On a day when MK opens at 9 am, what time will they let you in with an 8:00 BOG reservation? What time without a dining reservation?
With an 8:00am BOG they will let you in to MK around 7:45. You will be able to take pictures on Main Street and the castle and then go through the check point to get behind the castle. I have been able to eat at a leisurely pace and then get in line for an attraction before 8:40 (7DMT or Peter Pan).
Other guests can enter Main Street around 8:00 but cannot go beyond the castle area until around 9:00.
So, when I in June gates were well open to everyone before 7:45, but only ADRs were let past the castle. they started a very organized line for 7DMT near the attraction, but they did not let us cue for PPF. There was a CM holding people just past the carousel where the path branches to PPF and IASM. We held there until the welcome show was over. Heard the fireworks and he let us go. Believe they did the same at 7DMT from want another woman told me in line later that day. So, at least on that day, there was no ride before rope drop. Just got in line.
I haven’t been since they started the new show, but I have heard similar things. A little different than when I had a pre-park opening meal a few years ago, but it gives you a bit of time to take some fantasy land pictures before the park opens and you will still be right up near the front of the line when the rides open at 9
If you have a pre rope drop breakfast you will have a slight head start since you are behind those ropes and they usually start you first.
Yes I loved seeing fantasy land without anyone back there (awesome pictures) and we definitely had a head start. It was nice getting on the third or fourth ship at PPF without having to battle the crowd at the castle. Just didn’t get quite as much jump on the crowd as I hoped for and as some seem to have gotten in years past.
So, from what it sounds like, no advantage as far as empty(ier) Main Street pictures?
If you have a pre rope drop ADR? There is the same advantage there always was, just less time.
Yep, though we didn’t beat everyone it was just the normal super early rope drop crowd at the point on our day. Not sure how early they started to let people in for ADRs, but even with the rope drop crowd we were still able to high-tail it up Main Street, and there are no more than maybe 5 people in the background of our main street/castle photo pass picture, taken just before the hub. Since they still had 1 hour and 15 minutes until RD there didn’t seem to be a pressing urge to get to the castle yet. The best picture from that time, though, is after we passed the ADR check-in point. There was a photog on the bridge to Liberty Square. With the castle still blocked off for the welcome show and there is literally not another soul in the picture.
If you are seeking a truly empty Main Street, I would arrive at 7:15 and cross fingers. Semi-related - they were still doing the separate entry line for people with early ADRs at Epcot while they held everyone else at taps until 8:30. So we may have just missed it at MK. Perhaps with crowds they are now letting RDs in at 7:45, but ADRs at 7:30??
When I did my 8:00 BOG they let us into MK before they let the day guests in.
Yeah that’s what most everyone reported before we went - day guests would be let in at 8:00 and ADRs could get in earlier. Most reports I had read suggested arrival between 7:30 and 7:45, with ADRs let in at 7:45 - empty Main Street, etc. then head to your reservation. Do your food thing and then get out early to get in line and ride before official park opening. Some reports even mentioned riding 7DMT once or twice before 9AM.
However, when my husband and I arrived on June 17 at 7:50 (our ferry was delayed due to fog), all taps were open for all guests already. Everyone had access to Main Street at that point for a 9AM opening. We also saw the 7DMT line held until 9 and PPF was blocked off like a mini rope drop until 9 as well. Might not be an all the time thing, but I would definitely plan a little more conservatively if traveling during peak season… We rode PPF because we were there, but did not get a jump on the RD crowd once we were off the ride.
Definitely still has its advantages (after all most of the RD crowd does not arrive a full hour before park opening), but if someone is really chasing that empty Main Street, I would definitely get there around 7:30 as it looks like it is not a guarantee that the day crowd will be held back much after the ADR crowd.
When we went in early May, those with ADRs were let in at 7:45 and we were able to get a picture of the girls in front of the castle with nobody behind them. I believe everyone else was let in at 8, though we had made our way back to BOG by that point. We also managed to get two rides on 7DMT before the RD crowd. The park opened as DD and DH were finishing their second ride.