Which entrance for early entry

[AustinTink]

That last two years we have stayed at the GCH and have never utilized the park entrance from the hotel during early entry in the morning. The line is always soooo long that we choose to walk to the park gates and enter that way. Am I fooling myself into thinking that's faster? I sure would like to use the hotel entrance instead, especially since we pay for this perk by staying at the GCH.

Which is faster in your opinion?

 

[tlovesdis]

The front gate is faster, in my opinion. The line is always ridiculously long for that GCH entrance during early entry. We walk around and are in the gates in just a few minutes.

 

[bumbershoot]

Front gate unless you're willing to get up very early and be at the front of the Grand's entrance.

But use that entrance for when you take breaks and then go back! That's when it's nice. (of course, by that time in the day it's not exclusive, but still...)

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I agree. The main entrance is quicker/better for early entry.

 

[Nonsuch]

Front gate unless you're willing to get up very early and be at the front of the Grand's entrance.

But use that entrance for when you take breaks and then go back! That's when it's nice. (of course, by that time in the day it's not exclusive, but still...)

The GCH entrance opens to non-Disney Hotel guests at 11AM, and a line often forms just prior to 11AM.
I avoid the entrance from 11:00 to 11:30.

 

[AustinTink]

Yeah, we do enjoy that entrance for quick breaks throughout the day. It's really nice. It would just be great to use it in the morning. Oh well, I'll make sure to have my engine running first thing in the morning to bust a move to the front gate.

 

[AustinTink]

The GCH entrance opens to non-Disney Hotel guests at 11AM, and a line often forms just prior to 11AM.
I avoid the entrance from 11:00 to 11:30.

Oh, I figured it was open to non-Disney hotel guests all day.

 

[ParkHopper1]

Form all accounts here on the boards, the Main Gates are the fastest for the initial early morning rush. Once that EE/Rope drop wave gets through, the GHC entrance is golden.

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh well, I'll make sure to have my engine running first thing in the morning to bust a move to the front gate.

If you're up early enough to be the first at that gate, and you want to hit rides convenient to Grizzly, you could try it.


The one time we stayed at the Grand it was Columbus Day weekend and the morning of my birthday we tried that gate for opening. Thought we were going to be right up there. I think we were likely 30+ minutes before opening. And we were sooooo far back in line. It was painful. We would have had to be there at least an hour before opening, but probably earlier than that, to be in the first 10 people there.

We don't particularly like staying at the Grand so we haven't repeated that, but when we stay at PPH we don't even bother with that entrance for opening (early or not).