Guests visiting Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World are in for a change in the morning entry procedure. The park has just updated its process for guests arriving ahead of its official opening time, making early entry more accessible for all parkgoers. Here's a breakdown of what has changed and what it means for your day at the park.
For a scheduled 9:00 am opening, all guests—including non-resort guests—are now allowed through the tap styles starting at 8:00 am. Previously, this early entry privilege was only offered to Disney Resort hotel guests, while non-resort guests were held at the main entrance before the tap points until park opening time. With the new procedure, everyone can get past the initial checkpoint earlier, providing more time to enjoy the Hollywood Studios atmosphere before the attractions open.
Once inside the park, there are three designated checkpoints for resort guests participating in the Early Entry benefit: one on Sunset Boulevard, one on Grand Avenue for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, and one at the entrance to Toy Story Land. Resort guests can pass through these checkpoints and join attraction lines ready for the 8:30 am start of Early Entry, while non-resort guests are held at these points until the official park opening time at 9:00 am.
Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway is located before any of the checkpoints, and guests are able to enter the line if staying at a Disney resort hotel.
This update marks a return to the pre-pandemic experience, where all guests could enter the park before opening. The adjustment balances guest flow and enhances the experience for those who want to start in the early morning at Hollywood Studios —whether that means grabbing a coffee at Trolley Car Café or taking in the sights along Hollywood Boulevard, Echo Lake, and other areas of the park.
For Disney Resort hotel guests, the updated process still retains the key benefit of a 30 minute early access to rides and attractions, giving them a bit of a head start before the entire park opens to all guests. Meanwhile, non-resort guests are no longer held outside the turnstiles, making for a more relaxed and enjoyable morning arrival.
Here is an overview of the arrival experience for a 9 am opening at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
- 7:00 am - Parking plaza opens
- 8:00 am - All guests can pass through the entry tap points
- 8:00 am - Resort hotel guests participating in Early Entry can enter attraction lines
- 8:30 am - Resort hotel guests using Early Entry can experience attractions.
- 9:00 am - All guests can enter attraction lines as the park officially opens/
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