food IS a theme park
If you’re going to go through ALL the effort to get up early during your Disney World trip, you better do it RIGHT!
Hollywood Boulevard at Hollywood Studios
Hitting the parks early can make a huge difference in the success of your day, but if you’re going to take advantage of perks like Early Theme Park Entry, you need a legitimate strategy. And as part of our go-to strategy, there’s one rule that we enforce for our Early Entry mornings!
If you’re anything like me, you often prioritize which Disney World rides you’re going to head to first thing in the morning LONG before you actually enter that park. Whether it’s the latest new high-tech attraction, your forever favorite ride, or something new and even seasonal… That’s where November 3rd comes in.
Jingle Cruise
That day the Jingle Cruise makes its 2026 debut, and it’s sure to be a MAJOR morning draw for guests heading to the Magic Kingdom. However, if you’re making a trip this holiday season and staying at Disney World, there’s something you NEED to know.
If you want to take advantage of Disney World’s Early Theme Park Entry, you need to know this before booking your trip!
Disney’s Riviera Resort
Every day, Disney World resort guests have the advantage of starting their day 30 minutes before other guests. Early Theme Park Entry is available in every park and can give you a head start on your day before those lines start to get really long. If you do it right, you could already be done with a ride or two before others even enter a queue. However, where you stay for this perk might change the game.
If you’ve ever stood in a packed bus line at rope drop, willing the doors to open just a little bit faster, you already know that transportation can make or break your Disney World morning.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
That’s exactly why so many guests are booking rooms at Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Resort — a hotel where Hollywood Studios is close enough to reach on foot in about 17 minutes, and EPCOT is even closer. When early entry and rope drop strategy can mean the difference between walking straight onto Slinky Dog Dash or waiting in an hour-long queue, having a hotel this close to two parks is a genuine game-changer.
For many guests, waking up early and arriving at their Disney World park of choice is a huge part of their vacation. However, there’s a lot more to Disney World at 9:00 AM than simply showing up.
Adventureland rope drop crowds.
Luckily, we’ve got experts to tell us how they approach 9:00 AM at Disney World!
For years, rope dropping — arriving at a Walt Disney World theme park to be there in time for Cast Members to literally drop the rope and allow guests to rush to their attraction of choice — has been an integral part of many guests’ vacation plans.
Rope drop crowds!
However, there are a couple of annoying rope drop issues that can ruin your morning… if you’re not prepared.
Hotels have been a major part of the Walt Disney World experience since the Magic Kingdom opened back in 1971, and hotel guests have always had access to numerous perks while staying on property, ranging from transportation to dining and park access.
Art of Animation
That tradition continues to this day, and guests checking into Disney World hotels in May will find some major new, returning, and limited-time changes!
Staying at a Disney World hotel comes with tons of perks! We love the convenient location and transportation, along with access to early booking for Lightning Lanes and dining reservations, and so much more. Of course, just staying in the Disney bubble with gorgeous theming and fantastic service is always an added benefit.
Magic Kingdom Early Entry
One of our favorite perks is Early Entry, which is where we get extra time in the theme parks, but Disney is making some changes to the program you need to know before you book your hotel.
Early Entry is one of Disney’s most POPULAR perks, and it’s about to expand!
Early entry sign!
A quick refresh on Early Entry before we begin: Guests staying at Disney Resort hotels (and select other hotels) can take advantage of a 30-minute early entry into each of Walt Disney World’s theme parks every day of their stay (including check-in and check-out days). Now that’s out of the way, let’s move on to what’s changing!
Early Theme Park Entry at Disney World can be a total game-changer!
Early entry sign!
If you’re staying at a Disney World hotel, you have access to this extra benefit that allows an additional 30 minutes in the theme parks every morning — which can make a huge difference. But, if you’re heading to Early Entry at Magic Kingdom soon, you need to know that something has changed!
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