop our reservation on Fri. 28th. I can't see spending the money and not enjoying an almost empty park plus lose out on the ride time. Best of luck with your plans. We did CRT last trip an got tons of empty park picks...

 

[Itinkso]

I told my DH that we could just keep the reservation, get into the park and experience the empty Main Street, and then go ride Space Mountain and let our credit card be charged for the $28.95 pp (there's three of us), so that would be one really expensive Space Mountain ride (but I'd miss my French Puff Pastry, too!)

If CP isn't a prepaid meal, you'll only be charged $10 per person for the "No Show" fee. So, $30 for the possible chance to be the first to Space Mountain.

 

[BurleyGirl]

If CP isn't a prepaid meal, you'll only be charged $10 per person for the "No Show" fee. So, $30 for the possible chance to be the first to Space Mountain.

Hmmmm...