Early Access at Magic Kingdom is a blended bag. In idea, the on-site perk provides lodge visitors a head-start to do headliner points of interest with shorter traces and decrease wait instances to overcome the crowds. As we’ve coated many times, it doesn’t all the time paintings this fashion. However the factor is, Early Access at Magic Kingdom has if truth be told progressed so much in recent years, no less than if you realize what you’re doing and don’t make a very simple mistake.
We’re giant fanatics of Early Access, and enthusiastically suggest it in dozens of making plans posts. It’s an underrated perk, with many visitors brushing aside it as “best” Half-hour and not so good as the hour-long Additional Magic Hours. Whilst I’d clearly somewhat have double the time, Early Access is so much much less busy than EMH was once.
Having the perk in any respect 4 parks each unmarried 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 for sure mindful, has been Magic Kingdom for a handful of causes we’ll comment on right here. In truth, after contemporary reports doing Early Access at Magic Kingdom, I’m now in a position to mention that it’s additionally awesome to Additional Magic Hours at MK.
I’ve achieved Early Access at Magic Kingdom neatly over a dozen instances in the previous couple of years. It’s a ways and away my least favourite park for Early Access, however I stay returning for the sake of study. Mockingly, I’ve most definitely come on the subject of doing Early Access at Magic Kingdom greater than the opposite 3 parks mixed, as it sort of feels to be probably the most “attention-grabbing” to readers. (I additionally do EE ceaselessly at Disney’s Hollywood Studios for identical causes, however that one may be numerous a laugh for me, in my opinion.)
There are a few causes for my trade of middle this vacation season. For something, it’s the time of the 12 months. As we’ve mentioned numerous instances, Early Access at Magic Kingdom all over Birthday party Season is superb. That is the only time of 12 months after I in reality experience Early Access and feature achieved it for a laugh.
Early Access is superb all over Birthday party Season from August via December (plus a couple of different dates) as a result of Magic Kingdom opens to most of the people at 8 am and is generally much less busy. See this submit about why 7:30 am Early Access at Magic Kingdom is a recreation changer. We extremely suggest it on Halloween or Christmas Birthday party dates.
All of it comes all the way down to timing. Few visitors have the essential want and resolution to be out their lodge room door by way of ~6:30 am, which is just about what’s essential to reach at Magic Kingdom in time for the beginning of seven:30 am Early Access. Against this, lots of other folks could make it for 8:30 am Early Access, which is the principle reason Magic Kingdom is in most cases the worst park for Early Access.
Whilst I’ve lamented the loss of nighttime closings at Magic Kingdom, the turn aspect is that the park has been superb about 8 am openings–together with on many days that don’t seem to be celebration shortened. In reality, since September, I’ve no longer achieved a 9 am opening at Magic Kingdom–it’s all been 8 am openings. A part of that is good fortune and timing of my visits, as they no doubt have took place.
In the end, this isn’t a brand new factor. It’s additionally no longer an enduring factor. As quickly because the calendar rolls over into 2025, it’s secure to be expecting extra common 9 am opening instances, that means 8:30 am Early Access at Magic Kingdom. So this isn’t the cause of my trade of middle this vacation season relating to Early Access at Magic Kingdom.
The true reason why, as you could’ve guessed, is TRON Lightcycle Run.
If you neglected it, Walt Disney Global offered a standby queue at TRON Lightcycle Run, retiring the digital queue all over the early fall low season. It’s now been over a couple of months for the reason that standby line debuted and we’ve been ready to habits in depth on-the-ground discipline trying out. Early Access has been a large a part of this.
I plan on doing a complete submit at the when to do and steer clear of TRON Lightcycle Run, however sought after initially Early Access as a standalone access on account of the way it defied expectancies in a couple of ways in which struck me as value masking on their very own. And as it’s value masking the affect at the choices all over Early Access and cord drop, which isn’t slightly as appropriate to different instances of day.
Additionally as a result of I’ve spent dozens of hours “running” in this (and in truth, I don’t even like TRON that a lot), so I sought after to get a couple of submit out of it. For now, it’s value consulting How TRON Lightcycle Run’s Standby Line is a Gamechanger for Magic Kingdom Traveling Technique. Simply be suggested that isn’t 100% correct–and even 85% correct.
In the case of Early Access fundamentals, our standard advice is to be there kind of Half-hour earlier than the beginning of Early Theme Park Access. In case your plan is to do Seven Dwarfs Mine Educate, you wish to have to reach 30+ mins prematurely. Much less time is ok for Peter Pan’s Flight, House Mountain, or the opposite choices.
Arriving previous additionally will give you time for a laugh footage on Primary Side road with empty backgrounds. As soon as achieved with that, head to the best of the East Plaza Lawn for Early Theme Park Access. There’s a row of Solid Contributors stationed to scan MagicBands or room keys to ensure Early Access eligibility.
Everybody is authorized to go into Magic Kingdom and hang around on Primary Side road, taking footage or looking forward to rope drop over at the Frontierland and Adventureland aspect of the Central Plaza. However you’ll’t get admission to Tomorrowland or Fantasyland with out scanning right here. Whenever you’ve achieved that, you’re just right to move for the morning.
From there, you continue directly to both the Tomorrowland Bridge or Fantasyland Bridge.
My first “prediction” that was once mistaken within the aforementioned ‘TRON Gamechanger’ submit is that Early Access could be a couple of 50/50 cut up between those two bridges. From what I’ve observed up to now, it’s extra like 60/40 in want of Tomorrowland. Perhaps even two-thirds to 75% of visitors at the Tomorrowland Bridge.
It’s in reality tricky to eyeball these things, however the secret’s that there’s a massive distinction as contrasted with earlier than, when maximum visitors went to the Fantasyland aspect. Something to remember right here, regardless that, is that I’ve best achieved Early Access within the ultimate couple of months on 8 am park opening days. I strongly suspect events with more youthful kids who skew against Seven Dwarfs Mine Educate are much less most likely than TRON-skewing visitors to make it to the park in time for 7:30 am Early Access. Issues may just glance very other on 8:30 am days.
Previously, the gang at the Fantasyland aspect has been exponentially higher, with about ten instances as many of us.
Of that a lot higher quantity, roughly 90% of the ones visitors are planning to do Seven Dwarfs Mine Educate. That’s why we way back coined the time period the Seven Dwarfs Mine Educate Shuffle. Visitors are revving up their double-wide strollers, making ready to perform a little severe harm to the ankles of someone strolling too gingerly. The slow-sprint-slash-shuffle to Seven Dwarfs Mine Educate is a top stakes, eat-or-be-eaten recreation.
I’ve made no secret of my hatred for the SDMT Shuffle through the years. Now not best is the enjoy itself ugly (and it in reality is!), but it surely provides little upside. On standard mornings, the one other folks breezing off and on Seven Dwarfs Mine Educate enjoyable have been the ones on the entrance of the pack. And the one solution to get on the entrance of the pack was once to reach in reality early…and wait.
A method or some other, visitors have been looking forward to Seven Dwarfs Mine Educate.
In the event that they rolled up in mid-afternoon and located a 60-90 minut wait time, their time dedication was once more uncomplicated: it was once no matter they if truth be told waited in line. Early Access is deceiving, regardless that, as it’s no longer simply the posted wait (or extra as it should be, exact wait as soon as in line). It’s always earlier than that, status round looking forward to Early Access to start out, too. In consequence, the “all-in” overall for visitors on the entrance of the pack may’ve been ~75 mins.
Now not best that, however there’s the chance value. As an alternative of an uncongenial shuffle to an above-average stay up for Seven Dwarfs Mine Educate, they may’ve pleasantly breezed via Tomorrowland and knocked out 2-3 rides with below-average waits. Or they may’ve slept in and easily achieved SDMT on the finish of the evening (when it’s extra delightful). You get the theory.
Neatly, I am hoping you get the theory. As a result of I’ve been harping in this for some time, and the identify of this was once nonetheless nearly “Magic Kingdom Early Access File: It’s All About Alternative Prices.” However Google has advised I delivery making extra “catchy” titles, and I suppose other folks don’t know what ‘alternative value’ way, so right here we’re.
Anyway, as you’ve most definitely additionally guessed by way of now, the titular appeal isn’t Seven Dwarfs Mine Educate. There wouldn’t be a lot of some degree if it have been, as we’ve achieved that subject to loss of life over the previous couple of years.
Additionally, there’s a reason the above is most commonly previous irritating–that Seven Dwarfs Mine Educate was once a deficient choice all over Early Access and the SDMT Shuffle was once ugly. As a result of a brand new journey has taken its position. Spoiler alert: it’s no longer the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover.
It’s TRON Lightcycle Run. A journey that’s not even open all over Early Access!
My expectation earlier than doing any field-testing was once that Tomorrowland’s Early Access crowd would build up, and in conjunction with that, so too would the road for House Mountain. It is because it’s imaginable to be out and in of House Mountain in beneath Half-hour all over Early Access (our common is ready quarter-hour–it takes just a little to stroll the queue), which places you on the front to TRON forward of the rope drop crowd.
We additionally anticipated that “so much” of visitors wouldn’t do anything else all over Early Access. Ironically, they’d race to Tomorrowland to do not anything however rope drop TRON Lightcycle Run. (“Hurry up and wait” as my military-man father loves to mention.) I’m quoting my very own “so much” there as a result of I didn’t be offering an actual prediction, however I’ll admit this now: the choice of visitors doing that is manner upper than I ever anticipated.
Against this, the choice of visitors doing House Mountain–or actually the rest in Tomorrowland–is far, manner less than I anticipated. (Above is the complete crowd for House Mountain at first of EE earlier than the road had opened. That is not anything in comparison to what it was once.)
If I had to return and elaborate on my prior prediction, it will’ve been that TRON Lightcycle Run would’ve made Tomorrowland a larger draw for the sake of proximity to the appeal. Certain, many visitors would ‘hurry up and wait,’ however simply as many others–if no longer extra–would make the most of Early Access in Tomorrowland by way of doing some other appeal or two, after which lining up for TRON Lightcycle Run.
This was once my expectation in keeping with Megastar Wars: Upward push of the Resistance at Disneyland, Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Journey, and to a far lesser extent, Giant Thunder Mountain Railroad and Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom. For probably the most phase, visitors do issues after which you need to be entrance of the pack and beat the rope drop crowd to these points of interest.
Now not so with TRON Lightcycle Run.
I might estimate that at the a number of mornings I’ve achieved Early Access at Magic Kingdom, 95% of the visitors beginning at the Tomorrowland aspect are instantly racing to TRON Lightcycle Run. Perhaps I shouldn’t were, however I used to be stunned by way of this.
Take note, this makes their overall time dedication their exact wait time as soon as the park formally opens + Half-hour + then again lengthy they stood round earlier than Early Access even started. Given the wait instances we’ve been seeing for TRON Lightcycle Run, this can be a very questionable use of time (to place it charitably).
The massive winner here’s individuals who love to loop House Mountain.
Opposite to my expectancies, the actual result is that traces for House Mountain have develop into non-existent. On each unmarried morning of my trying out up to now, House Mountain has been a digital walk-on. It begins with just a little of a backup, however that’s much less about top call for and extra it taking just a little of time for visitors to make their manner in the course of the lengthy queue.
Even with that long queue (and go out), I’ve been ready to do House Mountain kind of thrice all over Early Access this Birthday party Season. To be truthful, I by no means attempted looping House Mountain earlier than, so I will’t talk to what was once imaginable prior to now, however I’m beautiful assured that this was once no longer. As a large fan of House Mountain, I view this as an enormous win. It’s additionally nice for someone looking to maximize their potency.
Had I sought after, I may just’ve achieved House Mountain 2-3x on those mornings and nonetheless overwhelmed the rope drop crowd to TRON Lightcycle Run.
I didn’t need this, because it nonetheless would’ve put me at the back of all the Early Access pack that had simply been status there, rising relatively in dimension (albeit extra slowly) since 7:30 am. That took place, I may remind you, because the appeal didn’t procedure a unmarried visitor…because it was once no longer operational.
Listed below are some footage appearing the rising line at TRON Lightcycle Run all over this 30 minutes:
The second one two footage have been taken because the rope drop crowd arrived at TRON Lightcycle Run.
At this level, we’ve been seeing TRON Lightcycle Run submit a wait time of fifty to 75 mins instantly upon opening for the day. No less than, at the mornings we’ve achieved trying out, all of which have been 8 am park openings. I’d be expecting that to be upper on 9 am mornings, assuming no less than average crowd ranges.
Suffice to mention, TRON Lightcycle Run may be a nasty choice at rope drop. It’s relatively much less unhealthy, regardless that, as a result of no less than the journey turns into operational. However there’s nonetheless that line in entrance of you and, similarly as vital, the chance value of no longer having the ability to rope drop Adventureland or Frontierland.
So what is a just right choice all over Early Access at Magic Kingdom–apart from House Mountain?
I’m cautiously positive about Seven Dwarfs Mine Educate.
This was once a improbable selection at the mornings I did Early Access, however once more, those have been all 7:30 am dates. Even prior to now, I’ve had just right good fortune with SDMT on those mornings as long as I used to be close to the entrance of the pack.
As a result of I used to be making an attempt to simulate effects for long term Early Access dates when the agenda would shift to eight:30 am (and likewise as a result of I had to race round getting footage), I made some degree of doing Seven Dwarfs Mine Educate after the preliminary rush.
Even supposing the posted wait time was once 35 mins after I did it, my exact wait was once beneath 20 mins.
The road moved easily all the time, and a just right chew of the wait was once simply strolling in the course of the long queue.
Some other extra evident choice is Peter Pan’s Flight.
I used to be ready to do that after Seven Dwarfs Mine Educate when the posted wait was once Half-hour. My exact wait was once not up to 10 mins. I wasn’t achieved by way of common rope drop, however that didn’t in reality subject. Giant Thunder, Jungle Cruise, and so on., all nonetheless have brief traces at 8:10 or 8:20 am. Arguably shorter ones, for the reason that preliminary rush is over. (This best applies to eight am park opening–no longer 9 am.)
Peter Pan’s Flight has all the time been an incredible choice all over Early Access–particularly as contrasted with later within the day when the road can transfer slowly–but it surely’s even higher now. My wager is that TRON is pulling other folks from SDMT, which in flip is pulling other folks from PPF. Trickle down wait instances, or one thing to that impact.
So what about TRON Lightcycle Run?
To not destroy my very own long term article about best possible & worst instances to journey TRON, however what I discovered persistently all over my discipline trying out is that there’s a morning lull about an hour after common rope drop. This was once true even on relatively busy days (a few of my trying out passed off over a vacation weekend).
Intuitively, this is smart. TRON’s wait time would spike to round 60-90 mins in a while after rope drop (~8:15 am) because the Early Access crowd (none of which was once ‘processed’ till common rope drop, take into account) plus the rope drop crowd all converged onto the appeal and created a backlog of visitors ready. Plus the paid Lightning Lane visitors who opted to turn up in an instant, for no matter reason why.
The results of that is that TRON Lightcycle Run’s wait time would on occasion be nearly double the following very best wait time (Seven Dwarfs Mine Educate). It will be a lot, a lot upper than the opposite ‘grownup’ thrill rides, House Mountain and Giant Thunder Mountain Railroad.
This most likely leads to late-arrivers pulling up the My Disney Revel in 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 move somewhere else. I used to be in truth stunned that the ‘somewhere else’ apparently does no longer come with House Mountain. I believed no doubt it will see a spike as visitors noticed a too-long line for TRON and did that as an alternative. Nope.
Mainly, someone who positioned a top precedence on TRON Lightcycle Run is doing it ASAP–both lining up at first of Early Access or delivery of standard rope drop. Everybody else is balking on the longer line, and choosing choices.
Zig once they zag.
When you’re going to do TRON Lightcycle Run within the morning, the most productive time to line up is against the finish of Early Access, after you’ve already achieved 2-3 Tomorrowland points of interest however earlier than the common rope drop rush. I don’t love this feature (and even adore it), however when you’re dead-set on doing TRON early for no matter reason why, it certain beats the ‘hurry up and wait’ method of being on the entrance of the pack.
Higher but, give it an hour and let the preliminary two waves of other folks get processed by way of the appeal, and slip into line for TRON Lightcycle Run an hour after rope drop. This was once my method, and my most wait was once 27 mins.
Early Access visitors may boast that their wait was once not up to that–that after the clock struck 8 am (or 7:55, since TRON does on occasion delivery working relatively previous), they breezed in the course of the line and walked onto the appeal.
Then again, there’s no possible manner they waited not up to 27 mins…as a result of additionally they stood round for then again lengthy earlier than Early Access began, plus that 25-Half-hour of time all over which they did not anything previous to common rope drop.
I don’t know what, precisely, their minimal ‘all-in’ time was once since I didn’t put myself of their footwear, however I’m guessing it’d be 60 mins for plenty of of them. That isn’t all that spectacular–we’ve observed instances all over the day when TRON has an hour-long wait!
Extra importantly, it fails to account for the chance value! House Mountain, Seven Dwarfs Mine Educate, Peter Pan’s Flight–and actually each different appeal in Magic Kingdom (excluding the Joffrey’s Revive espresso stand and most definitely the Primary Side road Starbucks)–have a ways below-average wait instances all over Early Access.
Whilst status in line for an appeal that was once no longer open, visitors may just’ve been doing any of the ones rides. That’s why we strongly suggest skipping TRON Lightcycle Run all over Early Access and at first of standard rope drop. It is advisable actually pick out a time at random to do it later within the day and reach higher effects.
We’ll proceed this trying out in 2025 as soon as Early Access returns to its common 8:30 am delivery time and (possibly, optimistically) TRON Lightcycle Run is if truth be told incorporated within the journey roster for the on-site perk. Irrespective of what adjustments, we’re a lot more certain about Early Access at Magic Kingdom.
TRON Lightcycle Run has displaced Seven Dwarfs Mine Educate as the number one appeal, and regardless that it pains me to retire the oh-so-clever SDMT Shuffle moniker, I’m very happy with how a lot of a game-changer this has been for morning technique. Talking of which, if you wish to have technique for the opposite 3 parks, take a look at our Information to Early Theme Park Access at Walt Disney Global.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Do you skip Early Access at Magic Kingdom or make the most of the perk? When you did skip it in the past, will you are 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’ method of beginning at TRON Lightcycle Run, or is the chance value of looking forward to a journey that isn’t open too top for you? How would you do issues another way to start out the day at MK? Some other comments on arriving early to the Walt Disney Global theme parks? Agree or disagree with our recommendation or method? Any questions we will be able to allow you to resolution? Listening to your comments–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please percentage your ideas under within the feedback!
