Hiya Dylan! Welcome to planDisney! It's great to have you stop by!
Oh boy! Your Walt Disney World vacation is fast approaching. Less than a month away until you are hanging out with Mickey, Minnie, and the rest of the cast of characters! With so many options of places to stay, the
Walt Disney World Good Neighbor Hotels are a great choice. Many of them have a touch of Disney magic while also offering certain perks and benefits of their own.
Early Theme Park Entry is one of the many perks offered to Guests staying at a Disney Resorts Hotel or other select hotels in the area. It allows you to enter the park 30 minutes before the official park opening time and gives you a head start on the majority of the other park Guests. As long as the hotel you have chosen qualifies for this extra benefit, you will be able to take advantage of this additional time.
Before your arrival, you are going to need to create a
My Disney Experience account and link your park tickets and resort accommodations to this account. When you log on, select "Resort Hotel" followed by "Link a Reservation". Once here, you will need to enter your confirmation number and the last name on your reservation to link it successfully. Depending on how you booked your stay, the confirmation number you received may not be the Disney-specific code that is required. I would suggest calling the hotel and asking them to provide you with the information needed. Once you have entered the correct confirmation numbers, your hotel will be linked to your account.
When you arrive at the parks for Early Entry, there will be Cast Members waiting in designated areas with tablets ready to scan your
MagicBand or Admission Card to verify your early access privileges. Since your hotel is linked to your My Disney Experience account, this is how they will be able to verify this information. At Disney's Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Cast Members will be stationed just past the entrance of the park. At the Magic Kingdom, all Guests are allowed to enter and enjoy Main Street, U.S.A., including the front of Cinderella Castle. Cast Members will be waiting toward the entrances to Fantasyland and Tomorrowland to allow Early Entry to these areas. It can be a little confusing at the Magic Kingdom since it appears that all Guests are allowed to enter early, but only Guests with the special perk can ride any attractions before the official park opening time.
Dylan, I hope this information helps you during your upcoming visit! Have a magical time!
See ya real soon!
Greg