Welcome to planDisney, Julia!
I'm so glad you stopped by with your question today. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! You're only two sleeps away from arriving at Walt Disney World Resort –– you must be getting so excited! Since the wait is almost over, now is a great time to go back through your planning to-do list and check off any last-minute items, including double-checking that you've made all your
Disney Park Pass reservations for your stay. Remember, you'll need valid admission
and a theme park reservation for the first park you plan to visit each day (if you're planning to Park Hop, you'll be able to do that beginning at 2 PM without making an additional reservation). Once that's done, you'll be all set to hit the ground running when you arrive at The Most Magical Place on Earth.
One of my favorite perks of staying at a Disney Resorts Collection hotel is taking advantage of the
Early Theme Park Entry period each day. During this time, Disney Resort hotel Guests can enter any of the four Walt Disney World theme parks up to 30 minutes before they open to the public each day –– all you'll need is valid admission and a Disney Park Pass reservation and you're good to do. And the best part? You can even take advantage of the perk on the day you check in and the day you check out, and in your case, on the day you transition to the next part of your split-stay.
While 30 minutes might not seem like a ton of time, you still have the potential to get
a lot done. In fact, on a recent visit to Disney's Hollywood Studios, my family and I were able to ride
Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway,
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, and we were just boarding the elevator for
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror right as the 30-minute clock ran out. It was the perfect start to our day! Just keep in mind that if riding as many attractions as possible is your priority, you'll probably want to arrive at the park before those 30 minutes start. In my experience, Cast Members often allow Guests to join an attraction queue ahead of time so you can start riding right when the clock starts.
The one exception to this that I've seen is Magic Kingdom Park. While you'll be able to enter the park and wander down Main Street, U.S.A. (and grab some great photos!), Cast Members typically hold Guests in front of Cinderella Castle until those 30 minutes officially begin. Once they do, you'll be able to enter your Land of choice –– it's always Adventureland, for me –– and head to your first attraction.
Thanks so much for visiting planDisney, Julia. I'm wishing you lots of early-morning adventures and plenty of pixie dust during your upcoming visit to Walt Disney World Resort!
See Ya Real Soon,
Amy