Top Things You Should Know about Disney World Early Theme Park Entry [experience popular attractions without huge wait times]

Have you ever heard about Disney World Early Theme Park Entry and wondered what’s so great about it? This is the post for you!

Imagine beginning your day with a head start on the most popular Disney World attractions.

Disney World Early Entry is a real game-changer for anyone looking to make the most of their visit.

In this post, I’ll help you navigate what Walt Disney World Early Theme Park Entry is all about and how it can transform your Disney experience.

From helpful Disney World Early Entry tips (to help you determine your Disney World Early Entry Strategy) to the qualifying hotels, we have plenty to chat about!

So, let’s dive in and discover how to enjoy Disney World rides without the crazy wait times.

This post is all about the top things you should know about Disney World Early Theme Park Entry.

Disney World Early Theme Park Entry

What is Disney World Early Theme Park Entry?

Disney World Early Theme Park Entry is where guests – staying at select Disney World Early Entry hotels – can enter the Disney parks 30 minutes before other guests.

Although 30 minutes might not seem like much, it can help you ride a popular attraction with a notably shorter wait time.

Early Theme Park Entry is available every day to eligible guests.

How to Get Early Entry to Disney World

To be eligible for Walt Disney World Early Entry, you must be one of the following:

Disney Resort Guests: If you’re staying at any of the Disney Resort hotels, you’re in luck!

disney world early park hours calendar. — Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

Select Good Neighbor Hotel Guests: Certain non-Disney hotels also allow guests to qualify for Early Theme Park Entry.

disney world early entry calendar — Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel

Disney World Early Entry Good Neighbor Hotels

DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando
Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista
Four Seasons Resort Orlando
Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace
Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
Holiday Inn Orlando
Renaissance Orlando Resort and Spa
Shades of Green on Walt Disney World Resort
Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
Waldorf Astoria Orlando
Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista
Wyndham Lake Buena Vista
Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
Walt Disney World Swan Reserve

You can see this list on Disney’s site.

What Time is Early Theme Park Entry Disney World?

Wondering ‘when does Early Theme Park Entry start at Disney World?’.

This can vary from park to park, day to day.

Usually, Animal Kingdom Park is the first to open, but make sure to check the My Disney Experience app to see the Disney World Early Entry times at each park during your visit.

Benefits of Early Theme Park Entry

Shorter Wait Times for Popular Attractions

If you’re at the park for the start of Early Theme Park Entry, you may be one of the first to start lining up for more popular attractions.

More Peaceful Park Atmosphere

If you’ve ever visited Disney World during peak hours, you know it can feel busy and chaotic.

But during the early hours, it can feel much calmer.

Whether you want time to take photos or to leisurely stroll down Main Street, this is a nice perk of Disney World Early Theme Park Entry.

Top Attractions to Experience During Early Entry

Disney World Early Entry Magic Kingdom Attractions

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train: It’s a family-friendly coaster with mild thrills and enchanting storytelling. A lot of the time it has the longest standby wait time in the whole park!
Peter Pan’s Flight: This is Fantasyland’s most popular slow ride. You get to fly in a pirate ship over London with your favorite characters from Peter Pan!

TRON: Now that you can no longer get a virtual queue for TRON, heading to this ride during Early Entry may be your best bet for avoiding crazy queues.

Epcot Must-Do Early Entry Rides

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: Shrink down to the size of a rat in this trackless, largely screen-based ride. Although objectively not the best Disney World ride, it is one of Epcot’s most popular rides (after all, it only opened in 2021, and there aren’t many rides in Epcot).
Frozen Ever After: Re-live the movie on a charming boat ride with Elsa, Anna, Olaf, and other popular attractions from Frozen! Again, it is not the best boat ride (the animatronics have slightly strange animatronic faces!), but it is popular (and cute).

Hollywood Studios Attractions To Check Out During Early Entry

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance: Dive into an epic battle within the Star Wars universe. This is the most popular Star Wars ride, so it’s worth getting to this attraction during Early Entry!

Slinky Dog Dash: This is another family-friendly coaster that gets super long wait times. Although it’s more fun to ride this during the evening (Toy Story Land looks so pretty at night), you may prefer to experience this with lower crowds in the morning.
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster: Since re-opening from its recent refurbishment, wait times have been very high for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. This is not surprising; after all, it’s the only roller coaster with inversions at Disney World!

Animal Kingdom Attractions To Check Out During Early Entry

Flight of Passage: Go on a banshee ride in this Avatar-themed screen-based attraction. Since opening in 2017, this has been the most popular ride at Animal Kingdom.
Expedition Everest: Brave the chilling thrills of this coaster and attempt to outrun the legendary Yeti. This is thought to be one of the best roller coasters at Walt Disney World!

Tips for Maximizing Your Early Theme Park Entry Experience

Plan Your Day Ahead of Time

Make a List: Write down the top Disney rides you don’t want to miss.
Create an Itinerary: Organize your list in order of importance and location. Keep travel time in mind to avoid crisscrossing the park unnecessarily.

By planning ahead, you’ll save time and reduce stress.

Arrive Early

Getting there before the gates even think about opening is crucial to making the most of your early entry.

Set Multiple Alarms (if you really don’t want to miss Early Entry: This way you can *almost* ensure that you don’t sleep through Early Entry!
Get There Before Early Theme Park Entry Begins: This extra time gives you a buffer for any potential transportation issues. There is no magical time that you should arrive – but I’d recommend as early as possible – if your goal is to really maximize Early Entry.

Common Misconceptions about Early Theme Park Entry

“It’s Just for Guests Staying at a Disney-Owned & Operated Resort”

As I mentioned earlier, this benefit also extends to some select Good Neighbor hotels nearby. Staying at these select hotels can also grant you extra time in the parks.

Just make sure you check if your hotel is on the list before counting on that Early Entry time!

“It Guarantees No Wait Times”

The idea of walking on to your favorite rides without waiting is super appealing. Unfortunately, this won’t always be the case.

Even during Early Theme Park Entry, popular attractions can still have lines.

In August 2024, I went to Magic Kingdom Early Entry, and still had to wait just over half an hour for Space Mountain!

Now, this is much better than if I’d tried later in the day – but it still isn’t “walking on“ the attraction.

Of course, experiences will vary from person to person, park to park, and day to day, but it’s worth knowing this – so you can set realistic expectations.

Frequently Asked Questions About Disney World Early Theme Park Entry

Do I need Disney World Tickets for Disney World Early Theme Park Entry?

Absolutely. You will need valid Disney World tickets for the park you are visiting.

If you are a Disney World Annual Passholder, make sure you have theme park reservations if required.

Is Disney Early Entry worth it?

If there’s a popular attraction you want to experience – without the worst wait times – yes.

If you’re not bothered too much by the rides, you may be perfectly content with skipping Disney World Early Theme Park Entry. And maybe utilizing the extra resort time instead.

Which Disney World Park opens the earliest?

This is subject to change, but it is often Animal Kingdom Park.

Check Disney’s site for the most up to date information for your visit.

Are all the rides open during Disney World Early Theme Park Entry?

A lot of the time, yes (excluding rides that are closed for refurbishment). But please note that this can never be guaranteed.

Ta Ta For Now

Have you ever experienced Early Entry at Disney World? Do you think it’s worth it? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!

This post was all about the top things you should know about Disney World Early Theme Park Entry.