Hi Stacey!
Early Theme Park Entry is one of my favorite benefits of being a Guest at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel! The 30 extra magical minutes are a great way to experience a few attractions before the park opens for all other Guests!
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park is my favorite park for the Early Theme Park Entry benefit! Because the park opens earlier than any other park, there are usually fewer people at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park for the very early opening! I recommend arriving to the Disney Parks about 30 to 45 minutes before early entry opens.
During my two most recent visits, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park opened at 7:30 AM for the Early Theme Park Entry benefit. I caught the bus from my resort hotel at 6:30 AM and arrived at the park within a few minutes. There isn’t a special line to join as most Guests at the entry point are all there for the early entry benefit.
Stacey, when we arrive early at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park we usually head directly to Avatar Flight of Passage. While this is also the destination for many other early Guests, we find the wait is still shorter during the Early Theme Park Entry benefit than later in the morning or day. We move “quickly” as a family, but we always abide by the strictly enforced “don’t run” rule.
At
Magic Kingdom Park we make our way to the Fantasyland entrance as early as possible. We then proceed to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train as soon as the “rope drops” allowing Guests to head to their preferred attraction. Similar to Avatar Flight of Passage, many Guests are headed to the same attraction, but the line moves fast.
Enjoy those early morning park arrivals, Stacey!
Dreams do come true!
Jonathan