"Early Theme Park Entry" program to Replace Extra Magic Hours program in 2021

[Figment!]

The Walt Disney World resort has announced the Early Theme Park Entry program:

Coming later this year as part of our 50th anniversary celebration, Disney Resort hotel guests and guests of other select hotels will be able to enjoy more fun with 30-minute early entry to ANY theme park, EVERY day. It’ll be a great way to get a jump start on your Disney day, no matter the day!

This new offering will replace the Extra Magic Hours benefit that was suspended in the Summer of 2020. The new Early Theme Park Entry benefit will better spread visitation across all four theme parks to maintain social distancing, while providing added flexibility by giving Guests extra early park time on each day of their vacation and in the park of their choosing.

Guests will require valid admission and a park reservation made via the Disney Park Pass system to enter a theme park.

[merciantinkerbell]

And another perk bites the dust. We used the morning EMH alot and could get 1 or 2 things done in that hour with the place relatively uncrowded.

[azcavalier]

And another perk bites the dust. We used the morning EMH alot and could get 1 or 2 things done in that hour with the place relatively uncrowded.

It still seems like a perk to me. If you stay onsite, you now can get into ANY park early. Before, you planned which park for which day based on the morning EMH. And if we were staying offsite, we planned which park to avoid that morning, knowing that the resort guests would favor that park. Now, it's going to be more spread out, less crowded, and it won't matter which park you choose! I like this better than the EMH.

[Cinderelley]

I never used EMH, but I don't really understand how this is supposed to be better for Covid. Cramming the same number of people into shorter hours just increases the crowd. I think the same thing about grocery stores, etc who have shortened their hours.

[merciantinkerbell]

It still seems like a perk to me. If you stay onsite, you now can get into ANY park early. Before, you planned which park for which day based on the morning EMH. And if we were staying offsite, we planned which park to avoid that morning, knowing that the resort guests would favor that park. Now, it's going to be more spread out, less crowded, and it won't matter which park you choose! I like this better than the EMH.

But reducing it from 60 minutes to 30 means we may have time to get through the turnstiles and to 1 ride but maybe not depending on transport time. With 60 minutes we could certainly get to 1 ride and queue if not on it.

[azcavalier]

But reducing it from 60 minutes to 30 means we may have time to get through the turnstiles and to 1 ride but maybe not depending on transport time. With 60 minutes we could certainly get to 1 ride and queue if not on it.

Except that they never religiously stuck to that "1 hour" time frame. I can't tell you how many times we showed up and they let us in 20 minutes before that. I could totally see that happening here. But, you're right, it's not really a lot of time. I think what I like about it is that its for *all* of the parks *every day*. So, you won't get a majority of the resort guests all descending on that one park that will let them in early. It'll totally spread out those numbers.

[PopPhan]

But, you're right, it's not really a lot of time. I think what I like about it is that its for *all* of the parks *every day*. So, you won't get a majority of the resort guests all descending on that one park that will let them in early. It'll totally spread out those numbers.

Unfortunately, until they get rid of the 'park reservation' policy, you will still be limited to whatever park you reserved for that day.

Just some "food for thought".....