What To Do During Early Park Entry With Children

Early theme park entry is a perk that is reserved for guests staying at Walt Disney World Resorts. With early entry you have access to the parks 30 minutes prior to the park opening. This might not feel like a huge advantage, but when it comes to having access to attractions on your must-do list it can make all the difference. Guests without children might find themselves rope-dropping Disney’s biggest roller coasters and thrill rides. But what should you do during early entry if you have children? Here are some of our favorite things to do during early park entry with children.

Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom

When you think Magic Kingdom you probably have an idea of Fantasyland in your mind. Fantasyland is the best place in Magic Kingdom for small children because it is full of gentle rides with no heigh-requirement. Fantasyland tends to fill up quickly so arriving for early entry can give you an advantage in exploring this area.

Some rides to consider for early entry with children are Prince Charming Regal Carousel, Dumbo The Flying Elephant, Peter Pan’s Flight, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and It’s A Small World. This is a great opportunity to get in line for these popular attractions before the park fills up!

The Seas With Nemo And Friends at EPCOT

Not many guests realize that EPCOT is home to one of the largest man-made ocean environments on the planet. Once you disembark from The Seas With Nemo and Friends dark-ride attraction, you enter EPCOT’s impressive aquarium. Not many people are heading toward The Seas With Nemo and Friends during early entry, so this gives guests a unique opportunity to explore a quiet and nearly empty aquarium. The aquatic life that resides here are the most active in the morning so you and your children will get to see some pretty amazing things. When my children and I arrived here for early entry we were able to see an up-close view of the dolphins, manatees, and rays.

Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios

Hollywood Studios has made a name for itself as a park for thrill-seekers with rides like Tower of Terror and Rise of the Resistance. This gives families a huge advantage for early entry with family rides in Toy Story Land. Rides like Alien Swirling Saucers, Toy Story Mania, and even Slinky Dog Dash for those over 38 inches tall.

Of course you can always try and rope drop Hollywood Studios’ popular attraction Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. This attraction is a dark-ride with no height requirement, and its standby queue fills quickly upon park opening. Early entry is a great opportunity for families to wait in line without having to purchase a Lightning Lane reservation.

Child-Friendly Attractions at Animal Kingdom

While most guests might be heading toward Flight of Passage or Expedition Everest, families with small children can certainly find great things to do during early entry for Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Your family can catch the first showing of It’s Tough To Be A Bug, an all-sensory experience stage show located right underneath The Tree of Life in the center of the park. If you have other family members who want to ride Flight of Passage, the rest of your party can enjoy the slow-moving boat ride Na’vi River Journey.

TriceraTop Spin is the final ride with no height requirement that is available for guests during early park entry. After riding this attraction you can have fun exploring a nearly empty DinoLand USA, and play the several carnival games that are available throughout this area.

As you can see, early park entry is for everyone. Families with small children still have great advantages during this time, so it’s a great idea to utilize this perk of staying at a Disney resort!

Featured Photo: Megan Woodard.