Actual Park Opening time?

[disneyfamily05]

I know what the official park times are for June - but many times people mention getting there well before park opening. I am not interested in seeing the park opening shows (although I hear they are neat) and definitely plan on being there for opening or shortly thereafter to enter the parks to try to beat some of the lines.

For you June vacationers how far in advance do they sometimes open the park? And do they sometimes let you ride the rides before official park opening? or do they just hold you in the "holding pen" (ie Main Street, by Spaceship Earth, etc)?

When we were there in December the park sometimes opened earlier but we were still just standing there waiting for the CMs to let us thru.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[DizneyRox]

A number of years ago, it seemed to be fairly frequent that the parks would actually open prior to the actual posted time.

I haven't seen them really open much before the posted time lately. I know at Epcot, you may be able to get through the turnstyles, they typically stop you before you go under SSE. I've seen this in July (peak crowds) as well as January (slow times).

Your best bet is just to get there maybe 1/2 hour early. Also note that sometimes the park opens, but not all the lands open at the same time.

[BelleBeauty]

It depends on the park and on the day. I believe it's a good idea to be there about 30 minutes prior to opening. Most parks will let you in before posted opening time, but then just filter you into another area for the opening ceremony, or to wait for the rope drops. Attractions won't open until the posted opening times.

In MK the opening ceremony is on the turnstyle side of the railroad track. So you an enter, but just into that first courtyard area I believe. After that, they have ropes in Adventureland and Tomorrowland and you have to wait there until park opening.

In AK they begin letting people in a little before opening, then everyone gathers on the path leading from the Oasis to the Tree of Life (and there is a crowd!) for the opening ceremony.

I think in Epcot they put the rope up right where you would enter the queue for Spaceship Earth, and make you wait until park opening.

This is just my experience, I'm sure it changes based on the time of year you go!

[MickeysBestPal]

There is nearly always an advantage to gettting there early.
I also consider being at the gate 30 miutes early to be a good rule-of-thumb.

You will be in a position to get through the gates before the thousands of others who arrived after you did.

If they DO open the gates early (and they usually do) you'll be inside the park that much sooner.

Many times you are "held" at an interior location, then released at the "straight-up" time.
You'll be towards the head of that group.

If you have a "destination attraction" in mind, you'll get there sooner than those arriving later and maye ride it twice, or be off to another sooner.

All of this only matters if you want to gain a bit more time ahead of the later-arrivals.