Early Entry at Magic Kingdom is a blended bag. In concept, the on-site perk provides resort company a head-start to do headliner points of interest with shorter traces and decrease wait instances to beat the crowds. As we’ve coated repeatedly, it doesn’t all the time work this fashion. However the factor is, Early Entry at Magic Kingdom has really improved so much recently, not less than if you recognize what you’re doing and don’t make a simple mistake.
We’re massive followers of Early Entry, and enthusiastically suggest it in dozens of planning posts. It’s an underrated perk, with many company dismissing it as “solely” Half-hour and inferior to the hour-long Additional Magic Hours. Whereas I’d clearly quite have double the time, Early Entry is so much much less busy than EMH was.
Having the perk in any respect 4 parks each single day makes an enormous distinction, to the purpose I’d argue EE is best than EMH at 3 of the 4 parks. The exception, as common readers are little question conscious, has been Magic Kingdom for a handful of causes we’ll contact upon right here. Actually, after current experiences doing Early Entry at Magic Kingdom, I’m now able to say that it’s additionally superior to Additional Magic Hours at MK.
I’ve accomplished Early Entry at Magic Kingdom effectively over a dozen instances in the previous couple of years. It’s far and away my least favourite park for Early Entry, however I preserve returning for the sake of analysis. Satirically, I’ve most likely come near doing Early Entry at Magic Kingdom greater than the opposite 3 parks mixed, because it appears to be probably the most “attention-grabbing” to readers. (I additionally do EE usually at Disney’s Hollywood Studios for comparable causes, however that one can be a whole lot of enjoyable for me, personally.)
There are a few causes for my change of coronary heart this vacation season. For one factor, it’s the time of the 12 months. As we’ve stated numerous instances, Early Entry at Magic Kingdom throughout Celebration Season is nice. That is the one time of 12 months after I actually take pleasure in Early Entry and have accomplished it for enjoyable.
Early Entry is nice throughout Celebration Season from August via December (plus just a few different dates) as a result of Magic Kingdom opens to most people at 8 am and is usually much less busy. See this publish about why 7:30 am Early Entry at Magic Kingdom is a sport changer. We extremely suggest it on Halloween or Christmas Celebration dates.
All of it comes all the way down to timing. Few company have the required want and dedication to be out their resort room door by ~6:30 am, which is just about what’s essential to arrive at Magic Kingdom in time for the beginning of seven:30 am Early Entry. In contrast, tons of individuals could make it for 8:30 am Early Entry, which is the primary purpose why Magic Kingdom is generally the worst park for Early Entry.
Whereas I’ve lamented the dearth of midnight closings at Magic Kingdom, the flip facet is that the park has been excellent about 8 am openings–together with on many days that aren’t social gathering shortened. In truth, since September, I’ve not accomplished a 9 am opening at Magic Kingdom–it’s all been 8 am openings. A part of that is luck and timing of my visits, as they undoubtedly have occurred.
In any case, this isn’t a brand new factor. It’s additionally not a everlasting factor. As quickly because the calendar rolls over into 2025, it’s secure to count on extra frequent 9 am opening instances, which means 8:30 am Early Entry at Magic Kingdom. So this isn’t the explanation for my change of coronary heart this vacation season in relation to Early Entry at Magic Kingdom.
The true purpose, as you would possibly’ve guessed, is TRON Lightcycle Run.
In case you missed it, Walt Disney World launched a standby queue at TRON Lightcycle Run, retiring the digital queue in the course of the early fall low season. It’s now been over just a few months because the standby line debuted and we now have been capable of conduct in depth on-the-ground discipline testing. Early Entry has been an enormous a part of this.
I plan on doing a full publish on the when to do and keep away from TRON Lightcycle Run, however wished to begin with Early Entry as a standalone entry due to the way it defied expectations in just a few ways in which struck me as value masking on their very own. And since it’s value masking the influence on the options throughout Early Entry and cord drop, which isn’t fairly as relevant to different instances of day.
Additionally as a result of I’ve spent dozens of hours “working” on this (and truthfully, I don’t even like TRON that a lot), so I wished to get a couple of publish out of it. For now, it’s value consulting How TRON Lightcycle Run’s Standby Line is a Gamechanger for Magic Kingdom Touring Technique. Simply be suggested that isn’t 100% correct–and even 85% correct.
When it comes to Early Entry fundamentals, our regular advice is to be there roughly Half-hour earlier than the beginning of Early Theme Park Entry. In case your plan is to do Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare, you need to arrive 30+ minutes prematurely. Much less time is okay for Peter Pan’s Flight, Area Mountain, or the opposite choices.
Arriving earlier additionally provides you time for enjoyable pictures on Principal Road with empty backgrounds. As soon as accomplished with that, head to the suitable of the East Plaza Backyard for Early Theme Park Entry. There’s a row of Forged Members stationed to scan MagicBands or room keys to confirm Early Entry eligibility.
Everyone seems to be allowed to enter Magic Kingdom and hang around on Principal Road, taking pictures or ready for rope drop over on the Frontierland and Adventureland facet of the Central Plaza. However you’ll be able to’t entry Tomorrowland or Fantasyland with out scanning right here. When you’ve accomplished that, you’re good to go for the morning.
From there, you proceed on to both the Tomorrowland Bridge or Fantasyland Bridge.
My first “prediction” that was incorrect within the aforementioned ‘TRON Gamechanger’ publish is that Early Entry could be a few 50/50 break up between these two bridges. From what I’ve seen up to now, it’s extra like 60/40 in favor of Tomorrowland. Possibly even two-thirds to 75% of company on the Tomorrowland Bridge.
It’s actually robust to eyeball these things, however the backside line is that there’s a big distinction as contrasted with earlier than, when most company went to the Fantasyland facet. One factor to bear in mind right here, although, is that I’ve solely accomplished Early Entry within the final couple of months on 8 am park opening days. I strongly suspect events with youthful kids who skew in direction of Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare are much less probably than TRON-skewing company to make it to the park in time for 7:30 am Early Entry. Issues may look very totally different on 8:30 am days.
Previously, the gang on the Fantasyland facet has been exponentially bigger, with about ten instances as many individuals.
Of that a lot bigger quantity, roughly 90% of these company are planning on doing Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare. That’s why we way back coined the time period the Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare Shuffle. Company are revving up their double-wide strollers, making ready to do some severe injury to the ankles of anybody strolling too gingerly. The slow-sprint-slash-shuffle to Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare is a excessive stakes, eat-or-be-eaten sport.
I’ve made no secret of my hatred for the SDMT Shuffle over time. Not solely is the expertise itself disagreeable (and it truly is!), however it provides little upside. On regular mornings, the one folks breezing on and off Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare stress-free have been these on the entrance of the pack. And the one approach to get on the entrance of the pack was to reach actually early…and wait.
A method or one other, company have been ready for Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare.
In the event that they rolled up in mid-afternoon and located a 60-90 minut wait time, their time dedication was extra simple: it was no matter they really waited in line. Early Entry is deceiving, although, as a result of it’s not simply the posted wait (or extra precisely, precise wait as soon as in line). It’s on a regular basis earlier than that, standing round ready for Early Entry to start, too. Consequently, the “all-in” whole for company on the entrance of the pack would possibly’ve been ~75 minutes.
Not solely that, however there’s the chance price. As an alternative of an disagreeable shuffle to an above-average anticipate Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare, they might’ve pleasantly breezed via Tomorrowland and knocked out 2-3 rides with below-average waits. Or they might’ve slept in and easily accomplished SDMT on the finish of the evening (when it’s extra nice). You get the thought.
Properly, I hope you get the thought. As a result of I’ve been harping on this for some time, and the title of this was nonetheless nearly “Magic Kingdom Early Entry Report: It’s All About Alternative Prices.” However Google has prompt I begin making extra “catchy” titles, and I assume folks don’t know what ‘alternative price’ means, so right here we’re.
Anyway, as you’ve most likely additionally guessed by now, the titular attraction isn’t Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare. There wouldn’t be a lot of some extent if it have been, as we’ve accomplished that matter to dying over the previous couple of years.
Additionally, there’s a purpose why the above is generally previous tense–that Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare was a poor choice throughout Early Entry and the SDMT Shuffle was disagreeable. As a result of a brand new experience has taken its place. Spoiler alert: it’s not the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover.
It’s TRON Lightcycle Run. A experience that isn’t even open throughout Early Entry!
My expectation earlier than doing any field-testing was that Tomorrowland’s Early Entry crowd would enhance, and together with that, so too would the road for Area Mountain. It is because it’s doable to be out and in of Area Mountain in beneath Half-hour throughout Early Entry (our common is about quarter-hour–it takes a bit to stroll the queue), which places you on the entrance to TRON forward of the rope drop crowd.
We additionally anticipated that “so much” of company wouldn’t do something throughout Early Entry. Paradoxically, they’d race to Tomorrowland to do nothing however rope drop TRON Lightcycle Run. (“Hurry up and wait” as my military-man father likes to say.) I’m quoting my very own “so much” there as a result of I didn’t provide a exact prediction, however I’ll admit this now: the variety of company doing that is manner larger than I ever anticipated.
In contrast, the variety of company doing Area Mountain–or actually the rest in Tomorrowland–is manner, manner decrease than I anticipated. (Above is the whole crowd for Area Mountain in the beginning of EE earlier than the road had opened. That is nothing in comparison with what it was.)
If I had to return and elaborate on my prior prediction, it could’ve been that TRON Lightcycle Run would’ve made Tomorrowland an even bigger draw for the sake of proximity to the attraction. Positive, many company would ‘hurry up and wait,’ however simply as many others–if no more–would benefit from Early Entry in Tomorrowland by doing one other attraction or two, after which lining up for TRON Lightcycle Run.
This was my expectation based mostly on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland, Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Journey, and to a a lot lesser extent, Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad and Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom. For probably the most half, company do issues after which attempt to be entrance of the pack and beat the rope drop crowd to these points of interest.
Not so with TRON Lightcycle Run.
I might estimate that on the a number of mornings I’ve accomplished Early Entry at Magic Kingdom, 95% of the company beginning on the Tomorrowland facet are instantly racing to TRON Lightcycle Run. Possibly I shouldn’t have been, however I used to be shocked by this.
Bear in mind, this makes their whole time dedication their precise wait time as soon as the park formally opens + Half-hour + nevertheless lengthy they stood round earlier than Early Entry even started. Given the wait instances we’ve been seeing for TRON Lightcycle Run, it is a very questionable use of time (to place it charitably).
The large winner right here is individuals who prefer to loop Area Mountain.
Opposite to my expectations, the true end result is that traces for Area Mountain have grow to be non-existent. On each single morning of my testing up to now, Area Mountain has been a digital walk-on. It begins with a little bit of a backup, however that’s much less about excessive demand and extra it taking a little bit of time for company to make their manner via the lengthy queue.
Even with that prolonged queue (and exit), I’ve been capable of do Area Mountain roughly 3 instances throughout Early Entry this Celebration Season. To be sincere, I by no means tried looping Area Mountain earlier than, so I can’t converse to what was doable previously, however I’m fairly assured that this was not. As an enormous fan of Area Mountain, I view this as an enormous win. It’s additionally nice for anybody making an attempt to maximise their effectivity.
Had I wished, I may’ve accomplished Area Mountain 2-3x on these mornings and nonetheless crushed the rope drop crowd to TRON Lightcycle Run.
I didn’t need this, because it nonetheless would’ve put me behind the whole Early Entry pack that had simply been standing there, rising barely in measurement (albeit extra slowly) since 7:30 am. That occurred, I would remind you, because the attraction didn’t course of a single visitor…because it was not operational.
Listed here are some pictures exhibiting the rising line at TRON Lightcycle Run throughout this half-hour:
The second two pictures have been taken because the rope drop crowd arrived at TRON Lightcycle Run.
At this level, we’ve been seeing TRON Lightcycle Run publish a wait time of fifty to 75 minutes instantly upon opening for the day. At the least, on the mornings we’ve accomplished testing, all of which have been 8 am park openings. I’d count on that to be larger on 9 am mornings, assuming not less than average crowd ranges.
Suffice to say, TRON Lightcycle Run can be a nasty choice at rope drop. It’s barely much less dangerous, although, as a result of not less than the experience turns into operational. However there’s nonetheless that line in entrance of you and, equally as necessary, the chance price of not with the ability to rope drop Adventureland or Frontierland.
So what is a very good choice throughout Early Entry at Magic Kingdom–except for Area Mountain?
I’m cautiously optimistic about Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare.
This was a improbable different on the mornings I did Early Entry, however once more, these have been all 7:30 am dates. Even previously, I’ve had good luck with SDMT on these mornings as long as I used to be close to the entrance of the pack.
As a result of I used to be trying to simulate outcomes for future Early Entry dates when the schedule would shift to eight:30 am (and likewise as a result of I wanted to race round getting pictures), I made some extent of doing Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare after the preliminary rush.
Though the posted wait time was 35 minutes after I did it, my precise wait was beneath 20 minutes.
The road moved easily the whole time, and a very good chunk of the wait was simply strolling via the prolonged queue.
One other extra apparent choice is Peter Pan’s Flight.
I used to be ready to do that after Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare when the posted wait was Half-hour. My precise wait was lower than 10 minutes. I wasn’t accomplished by common rope drop, however that didn’t actually matter. Massive Thunder, Jungle Cruise, and so forth., all nonetheless have brief traces at 8:10 or 8:20 am. Arguably shorter ones, because the preliminary rush is over. (This solely applies to eight am park opening–not 9 am.)
Peter Pan’s Flight has all the time been a improbable choice throughout Early Entry–particularly as contrasted with later within the day when the road can transfer slowly–however it’s even higher now. My guess is that TRON is pulling folks from SDMT, which in flip is pulling folks from PPF. Trickle down wait instances, or one thing to that impact.
So what about TRON Lightcycle Run?
To not spoil my very own future article about greatest & worst instances to experience TRON, however what I discovered persistently throughout my discipline testing is that there’s a morning lull about an hour after common rope drop. This was true even on reasonably busy days (a few of my testing occurred over a vacation weekend).
Intuitively, this is smart. TRON’s wait time would spike to round 60-90 minutes shortly after rope drop (~8:15 am) because the Early Entry crowd (none of which was ‘processed’ till common rope drop, bear in mind) plus the rope drop crowd all converged onto the attraction and created a backlog of company ready. Plus the paid Lightning Lane company who opted to indicate up immediately, for no matter purpose.
The results of that is that TRON Lightcycle Run’s wait time would typically be nearly double the following highest wait time (Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare). It might be a lot, a lot larger than the opposite ‘grownup’ thrill rides, Area Mountain and Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad.
This probably ends in late-arrivers pulling up the My Disney Expertise app (or taking a look at a tip board), seeing how for much longer of a line TRON has than the rest, and opting to go elsewhere. I used to be truthfully shocked that the ‘elsewhere’ seemingly doesn’t embrace Area Mountain. I believed absolutely it could see a spike as company noticed a too-long line for TRON and did that as a substitute. Nope.
Mainly, anybody who positioned a excessive precedence on TRON Lightcycle Run is doing it ASAP–both lining up in the beginning of Early Entry or begin of normal rope drop. Everybody else is balking on the longer line, and choosing options.
Zig once they zag.
If you happen to’re going to do TRON Lightcycle Run within the morning, the perfect time to line up is in direction of the finish of Early Entry, after you’ve already accomplished 2-3 Tomorrowland points of interest however earlier than the common rope drop rush. I don’t love this feature (and even prefer it), however should you’re dead-set on doing TRON early for no matter purpose, it certain beats the ‘hurry up and wait’ strategy of being on the entrance of the pack.
Higher but, give it an hour and let the preliminary two waves of individuals get processed by the attraction, and slip into line for TRON Lightcycle Run an hour after rope drop. This was my strategy, and my most wait was 27 minutes.
Early Entry company would possibly boast that their wait was lower than that–that when the clock struck 8 am (or 7:55, since TRON does typically begin working barely earlier), they breezed via the road and walked onto the attraction.
Nonetheless, there isn’t any conceivable manner they waited lower than 27 minutes…as a result of additionally they stood round for nevertheless lengthy earlier than Early Entry began, plus that 25-Half-hour of time throughout which they did nothing previous to common rope drop.
I don’t know what, precisely, their minimal ‘all-in’ time was since I didn’t put myself of their footwear, however I’m guessing it’d be 60 minutes for a lot of of them. That isn’t all that spectacular–we’ve seen instances all through the day when TRON has an hour-long wait!
Extra importantly, it fails to account for the chance price! Area Mountain, Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare, Peter Pan’s Flight–and actually each different attraction in Magic Kingdom (besides the Joffrey’s Revive espresso stand and possibly the Principal Road Starbucks)–have far below-average wait instances throughout Early Entry.
Whereas standing in line for an attraction that was not open, company may’ve been doing any of these rides. That’s why we strongly suggest skipping TRON Lightcycle Run throughout Early Entry and in the beginning of normal rope drop. You would actually choose a time at random to do it later within the day and obtain higher outcomes.
We’ll proceed this testing in 2025 as soon as Early Entry returns to its common 8:30 am begin time and (possibly, hopefully) TRON Lightcycle Run is definitely included within the experience roster for the on-site perk. No matter what modifications, we’re rather more optimistic about Early Entry at Magic Kingdom.
TRON Lightcycle Run has displaced Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare because the #1 attraction, and although it pains me to retire the oh-so-clever SDMT Shuffle moniker, I’m more than happy with how a lot of a game-changer this has been for morning technique. Talking of which, in order for you technique for the opposite three parks, try our Information to Early Theme Park Entry at Walt Disney World.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Do you skip Early Entry at Magic Kingdom or benefit from the perk? If you happen to did skip it beforehand, will you’re taking benefit now that TRON has shifted to standby and eradicated (or mitigated) the SDMT Shuffle? Would you go for the ‘hurry up and wait’ strategy of beginning at TRON Lightcycle Run, or is the chance price of ready for a experience that isn’t open too excessive for you? How would you do issues in another way to begin the day at MK? Every other suggestions on arriving early to the Walt Disney World theme parks? Agree or disagree with our recommendation or strategy? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
