Hey there, Danielle, and welcome back to planDisney!
Early Theme Park Entry is one of my favorite
perks of being a guest at a Disney Resort hotel - that extra time gives you a jump start on the magic and often allows you to enjoy one or two popular attractions with a shorter wait! That's a great way to start any day!
Guests are welcome to enjoy select attractions at each theme park for Early Entry; at EPCOT the available attractions include the following:
- Beauty and the Beast Singalong
- Frozen Ever After
- Mission: SPACE
- Remy's Ratatouille Adventure
- Soarin' Around the World
- Test Track
- Spaceship Earth
- The Seas with Nemo and Friends
If you arrive at EPCOT by
Walt Disney World Bus Service, you will be dropped off at the front entrance to the park, but there will be Cast Members directing guests to their projected destinations when you arrive. I recommend arriving to the park at least 45-60 minutes ahead of Early Entry if you are planning to tackle the attractions in World Showcase; guests are typically allowed to tap into EPCOT 30 minutes ahead of Early Entry and then head to their selected attraction, where they will be held in another line until the start time of Early Entry.
In my most recent experience in March, we arrived to the turnstiles at EPCOT at 7:45 AM for an 8:30 AM early entry day; we were allowed into the park a few minutes before 8 AM where a Cast Member verified our Disney Resort hotel reservation and we were in line for Test Track by 8:10 AM. At exactly 8:30 AM, we were allowed entry to the attraction and were among the first 30 guests to experience the attraction that day.
One other recommendation I'll share with you for Early Entry success is to keep an eye on the Bus Wait Times under the Hotel Reservation tab in your
My Disney Experience mobile app that morning; knowing when the next bus arrives and your projected arrival to the theme park helps streamline your planning; on my EPCOT days, I usually try to snag a
Virtual Queue right at 7 AM for
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and then start to watch for bus information as we get ready for the day. In my experience, leaving about an hour and a half before Early Entry begins ensures you'll arrive in enough time to make it to your desired attraction without worry.
Danielle, I hope this helps you navigate an early, magical morning at the Walt Disney World Resort. If you have any other vacation planning questions, come back to planDisney and
let me know! You've got a friend in me and I'm always happy to help!
See you real soon,
Alison