When do you normally first enter a park most days you are there?

[Bete]

Trying to find out when you begin your day at the parks.

 

[nat8199]

We always get there before parks open, but we do not go to extra magic hours.

 

[mom2rtk]

We always get there before rope drop to make the most of the day.

That said, if I was doing a multi-generational trip like you described in your other thread, I would ease up on my park strategy and just go with the flow to be in the moment with my family. If that ended up being a little later start each day, I'd just go with it.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Not entirely critical to your specific question or subject matter, but since you’re looking into a December trip (mentioned on the other thread), there are (usually) many days in December with pre-9AM MK openings. Especially this year, where many of the MVMCP dates had 8AM openings.

 

[bryanb]

I come from the west coast and tend to take short trips; not enough time to really love Eastern time. I've made EMH or rope drop when arriving on a red-eye, which is a nice way to start off the trip.

But if it's a sleepless flight, that can backfire. My friend and I landed around 5:30am, got to the MK by around 7:30am, and then proceeded to slog through the day. By the time we got the text notification that the room was ready, we were sitting at the Laugh Floor, heavy heads miserably nodding in a zombie state, foggily disconnected from the show.

 

[Micca]

We're WDW vets and we go at least twice a year, there's no big rush to get up & at 'em. I'd say we probably average an arrival around 10AM. We seldom do more than 6-8 hours in a park on any given day. We used to be commando tourists going from RD to close. After 20 years or so we decided that staying longer didn't necessarily mean "more fun."

 

[CAS239]

Slightly before Park opening

 

[kangamangus]

For the most part we do rope drop each day we are going to a park. Occasionally after a party or an extra late night out we arrive later and almost always can feel the difference in arriving three or four hours into a day.

 

[Disneylover99]

We enter at all different times each day/night. But we usually go for 2-3 weeks each summer. We might do one rope drop during our trip.

 

[disneyvoice]

We always pre-plan to be there prior to rope drop but actually decide each morning if we want to get up that early or would prefer to sleep in. We don’t worry about it.

 

[bigbabyblues]

Edited, I misread the question.

We always get to the park well before opening. Usually 8:15-8:25.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

It’s a mixed bag. We do RD at each park at least once. Then usually an additional day. So 4-5 RD days. Then one rest day. And two later start days with parks having really late EMH.

 

[alex9179]

My kids poop out early at home, so we get started early to minimize the standing-in-line-whining. They loved the early days, a swim, nap, then fireworks that defined our summer trip.
I'm going with an early-rising cousin in Jan. Might as well take advantage since she's going to be up, anyway. I'm NOT a morning person but love getting a lot done so, I adapt.

 

[tobikaye]

I cannot vote as all of the above match. Over a 7 day vacation, I usually mix it up with early arrivals and later arrivals to the parks.

 

[IvyWinter]

I always aim for 9 am... realistically i get there by 10 am haha but id say at least 1-2 days i can make it early!

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I chose early EMH although there's not EMH every day at every park.
So really I arrive at the park about 30 minutes prior to whenever its opening.

 

[TristiK]

We are there 30-45 minutes before rope drop. Luckily my kids are early risers!

 

[mombrontrent]

We usually arrive at at around 11-12 and stay until close. Sometimes if we plan a swim or water park day or shopping we might not arrive until late afternoon/early evening.

 

[Tomh]

We are generally Rope Drop kind of people, and usually stay until the park closes.

 

[si-am]

Rope drop or EMH. We get so much done that we are usually ready to leave by lunch, lol. Of course, we've been so many times that we aren't interested in riding everything anymore, just a few select favorites.