Stuck at Parking area before MK

[Sheepdog]

Looking for some guidance to avoid what happened on our last trip. It was April 2010 the week before Easter. We got to the parking area to take the Monorail or Ferry over to MK but we were not allowed to board either before the park opened. We missed the rope drop and did not cross the entry gates until about 20 minutes after closing. Does anyone know why this happened and most importantly, how I avoid this for our next trip in April 2013? I just booked breakfast in the Castle for my princess and I don't want any issues. Our reservation is 815 and the park opens at 900. Thank you.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

Are you driving because you are staying off-site?

 

[Kassidysdad]

Looking for some guidance to avoid what happened on our last trip. It was April 2010 the week before Easter. We got to the parking area to take the Monorail or Ferry over to MK but we were not allowed to board either before the park opened. We missed the rope drop and did not cross the entry gates until about 20 minutes after closing. Does anyone know why this happened and most importantly, how I avoid this for our next trip in April 2013? I just booked breakfast in the Castle for my princess and I don't want any issues. Our reservation is 815 and the park opens at 900. Thank you.

We go in April every year and I always have a rental car, this has never happened to us (thank god) and I am sorry it happened to you. But, I can not imagine ANYONE holding you back when you have a reservation, especially ones that are paid for up front like CRT - hell, we book em just like you did so we can get in early . We have a BBB res for April 2013 at 8:05 and the park opens at 9 that day. Those CMs must have woke up on the wrong side of the bed that day.

 

[Sheepdog]

We are staying offsite which is why we drive to the parking area. I can't recall if the monorails were running at all but everyone was held back. The know the ferry was not running and they wouldn't let anyone board until 900. This was the only time it happened. We are usually there pressed on the rope for every park in the morning.

 

[rock_doctor]

Since you need to be in the lot by 7:30am (IMHO) you should be right up front. Walk up to the monorails and take the resort monorail to the MK. I am assuming it stops at the TTC that early in the morning. If all else fails see if you can take a boat from the Polynesian to the MK. It is a 5min walk from the TTC to the Poly. I had only done RD once when driving to the MK and we had no issues taking the monorail in time but it was also an early morning magic hour day...

 

[seashoreCM]

Was it an extra magic hours morning? Then the CMs may hold back day guests until close to rope drop, or in some cases not run the express monorail or the ferry until about 15 minutes before.

For restaurant reservations before park opening, use the resort monorail. Let the CM at that monorail platform know you are going to a restaurant at Magic Kingdom or at a resort on the monorail line.

 

[zulemara]

Looking for some guidance to avoid what happened on our last trip. It was April 2010 the week before Easter. We got to the parking area to take the Monorail or Ferry over to MK but we were not allowed to board either before the park opened. We missed the rope drop and did not cross the entry gates until about 20 minutes after closing. Does anyone know why this happened and most importantly, how I avoid this for our next trip in April 2013? I just booked breakfast in the Castle for my princess and I don't want any issues. Our reservation is 815 and the park opens at 900. Thank you.

Back in that year, Ferries did not begin operating until half an hour before park open and monorails were relied on to carry the load. Most likely the express line(or both) were down. Now the Ferry starts running 1 hour before EMH starts. If you have a reservation before that, the resort monorail should be running unless it's broken down as usual.

edit: in no situation should you have been not allowed to board transportation until the park was actually open. I can see you having to wait in line to get onto transportation, but not being held back from boarding unless there was something fairly major going on that would prevent transportation from wanting to bring people to MK.

 

[sam_gordon]

Since you need to be in the lot by 7:30am (IMHO) you should be right up front. Walk up to the monorails and take the resort monorail to the MK. I am assuming it stops at the TTC that early in the morning. If all else fails see if you can take a boat from the Polynesian to the MK. It is a 5min walk from the TTC to the Poly. I had only done RD once when driving to the MK and we had no issues taking the monorail in time but it was also an early morning magic hour day...

If you walk to the poly, you can take the resort monorail from there too if you can't get to the monorail/ferry @ TTC.

 

[monarchsfan16]

We had this happen to us Easter week 2000. Walk to the Poly from the TTC and take the monorail from there.

 

[seashoreCM]

Back in that year, (snip).

I can recall several times in the 2000-2005 time frame when the first express monorail and the first ferry were seeimingly timed to arrive about 15 minutes before public opening at Magic Kingdom. I think this happened on non extra magic hour mornings too; the resort guests coming via bus got to line up first at the turnstiles. Sometimes the turnstiles were opened no sooner than opening hour. Sometimes guests were admitted a little early but rope drop happened under the train station at the park entrance.

 

[double r]

We just told the CM that we had reservations at CP and they let us on the monorail not sure which one but no problem.

 

[Sheepdog]

thanks for all the advice and information. I was up in Canada and could not use my phone and had no internet access. great to have some clarification on why it happened and how to avoid it in the future