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

[scrappinginontario]

What time do you like to arrive at AK for EE and to get in the front of the line for FOP?

Please read post Q2 of this thread that offers what you need for EYOE.

Are you staying onsite or offsite?

If onsite, key is to arrive at your report’s transportation 90 mins before ETPE begins.

 

[JMD]

It's been a while since I have been to Disney, and even longer that I been active on these forums, so I apologize if this has been asked and answered before.

Do the parks generally open at the posted opening time for that day, or is it possible to be let in prior to that? I remember HS studios would regularly open early during the first months after Galaxy's Edge opened, sometimes 60-90min early with rides already operating. I don't know if that was just something they offered due to heavy crowds at GE or if it still happens.

Is arriving at the park 45-60 minutes before park opening still best strategy for beating the early crowds? And I'm assuming that means 45-60 prior to early entry?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[scrappinginontario]

Please read post one of this thread. It contains a lot of valuable information.

Are you staying onsite or offsite as that will make a difference. If staying onsite, best advice to be towards the front of the crowds is to arrive 90 mins before Early Theme Park Entry begins.

 

[JMD]

Please read post one of this thread. It contains a lot of valuable information.

Are you staying onsite or offsite as that will make a difference. If staying onsite, best advice to be towards the front of the crowds is to arrive 90 mins before Early Theme Park Entry begins.

Sorry for the duplicate post, and thank you for pointing me to this thread, lots of great info. And yes, I will be staying onsite.

Just so I am clear....lets say HS has early entry at 8am. I should plan to arrive at the park at 6:30, and can expect to have access to open attractions at approx 7:20? (40 min prior to early entry)

Is that correct?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Sorry for the duplicate post, and thank you for pointing me to this thread, lots of great info. And yes, I will be staying onsite.

Just so I am clear....lets say HS has early entry at 8am. I should plan to arrive at the park at 6:30, and can expect to have access to open attractions at approx 7:20? (40 min prior to early entry)

Is that correct?

No, you will want to arrive at your resort transportation at 6:30. Transportation will likely not be running yet but it will get you at the start of the line when it does begin. Also, parking lots will not be open at 6:30 and if you choose to drive and arrive that early, you will be turned away to come back closer to an hour before ETPE begins.

 

[JMD]

No, you will want to arrive at your resort transportation at 6:30. Transportation will likely not be running yet but it will get you at the start of the line when it does begin. Also, parking lots will not be open at 6:30 and if you choose to drive and arrive that early, you will be turned away to come back closer to an hour before ETPE begins.

Ok thank you for clarifying. But regarding the other part of my question, I can expect the park & eligible rides to open 40 minutes prior to early entry? Is that still accurate?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Ok thank you for clarifying. But regarding the other part of my question, I can expect the park & eligible rides to open 40 minutes prior to early entry? Is that still accurate?

No. There is no set time ETPE attractions begin running. It changes in each park, each attraction, each day. Some may open early but they also may not. There is no guarantee that any attraction will be open at any time.

 

[JMD]

No. There is no set time ETPE attractions begin running. It changes in each park, each attraction, each day. Some may open early but they also may not. There is no guarantee that any attraction will be open at any time.

Lol....ok

I started a new thread to ask that exact question, and hear what people were experiencing. You closed and merged that thread with this one and your response was to read page 1, "it contains a lot of valuable information". Now you are saying that the info on page one is not correct.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Lol....ok

I started a new thread to ask that exact question, and hear what people were experiencing. You closed and merged that thread with this one and your response was to read page 1, "it contains a lot of valuable information". Now you are saying that the info on page one is not correct.

You are asking for absolutes in a situation where there are no absolutes.

Your question was,

I can expect the park & eligible rides to open 40 minutes prior to early entry? Is that still accurate?

ETPE begins 30 mins before posted park opening.

Also, no attraction is ever guaranteed to be open.

This thread is created to explain how ETPE works. As explained before, What happens each day is different from the day before snd the day after. Attractions are scheduled to open 30 mins before park opening but no attraction is guaranteed.

If you want more recent experiences, please read the ‘Here Now and Just Back’ thread as people are sharing their recent experiences there.

 

[JMD]

You are asking for absolutes in a situation where there are no absolutes.

Your question was,


ETPE begins 30 mins before posted park opening.

Also, no attraction is ever guaranteed to be open.

This thread is created to explain how ETPE works. As explained before, What happens each day is different from the day before snd the day after. Attractions are scheduled to open 30 mins before park opening but no attraction is guaranteed.

If you want more recent experiences, please read the ‘Here Now and Just Back’ thread as people are sharing their recent experiences there.

Not looking for absolutes or guarantees. I am simply trying to ask a question about the information you directed me to.

From page 1...

"Disney's Hollywood Studios: Eligible resort guests will be allowed access to the park approx. 90 mins before posted park opening time. ETPE guests will be held outside the tunnel to Galaxy's Edge, near Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, inside Toy Story Land and on Sunset Boulevard. Approx. 40 mins prior to posted park opening time, guests will be permitted to access the open attractions. (Attractions listed below). Guests not staying at a Disney resort will be held at park gate until posted park opening. Update: In late November 2021, some guests reported being able to ride 'Rise of the Resistance' and 'Millennium Falcon, Smugglers Run' up to 30 mins earlier than official ETPE time. This may be temporary and due to busier Thanksgiving crowds so may not happen each day."


I will check elsewhere. Thanks for your help.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Access = start to walk towards open area. Disney phases how they open parks. First guests are allowed access to the park but then are held in certain areas.

 

[Simba's Mom]

No. There is no set time ETPE attractions begin running. It changes in each park, each attraction, each day. Some may open early but they also may not. There is no guarantee that any attraction will be open at any time.

Unfortunately, this seems to be pretty true. However, in my experience, each park has been fairly consistent, time wise. I've gone to Epcot several times via the IG, and always been on Remy either before official EE or a few minutes past. At MK, I've always gotten in close to a full hour before regular opening, but held on Main Street until EE begins. AK , let in to the Oasis when I arrived (before EE but not long before) but held at the bridge until EE began, then saw a 5 minute wait for FoP! Never been to DHS for EE.

 

[BRDisney]

Do I need to present keys or hotel reservations for EE inside the parks in EC, AK and HS or just on the entrance? I know that in MK you have to.

 

[scrappinginontario]

For parks that allow entrance to all, yes you will need to provide proof once inside the park also. If the park only allows ETPE guests into the park then no.

I’m not sure how each park is handling it right now. Also, Epcot’s entrances may be different between the main entrance and IG.

 

[katyringo]

I would like to share the strategy we used for early entry this morning and it really worked well for us. This is not the save the money strategy lol. At 7am we got tron VQ, space mountain for 930, tron ILL for this evening, and SDMT ILL. So we went the opposite way of the crowd this morning and used early entry to hit teacups, dumbo, barnstormer, Ariel, and strolled into the princess meet and greets right as the park was opening. Had a cinnamon roll and headed for our space mountain LL right on time.. it's feels very crowded in the walkways today but we are staying ahead of the crowds. Of course I spent a small fortune on genie+ and ILL.. but it being my kids first time in MK it was worth it for me. When folks say that the masses head to SDMT- they do. Unless your toward the front you will find yourself in a 60+ line immediately. By 840 that line had snaked all the way back past dumbo.

 

[DVCBLTfan]

We are planning to go to MK on Christmas day and I would like to get advice from those who have been before, how early should I get the parking lot in order to be at the gate early enough for early entry? Do you recommend driving or taking bus? We are staying at Saratoga and have 3 little kids in strollers so I am thinking driving would be easier. We usually stay at Bay Lake or GF so this is the first time taking transportation and also the first time on Christmas week. Is the morning crowd much worse on Christmas day compared to spring break? I am thinking to leave the resort no later than 6:30am either bus or car but is it early enough? I have seen cars lined up a long way but don't know what to expect how early the cars start line up like crazy.

Also which is typically lower crowd, MK or HS on Christmas day? We usually stay only from rope drop till around noon so I'm more curious about the morning crowd rather than mid-day.


Thank you!

 

[Mintycake]

Lining up for early entry question: do a lot of people line up to rope drop even if they don't have early entry? Will they let us go ahead? I know they will "hold" at the ropes but how do you get in if there's already a big crowd?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Lining up for early entry question: do a lot of people line up to rope drop even if they don't have early entry? Will they let us go ahead? I know they will "hold" at the ropes but how do you get in if there's already a big crowd?

I have never experienced it being a problem or heard of others having problems. Disney does a good job of separating guests into entrances via eligibility.

 

[Mintycake]

For Early Entry at Hollywood Studios, would you go to Rise or Slinky Dog Dash? I would think Slinky is the safer bet because Rise breaks down a lot?

 

[scrappinginontario]

For Early Entry at Hollywood Studios, would you go to Rise or Slinky Dog Dash? I would think Slinky is the safer bet because Rise breaks down a lot?

That's a good plan.