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

[wisblue]

Thanks, Does anyone know if they are using the entrance by Tea Cups that is typically used for 7DMT? I guess there still isn't a direct entry into FantasyLand either then?

I don’t know about the current Early Entry, but before the Pandemic when there was EMH at MK and they scanned bands to the right of the castle, there were two hold points: the one that heads toward the teacups where the crowd would form for 7DMT, and the one that went straight into Tomorrowland where guests would generally be headed to Space Mountain.

If you wanted to go to something like Peter Pan first, you would join the 7DMT crowd but stay to the left around the curve while others went to the right to get in the 7DMT queue. We did that once and it was pretty easy to get to PP before any line had formed at all.

I assume that’s the way it is now unless someone reports otherwise. .

 

[Tiggr88]

I did hear on another board that they were lined up at the teacups to get to Fantasyland and early entry was let past the ropes at 8:30. Makes sense since I would expect 7DMT would be the same hub spoke. Resort guests had to wait until 9.

 

[Suebee33]

Is Tomorrowland the only entry point for the early morning? If I want to get to 7DMT or Peter Pan I need to go through Tomorrowland?

Magic Kingdom: All guests will be allowed access to the park approx. xx mins before posted park opening time. Those eligible for ETPE will have their bands scanned at the hub entrance to Tomorrowland approx. 40 mins prior to posted park opening time and be permitted to access the open attractions. (Attractions listed below). Guests staying offsite will be directed towards Adventureland and held until posted park opening. (Is there a quick opening show?)

Is this correct? That all off-site guests will be funneled through Adventureland??! I was hoping to head to Space Mtn at 9am, but that's a long hike from Adventureland.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Is this correct? That all off-site guests will be funneled through Adventureland??! I was hoping to head to Space Mtn at 9am, but that's a long hike from Adventureland.

My understanding is that offsite guests are held towards Adventureland until official park opening time as the Tomorrowland side is being used for ETPE resort guests. At park opening you'll be able to enter via any entry point but if you're there early it sounds like you'll be waiting towards Adventureland. Not sure if it's easier to go in Adventureland and make your way around to Space Mtn or, go against the flow to try and get to Space Mtn via Tomorrowland? I guess it depends on how early you arrive as it's our understanding that you won't be able to queue up near Tomorrowland.

As always, if this information is not correct, please advise.

 

[wisblue]

Is this correct? That all off-site guests will be funneled through Adventureland??! I was hoping to head to Space Mtn at 9am, but that's a long hike from Adventureland.

I don’t think it was like that. I think someone who wanted to go to Space Mountain could hang out by the hub in front of the castle and go directly into Tomorrowland at regular park opening time.

 

[Tiggr88]

My understanding is that offsite guests are held towards Adventureland until official park opening time as the Tomorrowland side is being used for ETPE resort guests. At park opening you'll be able to enter via any entry point but if you're there early it sounds like you'll be waiting towards Adventureland. Not sure if it's easier to go in Adventureland and make your way around to Space Mtn or, go against the flow to try and get to Space Mtn via Tomorrowland? I guess it depends on how early you arrive as it's our understanding that you won't be able to queue up near Tomorrowland.

As always, if this information is not correct, please advise.

I haven't heard a direct report yet but logistically what probably makes sense is that they send non-resort people over the Adventureland to queue up before 8:30. Once they have opened the hub spokes for fantasyland and Tomorrowland at 8:30, it would make sense that they might allow non-resort people to queue up then. Otherwise they would just have a mass of people hanging out in the hub, which many may be doing for the welcome show anyway, which I think is running again, correct? Either way, I'm sure they would let people into the Tomorrowland and Fantasyland areas at 9AM, so I doubt it would make sense to walk all the way around from Adventureland.

 

[Tiggr88]

This has been live now long enough that I'm surprised we haven't had real reports from people on-site. I'm even more surprised that I haven't seen this explained by any of the planning sites or news sites yet. If someone has seen it, please point it out.

 

[suzy_q]

I was at Magic Kingdom on Saturday. I was in the ETPE line by the teacups by 8:20. They let us through at 8:25 and I still had a 45 min wait for 7DMT!

 

[menotyou21]

I can’t seem to find an answer to this anywhere. If we Uber/Lyft from our Disney springs hotel to ttc, how early to does the monorail run to MK? If we get there at 7:30 will we just have to hold at ttc or is the monorail running to the MK gates for early entry guests? Is there any other way to get closer for MK early entry?

Our hotel is a partner hotel so we qualify, and we only have a very short 2 day trip so want to maximize our time. Thanks In advance for any advice!

Here is my earlier post on our MK day:
MK today Oct 13: I had a party of 12; we are at a partner hotel that is allowed ETPE. Arrived to TTC at 7:45 via private driver. Were scanned into MK at 8:00. At Tomorrowland they had a row of CMs. She scanned my MB and asked how many. I said 12 and she said ok, party of 12 go. That was it. No other scan. We opted for rope drop heading to 7DMT. They dropped at 8:25 exactly. At tea cups they were yelling 7DMT was down. We headed to Space. Had a posted wait of 35min; we were on the ride in 18 minutes.

Additionally - to directly answer your question: on our day, the express monorail was not running at 7:45am. We immediately took the ferry boat; however as we walked up to the dock, another ferry boat was already headed to MK; which means they were running prior to 7:45am. We had almost no wait. As mentioned above, we arrived at TTC via private driver (from Disney springs partner hotel) at 7:45am and were scanned into the MK gate by 8:00am. This was an ETPE day beginning at 8:30am, regular park opening at 9:00am.

 

[menotyou21]

I don’t know about the current Early Entry, but before the Pandemic when there was EMH at MK and they scanned bands to the right of the castle, there were two hold points: the one that heads toward the teacups where the crowd would form for 7DMT, and the one that went straight into Tomorrowland where guests would generally be headed to Space Mountain.

If you wanted to go to something like Peter Pan first, you would join the 7DMT crowd but stay to the left around the curve while others went to the right to get in the 7DMT queue. We did that once and it was pretty easy to get to PP before any line had formed at all.

I assume that’s the way it is now unless someone reports otherwise. .

This is exactly what they did on Oct 13.

 

[menotyou21]

I don’t think it was like that. I think someone who wanted to go to Space Mountain could hang out by the hub in front of the castle and go directly into Tomorrowland at regular park opening time.

Non resort guests were allowed into the hub area on Oct 13.

 

[princess0218]

Hi, we leave next week for our first Disney trip in over 10 years and I’m having trouble placing where things are at Epcot since it’s been a while. We plan to rope drop Epcot and we will have early magic hours. What is the best plan of action? I think Frozen will be our first ride of choice.
thank you so much!!!!

 

[Robo]

I think Frozen will be our first ride of choice.

Enter the front gates.
Walk under Spaceship Earth.
Follow the signs to World Showcase/Norway/Frozen.

 

[soniam]

Fort Wilderness. So, we will generally take boat to MK, and the car to everywhere else. But for our first MK visit, I am looking forward to the TTC/ferry arrival as an iconic experience.
We are early birds, so will do early entry.

The Ft Wilderness boats haven't been running until about 30 minutes before park opening anyway. So, even if they do operate before EE starts, it's probably only 30 minutes before the early entry starts. We took the bus to MK in July when going to MK to get there early for regular opening.

 

[jvz82]

We're at Disney now and I'm trying to figure out how early to get to Epcot. We arrived at HS and AK about an hour early this week so we could RD for FoP and ROTR. They let us into HS a full hour early, and AK they let us in about 30 minutes early. Epcot opens at 9:30 (for resort guests), should we get to that park an hour early? It seems like there aren't the same "big ticket" rides that the other parks have, and I don't want to get there an hour early for no reason. Has anyone been to Epcot this week or recently who knows how soon they'll let us in?

 

[Disney.Dreamin.Dee]

Are you a resort guest?
If so I'd say arrive 20 minutes prior to resort guest early entry.
If not then I would not arrive until 20 minutes prior to regular park opening.

 

[sponica]

I'd go about 30 minutes early, especially if I wanted to ride frozen ever after standby.

 

[jvz82]

Are you a resort guest?
If so I'd say arrive 20 minutes prior to resort guest early entry.
If not then I would not arrive until 20 minutes prior to regular park opening.

Yes! We are resort guests. Ok, so 20-30 minutes early is probably early enough it sounds like.

We're fine to head there earlier, if it's necessary. We do plan to ride Frozen standby. But I'm not sure how necessary it is to arrive an hour early like we did for ROTR.

 

[shawthorne44]

The Ft Wilderness boats haven't been running until about 30 minutes before park opening anyway. So, even if they do operate before EE starts, it's probably only 30 minutes before the early entry starts. We took the bus to MK in July when going to MK to get there early for regular opening.

Well, that bites. But, thanks for telling me.
I keep going back and forth on whether to keep the on or off-site reservations. Except for the first time, we were going to take the boats when going to MK. If that delays us getting to early entry... Of course, July was before they start early entry. So, maybe the boats will start early enough to be respectably near the front. We drive to Florida, and a car is quicker than Disney buses, except for MK. So, that is why I focused on MK Resorts.

 

[Violetspider]

Enter the front gates.
Walk under Spaceship Earth.
Follow the signs to World Showcase/Norway/Frozen.

How much of a disadvantage is the International Gateway during EE if you want to head to Frozen first? I'm at AOA and plan on using the Skyliner. Being held in Canada would seem to be a bit of disadvantage, but then again the construction walls by GOTG could negate that?