We are planning our 1st trip to WDW. We’ll be there in March with many 7/10 to 9/10 crowd levels. (Yikes!) Since we are going at such a busy time, since we are morning people and do not plan to be in the parks past dinner, and since we want to do the headliner rides, we plan to be at rope drops for every morning.
These are our opening times:
MK- 7:00 EMH, & 8:00 (no EMH this day)
HS- 8:00 EMH
AK- 8:00 EMH
Epcot- 8:00 EMH, & 9:00 (no EMH this day)
I have read in the Unofficial Guide that many parks open for some rides 30-60 minutes before official opening. 60 minutes - Really?!?
So… we are wondering:
1- When should we plan to be at each park? (How far ahead of scheduled opening?)
2- What time should we catch the bus from PO-R each morning? (How much time should we factor in for waiting for the bus & riding the bus to the parks, etc?)
I would be at POR bus stop about an hour and ten minutes before park opening. That will guarantee that you are on the first bus (sometimes at POR you have to wait for the next bus, or the bus after).
HS used to always open early, I do not think so much lately, but EP seemed to have two openings during peak, peak times. ( they let a group go either to Soarin or TT before opening). None of that is guaranteed.
The Unofficial Guide suggests catching the bus 1 or 1 1/2 hours before park opens. But I’m confused about what exactly “park opens” means! Do we plan to catch the bus 1 hour and 10 minutes before the official opening time or the “opening 30-60 minutes early” opening (which could be 1 hour and 40 minutes or 2 hours before official park opening!)?
It will be an hour to an hour 10 minutes before the official time. If you get on the bus by 7:20 you will be through bag check and in line by 7:50. You are trying to catch the 7:00 bus for 8:00 opening. The 6:00 bus for 7:00 opening.
Ok thanks. That’s what we were thinking. I just got concerned when I read that the parks open even earlier. If they open 60 minutes before official opening, we’d still be catching the bus at the resort and the park would be open already. It’s all so confusing!!!
