Top 3 Reasons You NEED Early Theme Park Entry At Disney World This Summer

If you’re planning a Walt Disney World vacation, you’re going to hear certain phrases over and over. It’s simply inevitable. When you are planning your first visit to Disney World, however, it can be overwhelming when you need to figure out what everyone else is talking about! I’m going to discuss one of these concepts that you’ll hear others talking about, and I’ll tell you why you need it when you take your trip this summer. Let’s discuss Early Theme Park Entry.

Early Theme Park Entry is a perk some people get when visiting Disney World. I say “some” because not everyone will have this perk. Early Theme Park Entry allows you to enter Disney World theme parks 30 minutes before the parks officially open. All four theme parks offer it: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The perk allows you to be in the park before the general public can enter, which means less people to clog up the ride lines. An additional 30 minutes may not sound like a big perk, but stop and think about those rides that you absolutely must ride during your trip. Have you heard stories about the long standby wait times for any of them? Against that backdrop, you will see why Early Park Entry is a big deal. But how can you get the perk, my fellow Disney Adult?

Stand-by lines can easily have triple-digit wait times (or close to it)

Who Gets Early Theme Park Entry?

Getting Early Theme Park Entry does not cost you extra. It cannot be purchased as an a la carte offering. You automatically get this perk simply by staying at certain hotels. If you are staying at a Disney Resort, you will get the 30 extra minutes in the park. It’s one of the many reasons to stay at a Disney Resort! You will also receive Early Park Entry if you are staying at some other select hotels. At the time of publication, these are the other hotels that qualify for the perk.

Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando
Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista
Four Seasons Resort Orlando
Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace
Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
Holiday Inn Orlando
Renaissance Orlando Resort and Spa
Shades of Green® on Walt Disney World Resort
Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
Waldorf Astoria Orlando
Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista
Wyndham Lake Buena Vista

Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel is a non-Disney hotel offering early park entry perks

Now that you know what Early Theme Park Entry is and how you qualify for it, let’s talk about why you will need this perk this summer! Summer is one of the busiest times of the year for Disney World. It is when nearly everyone can visit at some point as summer vacations kick into full gear. Since it gets so busy, the standby waits for attractions soar as you wait longer in the Florida heat. While you can pay to get shorter wait times (using Lightning Lanes), some people don’t want to pay even more money on top of paying for travel expenses, hotel, park tickets, food, and souvenirs. If this sounds like you, Early Theme Park Entry is your friend. Here’s what you can do during that 30 minutes of limited-admission park time:

Standby waits can be long at peak times for some rides

The Rides!

The obvious benefit of this perk is the rides! Make the best use of Early Entry by getting in line for the most popular ride you wish to visit in the park. This is your opportunity to get in line before everyone else can even enter the park! You can ride everything else later, because the less popular rides will likely have a shorter standby line anyway. Here’s what’s open during Early Entry as of the time of publication.

Magic Kingdom

EPCOT

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Meet Characters

Starting in May and (currently) planned through September, Disney is adding some key character meet and greets during Early Theme Park Entry. This is an offering that will coincide with the return of Cool Kids’ Summer for 2026. Just because we’re Disney Adults doesn’t mean we wouldn’t want to meet our favorite Disney pals, so this is a great way to use your early entry perk. So far this appears to be a limited time offering, but it is perfect for your summer visit. Be sure to check your MyDisneyExperience app for character locations and wait times during early entry this summer.

Meeting with Phineas & Ferb during summer vacation!

Better Photos

If you are at Disney World, you’ll probably want to show everyone what a great time you are having. If you want to flex for everyone stuck back at home, you may want to enter the theme parks early. This is your opportunity to get those selfies in front of Cinderella Castle, The Hollywood Tower Hotel, Spaceship Earth, or the Tree of Life with reduced crowds in the background. For some extra magic (and an additional fee), have a Disney PhotoPass photographer chronicle your visit with a Magic Shot available at select locations.

Magic Shot offered at the Sword in the Stone in Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland

The benefits of Early Theme Park Entry are indisputable. Just be prepared to get up early, as you may be entering certain parks as early as 7:30 AM some days. Thankfully, Disney transportation runs from Disney resorts such as Pop Century to get you to the parks in time. The non-Disney resorts that offer early park entry will also have transportation. Be sure to check the Disney World park calendar to check when early entry will be offered during your visit so you’re not late! As always, MouseHouseNews.net will continue to bring you the latest information regarding your next Disney World vacation.