Our first time staying off-site so we're not clear how early mornings work

[tomato]

We have park hopper passes so I understand we have ONE early entry available to us on there, to be used either Tuesday or Thursday (our only choices as we're only there during the weekdays.)

Can someone walk me through the best times to arrive at the gates? I'm guessing our early morning will be the best time to try to get on the Cars ride, so that's when we'll plan for it.

However, my teens will KILL me if I wake them up too early. When should I get everyone to the gates?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[mmoore701]

I would also like to know this. Does DCA and DL have park opening shows like Magic Kingdom at WDW? Just wondering

 

[lkperich]

I think you can only use your Magic Morning entry for Disneyland? I don't think you can for CA.....someone please correct me, if I'm wrong.....I gotta figure this out too!

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

Yes, if you are staying off-site you can only use your early entry that comes with your tickets for Disneyland.

As for when to get to the gates, when are you going? What times are the parks scheduled to open?

 

[tomato]

Yes, if you are staying off-site you can only use your early entry that comes with your tickets for Disneyland.

As for when to get to the gates, when are you going? What times are the parks scheduled to open?

We will are going this week - we'll be there tomorrow!

Good to know about only good for Disneyland. So glad I asked! There's so much fine print and detail on everything. You'd think I'd have caught on by now but no! LOL

I guess we'll have to bite the bullet and just try to get Fast Passes for the Cars ride, at best. We're worried about the lines this week with the pass holders coming out, but what can you do. We'll go with the flow!

I see that Disneyland is opening 8 AM each morning we're there. Does that mean we can get in earlier than that on Tuesday or Thursday?

 

[gatorfreud]

I always arrive 1/2 hour before the start of MM. I like to be first at the turnstiles or pretty close to it. So if MM is 7, I would get there at 6:30.

 

[Butterfly123]

Yes, tomato, if DL opens at 8, then MM entry will be at 7, so if you get to the gates around 6:30 you will be in great shape. We were first in line at the gates when we did this last month. DL was really empty for the first couple of hours, and we got a ton of stuff done by 11:00. Then we did regular entry to DCA the next day, getting in the non EE line at 7:15. They started letting us in at 7:30 to line up for FP for RSR, and we had our FP's around 8:20 (the FP line started moving at 8).

Have fun!

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

We will are going this week - we'll be there tomorrow!

Good to know about only good for Disneyland. So glad I asked! There's so much fine print and detail on everything. You'd think I'd have caught on by now but no! LOL

I guess we'll have to bite the bullet and just try to get Fast Passes for the Cars ride, at best. We're worried about the lines this week with the pass holders coming out, but what can you do. We'll go with the flow!

I see that Disneyland is opening 8 AM each morning we're there. Does that mean we can get in earlier than that on Tuesday or Thursday?

Yes, I agree with gatorfreud. On your early entry morning Disneyland will open at 7 AM, so being there at 6:30 is a good idea.

For Radiator Springs Racers in Carsland, you have three choices. Wait together in the long line which from the reports still gets wait times over two hours. Split your party and wait for a shorter time in the single rider line. Get fastpasses. If you want the fastpasses, you will need to be there at opening since the fastpasses for that ride have been running out between 9 and 10 AM each day. When we were there last month, they were letting non-early entry guests in around 7:30. You could not ride any attractions but you could visit Buena Vista Street and get in line for RSR fastpasses. Fastpass distribution did not begin until official park opening at 8 AM, but the line gets crazy long even before that. In order to get fastpasses, your tickets must be activated for that day, meaning everybody in your party must have entered one of the parks. You can't let your teenagers sleep in and take their tickets with you to get fastpasses. Just wanted to make sure you understood that since not everyone does.

 

[tchrrx]

So, even if you are staying onsite (we will be GC, DVC points), you still only get one magic morning?

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

So, even if you are staying onsite (we will be GC, DVC points), you still only get one magic morning?

No, you get magic morning each day of your stay that it is available (currently 7 days a week) when you stay onsite.