Early Entry is a benefit that allows early entry access to either Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park (with valid admission and park reservation) 30 minutes early, every day of your hotel stay. The parks alternate hosting Early Entry each day. Whether you're staying at a Disneyland Resort hotel, or are staying off-site, you'll want to know how this benefit works to make the very most of your day. In this post, we're tackling the main pieces of information that you need to know. We are also discussing the Early Entry schedule and how it affects guests without Early Entry benefits.
Overview of Disneyland Early Entry
Every day, one theme park opens 30 minutes early. There is a schedule, but runDisney races, the CHOC Walk (Aug. 3, 2025), holidays and other events can disrupt the schedule, so you should always look at park hours for the day of your visit. The schedule may get disrupted for the Halloween Half Marathon weekend Sept. 4-7, 2024 (most likely Sept. 5-6, 2025) and the Disneyland Half Marathon in the winter (most likely Jan. 30-31, 2026).
What is the Schedule?
Check the park calendar up to six weeks in advance to see which park(s) holds Early Entry. Here is the normal schedule (subject to change):
- Disney California Adventure Early Entry: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday
- Disneyland Early Entry: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
- The runDisney races can affect the schedule on Sept. 5-6, 2024, and Jan. 30-31, 2026.
You can make your park reservations up to 180 days in advance. But the park hours only display dates up to six weeks in advance. So you'll have to make an educated guess about which park to start in and then check the calendar again six weeks in advance. Don't worry about park reservation availability. If you are staying in a Disneyland Resort hotel, linking your hotel reservation to your app or account will get you easier reservations with a better pool of availability. Holidays aside, park reservations are not usually full six weeks in advance.
Always double-check the park hours for the days of your park reservations. You can do this online or on the Disneyland app (on the home screen by tapping All Hours).
What Is Rope Drop for All Guests?
All guests may enter the parks about 40 minutes early, but most guests will have to stop at ropes before entering any lands or accessing rides until the park officially opens. When the park opens, the ropes are dropped and all guests have full access to the theme parks. That is called Rope Drop. If entering the theme park that hosts Early Entry that day, some guests will already be in the park when the rope drops. In the theme park that does not host Early Entry, the rope droppers are the first people to access attractions. That means a true Rope Drop experience (with zero lines) is back for guests who visit the park that is NOT hosting Early Entry that day.
What Is Early Entry for Disneyland Resort Hotel Guests?
During their hotel stay (including arrival day), registered Disneyland hotel guests have the privilege of accessing one park 30 minutes before opening. With Disneyland Early Entry, on-site hotel guests can access select lands, attractions, dining and shops that are beyond the ropes for 30 minutes before Rope Drop. We will go over what this means for hotel guests and for other park guests without Early Entry access.
Guests just need to strategize where to go in the morning, whether they have early entry or not! Mornings are some of the very best times to take advantage of low wait times, so rising and shining definitely has its benefits.
All guests need a valid theme park ticket and theme park reservation to enter the park. Park hoppers need to select their starting park and can only hop to the other park after 11 a.m. Guests need to show their hotel room key or proof of stay to get access to the park, including showing registration within the Disneyland app.
Early Entry is available each day of the hotel stay. It's valid even on check-in day if guests arrive early enough!
For all of the years we've been Disney frog-natics, we've learned the best ways to get the most from these early entry hours. While things are slightly modified, we do have a few tricks in our froggy packs on how to avoid heavy crowds during these times.
Answering Your Frequently Asked Questions about Early Entry at Disneyland
Got questions about this benefit? We have answers! If you don't see your question answered in this section, be sure to drop us a comment so we can help!
Who Can Use Early Entry?
Guests who are checked in and currently staying at one of the three on-site Disneyland Resort hotels have the perk of Early Entry. These hotels include:
When Is Early Entry?
Early Entry is available for Disneyland hotel guests every day 30 minutes before the posted park opening time. You'll be able to access the park that is hosting Early Entry, but you must have a theme park reservation for that specific park on that day. Hotel guests may be able to go through security at 7 a.m. to access the main gates of the parks. You can enter the theme park before Early Entry even starts. The dedicated hotel guest entrances are open for Early Entry as well for the Grand Californian and Pixar Place Hotel. All hotel guests, including Disneyland Hotel guests, can use the Pixar Place gate as well.
What Lands Are Included or Excluded from Early Entry?
Good question! We made downloadable lists of the attractions, dining options and shops available at each park during Early Entry. Keep in mind that this list is subject to change and not all these listed attractions may be operating the day you visit. Sometimes additional rides are included!
Disneyland Park Early Entry allows access to select Fantasyland and Tomorrowland attractions. There is no Early Entry access to Frontierland, Adventureland, Bayou Country or Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. However, if you have a reservation for Oga's Cantina, Savi's Workshop or Droid Depot right at park opening, you can enter the park early so you can get to your reservation. Make your way to the ropes in the Hub near the entrance to Frontierland and walk to the land at Rope Drop.
It is imperative to know which rides are open or not open for Early Entry. For example, since just Fantasyland and Tomorrowland are included in Early Entry at Disneyland Park, you will want to go straight to either Adventureland, Frontierland, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge or Bayou Country at Rope Drop, where guests have yet to enter. Even if Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is not open during Early Entry, it's possible that people who have Early Entry could access a closer spot near the entrance to the land (in Fantasyland) and be able to get to the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride before the rope droppers can get there.
What Changes Happened in 2024?
As of Jan. 20, 2024, only one park is open early each day instead of both. The parks alternate days they host Early Entry. You can view which parks host Early Entry for each day on the Park Hours Calendar, usually six weeks in advance. You can view it online or in the Disneyland app. Hotel guests will want to reserve the park that has Early Entry if they want to take advantage of this benefit. But if getting up that early is not your jam — or you prefer to start in the other park — keep in mind that rope dropping at the other park is also pretty awesome.
What was Disneyland Magic Morning?
Disneyland Magic Morning was a benefit for any guests who purchased 3-day, 4-day or 5-day tickets (no hotel stay required). There has been no announcement about its return. It allowed people who were not staying on-site to enter the park an hour before opening for one day of the duration of their multi-day ticket or pass. It was only valid one of three days of the week for Disneyland Park, usually Tuesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays. Disneyland Magic Morning occurred at the same time as Extra Magic Hours those days. There was no Magic Morning access to Disney California Adventure Park.
How Does Early Entry Affect Crowds?
Disneyland Extra Magic Hour and Disneyland Magic Morning used to affect crowd levels. But now Early Entry is limited to just hotel guests, so it's not as noticeable. There are only three on-site hotels, and there are no Magic Morning ticket holders in the mix at this time. Basically, if you do not have Early Entry, our advice is to make your reservation for the opposite park. Rope Drop will feel like your own Early Entry!
Our frog squad has used the Early Entry benefit a few times. We stayed at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and used the special entrance to Disney California Adventure Park — we lined up around 7 a.m., an hour before the park opened. We were through security in about half an hour, right on time to enter the park and head to our first pick: Soarin'! Our group was among the very first people to take a tour around the world. Then, the fam made the call to split up. Tad and Mommy Frog headed to Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: BREAKOUT! Leap and Lilly headed for Mater's Junkyard Jamboree. We all then walked right onto Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters.
By then, the park was about to open, so we made our way to Radiator Springs Racers and were on within 20 minutes. (When we exited, the wait was 90 minutes!) We finished our morning with breakfast at Pym Test Kitchen and said hello to the Wasp. With full bellies and a thrilling start, we then headed back to the hotel to swim. All before 10 a.m.! TLDR: Using early entry, within 30 minutes, we were able to conquer 3 rides and hop in line for a fourth!
We've also visited at park opening, spending time at the park that was not hosting Early Entry. We followed our park plan and encountered no crowds or lines for the first hour of park opening. It can be more crowded at peak times, though. The Pixar Place Hotel park entrance put us right near Pixar Pier. It was like having our own Early Entry experience!
When rope dropping at the park that hosts Early Entry, we recommend starting at rides or lands that are not open during Early Entry.
How Does Lightning Lane Multi Pass Work with Early Entry?
All guests can purchase and start reserving Lightning Lane Single Pass and Lightning Lane Multi Pass selections upon entering a theme park. This can also be done during Early Entry! While you can book and reserve Lightning Lane Multi Pass selections, return times will not begin until after the park officially opens.
Tips for Early Entry at Disneyland Resort
We delve deeper into strategy in our Early Entry tips post, but generally, here are some of the most important tips to keep in mind — whether you have Early Entry or not!
Arrive Early
Being early means getting to the park gates earlier than Early Entry. Why? You don't want to spend your half-hour in line waiting in security lines or at the touchpoints. And if you don't have Early Entry, this means you'll be one of the first to enter at Rope Drop.
Ride Attractions Not Included with Lightning Lane Multi Pass
Use Early Entry to ride attractions that are not included with Lightning Lane Multi Pass but tend to have longer lines later in the day. Some of these include Peter Pan's Flight, Dumbo the Flying Elephant and Alice in Wonderland at Disneyland Park, as well as Pixar Pal-A-Round at Disney California Adventure. If you won't be using Lightning Lane Multi Pass, try to tackle Space Mountain, Soarin' Around the World, WEB SLINGERS or Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: BREAKOUT!
Use the Disneyland App to Check Wait Times
Be sure to have the Disneyland app on hand so you can see which rides are open and how long the wait times are in real time. This goes for both Early Entry guests and any guest once the park opens!
Hop in Line for the Most In-Demand Ride Just Before Rope Drop
Why not at the start of Early Entry? If everyone heads to the most in-demand attraction at the start of Early Entry, you might spend your half an hour in one line. Instead, walk on a few other rides, then hop in line. Maybe all the other Early Entry people will have moved on. Then you'll be in line before the park opens to everyone else.
We cover the best morning plans for each park in our Rope Drop Strategies posts:
Rope Droppers Should Head to Rides Not Open During Early Entry
At Disneyland, Early Entry allows access to select rides in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. So you'll want to head in the opposite direction toward Adventureland, Frontierland and Bayou Country. Maybe even Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, if that's a priority. Some Early Entry guests may try to line up in Fantasyland, which gets them closer than the rope droppers once the park opens! But if you are visiting when there is no Early Entry, you'll have less competition.
If you start in the park without Early Entry, you'll have a lot less competition for rides in the morning! If you can move quickly, this is a great day to head to Peter Pan's Flight or Radiator Springs Racers (depending on the park you choose).
Rope Droppers Should Make a Park Reservation for the Park NOT Hosting Early Entry
When the park opens, you are entering a toadally empty park at Rope Drop. All the Early Entry people will be in the other park, giving you full access to the park with the lowest possible crowds. If you Rope Drop the park with Early Entry, double the amount of hotel guests will already be in that park.
Don't Stress
Trying to figure out which park to reserve? Many factors play into the decision of which park to start your day in. This is regardless of whether the park hosts Early Entry or not. Whether you have Early Entry or arrive at Rope Drop, you are going to have a magical morning. During a recent Pixar Place Hotel stay, we booked a Disney California Aventure start. It was not an Early Entry day for that park. We hopped in at Rope Drop and had no lines at all for the first hour and a half. (And that dedicated entrance for the hotel is a game changer!) It was a great start to our day, so don't be afraid to pick the "wrong park."
We are still learning about this service. Have a tip for using Disneyland Early Entry? Share in the comments below. And be sure to get a jump on saving on a Disneyland Resort hotel stay or discount Disneyland Resort tickets when you book through your favorite frogs at Undercover Tourist!
Related: All of the Not-to-Miss Disneyland Rides, Shows and Food
Related: All of the Magical Reasons to Stay at a Disneyland Resort Hotel
Keep hopping!
