What if I want to get there REALLY early?

[MenchieMan87]

Someone has to be first in line for Disneyland, right? How early is early is early enough to be first? (This upcoming Friday, park opens at 8am, no magic morning hours.)

Is there some point when they close/open the entrance plaza? Or can anyone get there any time?

Also, if one were to be first in line, where would one line up?

 

[skiingfast]

I haven't aimed to be first since I was first to pull into the parking lot pre DCA.

In the morning they sweep everyone out of the esplanade, so there is no reason to be super early. But you want to be near the front of the security checks. The checks will open I believe at 7am. So you might want to aim for 30-45 minutes before that. But sometimes east security opens before west and vice versa so don't get your hopes up. But when through security go strait to a gate, except the far left which is for character breakfasts. Hope fully you beat everyone to an empty spot in the front of the gate.

 

[larina]

I don't know anything about doing it, but what a great goal to have!

 

[HydroGuy]

If you want to be "one of the first' then arrive 45 minutes early. You may have to line up at the turnstiles or at security check. If you want to be "absolutely first' then arrive 60 minutes early.

In reality I doubt there will be any real difference between 45 and 60 minutes. You will be at the very front either way. And there is no way to guarantee you are really, truly first because you are at the mercy of the security checkers and turnstile ticket takers to some degree.

 

[perlster]

There's no real "first" because there is no single line. I could claim "first" on a few recent visits, because I was the closest guest to line up at the Harbor Blvd side bag check. There are multiple lines per location, and even two separate bag checks on the Harbor Blvd side. I've been told by security that the one closest to Disneyland Park is secondary, and won't open if there are insufficient personnel.

All the entrance gates will not be operating on less-busy days. Technical problems can also keep a particular gate from being used.

A "first" that can't be disputed is on a a particular ride. I can claim the first ship to Never Never Land, the first log down Splash Mountain, the first on Buzz's blaster vehicles, andthe first Doom buggy.

 

[smiles33]

I'm here now, arrived at 6:20 to nobody but CM at Harbor side and 3 on DTD side. 6 people JUST arrived as I read this thread. FYI it's MM so it starts at 7 am and park opens at 8 today.

 

[MenchieMan87]

A "first" that can't be disputed is on a a particular ride. I can claim the first ship to Never Never Land, the first log down Splash Mountain, the first on Buzz's blaster vehicles, andthe first Doom buggy.

First ship to Never Never Land. That's what I'm going to shoot for!

 

[disneychrista]

Just want to repeat, that if you arrive early & there is no CM at the security check WAIT THERE. If you go through they will make you go back to go through security.

If my memory serves. Security opens 1 hour before non-MM day and 30 mins before MM days. Same as the parking lot.

 

[pixarmom]

If you want to be "one of the first' then arrive 45 minutes early. You may have to line up at the turnstiles or at security check. If you want to be "absolutely first' then arrive 60 minutes early.

In reality I doubt there will be any real difference between 45 and 60 minutes. You will be at the very front either way. And there is no way to guarantee you are really, truly first because you are at the mercy of the security checkers and turnstile ticket takers to some degree.

We did this a year ago (August 2010) and I don't know if procedures have changed since then. Although DL was my original "home park," we're now WDW vets and I hadn't been to DL for many years. So after reading a ton of helpful advice on these boards, we decided to employ our WDW strategies at DL (like getting there early) and found they were very successful!

We stayed at GCH and started walking from our room to the security tables on the left side of the Disneyland Park entrance one hour before MM. We were first at the security tables and our three boys were rejoicing! We talked with the CMs at the tables quite a bit and they knew our boys were very excited about this AND that it was their first visit. I told the boys that there was really no way to be the first in the park because past security, the turnstiles would all open at once. But there is an exception! When they opened the security tables, we were through right away and proceeded immediately to the gates. Moments later, a CM approached us and asked if we wanted to be the family to open the park. So sure enough, our oldest was the first through the turnstiles, our middle son was second and our youngest was third. We opened the park and then they power walked (OK - they started to run a little) down an empty main street. I have video of the entire thing - it was an amazing experience!

 

[Tasscrapper]

I hoped it worked out for you and you are having a wonderful day!

 

[Eeee-va]

First ship to Never Never Land. That's what I'm going to shoot for!

I did that in June 2009 on a Magic Morning. (7 AM MM opening) From my trip report:

Reminder, all these time stamps are based on when photos were taken, so don't take the times as exact, but good estimates.

For my birthday (Sunday), we made it to the bag check well before opening...in fact, well before bag check was open!

At 6:44 AM, I was amused to see this pillar collapse, to allow a truck through. Evidently it's remote-controlled!

We walked pretty fast once we were allowed in.

We hit Peter Pan's Flight at 7:06 AM (the very first people on!)....

Wow, that was, er, brief. And my time stamps were VERY off on my camera (I had to do math to calculate them correctly!) so all the times are estimates.

What I really did was, we got to the bag check no earlier than 6:40 AM (not ideal, but I'm a night owl!). But it wasn't open. There were a few people in line ahead of us. Once they finally let us through bag check, I was first in our party and I walked with purpose until I found myself by a (still fenced-off) gate. It was a little weasely to grab a spot and save it for my party (which was probably less than a minute behind), but it was my birthday. Wouldn't do it again! The picture I got at the gate is dated 6:54, so we didn't get through until sometime between 6:45 and 6:52, I reckon, for a 7 AM MM.

My mom was not feeling well and was having trouble walking, so she told us to go on ahead. Again, I wouldn't do it again, but I hadn't been to Disneyland in several years and I was feeling a pressing "have to do it all" urge. We were even following Ridemax!

My friend and I walk very fast, so we were able to get ahead of ALMOST everyone by powerwalking. There was a man and a little girl who were far ahead of us; they must have gotten in super-early for some reason. Still, we were excited to be ahead of the crowd, and headed to Peter Pan, of course. I had hopes of being the second group on, but what do you know? The man and his little girl went to some other ride....so we were first! I was proud to be the first guest to set foot on the boat that day.

We actually got SO far ahead of everyone else that we each stopped (very quickly!) to get our picture in front of the castle.

Your opening will be different at 8 AM, but a lot more guests will be heading to things that AREN'T Fantasyland (Magic Morning in 2009, Fantasyland was really the place to be). So if you're at or very near the front gate when they're opened and you walk quick, I think you have a good chance.

 

[smiles33]

I ended up being third on Main Street but the first two ran to SMGG. I wanted PP and wasted a couple minutes having a Photopass photographer take my photo in front of an empty castle. Another couple beat me to PPM but I'm still pleased with my MM experience.

 

[MenchieMan87]

Thanks for the tips everyone! So do they start both security stations going at the same time? (I'm staying at BWPPI so the one on the bus side would be more convenient but I suppose I could walk around!)

 

[skiingfast]

Thanks for the tips everyone! So do they start both security stations going at the same time? (I'm staying at BWPPI so the one on the bus side would be more convenient but I suppose I could walk around!)

Not always, it can be either or or both, so it will take some luck for them to open your side first.