I would like to be one of the first people in the Disney World park, what time should I leave my hotel?

Question

I am going to Disney World this weekend (8/8/08) and I will be staying at the All-Star Music hotel. Obviously there will be lines to get into Disney World, but I understand that there are also lines for the bus from the hotel to the Park. Realistically, what time should I get in line at my hotel if I would like to be amongst the first people in the Park?

Answer 1

That would be impossible. Disney World is a series of parks...not just one. There is the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, MGM Studios and the Animal Kingdom. There are also 2 waterparks...Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon.

How can you be in all 6 parks at one time? Your hotel is already inside Disney World so you would already be inside Disney World.

EMT

Answer 2

6 oh. clock

Answer 3

I have never stayed at a value resort, but I have heard the buses are always crowded. Ask the front desk what time the park opens (there are 4 different parks there) and what time the first bus comes.

Note that some buses start very early going to the parks to drop off guests who have breakfast reservations and guests who are going on an early tour. So you may get to the park early and stand outside the gate for over an hour.

Try to hit the park that has morning magic hours.

Night time magic hours I like better because by 11pm most kids have had it and are back at the resort.  We were walking on rides at night time magic hours

Answer 4

I have done this a million times, so here's the scoop: be at your bus stop at least 100 minutes before the park you are targeting opens.  

At this time of year, you really need to be at the park AT LEAST 60 minutes before opening to be near the front. Pop buses take about 20 minutes to the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, and a little less to Epcot and the Studios.  They run in theory every 20 minutes.  If you get to the bus stop 40 minutes before you hope to be at the park, then you will have covered the risk of either just missing a bus (and thus having to wait 20 minutes for the next one) or being crowded out into the having to wait for a second bus.

During the slower times of the year,by the way, you need the same 40 minutes at the bus stop, but only need to arrive at the park 30-40 minutes in advance.  (15 minutes on a rainy January morning...)

Also double check the park you are planning to attend's opening hours, and whether it has extra magic hours that make it open earlier that morning for Disney resort guests, on this page: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/cal...

If it has EMH, add 15 minutes--so at least 115 minutes before.  

PS: bring a book/ipod/ that fits in your pocket, to while away the time, but don't carry anything you can't fit in a pocket--that will let you enter the security lines in the "Guest Without Bags" line which will save you a few minutes more...

Answer 5

I would say that you should leave your hotel 1 hour early because when I left a friend who lives ten minutes away, I got in 45 minutes after the park opened.  But that was at Disneyland not Disney World.  Also you can sometimes work out an early opening with the park if you are in a disney hotel. (Which is very nice and calm) I suggest asking the hotel service if there is an "early park guest" day when you are going and if not, I would say 1 hour.