Disney World Early Theme Park Entry
By Julie Elster
Last reviewed: October 2026
Since October 1, 2021, guests at Disney World Resorts (and a few other select area resorts) have been able to get in to the theme parks 30 minutes before park opening. Disney says this perk continues through 2027.
Here is how it works, and everything you need to know to take advantage of this perk!
Participating Hotel Resorts
All of Walt Disney World's Resorts are eligible for early theme park entry! For reference here is a list of the participating Disney World Resorts:
- Disney's All-Star Movies Resort
- Disney's All-Star Music Resort
- Disney's All-Star Sports Resort
- Disney's Art of Animation Resort
- Disney's Pop Century Resort
- Campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort
- Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort
- Disney's Coronado Springs Resort & Gran Destino Tower
- Disney's Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
- Disney's Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
- The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort*
- Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge*
- Disney's Beach Club Resort*
- Disney's BoardWalk Inn*
- Disney's Contemporary Resort*
- Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa*
- Disney's Polynesian Village Resort*
- Disney's Wilderness Lodge*
- Disney's Yacht Club Resort*
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort*
- Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge*
- Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney's Wilderness Lodge*
- Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House*
- Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village*
- Disney's Beach Club Villas*
- Disney's BoardWalk Villas*
- Disney's Old Key West Resort*
- Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows*
- Disney's Riviera Resort*
- Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa*
- Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa*
* In addition to 30 minute early entry, these resorts also qualify for extended evening hours after park close.
In addition to Disney World Resorts, there are several third party resorts in the area that also participate. Here are the non-Disney hotels and resorts that are eligible:
- Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
- Waldorf Astoria Orlando
- Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista
- Renaissance Orlando Resort and Spa
- DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando
- Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace
- Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
- Holiday Inn Orlando
- Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista
- Wyndham Lake Buena Vista
- Four Seasons Resort Orlando
- Shades of Green
- Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
- Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
- Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
How to Take Advantage of Early Park Entry
If you are a guest at one of the resorts listed above, all you need is a valid theme park ticket. Theme park reservations stopped being required for date-based tickets in January 2024, though Annual Passholders still need one to enter before 2pm.
Your park ticket is linked to your My Disney Experience account, and will validate that you are a resort guest when you scan it at the park.
If you are staying off-site you may be asked to show your resort key when you enter the park.
You can arrive to the park before official opening and will be allowed in 30 minutes before the posted opening time.
What Rides Will Be Available?
Similar to the now extinct Extra Magic Hours perk, not all rides will be open during early theme park entry.
Disney publishes a list of the attractions planned to run during early entry. Many higher profile rides are on it, like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Slinky Dog Dash, Rise of the Resistance and Flight of Passage. TRON Lightcycle / Run is not. Shows and lower profile rides mostly are not on the list.
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See you at the parks,
-Julie