On an environment friendly morning at EPCOT, you’ll be able to journey a number of E-Ticket points of interest in World Showcase or the entrance of the park, paving the best way for a laid again day with out Lightning Lanes. This Early Entry report enters through Worldwide Gateway and mainly addresses whether or not Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is price doing when coming from the again entrance.
This covers a busy day at EPCOT, when the park had a 9/10 crowd stage and the height wait time for Cosmic Rewind was 135 minutes. The park opened at 9 am to most people and Early Entry started at 8:30 am. That’s about par for the course proper now, even on dates with larger attendance forecasts. This has been true for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break, and many others. Even when Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios transfer ahead their opening instances (as occurred on this date), EPCOT doesn’t budge.
As famous above, this Early Entry report begins from Worldwide Gateway, as I used to be staying at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. Skyliner and Crescent Lake Resorts arrive through this again entrance, which is superior to the entrance entrance for Remy’s Ratatouille Journey and Frozen Ever After, the headliners in World Showcase. Nonetheless, Cosmic Rewind is far nearer to the entrance entrance, so we puzzled if the identical could be true in reverse–that Worldwide Gateway visitors could be at a serious drawback for doing Cosmic Rewind throughout Early Entry.
My morning started when my flight from California landed in Orlando. I’m an enormous fan of redeye flights for his or her effectivity and comfort, as they permit me to hit the bottom operating, scale back my variety of lodge nights, and power my physique to regulate to the time change. Sarah thinks that I’m, in a phrase, “loopy” for this.
Anyway, simply needed to throw in my endorsement for redeye flights (and Sarah’s repudiation of them, for steadiness) since many Walt Disney World followers now discover themselves contemplating new approaches to air journey within the aftermath of Southwest’s controversial modifications. In the event you like saving cash and are a loopy commando vacationer, redeye flights are for you! If you’re a so-called “sane individual,” maybe not a lot.
After a surprisingly environment friendly Mears Join journey, dropping my bag off at BoardWalk, and one gigantic cup of espresso, I walked over to EPCOT. I arrived at Worldwide Gateway at roughly 7:35 am. That’s nearly a full hour earlier than Early Entry formally began, which you’ll or might not wish to issue into the full wait time for Cosmic Rewind.
My impression was that the Worldwide Gateway turnstiles had simply opened throughout the final 5 minutes (in all probability proper at 7:30 am), as a result of there weren’t that many individuals in entrance of me.
From there, I proceeded up the hill in the direction of the bridge and was greeted by two traces. That is the place Forged Members confirm Early Entry eligibility by scanning MagicBands, resort room keys, or no matter applicable identification you may need if staying at one of many collaborating third occasion inns. You get held again by the reward store and may’t entry the remainder of the park with out scanning right here.
In a new-to-me transfer, there have been now two traces holding visitors right here. It was the case that this checkpoint opened instantly together with the turnstiles, or maybe shortly thereafter, and eligible visitors may proceed to the subsequent checkpoint. Now, this can be a holding level, with Forged Members pre-verifying Early Entry standing (which means they go up and down the road to scan MagicBands, room keys, and many others.), however holding visitors right here.
From what I may collect, how lengthy visitors are held right here in all probability relies on how far the road backs up. Which means that it can’t get all the best way to the turnstiles, or else extra visitors couldn’t enter the park. I may see Forged Members radioing forwards and backwards, and we had been lastly launched at 7:56 am. That’s a random time, which additional reinforces the idea that that is topic to alter primarily based on congestion.
Upon being launched from this holding level, visitors can both head in the direction of Canada or France.
The one attraction within the course of France is Remy’s Ratatouille Journey. In the event you’re doing Frozen Ever After first, you’ll must go in the direction of Canada, as there’s one other maintain level earlier than the Morocco pavilion. That additionally opens at random, however the backside line is that for those who’re doing Frozen Ever After first, you shouldn’t even trouble with it–head in the direction of Canada.
Additionally, you shouldn’t trouble with doing Frozen Ever After first until you wish to loop it. Getting there this early for one journey on Frozen Ever After is a waste. The one worthwhile beginning factors throughout Early Entry at EPCOT are Remy’s Ratatouille Journey or Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. In the event you’re prioritizing the rest, you don’t have to be within the park this early–you’ll be able to present up round 8:45 am and be tremendous!
The larger new-to-me change, which additionally explains why visitors had been being held earlier than the France bridge, is that there’s not a secondary checkpoint between the UK and Canada. That is enormous.
It signifies that when you’re previous the preliminary holding space by the entrance of Worldwide Gateway, you’ll be able to proceed all the best way to the entrance of the park. This didn’t was the case, which was why visitors who needed to do Take a look at Observe throughout Early Entry had been at a definite drawback if arriving through Worldwide Gateway.
I hadn’t examined Early Entry in a number of months previous to this, however I’m going to imagine the change coincided with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind switching to standby and becoming a member of the Early Entry lineup.
The shortage of secondary holding factors inside World Showcase additionally means there’s an extended and large path permitting visitors to jockey for place with out “chopping” anybody round them. That is very clearly not a line, neither is it led by a Forged Member setting the tempo. It’s a free for all.
In the event you’re a quick walker, you’ll be able to acquire some floor–to the purpose that it in all probability doesn’t matter that a lot whether or not you begin out on the entrance or again of this pack. Nonetheless, it’s additionally price declaring that over 75% of visitors heading in the direction of the previous Future World are going to be energy walkers. The underside line is that for those who’re gradual, it is best to keep on with Remy’s Ratatouille Journey. There’s nonetheless no “race” to that–it’s an orderly line.
Usually, once I take a look at Early Entry or rope drop technique, I throttle my tempo and cease for photographs with a purpose to simulate what a mean visitor may expertise. I did no such factor on this specific morning as a result of, once more, everybody else was energy strolling and since I don’t suggest this method to slower events. Since I’m superb at strolling, I had made it to almost the entrance of the pack (even with a number of photograph stops) by the tip of this stretch.
At 8:03 am, I arrived on the Innoventions Breezeway.
It had been easy crusing up till this level, however right here’s the place issues get dicey. There was not a big crowd right here, however there have been in all probability ~100 individuals. What was instantly clear is that even the primary visitors coming from Worldwide Gateway are behind these from the entrance entrance. Not an enormous shock, as that’s a ton of floor to make up.
Equally vital was that, regardless that Forged Members had been doing their greatest to maintain this orderly, it was nonetheless a big and amorphous crowd and so they had been encouraging visitors to fill in all out there area. Which means that Forged Members set outer boundaries for the edges of this holding pen, however inspired individuals to pack the middle.
In apply, this meant that about half the individuals who arrived within the 5-10 minutes after me truly ended up in entrance of me. I had strategically (or so I assumed) chosen a spot alongside the perimeter, but it surely didn’t make a lot of a distinction.
Company nonetheless continued to fill in all out there area, with many events clearly having despatched “runners” to save lots of spots and have the remainder of their occasion be a part of them. There may’ve been ~100 individuals in entrance of me when this began, however there have been simply 200+ earlier than all was mentioned and carried out. Maybe I must apply sharpening my elbows a bit higher.
Admittedly, this made for a little bit of a aggravating expertise. A part of that’s on me for being intense and missing chill. However a part of it’s inherent to the Early Entry mentality. Nobody is getting up on the break of day and being on the park lengthy earlier than opening to see their aggressive benefit slip via their fingers.
It additionally didn’t assist that the gang was held on this breezeway till 8:27 am.
A lot of this might’ve been mitigated by merely preloading the overflow queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. By placing visitors in an precise queue as an alternative of a blob-like holding pen, there could be much less chaos and extra order. And perhaps that’ll occur over time–Cosmic Rewind’s standby line remains to be pretty new.
In any case, we began shifting at 8:27 am, with Forged Members slowly guiding the blob in the direction of the road, taking a winding route in the direction of Mission Area and into the bodily line. There was a bit extra jockeying for place via this, and I used to be at a slight benefit in being on the far proper aspect.
Listed here are a number of extra photographs of this course of:
Ultimately, I made it into the road for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind by 8:32 am.
The road was continuously shifting outside and for many of the indoor queue. It solely slowed in the direction of the tip, which I’m going to imagine is a byproduct of the pre-shows filling up with the visitors in entrance of me.
However, I made it into the primary pre-show holding space (so not the precise first pre-show, however the clean room earlier than that) by 8:42 am. The a number of pre-shows are one of many explanation why preloading the queue–and even beginning the pre-shows prior to eight:30 am may make sense.
Not like Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster, there isn’t any bypassing any of those, which implies each that the minimal time requirement for Cosmic Rewind is larger and that the curler coaster is working inefficiently very first thing within the morning. To the latter level, I noticed it dispatching empty journey automobiles on this specific morning because of the gaps between the pre-shows.
All the aforementioned ‘jockeying’ for place usually wouldn’t matter.
Nonetheless, it does with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. That’s partly because of the aforementioned pre-shows, as simply making or lacking a cut-off can save or price you an additional a number of minutes. It’s additionally due to the full expertise length. Then there’s the truth that Cosmic Rewind is at present far and away the best precedence attraction on the entrance of the park, and that 95% of rope drop visitors arriving through the entrance entrance are heading in the direction of Cosmic Rewind.
Which means far and away one of the best technique for Early Entry is solely doing Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind twice. However that is solely attainable for those who’re close to the entrance of the pack and don’t get unfortunate with timing the pre-shows.
On this specific morning, I used to be unfortunate.
Regardless that I used to be off Cosmic Rewind with minutes to spare earlier than official rope drop, I however missed having the ability to loop the journey and re-enter the standby line earlier than the rope drop crowd by lower than one minute. Within the photograph above, you’ll be able to see the entrance of the rope drop crowd simply beating me into the standby line as I exited Cosmic Rewind.
I in all probability may’ve looped into this crowd, however I’m undecided how well-received that may’ve been with rope drop visitors. Whether or not that’s chopping or just merging is a gray space, one in all Walt Disney World’s nice moral dilemmas–a query for smarter individuals than me. Regardless, I didn’t have the temerity to check it.
One other various, which is what I ended up doing as soon as Cosmic Rewind was taken off the desk, was heading to World Showcase for Frozen Ever After.
On a great morning, I might’ve been in a position to do that attraction with little or no wait (<quarter-hour). This wasn’t a great morning. Not solely was it a 9/10 crowd stage day, however Remy’s Ratatouille Journey had damaged down throughout Early Entry, so everybody who in any other case would’ve prioritized the Rat Journey was heading in the direction of Norway.
After I arrived at Frozen Ever After, the prolonged queue was already in use and the posted wait time was 40 minutes. Extremely skeptical that the wait was solely 40 minutes–particularly with extra visitors arriving and beginning to use Lightning Lanes–I balked at this. That was my first bit of excellent luck, as Frozen Ever After went down throughout the subsequent 10 minutes.
As a substitute, I raced over to the Land and did Soarin’ Across the World as a close to walk-on.
By the point I used to be carried out with that, it had a 60 minute posted wait time. Even with this being a busy day, I strongly suspect that was an outlier. Each Remy’s Ratatouille Journey and Frozen Ever After had damaged down, whereas Cosmic Rewind was already posting a triple-digit wait. After all the crowds could be diverted to Soarin’ at that time.
Within the coming months, this technique will change once more as soon as Take a look at Observe 3.0 debuts. My hope is that this results in a situation the place positioning for Cosmic Rewind issues much less (it’ll nonetheless be the clear #1 precedence) as a result of one of the best play will grow to be Cosmic Rewind -> Take a look at Observe -> Frozen Ever After. That may be an awesome run. For now, although, that isn’t attainable.
The underside line is that I waited both ~10 minutes or ~60 minutes for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, relying upon whether or not you begin the clock once I entered EPCOT or from the time Early Entry began. Both of these instances could be effectively below-average for a 9/10 crowd stage day, when Cosmic Rewind seldom dropped beneath triple-digit wait instances. So if the query is solely whether or not it’s attainable to beat the gang and save time at Cosmic Rewind from Worldwide Gateway, the reply is a particular sure.
Nonetheless, it’s equally worthwhile to contemplate the chance price and the time that I may’ve saved with another method. One which didn’t require power-walking from the again of the park to the entrance, sharp elbows, or the opposite stresses of beginning at Cosmic Rewind from Worldwide Gateway.
On condition that it’s extremely unbelievable that visitors arriving from Worldwide Gateway will be capable to persistently double-up on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (it is going to be attainable every so often, particularly in low to reasonable crowds), I query whether or not that is one of the best use of Early Entry. Or slightly, I did query that on this specific day. This was the primary of 4 straight days of Early Entry testing at EPCOT, so I already know the reply: it’s not.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study inns on our Walt Disney World Resorts Critiques web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Critiques. To save cash on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys publish takes a novel take a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Journey Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, one of the best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the pieces you’ll want to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever carried out Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind through Early Entry or all through the day now that it’s switched to standby? Ideas on Early Entry at EPCOT? Have you ever skilled this on-site lodge perk? What’s your most popular method to mornings at EPCOT–beginning in World Showcase or the entrance of the park? How would you may have carried out issues otherwise? Some other suggestions on arriving early to the Walt Disney World theme parks? Agree or disagree with our recommendation or method? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
On an environment friendly morning at EPCOT, you’ll be able to journey a number of E-Ticket points of interest in World Showcase or the entrance of the park, paving the best way for a laid again day with out Lightning Lanes. This Early Entry report enters through Worldwide Gateway and mainly addresses whether or not Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is price doing when coming from the again entrance.
This covers a busy day at EPCOT, when the park had a 9/10 crowd stage and the height wait time for Cosmic Rewind was 135 minutes. The park opened at 9 am to most people and Early Entry started at 8:30 am. That’s about par for the course proper now, even on dates with larger attendance forecasts. This has been true for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break, and many others. Even when Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios transfer ahead their opening instances (as occurred on this date), EPCOT doesn’t budge.
As famous above, this Early Entry report begins from Worldwide Gateway, as I used to be staying at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. Skyliner and Crescent Lake Resorts arrive through this again entrance, which is superior to the entrance entrance for Remy’s Ratatouille Journey and Frozen Ever After, the headliners in World Showcase. Nonetheless, Cosmic Rewind is far nearer to the entrance entrance, so we puzzled if the identical could be true in reverse–that Worldwide Gateway visitors could be at a serious drawback for doing Cosmic Rewind throughout Early Entry.
My morning started when my flight from California landed in Orlando. I’m an enormous fan of redeye flights for his or her effectivity and comfort, as they permit me to hit the bottom operating, scale back my variety of lodge nights, and power my physique to regulate to the time change. Sarah thinks that I’m, in a phrase, “loopy” for this.
Anyway, simply needed to throw in my endorsement for redeye flights (and Sarah’s repudiation of them, for steadiness) since many Walt Disney World followers now discover themselves contemplating new approaches to air journey within the aftermath of Southwest’s controversial modifications. In the event you like saving cash and are a loopy commando vacationer, redeye flights are for you! If you’re a so-called “sane individual,” maybe not a lot.
After a surprisingly environment friendly Mears Join journey, dropping my bag off at BoardWalk, and one gigantic cup of espresso, I walked over to EPCOT. I arrived at Worldwide Gateway at roughly 7:35 am. That’s nearly a full hour earlier than Early Entry formally began, which you’ll or might not wish to issue into the full wait time for Cosmic Rewind.
My impression was that the Worldwide Gateway turnstiles had simply opened throughout the final 5 minutes (in all probability proper at 7:30 am), as a result of there weren’t that many individuals in entrance of me.
From there, I proceeded up the hill in the direction of the bridge and was greeted by two traces. That is the place Forged Members confirm Early Entry eligibility by scanning MagicBands, resort room keys, or no matter applicable identification you may need if staying at one of many collaborating third occasion inns. You get held again by the reward store and may’t entry the remainder of the park with out scanning right here.
In a new-to-me transfer, there have been now two traces holding visitors right here. It was the case that this checkpoint opened instantly together with the turnstiles, or maybe shortly thereafter, and eligible visitors may proceed to the subsequent checkpoint. Now, this can be a holding level, with Forged Members pre-verifying Early Entry standing (which means they go up and down the road to scan MagicBands, room keys, and many others.), however holding visitors right here.
From what I may collect, how lengthy visitors are held right here in all probability relies on how far the road backs up. Which means that it can’t get all the best way to the turnstiles, or else extra visitors couldn’t enter the park. I may see Forged Members radioing forwards and backwards, and we had been lastly launched at 7:56 am. That’s a random time, which additional reinforces the idea that that is topic to alter primarily based on congestion.
Upon being launched from this holding level, visitors can both head in the direction of Canada or France.
The one attraction within the course of France is Remy’s Ratatouille Journey. In the event you’re doing Frozen Ever After first, you’ll must go in the direction of Canada, as there’s one other maintain level earlier than the Morocco pavilion. That additionally opens at random, however the backside line is that for those who’re doing Frozen Ever After first, you shouldn’t even trouble with it–head in the direction of Canada.
Additionally, you shouldn’t trouble with doing Frozen Ever After first until you wish to loop it. Getting there this early for one journey on Frozen Ever After is a waste. The one worthwhile beginning factors throughout Early Entry at EPCOT are Remy’s Ratatouille Journey or Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. In the event you’re prioritizing the rest, you don’t have to be within the park this early–you’ll be able to present up round 8:45 am and be tremendous!
The larger new-to-me change, which additionally explains why visitors had been being held earlier than the France bridge, is that there’s not a secondary checkpoint between the UK and Canada. That is enormous.
It signifies that when you’re previous the preliminary holding space by the entrance of Worldwide Gateway, you’ll be able to proceed all the best way to the entrance of the park. This didn’t was the case, which was why visitors who needed to do Take a look at Observe throughout Early Entry had been at a definite drawback if arriving through Worldwide Gateway.
I hadn’t examined Early Entry in a number of months previous to this, however I’m going to imagine the change coincided with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind switching to standby and becoming a member of the Early Entry lineup.
The shortage of secondary holding factors inside World Showcase additionally means there’s an extended and large path permitting visitors to jockey for place with out “chopping” anybody round them. That is very clearly not a line, neither is it led by a Forged Member setting the tempo. It’s a free for all.
In the event you’re a quick walker, you’ll be able to acquire some floor–to the purpose that it in all probability doesn’t matter that a lot whether or not you begin out on the entrance or again of this pack. Nonetheless, it’s additionally price declaring that over 75% of visitors heading in the direction of the previous Future World are going to be energy walkers. The underside line is that for those who’re gradual, it is best to keep on with Remy’s Ratatouille Journey. There’s nonetheless no “race” to that–it’s an orderly line.
Usually, once I take a look at Early Entry or rope drop technique, I throttle my tempo and cease for photographs with a purpose to simulate what a mean visitor may expertise. I did no such factor on this specific morning as a result of, once more, everybody else was energy strolling and since I don’t suggest this method to slower events. Since I’m superb at strolling, I had made it to almost the entrance of the pack (even with a number of photograph stops) by the tip of this stretch.
At 8:03 am, I arrived on the Innoventions Breezeway.
It had been easy crusing up till this level, however right here’s the place issues get dicey. There was not a big crowd right here, however there have been in all probability ~100 individuals. What was instantly clear is that even the primary visitors coming from Worldwide Gateway are behind these from the entrance entrance. Not an enormous shock, as that’s a ton of floor to make up.
Equally vital was that, regardless that Forged Members had been doing their greatest to maintain this orderly, it was nonetheless a big and amorphous crowd and so they had been encouraging visitors to fill in all out there area. Which means that Forged Members set outer boundaries for the edges of this holding pen, however inspired individuals to pack the middle.
In apply, this meant that about half the individuals who arrived within the 5-10 minutes after me truly ended up in entrance of me. I had strategically (or so I assumed) chosen a spot alongside the perimeter, but it surely didn’t make a lot of a distinction.
Company nonetheless continued to fill in all out there area, with many events clearly having despatched “runners” to save lots of spots and have the remainder of their occasion be a part of them. There may’ve been ~100 individuals in entrance of me when this began, however there have been simply 200+ earlier than all was mentioned and carried out. Maybe I must apply sharpening my elbows a bit higher.
Admittedly, this made for a little bit of a aggravating expertise. A part of that’s on me for being intense and missing chill. However a part of it’s inherent to the Early Entry mentality. Nobody is getting up on the break of day and being on the park lengthy earlier than opening to see their aggressive benefit slip via their fingers.
It additionally didn’t assist that the gang was held on this breezeway till 8:27 am.
A lot of this might’ve been mitigated by merely preloading the overflow queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. By placing visitors in an precise queue as an alternative of a blob-like holding pen, there could be much less chaos and extra order. And perhaps that’ll occur over time–Cosmic Rewind’s standby line remains to be pretty new.
In any case, we began shifting at 8:27 am, with Forged Members slowly guiding the blob in the direction of the road, taking a winding route in the direction of Mission Area and into the bodily line. There was a bit extra jockeying for place via this, and I used to be at a slight benefit in being on the far proper aspect.
Listed here are a number of extra photographs of this course of:
Ultimately, I made it into the road for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind by 8:32 am.
The road was continuously shifting outside and for many of the indoor queue. It solely slowed in the direction of the tip, which I’m going to imagine is a byproduct of the pre-shows filling up with the visitors in entrance of me.
However, I made it into the primary pre-show holding space (so not the precise first pre-show, however the clean room earlier than that) by 8:42 am. The a number of pre-shows are one of many explanation why preloading the queue–and even beginning the pre-shows prior to eight:30 am may make sense.
Not like Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster, there isn’t any bypassing any of those, which implies each that the minimal time requirement for Cosmic Rewind is larger and that the curler coaster is working inefficiently very first thing within the morning. To the latter level, I noticed it dispatching empty journey automobiles on this specific morning because of the gaps between the pre-shows.
All the aforementioned ‘jockeying’ for place usually wouldn’t matter.
Nonetheless, it does with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. That’s partly because of the aforementioned pre-shows, as simply making or lacking a cut-off can save or price you an additional a number of minutes. It’s additionally due to the full expertise length. Then there’s the truth that Cosmic Rewind is at present far and away the best precedence attraction on the entrance of the park, and that 95% of rope drop visitors arriving through the entrance entrance are heading in the direction of Cosmic Rewind.
Which means far and away one of the best technique for Early Entry is solely doing Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind twice. However that is solely attainable for those who’re close to the entrance of the pack and don’t get unfortunate with timing the pre-shows.
On this specific morning, I used to be unfortunate.
Regardless that I used to be off Cosmic Rewind with minutes to spare earlier than official rope drop, I however missed having the ability to loop the journey and re-enter the standby line earlier than the rope drop crowd by lower than one minute. Within the photograph above, you’ll be able to see the entrance of the rope drop crowd simply beating me into the standby line as I exited Cosmic Rewind.
I in all probability may’ve looped into this crowd, however I’m undecided how well-received that may’ve been with rope drop visitors. Whether or not that’s chopping or just merging is a gray space, one in all Walt Disney World’s nice moral dilemmas–a query for smarter individuals than me. Regardless, I didn’t have the temerity to check it.
One other various, which is what I ended up doing as soon as Cosmic Rewind was taken off the desk, was heading to World Showcase for Frozen Ever After.
On a great morning, I might’ve been in a position to do that attraction with little or no wait (<quarter-hour). This wasn’t a great morning. Not solely was it a 9/10 crowd stage day, however Remy’s Ratatouille Journey had damaged down throughout Early Entry, so everybody who in any other case would’ve prioritized the Rat Journey was heading in the direction of Norway.
After I arrived at Frozen Ever After, the prolonged queue was already in use and the posted wait time was 40 minutes. Extremely skeptical that the wait was solely 40 minutes–particularly with extra visitors arriving and beginning to use Lightning Lanes–I balked at this. That was my first bit of excellent luck, as Frozen Ever After went down throughout the subsequent 10 minutes.
As a substitute, I raced over to the Land and did Soarin’ Across the World as a close to walk-on.
By the point I used to be carried out with that, it had a 60 minute posted wait time. Even with this being a busy day, I strongly suspect that was an outlier. Each Remy’s Ratatouille Journey and Frozen Ever After had damaged down, whereas Cosmic Rewind was already posting a triple-digit wait. After all the crowds could be diverted to Soarin’ at that time.
Within the coming months, this technique will change once more as soon as Take a look at Observe 3.0 debuts. My hope is that this results in a situation the place positioning for Cosmic Rewind issues much less (it’ll nonetheless be the clear #1 precedence) as a result of one of the best play will grow to be Cosmic Rewind -> Take a look at Observe -> Frozen Ever After. That may be an awesome run. For now, although, that isn’t attainable.
The underside line is that I waited both ~10 minutes or ~60 minutes for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, relying upon whether or not you begin the clock once I entered EPCOT or from the time Early Entry began. Both of these instances could be effectively below-average for a 9/10 crowd stage day, when Cosmic Rewind seldom dropped beneath triple-digit wait instances. So if the query is solely whether or not it’s attainable to beat the gang and save time at Cosmic Rewind from Worldwide Gateway, the reply is a particular sure.
Nonetheless, it’s equally worthwhile to contemplate the chance price and the time that I may’ve saved with another method. One which didn’t require power-walking from the again of the park to the entrance, sharp elbows, or the opposite stresses of beginning at Cosmic Rewind from Worldwide Gateway.
On condition that it’s extremely unbelievable that visitors arriving from Worldwide Gateway will be capable to persistently double-up on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (it is going to be attainable every so often, particularly in low to reasonable crowds), I query whether or not that is one of the best use of Early Entry. Or slightly, I did query that on this specific day. This was the primary of 4 straight days of Early Entry testing at EPCOT, so I already know the reply: it’s not.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study inns on our Walt Disney World Resorts Critiques web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Critiques. To save cash on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys publish takes a novel take a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Journey Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, one of the best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the pieces you’ll want to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever carried out Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind through Early Entry or all through the day now that it’s switched to standby? Ideas on Early Entry at EPCOT? Have you ever skilled this on-site lodge perk? What’s your most popular method to mornings at EPCOT–beginning in World Showcase or the entrance of the park? How would you may have carried out issues otherwise? Some other suggestions on arriving early to the Walt Disney World theme parks? Agree or disagree with our recommendation or method? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
On an environment friendly morning at EPCOT, you’ll be able to journey a number of E-Ticket points of interest in World Showcase or the entrance of the park, paving the best way for a laid again day with out Lightning Lanes. This Early Entry report enters through Worldwide Gateway and mainly addresses whether or not Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is price doing when coming from the again entrance.
This covers a busy day at EPCOT, when the park had a 9/10 crowd stage and the height wait time for Cosmic Rewind was 135 minutes. The park opened at 9 am to most people and Early Entry started at 8:30 am. That’s about par for the course proper now, even on dates with larger attendance forecasts. This has been true for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break, and many others. Even when Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios transfer ahead their opening instances (as occurred on this date), EPCOT doesn’t budge.
As famous above, this Early Entry report begins from Worldwide Gateway, as I used to be staying at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. Skyliner and Crescent Lake Resorts arrive through this again entrance, which is superior to the entrance entrance for Remy’s Ratatouille Journey and Frozen Ever After, the headliners in World Showcase. Nonetheless, Cosmic Rewind is far nearer to the entrance entrance, so we puzzled if the identical could be true in reverse–that Worldwide Gateway visitors could be at a serious drawback for doing Cosmic Rewind throughout Early Entry.
My morning started when my flight from California landed in Orlando. I’m an enormous fan of redeye flights for his or her effectivity and comfort, as they permit me to hit the bottom operating, scale back my variety of lodge nights, and power my physique to regulate to the time change. Sarah thinks that I’m, in a phrase, “loopy” for this.
Anyway, simply needed to throw in my endorsement for redeye flights (and Sarah’s repudiation of them, for steadiness) since many Walt Disney World followers now discover themselves contemplating new approaches to air journey within the aftermath of Southwest’s controversial modifications. In the event you like saving cash and are a loopy commando vacationer, redeye flights are for you! If you’re a so-called “sane individual,” maybe not a lot.
After a surprisingly environment friendly Mears Join journey, dropping my bag off at BoardWalk, and one gigantic cup of espresso, I walked over to EPCOT. I arrived at Worldwide Gateway at roughly 7:35 am. That’s nearly a full hour earlier than Early Entry formally began, which you’ll or might not wish to issue into the full wait time for Cosmic Rewind.
My impression was that the Worldwide Gateway turnstiles had simply opened throughout the final 5 minutes (in all probability proper at 7:30 am), as a result of there weren’t that many individuals in entrance of me.
From there, I proceeded up the hill in the direction of the bridge and was greeted by two traces. That is the place Forged Members confirm Early Entry eligibility by scanning MagicBands, resort room keys, or no matter applicable identification you may need if staying at one of many collaborating third occasion inns. You get held again by the reward store and may’t entry the remainder of the park with out scanning right here.
In a new-to-me transfer, there have been now two traces holding visitors right here. It was the case that this checkpoint opened instantly together with the turnstiles, or maybe shortly thereafter, and eligible visitors may proceed to the subsequent checkpoint. Now, this can be a holding level, with Forged Members pre-verifying Early Entry standing (which means they go up and down the road to scan MagicBands, room keys, and many others.), however holding visitors right here.
From what I may collect, how lengthy visitors are held right here in all probability relies on how far the road backs up. Which means that it can’t get all the best way to the turnstiles, or else extra visitors couldn’t enter the park. I may see Forged Members radioing forwards and backwards, and we had been lastly launched at 7:56 am. That’s a random time, which additional reinforces the idea that that is topic to alter primarily based on congestion.
Upon being launched from this holding level, visitors can both head in the direction of Canada or France.
The one attraction within the course of France is Remy’s Ratatouille Journey. In the event you’re doing Frozen Ever After first, you’ll must go in the direction of Canada, as there’s one other maintain level earlier than the Morocco pavilion. That additionally opens at random, however the backside line is that for those who’re doing Frozen Ever After first, you shouldn’t even trouble with it–head in the direction of Canada.
Additionally, you shouldn’t trouble with doing Frozen Ever After first until you wish to loop it. Getting there this early for one journey on Frozen Ever After is a waste. The one worthwhile beginning factors throughout Early Entry at EPCOT are Remy’s Ratatouille Journey or Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. In the event you’re prioritizing the rest, you don’t have to be within the park this early–you’ll be able to present up round 8:45 am and be tremendous!
The larger new-to-me change, which additionally explains why visitors had been being held earlier than the France bridge, is that there’s not a secondary checkpoint between the UK and Canada. That is enormous.
It signifies that when you’re previous the preliminary holding space by the entrance of Worldwide Gateway, you’ll be able to proceed all the best way to the entrance of the park. This didn’t was the case, which was why visitors who needed to do Take a look at Observe throughout Early Entry had been at a definite drawback if arriving through Worldwide Gateway.
I hadn’t examined Early Entry in a number of months previous to this, however I’m going to imagine the change coincided with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind switching to standby and becoming a member of the Early Entry lineup.
The shortage of secondary holding factors inside World Showcase additionally means there’s an extended and large path permitting visitors to jockey for place with out “chopping” anybody round them. That is very clearly not a line, neither is it led by a Forged Member setting the tempo. It’s a free for all.
In the event you’re a quick walker, you’ll be able to acquire some floor–to the purpose that it in all probability doesn’t matter that a lot whether or not you begin out on the entrance or again of this pack. Nonetheless, it’s additionally price declaring that over 75% of visitors heading in the direction of the previous Future World are going to be energy walkers. The underside line is that for those who’re gradual, it is best to keep on with Remy’s Ratatouille Journey. There’s nonetheless no “race” to that–it’s an orderly line.
Usually, once I take a look at Early Entry or rope drop technique, I throttle my tempo and cease for photographs with a purpose to simulate what a mean visitor may expertise. I did no such factor on this specific morning as a result of, once more, everybody else was energy strolling and since I don’t suggest this method to slower events. Since I’m superb at strolling, I had made it to almost the entrance of the pack (even with a number of photograph stops) by the tip of this stretch.
At 8:03 am, I arrived on the Innoventions Breezeway.
It had been easy crusing up till this level, however right here’s the place issues get dicey. There was not a big crowd right here, however there have been in all probability ~100 individuals. What was instantly clear is that even the primary visitors coming from Worldwide Gateway are behind these from the entrance entrance. Not an enormous shock, as that’s a ton of floor to make up.
Equally vital was that, regardless that Forged Members had been doing their greatest to maintain this orderly, it was nonetheless a big and amorphous crowd and so they had been encouraging visitors to fill in all out there area. Which means that Forged Members set outer boundaries for the edges of this holding pen, however inspired individuals to pack the middle.
In apply, this meant that about half the individuals who arrived within the 5-10 minutes after me truly ended up in entrance of me. I had strategically (or so I assumed) chosen a spot alongside the perimeter, but it surely didn’t make a lot of a distinction.
Company nonetheless continued to fill in all out there area, with many events clearly having despatched “runners” to save lots of spots and have the remainder of their occasion be a part of them. There may’ve been ~100 individuals in entrance of me when this began, however there have been simply 200+ earlier than all was mentioned and carried out. Maybe I must apply sharpening my elbows a bit higher.
Admittedly, this made for a little bit of a aggravating expertise. A part of that’s on me for being intense and missing chill. However a part of it’s inherent to the Early Entry mentality. Nobody is getting up on the break of day and being on the park lengthy earlier than opening to see their aggressive benefit slip via their fingers.
It additionally didn’t assist that the gang was held on this breezeway till 8:27 am.
A lot of this might’ve been mitigated by merely preloading the overflow queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. By placing visitors in an precise queue as an alternative of a blob-like holding pen, there could be much less chaos and extra order. And perhaps that’ll occur over time–Cosmic Rewind’s standby line remains to be pretty new.
In any case, we began shifting at 8:27 am, with Forged Members slowly guiding the blob in the direction of the road, taking a winding route in the direction of Mission Area and into the bodily line. There was a bit extra jockeying for place via this, and I used to be at a slight benefit in being on the far proper aspect.
Listed here are a number of extra photographs of this course of:
Ultimately, I made it into the road for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind by 8:32 am.
The road was continuously shifting outside and for many of the indoor queue. It solely slowed in the direction of the tip, which I’m going to imagine is a byproduct of the pre-shows filling up with the visitors in entrance of me.
However, I made it into the primary pre-show holding space (so not the precise first pre-show, however the clean room earlier than that) by 8:42 am. The a number of pre-shows are one of many explanation why preloading the queue–and even beginning the pre-shows prior to eight:30 am may make sense.
Not like Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster, there isn’t any bypassing any of those, which implies each that the minimal time requirement for Cosmic Rewind is larger and that the curler coaster is working inefficiently very first thing within the morning. To the latter level, I noticed it dispatching empty journey automobiles on this specific morning because of the gaps between the pre-shows.
All the aforementioned ‘jockeying’ for place usually wouldn’t matter.
Nonetheless, it does with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. That’s partly because of the aforementioned pre-shows, as simply making or lacking a cut-off can save or price you an additional a number of minutes. It’s additionally due to the full expertise length. Then there’s the truth that Cosmic Rewind is at present far and away the best precedence attraction on the entrance of the park, and that 95% of rope drop visitors arriving through the entrance entrance are heading in the direction of Cosmic Rewind.
Which means far and away one of the best technique for Early Entry is solely doing Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind twice. However that is solely attainable for those who’re close to the entrance of the pack and don’t get unfortunate with timing the pre-shows.
On this specific morning, I used to be unfortunate.
Regardless that I used to be off Cosmic Rewind with minutes to spare earlier than official rope drop, I however missed having the ability to loop the journey and re-enter the standby line earlier than the rope drop crowd by lower than one minute. Within the photograph above, you’ll be able to see the entrance of the rope drop crowd simply beating me into the standby line as I exited Cosmic Rewind.
I in all probability may’ve looped into this crowd, however I’m undecided how well-received that may’ve been with rope drop visitors. Whether or not that’s chopping or just merging is a gray space, one in all Walt Disney World’s nice moral dilemmas–a query for smarter individuals than me. Regardless, I didn’t have the temerity to check it.
One other various, which is what I ended up doing as soon as Cosmic Rewind was taken off the desk, was heading to World Showcase for Frozen Ever After.
On a great morning, I might’ve been in a position to do that attraction with little or no wait (<quarter-hour). This wasn’t a great morning. Not solely was it a 9/10 crowd stage day, however Remy’s Ratatouille Journey had damaged down throughout Early Entry, so everybody who in any other case would’ve prioritized the Rat Journey was heading in the direction of Norway.
After I arrived at Frozen Ever After, the prolonged queue was already in use and the posted wait time was 40 minutes. Extremely skeptical that the wait was solely 40 minutes–particularly with extra visitors arriving and beginning to use Lightning Lanes–I balked at this. That was my first bit of excellent luck, as Frozen Ever After went down throughout the subsequent 10 minutes.
As a substitute, I raced over to the Land and did Soarin’ Across the World as a close to walk-on.
By the point I used to be carried out with that, it had a 60 minute posted wait time. Even with this being a busy day, I strongly suspect that was an outlier. Each Remy’s Ratatouille Journey and Frozen Ever After had damaged down, whereas Cosmic Rewind was already posting a triple-digit wait. After all the crowds could be diverted to Soarin’ at that time.
Within the coming months, this technique will change once more as soon as Take a look at Observe 3.0 debuts. My hope is that this results in a situation the place positioning for Cosmic Rewind issues much less (it’ll nonetheless be the clear #1 precedence) as a result of one of the best play will grow to be Cosmic Rewind -> Take a look at Observe -> Frozen Ever After. That may be an awesome run. For now, although, that isn’t attainable.
The underside line is that I waited both ~10 minutes or ~60 minutes for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, relying upon whether or not you begin the clock once I entered EPCOT or from the time Early Entry began. Both of these instances could be effectively below-average for a 9/10 crowd stage day, when Cosmic Rewind seldom dropped beneath triple-digit wait instances. So if the query is solely whether or not it’s attainable to beat the gang and save time at Cosmic Rewind from Worldwide Gateway, the reply is a particular sure.
Nonetheless, it’s equally worthwhile to contemplate the chance price and the time that I may’ve saved with another method. One which didn’t require power-walking from the again of the park to the entrance, sharp elbows, or the opposite stresses of beginning at Cosmic Rewind from Worldwide Gateway.
On condition that it’s extremely unbelievable that visitors arriving from Worldwide Gateway will be capable to persistently double-up on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (it is going to be attainable every so often, particularly in low to reasonable crowds), I query whether or not that is one of the best use of Early Entry. Or slightly, I did query that on this specific day. This was the primary of 4 straight days of Early Entry testing at EPCOT, so I already know the reply: it’s not.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study inns on our Walt Disney World Resorts Critiques web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Critiques. To save cash on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys publish takes a novel take a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Journey Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, one of the best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the pieces you’ll want to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever carried out Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind through Early Entry or all through the day now that it’s switched to standby? Ideas on Early Entry at EPCOT? Have you ever skilled this on-site lodge perk? What’s your most popular method to mornings at EPCOT–beginning in World Showcase or the entrance of the park? How would you may have carried out issues otherwise? Some other suggestions on arriving early to the Walt Disney World theme parks? Agree or disagree with our recommendation or method? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
On an environment friendly morning at EPCOT, you’ll be able to journey a number of E-Ticket points of interest in World Showcase or the entrance of the park, paving the best way for a laid again day with out Lightning Lanes. This Early Entry report enters through Worldwide Gateway and mainly addresses whether or not Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is price doing when coming from the again entrance.
This covers a busy day at EPCOT, when the park had a 9/10 crowd stage and the height wait time for Cosmic Rewind was 135 minutes. The park opened at 9 am to most people and Early Entry started at 8:30 am. That’s about par for the course proper now, even on dates with larger attendance forecasts. This has been true for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break, and many others. Even when Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios transfer ahead their opening instances (as occurred on this date), EPCOT doesn’t budge.
As famous above, this Early Entry report begins from Worldwide Gateway, as I used to be staying at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. Skyliner and Crescent Lake Resorts arrive through this again entrance, which is superior to the entrance entrance for Remy’s Ratatouille Journey and Frozen Ever After, the headliners in World Showcase. Nonetheless, Cosmic Rewind is far nearer to the entrance entrance, so we puzzled if the identical could be true in reverse–that Worldwide Gateway visitors could be at a serious drawback for doing Cosmic Rewind throughout Early Entry.
My morning started when my flight from California landed in Orlando. I’m an enormous fan of redeye flights for his or her effectivity and comfort, as they permit me to hit the bottom operating, scale back my variety of lodge nights, and power my physique to regulate to the time change. Sarah thinks that I’m, in a phrase, “loopy” for this.
Anyway, simply needed to throw in my endorsement for redeye flights (and Sarah’s repudiation of them, for steadiness) since many Walt Disney World followers now discover themselves contemplating new approaches to air journey within the aftermath of Southwest’s controversial modifications. In the event you like saving cash and are a loopy commando vacationer, redeye flights are for you! If you’re a so-called “sane individual,” maybe not a lot.
After a surprisingly environment friendly Mears Join journey, dropping my bag off at BoardWalk, and one gigantic cup of espresso, I walked over to EPCOT. I arrived at Worldwide Gateway at roughly 7:35 am. That’s nearly a full hour earlier than Early Entry formally began, which you’ll or might not wish to issue into the full wait time for Cosmic Rewind.
My impression was that the Worldwide Gateway turnstiles had simply opened throughout the final 5 minutes (in all probability proper at 7:30 am), as a result of there weren’t that many individuals in entrance of me.
From there, I proceeded up the hill in the direction of the bridge and was greeted by two traces. That is the place Forged Members confirm Early Entry eligibility by scanning MagicBands, resort room keys, or no matter applicable identification you may need if staying at one of many collaborating third occasion inns. You get held again by the reward store and may’t entry the remainder of the park with out scanning right here.
In a new-to-me transfer, there have been now two traces holding visitors right here. It was the case that this checkpoint opened instantly together with the turnstiles, or maybe shortly thereafter, and eligible visitors may proceed to the subsequent checkpoint. Now, this can be a holding level, with Forged Members pre-verifying Early Entry standing (which means they go up and down the road to scan MagicBands, room keys, and many others.), however holding visitors right here.
From what I may collect, how lengthy visitors are held right here in all probability relies on how far the road backs up. Which means that it can’t get all the best way to the turnstiles, or else extra visitors couldn’t enter the park. I may see Forged Members radioing forwards and backwards, and we had been lastly launched at 7:56 am. That’s a random time, which additional reinforces the idea that that is topic to alter primarily based on congestion.
Upon being launched from this holding level, visitors can both head in the direction of Canada or France.
The one attraction within the course of France is Remy’s Ratatouille Journey. In the event you’re doing Frozen Ever After first, you’ll must go in the direction of Canada, as there’s one other maintain level earlier than the Morocco pavilion. That additionally opens at random, however the backside line is that for those who’re doing Frozen Ever After first, you shouldn’t even trouble with it–head in the direction of Canada.
Additionally, you shouldn’t trouble with doing Frozen Ever After first until you wish to loop it. Getting there this early for one journey on Frozen Ever After is a waste. The one worthwhile beginning factors throughout Early Entry at EPCOT are Remy’s Ratatouille Journey or Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. In the event you’re prioritizing the rest, you don’t have to be within the park this early–you’ll be able to present up round 8:45 am and be tremendous!
The larger new-to-me change, which additionally explains why visitors had been being held earlier than the France bridge, is that there’s not a secondary checkpoint between the UK and Canada. That is enormous.
It signifies that when you’re previous the preliminary holding space by the entrance of Worldwide Gateway, you’ll be able to proceed all the best way to the entrance of the park. This didn’t was the case, which was why visitors who needed to do Take a look at Observe throughout Early Entry had been at a definite drawback if arriving through Worldwide Gateway.
I hadn’t examined Early Entry in a number of months previous to this, however I’m going to imagine the change coincided with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind switching to standby and becoming a member of the Early Entry lineup.
The shortage of secondary holding factors inside World Showcase additionally means there’s an extended and large path permitting visitors to jockey for place with out “chopping” anybody round them. That is very clearly not a line, neither is it led by a Forged Member setting the tempo. It’s a free for all.
In the event you’re a quick walker, you’ll be able to acquire some floor–to the purpose that it in all probability doesn’t matter that a lot whether or not you begin out on the entrance or again of this pack. Nonetheless, it’s additionally price declaring that over 75% of visitors heading in the direction of the previous Future World are going to be energy walkers. The underside line is that for those who’re gradual, it is best to keep on with Remy’s Ratatouille Journey. There’s nonetheless no “race” to that–it’s an orderly line.
Usually, once I take a look at Early Entry or rope drop technique, I throttle my tempo and cease for photographs with a purpose to simulate what a mean visitor may expertise. I did no such factor on this specific morning as a result of, once more, everybody else was energy strolling and since I don’t suggest this method to slower events. Since I’m superb at strolling, I had made it to almost the entrance of the pack (even with a number of photograph stops) by the tip of this stretch.
At 8:03 am, I arrived on the Innoventions Breezeway.
It had been easy crusing up till this level, however right here’s the place issues get dicey. There was not a big crowd right here, however there have been in all probability ~100 individuals. What was instantly clear is that even the primary visitors coming from Worldwide Gateway are behind these from the entrance entrance. Not an enormous shock, as that’s a ton of floor to make up.
Equally vital was that, regardless that Forged Members had been doing their greatest to maintain this orderly, it was nonetheless a big and amorphous crowd and so they had been encouraging visitors to fill in all out there area. Which means that Forged Members set outer boundaries for the edges of this holding pen, however inspired individuals to pack the middle.
In apply, this meant that about half the individuals who arrived within the 5-10 minutes after me truly ended up in entrance of me. I had strategically (or so I assumed) chosen a spot alongside the perimeter, but it surely didn’t make a lot of a distinction.
Company nonetheless continued to fill in all out there area, with many events clearly having despatched “runners” to save lots of spots and have the remainder of their occasion be a part of them. There may’ve been ~100 individuals in entrance of me when this began, however there have been simply 200+ earlier than all was mentioned and carried out. Maybe I must apply sharpening my elbows a bit higher.
Admittedly, this made for a little bit of a aggravating expertise. A part of that’s on me for being intense and missing chill. However a part of it’s inherent to the Early Entry mentality. Nobody is getting up on the break of day and being on the park lengthy earlier than opening to see their aggressive benefit slip via their fingers.
It additionally didn’t assist that the gang was held on this breezeway till 8:27 am.
A lot of this might’ve been mitigated by merely preloading the overflow queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. By placing visitors in an precise queue as an alternative of a blob-like holding pen, there could be much less chaos and extra order. And perhaps that’ll occur over time–Cosmic Rewind’s standby line remains to be pretty new.
In any case, we began shifting at 8:27 am, with Forged Members slowly guiding the blob in the direction of the road, taking a winding route in the direction of Mission Area and into the bodily line. There was a bit extra jockeying for place via this, and I used to be at a slight benefit in being on the far proper aspect.
Listed here are a number of extra photographs of this course of:
Ultimately, I made it into the road for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind by 8:32 am.
The road was continuously shifting outside and for many of the indoor queue. It solely slowed in the direction of the tip, which I’m going to imagine is a byproduct of the pre-shows filling up with the visitors in entrance of me.
However, I made it into the primary pre-show holding space (so not the precise first pre-show, however the clean room earlier than that) by 8:42 am. The a number of pre-shows are one of many explanation why preloading the queue–and even beginning the pre-shows prior to eight:30 am may make sense.
Not like Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster, there isn’t any bypassing any of those, which implies each that the minimal time requirement for Cosmic Rewind is larger and that the curler coaster is working inefficiently very first thing within the morning. To the latter level, I noticed it dispatching empty journey automobiles on this specific morning because of the gaps between the pre-shows.
All the aforementioned ‘jockeying’ for place usually wouldn’t matter.
Nonetheless, it does with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. That’s partly because of the aforementioned pre-shows, as simply making or lacking a cut-off can save or price you an additional a number of minutes. It’s additionally due to the full expertise length. Then there’s the truth that Cosmic Rewind is at present far and away the best precedence attraction on the entrance of the park, and that 95% of rope drop visitors arriving through the entrance entrance are heading in the direction of Cosmic Rewind.
Which means far and away one of the best technique for Early Entry is solely doing Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind twice. However that is solely attainable for those who’re close to the entrance of the pack and don’t get unfortunate with timing the pre-shows.
On this specific morning, I used to be unfortunate.
Regardless that I used to be off Cosmic Rewind with minutes to spare earlier than official rope drop, I however missed having the ability to loop the journey and re-enter the standby line earlier than the rope drop crowd by lower than one minute. Within the photograph above, you’ll be able to see the entrance of the rope drop crowd simply beating me into the standby line as I exited Cosmic Rewind.
I in all probability may’ve looped into this crowd, however I’m undecided how well-received that may’ve been with rope drop visitors. Whether or not that’s chopping or just merging is a gray space, one in all Walt Disney World’s nice moral dilemmas–a query for smarter individuals than me. Regardless, I didn’t have the temerity to check it.
One other various, which is what I ended up doing as soon as Cosmic Rewind was taken off the desk, was heading to World Showcase for Frozen Ever After.
On a great morning, I might’ve been in a position to do that attraction with little or no wait (<quarter-hour). This wasn’t a great morning. Not solely was it a 9/10 crowd stage day, however Remy’s Ratatouille Journey had damaged down throughout Early Entry, so everybody who in any other case would’ve prioritized the Rat Journey was heading in the direction of Norway.
After I arrived at Frozen Ever After, the prolonged queue was already in use and the posted wait time was 40 minutes. Extremely skeptical that the wait was solely 40 minutes–particularly with extra visitors arriving and beginning to use Lightning Lanes–I balked at this. That was my first bit of excellent luck, as Frozen Ever After went down throughout the subsequent 10 minutes.
As a substitute, I raced over to the Land and did Soarin’ Across the World as a close to walk-on.
By the point I used to be carried out with that, it had a 60 minute posted wait time. Even with this being a busy day, I strongly suspect that was an outlier. Each Remy’s Ratatouille Journey and Frozen Ever After had damaged down, whereas Cosmic Rewind was already posting a triple-digit wait. After all the crowds could be diverted to Soarin’ at that time.
Within the coming months, this technique will change once more as soon as Take a look at Observe 3.0 debuts. My hope is that this results in a situation the place positioning for Cosmic Rewind issues much less (it’ll nonetheless be the clear #1 precedence) as a result of one of the best play will grow to be Cosmic Rewind -> Take a look at Observe -> Frozen Ever After. That may be an awesome run. For now, although, that isn’t attainable.
The underside line is that I waited both ~10 minutes or ~60 minutes for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, relying upon whether or not you begin the clock once I entered EPCOT or from the time Early Entry began. Both of these instances could be effectively below-average for a 9/10 crowd stage day, when Cosmic Rewind seldom dropped beneath triple-digit wait instances. So if the query is solely whether or not it’s attainable to beat the gang and save time at Cosmic Rewind from Worldwide Gateway, the reply is a particular sure.
Nonetheless, it’s equally worthwhile to contemplate the chance price and the time that I may’ve saved with another method. One which didn’t require power-walking from the again of the park to the entrance, sharp elbows, or the opposite stresses of beginning at Cosmic Rewind from Worldwide Gateway.
On condition that it’s extremely unbelievable that visitors arriving from Worldwide Gateway will be capable to persistently double-up on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (it is going to be attainable every so often, particularly in low to reasonable crowds), I query whether or not that is one of the best use of Early Entry. Or slightly, I did query that on this specific day. This was the primary of 4 straight days of Early Entry testing at EPCOT, so I already know the reply: it’s not.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study inns on our Walt Disney World Resorts Critiques web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Critiques. To save cash on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys publish takes a novel take a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Journey Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, one of the best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the pieces you’ll want to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever carried out Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind through Early Entry or all through the day now that it’s switched to standby? Ideas on Early Entry at EPCOT? Have you ever skilled this on-site lodge perk? What’s your most popular method to mornings at EPCOT–beginning in World Showcase or the entrance of the park? How would you may have carried out issues otherwise? Some other suggestions on arriving early to the Walt Disney World theme parks? Agree or disagree with our recommendation or method? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
