News Early Theme Park Entry and Extended Evening Hours coming for resort guests

[Ayla]

I understand that. That’s not what the other poster was complaining about. I’m sure they will sort out the IG issues. It was day 1 of a soft opening. Silver lining, any time you had was more than you expected 3 days ago before they announced this.

Thank goodness they did a soft opening instead of waiting until 10/1.

I got in at the same time I would have 3 days ago - 10:45.

 

[Kevin_W]

Same. DAK was already longer than 30 min today. At a minimum, don’t have a rope drop and let guests be at their ride of choice when it starts running 30 min before open. It honestly looks more exclusive to the off-site guests to see early entry guests strolling into the parks rather than standing in another mob.

Agreed. And the worst experience in WDW, IMO, is being in the pre-rope drop mob of people.

 

[Ayla]

A bit of a side note, but only AP holders with a reservation to ride Rat are even allowed in the France expansion. The peons aren't able to visit the crepe shop or get past the gatekeepers. In case you're wondering, it doesn't open until October 1st.

 

[Muffinpants]

A bit of a side note, but only AP holders with a reservation to ride Rat are even allowed in the France expansion. The peons aren't able to visit the crepe shop or get past the gatekeepers. In case you're wondering, it doesn't open until October 1st.

Kinda sounds like... It will open to the public when they announced it would be.. I don't see the issue here.

 

[nickys]

I mean, this is the way it was for years.

I didn’t say all that by the way. You got someone else’s quote with my name still at the top.

 

[nickys]

We had a security guard!!! at the IG this morning telling people resort guests were allowed in at 9:30 now. Really, Disney?? Train your damn CM's better. I was embarrassed for the guy.

They were letting resort guests in early and holding them inside the park. Same happened at DHS. I don’t know what time the IG opened to resort guests, but at DHS they were allowed in at 7:30, an hour before the EMH actually started. So 9:30 may well have been correct for the IG.

 

[nickys]

I think the new system is kind of a joke, mainly because I think 30 minutes is an insultingly small window.

I know it seems very short, and obviously an hour would be better. But certainly yesterday the reports I saw were mostly positive (with a couple of SNAFUs). But in terms of being able to get on rides with no waits AK, DHS both sounded great.
At AK friends did FoP, Navii, EE and Dino with no wait in the first hour (30 mins EMH plus the next 30 mins). At DHS, Rise was a walk on. And someone else did MFSR, ToT and RNR all as walk ons, again in an hour.

 

[nickys]

I got in at the same time I would have 3 days ago - 10:45.

Sounds like you got caught up with the offsite crowd. What time did you get there?

 

[Ayla]

Kinda sounds like... It will open to the public when they announced it would be.. I don't see the issue here.

The France expansion itself has been open to everyone for a long time (I walked around back there in March). It was closed off when AP holders started being allowed to ride Rat.

 

[Ayla]

I

Sounds like you got caught up with the offsite crowd. What time did you get there?

I was at the IG at 10:20. There was no off-site crowd.

 

[ToTBellHop]

The France expansion itself has been open to everyone for a long time (I walked around back there in March). It was closed off when AP holders started being allowed to ride Rat.

That’s a bit disingenuous. They opened toilets to all. Let’s not pretend anyone is being unfairly shooed away from the (not-actually-open) creperie.

Both this and the actual topic, early entry, show that some don’t understand how soft openings work. They are almost always fraught with operational snafus. That’s why they do soft openings. And if you participate, you need to understand that.

I could understand an off-site guest complaining because this was announced last-minute but, even so, that is a misguided complaint. As long as they were allowed in at 11 am, they got what was promised.

As for you getting in at 10:45: fair enough. You did still benefit from off-site guests being held out for 15 min, so you still did better than you would have without early entry. But they obviously need to coordinate both entrances opening at the same time.

 

[mikejs78]

I didn’t say all that by the way. You got someone else’s quote with my name still at the top.

I knew it wasn't you, was an editing snafu. Sorry about that!

 

[jinx8402]

I understand that. That’s not what the other poster was complaining about. I’m sure they will sort out the IG issues. It was day 1 of a soft opening. Silver lining, any time you had was more than you expected 3 days ago before they announced this.

Thank goodness they did a soft opening instead of waiting until 10/1.

Now that I am thinking about it, how many non-resort guests are taking the IG entrance? It shouldn't be that many, no? Maybe a few who who did a breakfast at the boardwalk.

 

[networkpro]

Hollywood Studios was nice this morning. Walked right from the Poly bus through security, turnstiles and back to the Epic Eats holding pen at 8.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Agreed. And the worst experience in WDW, IMO, is being in the pre-rope drop mob of people.

Ah how quickly we forget trying to leave Magic Kingdom on a parade night. Has it really been five years?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Epcot this morning was mayhem, the whole process is the most stupid move they have ever made, people were not happy. They are withholding mass crowds outside in the sun nowhere to sit, cast members stressed with complaints, incompetent management on hand, just horrible. I hope guest relations got deluged I have never seen it so bad. So no one can get in the park anymore till 11 on the dot. The public is not allowed in period, only hotel guests. So now even with a park reserve your kept out, why bother at all anymore, my family was outraged. Whos bright idea was this??

Park opens at 11. You're upset because you weren't let in until 11.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Park opens at 11. You cry because you weren't let in until 11.

It’s silly. Now, if we want to complain that they are still opening at 11, that’s fair. Although it changes next month.

 

[JohnD]

Now that I am thinking about it, how many non-resort guests are taking the IG entrance? It shouldn't be that many, no? Maybe a few who who did a breakfast at the boardwalk.

Let's think this through for a minute. On 10/5, I'm going to the Boo Bash. After a Boma breakfast, my plan is to drive to the TTC and take the monorail to spend the day at Epcot before returning by monorail for the Boo Bash that night with close access to my car. There is no law that says you can't park at HS before taking the Skyliner to Epcot so that you can enter through the IG to ride Rat. As for the numbers, I don't know. But that is a way for non-resort guests to enter IG.

 

[doctornick]

Ah how quickly we forget trying to leave Magic Kingdom on a parade night. Has it really been five years?

Whether it is a parade or fireworks, the crowd to leave after the last big entertainment at MK is always horrendous.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Whether it is a parade or fireworks, the crowd to leave after the last big entertainment at MK is always horrendous.

There was a stretch for awhile where they were running MSEP at 8, Wishes at 9, and MSEP again at 10. Or maybe it was 9/10/11. Either way, if you could make it to that second MSEP, it usually wasn't too terrible.