When do you enter park?

[Tmohar]

when you visit DL.. do you wait at the gate each day prior to park opening? How early do you go? Or do you just head down and make sure you're there for opening?

I'm curious as to everyone's strategy for this. Someone told me once they have done quite a bit, they will just make sure they are there at opening but not arrive an hour early anymore.

 

[Karyanne30]

I am at least 30'min early. I prefer to be 45 min early if we can.

 

[Malcon10t]

It depends on what we are doing. In May, we were there for GOTG, and hit DCA for EE, but only just after the gates opened. We were there this past week, and usually hit the park by 10am. (Late nights...) We return in a couple weeks, and will probably be there doing EEs, but only getting there as the gates open. I won't get there an hour before opening.

 

[Susie63]

We never arrive at the park for opening. I don't see any difference between lining up for gate opening or getting in line at the rides, except I would rather be in line "inside the park". We get there about 30 minutes after gate opening.

 

[Jrsy Boy]

We typically stay across Harbor Blvd. and leave our room at about the time the parks open. By the time we reach the turnstiles, there is rarely any wait. Sure, we're not going to be first on any ride but that has never been our goal. As long as we join a queue that is moving, we're happy.

 

[keywis25]

We get there around 10 or 11. We like to sleep in on vacation. And we still get a lot done never feel like we missed out on anything by not getting there at opening

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I've only been once before and am going back next week.
Last time I found arriving just a few minutes prior to RD was perfectly fine unlike at WDW twhere I arrive a good 30 minutes prior.

 

[mfleeting]

We always have early morning entry and just show up 10-15 minutes before hand.

 

[Winnowill]

We try to get to the M&F garage no later than 7:10 for an 8:00 opening. I'd prefer 7:00, but that's rarely possible.

 

[SteveMP]

We are APs, last time we got there around noon

 

[Diszona]

We aren't morning people so we are more "Arrive later, stay later" types. We typically arrive late morning but we stay until after park close. We are also the types that once we get to the parks we really don't want to have to go back to the room to rest/nap in the afternoon. It really depends a lot on personal preference and what you think you would be most comfortable with. If you are people that are typically up early regardless of the situation than I would definitely try to get there early before the gates open. If you are like us and try to do that strategy you may have our experience which was being tired all day and not having nearly a good time as we did we finally decided not worry about it.

 

[DarthMole]

I'm surprised by a lot of these responses. Based on the typical advice, you'd think everyone showed up at least 30 minutes before RD.

I think a lot depends on what you want to do. To me the first hour is critical to how the rest of the day will play out. Spending 30 minutes in line outside the gate costs me nothing but can pay dividends once I'm inside. Non EE day and we walk on at TSMM three times before a line forms. Our GOTG FP runner met us after the first ride and got two trips in himself. If we strolled in 15 minutes after RD we'd have been in that TSMM line and our GOTG FP would have been much later in the day. Three trips on TSMM, one CS, one RSR single rider, & GOTG all done by 9:15. It allows for a more relaxing day and a longer pool break. Well worth getting to the gate a little early.

 

[disneychrista]

Always arrive 30 - 45 minutes before park opening/MM.

 

[22Tink]

We get there about 30 minutes before park opening for at least one morning per park to take advantage of the early morning park time. The rest of the mornings we play by ear.

 

[BriannaRuth]

We arrive about 45 minutes before park opening/MM. Mainly because we always ride PP first but we do the same for DCA.

 

[Susie63]

Even though we arrive just after opening we NEVER leave before the parks close. I can rest at home lol

 

[Winnowill]

One deciding factor for us is which park we're visiting. If DL, it doesn't matter if we arrive a little later than RD. We'll FP Space, and everything else should be short lines early. DCA, though - THAT's a different story. Between GotG and RSR, you must not only do rope drop, you must do EARLY rope drop if you expect to ride both more than once with minimal waits (unless you utilize single rider for RSR, which we will do, but don't particularly like).

 

[mummabear]

We are on a different Timezone so we let the kids sleep in and stay up late, suits our style but means we don't get to the park until sometime between 10&12 regardless of opening time then we close out the park.
I love Disney after dark.

 

[l4dyj8]

Never at rope drop. AP holders, we live about 30 miles away. We have young kids and prefer not to rush them. Always plan on arriving around 9 but that rarely happens. Usually around 10:30-11. On predicted high crowd days, this usually means they reroute traffic away from Mickey and Friends. So add another hour just to get to the parking lot.

I always try to check the Disneyland Today twitter account regarding parking. It helps save some time.

We have friends that aren't the typical local latecomer. They always get there an hour before opening. Mickey and Friends structure is usually open but they are directed to park outside on the asphalt.

When we stay onsite, we arrive an hour after opening.

 

[hjgaus]

AP holders with constant 2 day reservations once almost every month ! Thanks to DVC it has changed our way of doing the parks by using EMH !! Line up 30 min before the time then stay in parks for few hours AFTER EMH ends. Going back out late afternoon or evening !