Hi,
I have never been to Disney before but just got a BOG reservation at 8:50. The website says the park doesn’t open until 9.
I have been reading some of the other “your topic is similar to…” threads but I don’t see my answers.
First off, people are predicting that the park will open early (at 8am) do you think this will be possible on a MVMCP night?
How do I get into the park before it opens to make my reservation? I remember once reading that if I can get a before opening reservation to do it, that is the best time to get a picture of the castle. So I’m hoping this is true. Please remember I have never been here before, all the details possible would be great. (Where to go, what to have ready to prove I have dining reservations etc)
Also I’m staying at Movies, so when do I have to catch the shuttle?
How early should I try to get into the park? Some people say they get in 30-40 minutes early for ADR’s.
And what should I expect?
I truly appreciate your time to read and respond to my post. I’m so nervous. Less than a week to go and no idea what to expect. And this just threw my entire TP out the window… lol
I’m following this because I have a similar question regarding H & V at Hollywood Studios. I would like to know if getting in early means that I can get to JTA sign up before anyone else.
Howdy! I’m not that knowledgeable about the changing opening times, so I’m sure someone else will have better info than I on that.
When we went to CRT last year for an early reservation, we went to the left side of the tapstiles and a CM checked us in. We waited around a bit (another CM started telling stories and interviewing kids, which was great), they started letting us in in groups about 20 minutes before our reservations. I’ve heard recently that they are just letting people in en masse now.
For timing - I like to be early for things since I don’t like the stress when things go wrong, like a long bus wait. If it were me, for an 8:50 ADR (and park not open) I’d want to be waiting for a bus at least by 7:30. (I’d also check with an ASMovies CM the night before about first bus times.)
When they let us in for CRT in the small groups, got some excellent photos - VERY empty, had time for a leisurely walk. I take my own photos normally, but were Disney photographers milling about so we had one of them take a full family shot. (A nice photo, although he underexposed the shot, which annoyed me. They’re supposed to know the right settings!)
One more thing: This depends on what you want to ride in the morning, etc of course, but if it were me and they did change opening to before my ADR, I’d drop the ADR, have us all eat a snacky walking breakfast, hit as much as we can at RD and then break for an early lunch when the masses arrive.
Hope some of this helps and you have an excellent trip!
They should let you in before rope drop with the 8:50. I have heard 15+ minutes earlier than the reservation time. Maybe 30-40 minutes happens sometimes. 1 hour is plenty of time to be at the bus stop and get there on time. Too much time for us at Beach Club or AKL but we were lucky with buses instantly there and no one else around.
With BOG, CRT and CP operating there is less of an empty feel to the park for pictures. Still decent though. We just got back for an 8:05am BOG when the park opened at 9am. Keep checking for early reservation times the week before you go. I got the 8:05 time the day before and an 8:15 was also available. That 8:50 time means you will miss the best times to ride.
Probably not everyone is held at ropes inside the park. They have been opening tapstyles at 8.30-8.45 for day guests. So you might have to be out of breakfast before 8.30 to get to the holding rope first.
Thanks for the responses. I’m a week from going and had a 9:45 I just dropped to get that one. I had a heart wrenching moment when they made me delete my first reservation to get the second one. What if someone else grabs it… scary thought. I will keep trying for earlier but I do have a second day I can try for too Wish the computer would let me book overlapping and then delete one.
If your reservation is at 8:45 and the park opens at 9:00, I would be at the ADR line (left side at 8:15. If the park opens at 8:00, I would be there at 7:45 for e opening show, go and do one attraction at rope drop (7 dwarfs or Peter Pan) and then go to my reservation.
I would definitely be at the bus stop before 7:00 either way.
Unless they fixed it the App won’t save your old reservation as you try and book a new one. You have to cancel it and hope. However, the website will keep your old reservation until the new one is secured. A lot safer.
It was on the Disney website that they would not allow me to move forward with a new reservation, kept telling me I’m booked for that time frame already… and I had to cancel my reservation and then reload both pages (I opened my Disney Experience in another page to cancel without losing the reservation page) and pray someone else didn’t scoop up both. I would have been truly bummed.
That is odd. As early as a month ago Disney’s website had a window pop up saying that your old reservation is being held until the new one is confirmed. Maybe they changed it. At least it worked out.
This happened to me last month can’t remember if it was web or app think it was web where I had to cancel before it would let me book a later time Then when I made changes on app later it let me book without cancelling current time I played about with it and it just kept letting me make adrs all for same place and similar times I had 4 within an hour . ( Don’t worry I cancelled 3 of them myself)
Next day got the box saying we will cancel when you confirm. System has too many issues
Given all of this information, let me ask your opinions. I have an 8:00 H&V reservation which I got for the purpose of getting to JTA sign up early. Is this even a good use of my time if guests are let in by 8:30? How early do you think I can get into the restaurant and start eating? If I can’t be in until 8 and need to be done by 8:30, sounds like it may be more stress (and indigestion) than it is worth. Thoughts?
Wish the computer would let me book overlapping and then delete one.