Confused about park hours/extra magic hours/rope drop..

[Genny123]

I figured the extremely knowledgeable people here would be the best at helping me understand the park’s hours. On the main Disney world site, for the day I am going in October, the hours are listed as 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, with extra magic hour listed at 7:00-8:00. Does this mean the park actually opens to the public (non-resort guests) at 8:00? When would the rope drop be? Does this have the potential to change?

 

[danyoung56]

Yes, that's what it means. If you're staying at a WDW resort (and a few others that license the right) then you can use Extra Magic Hours. Rope drop usually right at park open. The hours do tend to change the closer it gets to your visit, so keep an eye on the official Disney World site for updates.

 

[Genny123]

Yes, that's what it means. If you're staying at a WDW resort (and a few others that license the right) then you can use Extra Magic Hours. Rope drop usually right at park open. The hours do tend to change the closer it gets to your visit, so keep an eye on the official Disney World site for updates.

Thanks! I guess what is mainly confusing me is when I look at the Disney site, it has open time as 8:00, then on the “Let the Magic Begin” page for the welcome show on my selected date it says the show is to begin at 8:55. We have a breakfast reservation at 8:05 and my H really wants to see the welcome show. So I’m trying to time it correctly!

 

[danyoung56]

That's a little odd. The big show usually starts close to official show time. Take another look and see if park open time is 9am and Extra Magic Hours start at 8am. What day are you visiting?

 

[Genny123]

That's a little odd. The big show usually starts close to official show time. Take another look and see if park open time is 9am and Extra Magic Hours start at 8am. What day are you visiting?

October 15th.

 

[danyoung56]

I think this was a misprint on the WDW site (which happens all the time). It's currently listing the opening show at 7:55am. In the MK they let people in early to shop on Main Street, but don't give them access to the rest of the park till right after the show.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

For non resort guests the park would open at 8am that day and close at 6pm due to the Halloween party.
For non resort guests yes rope drop would be at 8am.
These hours were updated a while ago and are unlikely to change now.
And yes I'd say that is just a glitch that it wasn't changed to 7:55am.

 

[Genny123]

For non resort guests the park would open at 8am that day and close at 6pm due to the Halloween party.
For non resort guests yes rope drop would be at 8am.
These hours were updated a while ago and are unlikely to change now.
And yes I'd say that is just a glitch that it wasn't changed to 7:55am.

Thank you! So non resort guests would still be permitted to get into the park at 7, and just be on Main Street?

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Thank you! So non resort guests would still be permitted to get into the park at 7, and just be on Main Street?

I don't often stay offsite.
I will say that the last time I did stay offsite it was 7am EMH and 8am for offsite and we walked in around 7:30am and were able to walk up to the hub.
I cannot speak to the exact time that non resort guests are currently being let in.

 

[Genny123]

I don't often stay offsite.
I will say that the last time I did stay offsite it was 7am EMH and 8am for offsite and we walked in around 7:30am and were able to walk up to the hub.
I cannot speak to the exact time that non resort guests are currently being let in.

Got it. I read online somewhere that with the new MK opening procedure (as of 2017) guests are usually allowed in at 8 a.m. when the opening time is 9. I wonder if that same hour early entry would apply to an 8 am opening. The article also said that during the extra magic hour all guests are allowed onto Main Street but there are CMs posted at the land entrances checking magic bands to allow the resort guests into those areas.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Got it. I read online somewhere that with the new MK opening procedure (as of 2017) guests are usually allowed in at 8 a.m. when the opening time is 9. I wonder if that same hour early entry would apply to an 8 am opening. The article also said that during the extra magic hour all guests are allowed onto Main Street but there are CMs posted at the land entrances checking magic bands to allow the resort guests into those areas.

Yes the new opening started in 2017 and I was there shortly after the new procedure started and that's when I was offsite.
Like I said we arrived around 7:30m so I cannot speak to how early exactly you'll be let in.
I'd guess 7am but I don't want to be held to that as truth lol.
When onsite I pay zero attention to what else is going on for offsite guests.

 

[Tuvalu]

Got it. I read online somewhere that with the new MK opening procedure (as of 2017) guests are usually allowed in at 8 a.m. when the opening time is 9. I wonder if that same hour early entry would apply to an 8 am opening. The article also said that during the extra magic hour all guests are allowed onto Main Street but there are CMs posted at the land entrances checking magic bands to allow the resort guests into those areas.

Only resort guests are allowed in at 7 am during EMH. Offsite guests will be held outside the turnstiles until closer to 8 am. The procedure is different from a normal 9 am open when all guests are allowed through the turnstiles at 8.
On a extra magic hour morning, the monorail and ferry from the TTC won’t take guests over to MK until closer to official opening time.