When do the parks start letting people in?

[mamamelody2]

It looks like when we go the parks will likely open at 9 AM. What time do they start actually letting people into the park? And do they start any of the rides early like they do at Disney?
Also if there is early entry at 8 when do they actually start letting people in?
When should we be at the gates to be close to the front of the pack? For both early entry and regular entry?

 

[CAPSLOCK]

If a park is open for Early Entry, they start letting everyone in about 7:58-8am. Once you are inside the park, there will be a barricade further in where you show your EE credentials to go past. Only a few rides are open (Harry Potter areas and usually one other, Hulk or Minions depending on park), and those are the only areas you can access until official open right about 9am.

 

[mamamelody2]

So not early at all then. Hmmm.

 

[bchbetha]

So not early at all then. Hmmm.

The limits on what is open is stated on their park info. I can see where someone might assume the whole park was open but that’s not how it works. It’s still very nice to beat the hoards into the park. Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade get way too crowded. And over Christmas parks hit capacity 20 minutes after open to the general crowds.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

So not early at all then. Hmmm.

More like accurately early. Or early as advertised - if they say early entry at 8am, it's actually pretty nice that you don't have to guess when that might really be. Like when Wendy's opens at 7am, you aren't expecting to go there at 6:50am and get that lovely honey butter chicken biscuit... you expect to get it at 7am.

 

[bchbetha]

More like accurately early. Or early as advertised - if they say early entry at 8am, it's actually pretty nice that you don't have to guess when that might really be. Like when Wendy's opens at 7am, you aren't expecting to go there at 6:50am and get that lovely honey butter chicken biscuit... you expect to get it at 7am.

I hate that at Disney you can be on time but other people will have been in for like 30+ minutes and already ridden rides multiple times. I like places that open when they say they are going to open instead of guessing if you should show up an hour early on the chance they're letting people in. We aren't morning people so that affects my answer.

 

[mamamelody2]

It is rather nice that you don't have to guess. That they open the gates at the advertised time. I'm sure if we stroll up at 8:55 on a day it opens at 9 we'll be pretty far back in line though, correct?

 

[Mr. Drauer]

It is rather nice that you don't have to guess. That they open the gates at the advertised time. I'm sure if we stroll up at 8:55 on a day it opens at 9 we'll be pretty far back in line though, correct?

Yes that will be the case. However, since the reopen, they will start letting people in earlier when the lines build back to either of the bridges to alleviate crowds. I have found that early entry starts pretty close to on time, but regular entry can be as early as 30 minutes before. This week both parks opened at 7:00 for EE every day it didn’t matter when you came for regular entry, it was already crowded. Every day can be different based on the anticipated crowd size. You’ll have to wait until close to your date to get a feel for what they will be doing.

 

[mamamelody2]

Yes that will be the case. However, since the reopen, they will start letting people in earlier when the lines build back to either of the bridges to alleviate crowds. I have found that early entry starts pretty close to on time, but regular entry can be as early as 30 minutes before. This week both parks opened at 7:00 for EE every day it didn’t matter when you came for regular entry, it was already crowded. Every day can be different based on the anticipated crowd size. You’ll have to wait until close to your date to get a feel for what they will be doing.

Thanks for the info! Very helpful!

 

[ClapYourHands]

We found that early entry was very crowded because the hotel guests were all squashed into Hogsmeade. Fewer people in the park, but all concentrated in one area didn't seem like such an advantage at first. BUT that meant at opening time we were way at the back of the park, so we strolled over to the Jurassic Park area where the rides were walk ons. Probably could have made it over to Kong if we'd wanted to before the offsite guests could get there. So even if you don't get there early enough to be at the front of the pack for really low wait times on the Harry Potter rides, if you arrive at some point during that first hour, you can still have a head start to other areas.

 

[mamamelody2]

We found that early entry was very crowded because the hotel guests were all squashed into Hogsmeade. Fewer people in the park, but all concentrated in one area didn't seem like such an advantage at first. BUT that meant at opening time we were way at the back of the park, so we strolled over to the Jurassic Park area where the rides were walk ons. Probably could have made it over to Kong if we'd wanted to before the offsite guests could get there. So even if you don't get there early enough to be at the front of the pack for really low wait times on the Harry Potter rides, if you arrive at some point during that first hour, you can still have a head start to other areas.

I was thinking about that. Just using that time to position ourselves well for opening of other attractions. I have seen some recent pics of the crowds in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley lately and I don't really want to be in the middle of that.

 

[ClapYourHands]

I was thinking about that. Just using that time to position ourselves well for opening of other attractions. I have seen some recent pics of the crowds in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley lately and I don't really want to be in the middle of that.

I think being in the middle of that would be stressful. If you can't be at the front of the pack to get first crack at Hagrid's, be at the tail end of the crowd to position yourself for other lands.