Everything Early Theme Park Entry (ETPE) - Please Read Post 1

[Welsh_Dragon]

This picture shows average wait times at DHS today (red) vs 3 weeks ago today (blue).

I think it helps to show a bit of why some choose to arrive early and be at the front of the ETPE crowd.

View attachment 625343

For those who are not morning people, it also shows how lines drop as the evening goes on.

Is that the correct graph? It says typical, posted and today, rather than today and three weeks ago.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Is that the correct graph? It says typical, posted and today, rather than today and three weeks ago.

You can go to Thrill Data and plug in the dates. I plugged in Tues, Nov 2 and it is what was produced.

 

[ItsOnlyMoney]

I don't so much want to jump on the most popular ride as walk around and take photos a bit with fewer people in the way. Will that work or should I just sleep 1/2 hour longer?

 

[scrappinginontario]

I don't so much want to jump on the most popular ride as walk around and take photos a bit with fewer people in the way. Will that work or should I just sleep 1/2 hour longer?

Unless you're looking to take pictures in out of the way places, I think sleeping in is your better option. ETPE is encouraging many to arrive early.

That being said, not really sure there is a time when the parks are quieter right now unless you're able to attend either extended hours or, an After Hours event.

 

[ItsOnlyMoney]

Unless you're looking to take pictures in out of the way places, I think sleeping in is your better option. ETPE is encouraging many to arrive early.

That being said, not really sure there is a time when the parks are quieter right now unless you're able to attend either extended hours or, an After Hours event.

I was afraid of that. How about the end of Jan? I certainly don't want to be in a mob heading for most rides. At this point in our lives I'd rather just miss it OR I may break down and buy LL for ROR.

 

[scrappinginontario]

We're going the end of Jan and honestly, I'm fully prepared for the parks to be very busy. Resort reservations have been full/almost full for months. We are International travelers and for the first time in 2 years we're considering leaving Canada. Many of my friends are doing the same. I just think for the next while attendance at the parks will be higher for this time of year that it has been in the past due to many feeling more comfortable travelling again.

I just looked at TP predictions for our Jan/Feb dates and the anticipated crowd levels are on par with 2020, 2019 and 2018.

While I'd prefer quieter parks for many reasons, I'm prepared for that not to be the case.

 

[GBRforWDW]

We're going the end of Jan and honestly, I'm fully prepared for the parks to be very busy. Resort reservations have been full/almost full for months. We are International travelers and for the first time in 2 years we're considering leaving Canada. Many of my friends are doing the same. I just think for the next while attendance at the parks will be higher for this time of year that it has been in the past due to many feeling more comfortable travelling again.

I just looked at TP predictions for our Jan/Feb dates and the anticipated crowd levels are on par with 2020, 2019 and 2018.

While I'd prefer quieter parks for many reasons, I'm prepared for that not to be the case.

I’m so happy you were able to rebook! I know you’ve had quite the wait trying to get back to Disney! Hopefully the next 2 months go smoothly and you’ll finally make it back ‘home’! .

 

[scrappinginontario]

I’m so happy you were able to rebook! I know you’ve had quite the wait trying to get back to Disney! Hopefully the next 2 months go smoothly and you’ll finally make it back ‘home’! .

Thank you!! It's looking much more promising this time!! As of right now we'll still need to arrange for a PCR test prior to flying back to Canada but at least we can cross the border again!

LOL, we may need to take a 'test drive' over the border over Christmas and do some shopping. 🛍

 

[swelch1976]

Can anyone report on whether the Main Street Starbucks has been open when folks are allowed into the park? I'm trying to understand whether Starbucks is opening at regular Park Open, ETPE open, or when people are allowed onto Main Street. Anybody know?

 

[ChanaC]

My trip is coming up in a few week. We are only doing two days, one where we are starting at Animal Kingdom and one where we are starting at Hollywood Studios. On both days the parks are opening at 9am, with a 8:30am opening for resort guests. We are staying on site and our plan is to rope drop both FoP and MMRR. Anyone know what time they are actually letting guests in? I've heard that they start letting people into the parks and lining up before 8:30, and sometimes they even let people get into the queues before 8:30.

 

[katyringo]

EARLY.

 

[casperthegm]

Not to hijack the original inquiry, but on a related note, for offsite guests- are they sticking to the posted opening time for offsite entry, or are they getting in a little early to the parks as well?

 

[g-dad66]

On November 3, guests were already in the park by 7:50 when we arrived. We were in line for Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railroad at 7:55. The ride started running right at 8:30.

 

[Moonwolf]

When I went at the start of Nov they were letting guests into the park 30mins (most parks) to almost an hour (HS) before early entry officially started.

In MK and EPCOT we were then held at a point inside the parks until Early Entry officially started and then we were released. For HS and AK we could fall in line for our first ride once we were let into the park early.

I roped dropped HS twice during that period for two different rides. Slinky Dog Dash they held the line at the ride entrance until Early Entry started and then let us into the official queue. For Rise they started assembling the queue under the bridge into Galaxy’s Edge. Then they started to walk us into the actually queue about 45 mins before. That day they may have also started running the ride a little earlier but then it broke down so I’m not sure if the movement ahead was just people filling the queue or if there was actually loading going on before official early entry started.

 

[NickDubs34]

Was at HS last week. Was first car through the entry at 7:30. Walked directly into park and headed to Galaxy's Edge. There were probably 60 people already being held in front of me at the entrance to GE. They walked us from there to the queue for Rise at 7:50. And they started loading the ride a few minutes before 8:30.

Guessing they open gates at 7:30, but I had to walk from my car and the parking lot to the entrance so there was probably a 10 minute gap there where guests who had walked over or taken the Skyliner were ahead of me. But I'd say the closer to 7:30 you get there (for an 8:30 early entry), the better off you'll be.

FWIW, it was worth it because I found myself ahead of the pack for most of the day. I bought G+ but I was able to knock out Rise, Smuggler's Run, TSM, Runaway Railway, RnR without it and then used my G+ on Slinky, ToT and Star Tours. Got all of that done plus lunch at Sci Fi by about 2 pm.

 

[katyringo]

Okay so..

if I am staying at all star movies... and I know that DHS is letting folks into the park to line up around 730.. will the bus get me there by 730 if I get myself on the first bus of the day?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Okay so..

if I am staying at all star movies... and I know that DHS is letting folks into the park to line up around 730.. will the bus get me there by 730 if I get myself on the first bus of the day?

Yes, under normal circumstances, as long as you're on the first bus, you will arrive in time. It is recommended you arrive at the All Star Movies bus stop no later than 90 mins before ETPE begins.

 

[soniam]

Today, Black Friday, they let us into DHS about 7:30. They let us into the Smugglers queue before 8, maybe 7:45, and started the ride between 8 and 8:10. YMMV with a less busy day. Thanksgiving day at AK, they let us in about 7:20. We rode Everest by 7:30.

 

[wisblue]

I think I posted this earlier, but last week at DHS they opened the security scanners and gates at 7:30 sharp.

We went to do TOT and RNRC first both days (relying on LL for SDD and ROTR one day and LL for MFSR on the other). One day they led us to the TOT queue at 8:30 and the other day at 8:20.

For people who have gone directly to SDD or ROTR, have the current opening procedures created a fairer first come, first served approach than when guests were held at the end of Hollywood Boulevard and the rush to the attractions involved a lot of running, elbowing, and cutting in?

 

[Future_WorldPhonencian]

Have a related question to early entry. We are doing a split stay at Saratoga and Kidani. On the day we change hotels, we are planning to visit epcot. Should we just drive to the epcot lot or should we drive to our second hotel (Kidani Village) to take the busses to and fro. We will have little ones in tow (rip trams) and I know they hold cars at the toll booths.