Park opening questions - can y'all remind me ...

[scubamouse]

We expect to be at the parks at the opening most if not all days. can you all remind me at each park, where do you wait for the opening.

IIRC, in MK you can get onto main street before the opening but I don't think you can get into AK at all before opening. What about Epcot and MGM?

Can anyone jog my memory? Thanks!

 

[Robo]

We expect to be at the parks at the opening most if not all days. can you all remind me at each park, where do you wait for the opening.

IIRC, in MK you can get onto main street before the opening but I don't think you can get into AK at all before opening. What about Epcot and MGM?

Can anyone jog my memory? Thanks!

Just kind of REVERSE those two ideas and you'll know what happens NOW (as opposed to what USED to happen.)

MK: You wait in front of the giant flower-head of Mickey (before you go under the train-bridges) for an opening "show".

DAK: You are allowed to go all the way over the bridge to just before the pathway that circles the Tree of Life for an opening "show".

Dis/MGM STU: You can go up the street to just before the "Call Board" and wait for the CMs to "release" you.

EPCOT-Main Gate: You go to just before crossing under Spaceship Earth to wait for the CMs (some are on Segways) to "release" you.

EPCOT-Inernational Gateway: It varies. But many times you can go to the rope at UK to wait for the CMs to "release" you.

 

[Mecha Figment]

epcot allows you to get in the gate.. but future world is ropped off right infront of spaceship earth. usualy the character buss comes up and lets you in when the park officialy opens. World shocase doesn't open until 10 or 11 i believe.

not sure about MGM...

and you are right about animal kingdom.

 

[KathylovesPooh]

WDW has gone towards "opening ceremonies" at the park where they let you in just several minutes before opening. They keep you back near the entrance and some characters come out and put on a small show.

From what I've heard from other DISers is that occassionally they will still let you down Main Street at MK before opening but it has been very rare in the last couple of years. I guess even on busy days they stick with the opening ceremonies.

We were at AK in October and were let in about 8:50. But they didn't let you past where they were holding the opening until several minutes after nine.

 

[scubamouse]

ok i'm still confused at the MK can you get thru the turnstiles/bag search before the opening? It sounds like you can at the other parks.

 

[Robo]

ok i'm still confused at the MK can you get thru the turnstiles/bag search before the opening? It sounds like you can at the other parks.

As I said,
MK: You wait in front of the giant flower-head of Mickey (before you go under the train-bridges) for an opening "show".

That is INSIDE the MK, but its just BARELY inside, right after you come in through the turnstyles but before you even reach the "tunnels" that go under the train-rails that lead to Main Street. (Bag inspection is still done before you reach the ticket turnstyles.)

 

[scubamouse]

As I said,
MK: You wait in front of the giant flower-head of Mickey (before you go under the train-bridges) for an opening "show".

That is INSIDE the MK, but its just BARELY inside, right after you come in through the turnstyles but before you even reach the "tunnels" that go under the train-rails that lead to Main Street. (Bag inspection is still done before you reach the ticket turnstyles.)

got it - i just didn't remember whether the giant flower-head of Mickey was inside or outside the gate area. I just remember the train rails as being super close to the front so thought either it's a small area or its outside.

 

[buzz2400]

A little tip for AK. Instead of waiting with all the people before they open the gates, go through the rainforest cafe and exit out that door. There will be another turnstile for people to enter the park that way. Not many people know about this and you avoid all the pushing and shoving.