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View Full Version : Early Entry - What's Open and How Many Rides You Can Do



HydroGuy
07-25-2005, 09:11 AM
We will be doing EE on Mon Aug 1. What has been open lately? I read DarkBeer's info from July 15 (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?t=45280&highlight=early+entry). Which FL rides have been open and have the FL rides and BLAB and SM been open the whole hour?

For those who have gone in the last few weeks, how many rides have you been able to go on in that hour?

Finally, anyone want to take a shot at EE strategy? Namely, if Space Mtn is open is it better to do SM or to focus on the other FantasyLand rides? Since you can get a FP for SM, it would seem better to do FantasyLand (even though the gravitational pull from SM will be extremely powerful).

pisces
07-25-2005, 09:43 AM
I think Shawna said she covered 8, or 9 rides in that single hour.

If it were me, I'd just grab a fastpass for Space Mountain, and come back to it after you exhaust all the non-fastpass rides.

Maybe you should do some of the Toontown rides?, (Are these considered FL?) ....that get crowded early, and don't have fastpass.

Does Matterhorn have fastpass or single rider? You may want to get that one in early before it gets crowded. Peter Pan, Snow White's Scary Adventures....those get crowded fast, so you may want to head for them, first, also.

hlbtimes2
07-25-2005, 10:04 AM
No, toontown is not part of it. It actually opens an hour after the rest of the park. Unless you have the morning magic pass you get booking through Disney travel- then it opens right at park opening, which would be at the end of early entry. Matterhorn does not have fast pass or single rider.

I would be sure to ride Dumbo and Peter Pan during EE. The lines for those get really long in the afternoon.

coronado_g
07-25-2005, 10:11 AM
Hey Hydro ~ Can you designate someone in your group to do the initial running around to snag Fast Passes to all the major rides?

Darkbeer
07-25-2005, 10:28 AM
Let me state a couple of things..

Toontown does not open until 1 hour after regular park pening (currently 9 AM). If you have bought a package thru either AAA Travel or WDTC, you should get a voucher to Mickey's Morning Toontown Madness. They open Toontown at 8 AM for these folks the same 4 days a week as Early Entry. The BEST strategy for this one is, if you have multiple days, use it on a different day than Early Entry. If not, make sure and go if you have little kids, neat ceremony and lots of interaction with characters.

The Matterhorn has no FP's or Single rider.

The FP machines do not get turned on until park opening, 8 AM.

What I would do, go to Fantasyland and get on Dumbo, Peter Pan, and then all the other open rides. These rides have low hourly capactiy, and usually have long lines. So this is a big perk.

Then after you are done, go over to Space and get an FP, and if the wait time is short, take a ride thru stand-by.

BLAB return times for FP's have been about an hour or so, so you can get this FP later in the day.....

splash
07-25-2005, 11:14 AM
We did Peter Pan, Dumbo, Mr. Toad, Matterhorn, Teacups, Alice & Buzz in about 30 minutes. It is great if you take advantage of this chance to ride some lines (like Peter Pan) before they stack up with people.

HydroGuy
07-25-2005, 11:21 AM
We did Peter Pan, Dumbo, Mr. Toad, Matterhorn, Teacups, Alice & Buzz in about 30 minutes. It is great if you take advantage of this chance to ride some lines (like Peter Pan) before they stack up with people.
The FP machines do not get turned on until park opening, 8 AM.

What I would do, go to Fantasyland and get on Dumbo, Peter Pan, and then all the other open rides. These rides have low hourly capactiy, and usually have long lines. So this is a big perk.

Then after you are done, go over to Space and get an FP, and if the wait time is short, take a ride thru stand-by.

BLAB return times for FP's have been about an hour or so, so you can get this FP later in the day.....Thanks to both of you and the others. It does sound like doing the FL rides is the best choice. I'll hope everyone else during EE can't resist SM and heads that way, leaving everything in FL for me. :D Then we'll pick up SM FPs at 8AM.

HydroGuy
07-25-2005, 11:23 AM
Hey Hydro ~ Can you designate someone in your group to do the initial running around to snag Fast Passes to all the major rides?Yeah, I am always the runner at DL. We will not have Enhanced FP, but I will pick up FPs starting at 8AM and then new ones as each FP window opens. Did you have some other idea than this?

shawnarae
07-25-2005, 11:35 AM
I loved Early Entry :) This is what I did, as I had 3 kids with me and a very very tired hubby.

Got to the gate (it is marked Early Entry) in front of Disneyland (did not take Monorail) at 6:45am. I love the gate opening & going under the left tunnel. The EE started at 7am (8am was the general admission time on that Saturday).

Went straight down Main Street and through the castle (first taking a picture outside the castle of the kids as there was no other people around us), then first to Peter Pan. Then to Snow White, the Carousel, Dumbo, Tea Cups, Alice in Wonderland, Mr Toad & Pinocchio. Then we headed to Buzz Lightyear ride & the Astro Orbitor. Small World was not open for EE, but Matterhorn was I noticed. Many people ran right to Matterhorn. The line, as we walked to Buzz, was about 5-10 minutes for a wait time (40 minutes into the EE, that is).

Then we headed to Splash Mountain as it was the normal admission opening when we finished the Astro orbitor ride. Did Splash 2 times since it was empty back there, then Haunted Mansion (walked on), Pirates (walked on) & Jungle Cruise (5 minute wait)...then used our Mickey's Toontown Madness tickets & went to Toontown for their EE for AAA members who book packages with them (or many people buy these passes off Ebay, I heard some people talking about). We got there with 20 minutes to walk on the Roger Rabbit Spin ride & Gadgets Go coaster. From there we walked around, saw characters, got churros & lollipops...and looked at the collages (which I could not find my picture, as it was up too high).

For a Saturday morning in the summer it was perfect!!! By 10:45am we were ready to go get lunch in DCA and see Playhouse Disney Live at 11:30am! Then a few rides in DCA, ice cream & then nap time by 1:30pm at the DL hotel...then back at 4pm for the Block Party at DCA.....which we had a great spot for the Block Party at DCA by the waterfall along the route (West of Sunshine Plaza in Golden State Area, we had our backs to the sun).

My photo album shows a lot of our pictures.......so much fun! We will be back 1st weekend of Oct, but with APs so no EE :crying:

Good luck...and with really no crowds until about 1 hour after general admission mornings are great!!!! I'd say I felt rides getting crowded between 9-10am. But nothing bad even after then really. So from 7am (for EE) until 10am rides are walk on, or 5 minute waits. Not sure about Space Mt though. It was open that day at 11am (this was July 9th) for the preview, but we did not even go there since we had 3 kids.

keschy
07-25-2005, 01:37 PM
How do you get EE? Do you have to go through AAA?

hlbtimes2
07-25-2005, 01:49 PM
A park hopper, for 3 days or more, will give you EE on one day during your visit.

Darkbeer
07-25-2005, 01:49 PM
How do you get EE? Do you have to go through AAA?

NO, just buy any pre-purchased ParkHopper that is three days and more (and labled Bonus), the vast majority are, a few discounted tickets do not offer the EE. Places like AAA travel, WDTC, and Disneyland.com are some of the places you can get the tickets. No need to buy any type of package.

Also, the SoCal CityPass comes with an Early Entry, the best place to get that is at Costco. See the weekly MousePlanet DLR update for more info.

Another program, Mickey's Morning Toonwown Madness is only for those who buy a Hotel Package (either Disney or Good Neighbor) thru AAA travel or the WDTC.

HydroGuy
07-25-2005, 01:49 PM
How do you get EE? Do you have to go through AAA?No, it is a feature with three-day (or more) parkhopper bonus tickets. You can buy these on the DLR website or elsewhere. You get EE on one of the days (your choice of day). EE days are Mon, Tue, Thurs, Sat.

keschy
07-25-2005, 02:02 PM
How do you get EE? Do you have to go through AAA?

Thanks for the explanations!

minniemom
07-25-2005, 04:50 PM
Do they give you the EE pass when you turn your ticket voucher into an actual ticket?

Darkbeer
07-25-2005, 06:13 PM
Do they give you the EE pass when you turn your ticket voucher into an actual ticket?

The Early Entry is noted on the bottom of the actual ParkHopper, and is crossed out when used

minniemom
07-25-2005, 07:03 PM
The Early Entry is noted on the bottom of the actual ParkHopper, and is crossed out when used

Thanks for the info! One more question, what time do the ticket booths open? Is it wise to try to use your EE the first day you get there?

HydroGuy
07-25-2005, 08:08 PM
Thanks for the info! One more question, what time do the ticket booths open? Is it wise to try to use your EE the first day you get there?Don't think it matters which day you use EE, but my opinion is the first day is best because you are still fresh.

SarahShep
07-26-2005, 06:07 AM
We will be doing EE on Mon Aug 1. What has been open lately? I read DarkBeer's info from July 15 (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?t=45280&highlight=early+entry). Which FL rides have been open and have the FL rides and BLAB and SM been open the whole hour?


I actually had a conversation with one of the Buzz CM's about this...The only rides that are guaranteed to be open during early entry are those in Fantasyland. However, the CM told me that if the ride op CM's for any of the rides can go through their morning checks quickly enough and get the rides up and running (and if there are enough CM's for a particular ride to allow guests on it), then you can go on them. He said that sometimes, different CMs from different rides will help other rides get started up...so you just never know what's going to be open. I imagine it's easier to get the continuously loading, conveyor belt type (Buzz, Snow White, Pinnochio, Toad's...) rides up more quickly, because those seemed to be the ones open first. But I've never been a CM, so I don't know. :D

Darkbeer
07-26-2005, 06:33 AM
The CM Reference Guide dated July 15th thru the 21st clearly shows that Space Mountain and BLAB are part of Early Entry...

http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/gallery/661027/1/28468142/Large

minniemom
07-26-2005, 06:42 AM
Don't think it matters which day you use EE, but my opinion is the first day is best because you are still fresh.

Does anyone know what time the ticket booths open? Are they open early for EE?

hlbtimes2
07-26-2005, 07:53 AM
Thanks for the info! One more question, what time do the ticket booths open? Is it wise to try to use your EE the first day you get there?

Depends on what your first day is. EE is not available every day. It is on Monday, Tues, Thurs, and Saturday.

HydroGuy
07-26-2005, 08:15 AM
Does anyone know what time the ticket booths open? Are they open early for EE?In case you weren't aware, even if the ticket booths were open for EE, you cannot buy an EE ticket at the booth. I am pretty sure you have to buy these ahead of time. The ones you buy ahead of time are parkhopper bonus tickets. At the booth, they are standard tickets.

Can anyone else confirm or disconfirm this?

minniemom
07-26-2005, 08:37 AM
In case you weren't aware, even if the ticket booths were open for EE, you cannot buy an EE ticket at the booth. I am pretty sure you have to buy these ahead of time. The ones you buy ahead of time are parkhopper bonus tickets. At the booth, they are standard tickets.

Can anyone else confirm or disconfirm this?

We have 5 day park hopper ticket which come with EE, but right now we have ticket vouchers that we need to turn in for the actual ticket. I just wanted to know if the ticket booths are open early so we can make the exchange.