What time to arrive for 9AM opening?

[Skyegirl1999]

I've been following this thread, trying to prepare myself for our August trip.
Is that amount of early opening time true just of the 9 a.m. openings?
Or for 8:00 openings, do they open around 7:15-7:30? I guess this would be based on pre-pandemic experiences, since I don't think they've opened that early since then. Just trying to prepare myself, though we should have a bit of an advantage coming from the east coast as our body clocks "ought" to be 3 hours ahead -- though the travel day might mess all that up anyhow.

In the past, Disneyland didn’t open early. Well, sometimes the gates did, but you were held at ropes until the official opening time (hence, “rope drop”).

Post-pandemic, the parks have only had a 9am opening advertised, so there’s no precedent for an 8am “official” opening.

 

[wishing4PA]

In the past, Disneyland didn’t open early. Well, sometimes the gates did, but you were held at ropes until the official opening time (hence, “rope drop”).

Post-pandemic, the parks have only had a 9am opening advertised, so there’s no precedent for an 8am “official” opening.

Thanks for that info! I'm surprised to hear they didn't open early before -- DL newbie here, so I didn't know if that was normal or not.
It looks like I'll have to wait until July to find out about the 8:00 openings. That would be awfully early if they didn't wait 'til 8.

 

[MsDisATC]

Trying to decide what our best plan is here. We're going to be there June 11+12. If this were any typical trip for me I'd be lining up at 6am and be happy with my spot, but it's our first time with our little baby along. I want to keep her schedule as normal as possible which means we get her up for the day at 7, she has a bottle, and then we probably would be ready to head out around 8am. We're not trying to rush around and do everything so it doesn't really bother me to wander into the parks later (unless we end up with early BGs I suppose), but also we don't really have anything else to do after she's ready to go except sit around the hotel so we may as well head out. We are staying at the BWPPI right at the crosswalk... but if we head out around 7:45 or 8am it sounds like we will have to walk down to Katella to find the end of the line anyway... at that point we may just consider continuing the walk on over to DTD I guess. I suppose one of us could go line up on Harbor at 6 and the other + baby could join them later.

So what would you do? Just see where the line is when we get down there and decide if we want to stand in that or spend probably the same amount of time doing the walk around through DTD?

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Trying to decide what our best plan is here. We're going to be there June 11+12. If this were any typical trip for me I'd be lining up at 6am and be happy with my spot, but it's our first time with our little baby along. I want to keep her schedule as normal as possible which means we get her up for the day at 7, she has a bottle, and then we probably would be ready to head out around 8am. We're not trying to rush around and do everything so it doesn't really bother me to wander into the parks later (unless we end up with early BGs I suppose), but also we don't really have anything else to do after she's ready to go except sit around the hotel so we may as well head out. We are staying at the BWPPI right at the crosswalk... but if we head out around 7:45 or 8am it sounds like we will have to walk down to Katella to find the end of the line anyway... at that point we may just consider continuing the walk on over to DTD I guess. I suppose one of us could go line up on Harbor at 6 and the other + baby could join them later.

So what would you do? Just see where the line is when we get down there and decide if we want to stand in that or spend probably the same amount of time doing the walk around through DTD?

I’d definitely just go through Harbor at that point, personally.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

So we are here today. Prior to AC opening my plan was to park at the Anaheim Gardenwalk and walk to the Harbor security entrance but I changed my mind and parked at Mickey & Friends. We pulled up to the structure at 7:35 and we were about 7 or 8 cars back in our line. They weren’t open yet so we waited there. At 7:45 they let the first car through and we parked, went through temp check and security, and walked to the esplanade. No hold for us, we walked right into the line to enter DCA at 8:16. DCA was already open, not sure when it opened. The line looked longish but it moved very fast and we were through the turnstiles at 8:21.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

PS. My friends are also here and they arrived at Harbor entrance at 8am and it took them an hour to get in the parks.

 

[ahhhcrap]

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.

Where do you find the merchant receipt number?

 

[Matrixleos]

Where do you find the merchant receipt number?

You can take a picture of your park ticket. If you have any other questions, GardenWalk Parking phone number is (714-860-4242).

 

[Matrixleos]

FYI....other members on this board have posted to not wait too long to send that text to GardenWalk Parking. They get pretty busy around park closing and might take awhile for you to get the confirmation for the discounted theme park rate. Better to send the text message much earlier in the day, perhaps while waiting on line for one of the rides.

That way you'll get the confirmation text much earlier in the day and can leave whenever you're ready to go.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Did anyone park at Mickey & Friends today? Or anyone who will be parking there tomorrow? I wonder what time they opened today.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Did anyone park at Mickey & Friends today? Or anyone who will be parking there tomorrow? I wonder what time they opened today.

I think I may have answered this on another thread for you, but they opened the entrance at about 7:35 and the ticket booths at 7:45.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I think I may have answered this on another thread for you, but they opened the entrance at about 7:35 and the ticket booths at 7:45.

Yes you did and I thank you!

 

[WonkaKid]

… And if we do get stuck in a line in the car is there bathrooms nearby the kids can use after this long drive? Thanks!

I suggest stopping at one of the two nearby Denny’s (both perhaps a mile or less from M&F) before getting to the structure. If you’re in line at M&F for awhile, your kids may be able to get out of the car and cross through the structure to the bathrooms towards the bottom of the escalators. It’s perhaps a five or ten minute walk so if you’re moving, it may be best to wait. But at least twice I left my car before the structure opened (as we waited in line inside the structure but before they began to allow people in) and ran over to the structure bathroom.