What time to arrive for 9AM opening?

Your experience makes me want to stick to my Gardenwalk plan next week. I hope it works out for us too!
It looked awful when we got to Harbor; I was really questioning my life choices... and then we were in the park less than 30 minutes later. 🤞 that you have good luck, whatever you decide!
 
We parked at Gardenwalk on Thursday. The “theme park parking” rate was on the website, but at the actual parking garage, it’s papered over with “convention center parking” for $18, and we couldn’t figure out how to get it. So we just paid $30. 🤷‍♀️

Per the GardenWalk website...

Theme Park Parking - $18.00 flat

Text 949.532.8293 your parking ticket # and a ThemePark merchant receipt number no later than 60min before you exit.
 
We've been 5x since reopening. 3 of those visits were from GCH. That's my #1 parking choice. LOL

#2: We lyfted from our house and were dropped off at Harbor entrance. No waiting for parking or walking. Awesome-ness!

#3: Gardenwalk - Plenty of spaces available. Walk is decent but not crazy...AND, if you don't get a chance to eat or it's crazy at DLR...there are plenty of eating options at Gardenwalk that would be happy to have your business. https://anaheimgardenwalk.com/directory/
 

I assume Space Mtn is usually open as soon at gates open?
Not necessarily. The park is opening at slightly different times each day (based on crowds/lines), and the ride operators themselves don't always know when the gates open, according to a CM I know who works on Star Tours. So if the ride is done with testing and up for the day, they start running it, but that's not always the case. Most rides appear to be open well before 9, but it's not a "sure thing," basically.
 
DD and I are in line now on harbor entrance. We got here just before 7 and are 2nd in the 4th of 4 lines so we are right by the temp check station. Much closer than yesterday.

Friday is a visit family day and rest day so no parks. We go to DCA so I plan to be in line at probably 6:30 in anticipation of it being more crowded early for avengers land.

A little more detail about our arrival yesterday. They opened security a little after 8. We were back next to the drop off area but in the tram route. The line moved for us at 8:05 but we made it through security and got in line at a gate for DL as they were doing the countdown to open the gates. We had a couple dozen people in front of us at the gates and it was a slow process scanning tickets for some reason, so it took several minutes to get into the park.
 
We left our hotel room (Residence Inn) at 8:45 am yesterday morning and were inside Disneyland by 9:08. We are very fast walkers, and there was a line when we got to the entrance, but it moved quickly. The longest hold up was at the security gates where we made the mistake of getting behind a loaded stroller I really wish Disneyland had installed the walk through security devices like Disney World. They are so much better! But we were surprised how fast the entire process was. I think it paid to not try to get there too early. We still managed to hit a couple big rides before the crowds started to grow (Falcon and BTMR).
 
We left our hotel room (Residence Inn) at 8:45 am yesterday morning and were inside Disneyland by 9:08. We are very fast walkers, and there was a line when we got to the entrance, but it moved quickly. The longest hold up was at the security gates where we made the mistake of getting behind a loaded stroller I really wish Disneyland had installed the walk through security devices like Disney World. They are so much better! But we were surprised how fast the entire process was. I think it paid to not try to get there too early. We still managed to hit a couple big rides before the crowds started to grow (Falcon and BTMR).
We are staying at the same place. Ca
 
We parked at GardenWalk at 7:45 am on Friday June 4. Got to the crazy Harbor line at 8:00 am. Was into the entrance of DCA at 9:06 am. Made a beeline for Radiator Springs; the line was already a 90 minute wait so we didn’t go.
 
We parked at GardenWalk at 7:45 am on Friday June 4. Got to the crazy Harbor line at 8:00 am. Was into the entrance of DCA at 9:06 am. Made a beeline for Radiator Springs; the line was already a 90 minute wait so we didn’t go.
I’m sorry you got caught up in the Avengers Campus opening day madness. Anyone know if people lined up again at 4am today?
 
I’ll be interested to follow this thread over the next few days - with AC keeps things like this or will it go back to 7:30ish being ok? If anybody is going in the next few days, please report back!
 
I’ll be interested to follow this thread over the next few days - with AC keeps things like this or will it go back to 7:30ish being ok? If anybody is going in the next few days, please report back!
I’m going Tuesday, which is why I asked. I’m getting pretty nervous about the whole security line situation. We live 45 minutes away and I’m going with my 6-year-old. Waking him up at 6:30 to arrive by 7:30 was already pushing it ... I can’t wake him up at 5:30am then spend the entire day at the park. I wish people would chill out and knock off the 4am lineups.

I wonder if Mickey & Friends will be better?
 
I'm doing the WS boarding group attempt at 7AM from home, then leave by 7:15 to park in Garden Walk, which will be 7:45ish. I'm not going to stress about beating the crowds as I'll just enjoy whatever I can do.
 
We got in line on the Harbor side at about 6:10 this morning and it is very similar to yesterday. I’m close to where I was yesterday just a little farther back. I was about 10-12 min earlier yesterday.
 












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