What time are guests allowed into WDW parks?

[Nick6300]

We haven't been to WDW for over a yr and looking for an update for rope drop planning for next mo., on when are you allowed through tapstyles at ea. of the parks in the am? I'm probably off, but I remember it used to be something like:

MK: allowed in 1 hr before park opens, held at hub until 5 min before park opening time for 4 min show. Can't recall if not open as early for EMH on Fri am's.
EP: let in 20-40min early held at Spaceship Earth until 10-15min before opening.
HS: 15-30 min early, held at Sunset Blvd.
AK: about 40 min early, held at Tiffins bridge for FoP.

How early are you allowed in for 8:10am dining reservations at EP for breakfast at Garden Grill (9am opening)? Thank you for your help.

 

[AngiTN]

Pretty much the same

 

[TinkSassy]

AK - at busy times has been an hour or more for the FoP line that forms. Others where about the same - not sure on HS with the opening of SWGE

 

[Nick6300]

AK - at busy times has been an hour or more for the FoP line that forms. Others where about the same - not sure on HS with the opening of SWGE

Allowed into the park a full hr before park opening at AK?

 

[Mom24Princesses]

HS is maybe 5:45 right now for Early opening. That goes through October. We got there about 6:00AM Friday and it wasn’t very crowded at all. We rode SD (10 mn) , TSMx2 (walk on and 10 min) , THEN SRx2 under 30 and just about 30 mins back to back. With a casual pace. GE was packed at 9:00.

 

[gharter]

Your times are about right.
AK - let in about 30-60 minutes before and held at the Oasis (if not going into Pandora) or the bridge to Pandora. Let into FoP about 15 minutes early.
HS - let in about 30-40 minutes early. Previously walked to TSL about 20 minutes early. Not sure how SWGE has changed this, if any.
MK - still held at Hub until the opening show.
EPCOT - they may let you enter the main gate early, not the IG.

 

[Nick6300]

HS is maybe 5:45 right now for Early opening. That goes through October. We got there about 6:00AM Friday and it wasn’t very crowded at all. We rode SD (10 mn) , TSMx2 (walk on and 10 min) , THEN SRx2 under 30 and just about 30 mins back to back. With a casual pace. GE was packed at 9:00.

So 15 min before opening time right now at HS. Do most rope drop people head to SDD or Smuggler's Run 1st? I would have guessed a lot of people head to GE 1st, then SDD, TSM, Aero/ToT.

 

[TinkSassy]

Allowed into the park a full hr before park opening at AK?

Depends on crowds but it can be - held on the bridge but sometimes FoP will open 10-30 minutes before the park

 

[kiford]

I'm not sure how early they let you in for pre-park opening dining, but there will be a line off to one side which is for those people who have dining and tours booked for PPO. They will scan you band to make sure you really do have an ADR or will ask which tour you have booked. Last time we had a PPO tour booked, they had signs up and someone walking down the line checking.

 

[Nick6300]

Depends on crowds but it can be - held on the bridge but sometimes FoP will open 10-30 minutes before the park

Thanks. bit different than what I'm used to. And with us going on Thanksgiving - RoTR opening, it will be busy at the parks. I guess we'll have to get to AK well over the 1 hr prior to opening. Think we used to get there about 1.5hrs prior.

 

[cassie58]

Piggyback question - if you are an offsite guest who can't do EMH hour, do they also hold you on Main Street for that hour leading up to regular opening once you are through security? We have always been onsite and utilized early EMH so haven't experienced it, but have friends coming down who are offsite, and due to the early EMH at all the parks(except Epcot) each day that is currently in place, they can't choose to avoid the EMH park each day, so will get to MK early to park, get through security etc anyway, so figured if they got there early they could at least take in Main Street, get some pics(first trip for kids) while they wait. Just wasn't sure how it worked when other guests are already in the park - guessing it was the same as the normal wait before opening - are they still doing opening show with the altered morning hours?

 

[Nick6300]

Piggyback question - if you are an offsite guest who can't do EMH hour, do they also hold you on Main Street for that hour leading up to regular opening once you are through security? We have always been onsite and utilized early EMH so haven't experienced it, but have friends coming down who are offsite, and due to the early EMH at all the parks(except Epcot) each day that is currently in place, they can't choose to avoid the EMH park each day, so will get to MK early to park, get through security etc anyway, so figured if they got there early they could at least take in Main Street, get some pics(first trip for kids) while they wait. Just wasn't sure how it worked when other guests are already in the park - guessing it was the same as the normal wait before opening - are they still doing opening show with the altered morning hours?

I think there are no shows on regular EMH early MK days (Fri's).

I'm not sure what they're doing now - I didn't even know that there's extra hrs right now, other than the extra extra magic hrs for HS. It seemed like I recall for EMH early days, you were not let in an hr earlier because of EMH... only like 15 min. early (745 for 8am-9am emh for onsite guests, where offsite had to wait until closer to 9), and again no show. But I could be making that up with my poor memory.

 

[cassie58]

I think there are no shows on regular EMH early MK days (Fri's).

I'm not sure what they're doing now - I didn't even know that there's extra hrs right now, other than the extra extra magic hrs for HS. It seemed like I recall for EMH early days, you were not let in an hr earlier because of EMH... only like 15 min. early (745 for 8am-9am emh for onsite guests, where offsite had to wait until closer to 9), and again no show. But I could be making that up with my poor memory.

Yes - unfortunately for offsite guests, there are 7-8am EMH each day at MK and AK, presumably to try and spread out guests from predicted possible barage on HS. Agreed - I know there was not the welcome show on regular EMH, but figured with everyday now, they might? Wasn't sure about how offsite guests might wait now on an EMH day for regular opening, since I thought the move for having everyone on Main St. as they do now for the hour before on a normal opening was done for security, so thought it would make sense for that to always be the way, but not sure.


Edited:
** Just checked out app and saw show listed for 7:55am, so that answers that question!

 

[mtrib]

As for entry for Garden Grill PPO - 7:45 regardless of the actual time of your PPO ADR. We had 8:40 ADR. Let in at 7:45. Took some great pics in empty park and got to GG by 8:00. Seated immediately. They don't make you wait until your reservation time. GREAT character interaction at that time because the place is empty. They often come by more than once.

 

[Nick6300]

As for entry for Garden Grill PPO - 7:45 regardless of the actual time of your PPO ADR. We had 8:40 ADR. Let in at 7:45. Took some great pics in empty park and got to GG by 8:00. Seated immediately. They don't make you wait until your reservation time. GREAT character interaction at that time because the place is empty. They often come by more than once.

Thank you. Is 8am the earliest they will get you seated at GG? Better to be downstairs than upstairs for quicker access to Soarin' - despite maybe better viewing of the Land upstairs / a little less busy? What time do you think Soarin' is 1st avail to ride?

 

[AngiTN]

Thank you. Is 8am the earliest they will get you seated at GG? Better to be downstairs than upstairs for quicker access to Soarin' - despite maybe better viewing of the Land upstairs / a little less busy? What time do you think Soarin' is 1st avail to ride?

Yes, 8:00 is the earliest. They aren't open prior to that
Since it's served family-style, no menu to order from, they just bring food, dining is fast.
We had no problems getting in, eating and down for the first ride on Soarin'

And as PP said, all PPO dining guests can enter at the same time. It doesn't matter what time the ADR is for.
Those with an ADR for 8:30 can get in at the same time as someone with an ADR of 8:00. As long as the ADR is PPO, you get in early

 

[AngiTN]

Thanks. bit different than what I'm used to. And with us going on Thanksgiving - RoTR opening, it will be busy at the parks. I guess we'll have to get to AK well over the 1 hr prior to opening. Think we used to get there about 1.5hrs prior.

The main point is, what you did on your last trip to get you to the parks on time will work now. 1.5 hours before opening is more than enough time

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

So 15 min before opening time right now at HS. Do most rope drop people head to SDD or Smuggler's Run 1st? I would have guessed a lot of people head to GE 1st, then SDD, TSM, Aero/ToT.

Most people head to SWGE first. So your best bet is to do TSL first, then RNRC/TOT, and SWGE last.

 

[Nick6300]

Yes - unfortunately for offsite guests, there are 7-8am EMH each day at MK and AK, presumably to try and spread out guests from predicted possible barage on HS. Agreed - I know there was not the welcome show on regular EMH, but figured with everyday now, they might? Wasn't sure about how offsite guests might wait now on an EMH day for regular opening, since I thought the move for having everyone on Main St. as they do now for the hour before on a normal opening was done for security, so thought it would make sense for that to always be the way, but not sure.


Edited:
** Just checked out app and saw show listed for 7:55am, so that answers that question!

If EMH ea. day at MK, then makes sense they still do the pre-open show. Your RD at the hub for security reference - I agree as the possible reason. Although many of us liked the show with the train better. And I see many people at the 2 entrances to MK, once it opens for people still literally running to be 1st at the RD area for 7D. So the move only paused the running at the midpoint, but allows CMs to be set up in front of the crowd for the walk to 7D.

 

[AngiTN]

If EMH ea. day at MK, then makes sense they still do the pre-open show. Your RD at the hub for security reference - I agree as the possible reason. Although many of us liked the show with the train better. And I see many people at the 2 entrances to MK, once it opens for people still literally running to be 1st at the RD area for 7D. So the move only paused the running at the midpoint, but allows CMs to be set up in front of the crowd for the walk to 7D.

It's to give more room, for security reasons. Guests are much less bunched up in the hub. It's not the confined space that the main entrance is. It doesn't eliminate the possibility of an incident