Magic early hours Epcot International Gateway

[marie1981]

Sorry if this was asked before. I did some search and could not find anything...

In March, I will be staying at BC.
How does it work in the morning when there have Magic Hours ?

Do we still enter at 8:00 AM at the International Gateway entrance ?

And then, where can we walk to until the park officially open ?

In fact, I just realised that my question apply to any morning, because Future World opens before World Showcase...

Thank you so much for your answers..

 

[Sandisw]

Yes, they will let you in and then they hold you near the bridge that crosses from World Showcase to Future World.

 

[maburke]

They don't let you turn right toward France, only left toward England and Canada. Those are closed, and there's a rope beyond Canada, so no-one can come back to World Showcase until it opens, but they let people coming from the International Gateway go to Future World.

It's the same thing if you have a reservation for the Princess Storybook breakfast at Norway. In that case, instead of checking your resort ID, they check for your name on the reservation list.

 

[marie1981]

Thank you for the fast answer !

 

[maburke]

Happy to help. I think Sandi and I both operate on Extra Magic morning hours time! Wish we were there!

 

[dzorn]

A little OT, but we got some beautiful pictures in England with no one in them but us when we went in for EMH.

Denise in MI

 

[TyGuy]

Yes, they will let you in and then they hold you near the bridge that crosses from World Showcase to Future World.

We were there in December and they didn't let us in early. We were held at the turnstiles until right at 8:00 am. In the past they let us in before 8:00 and we could walk to the entrance of Future World for rope drop. It actually put us behind getting to Soaring.

Ty

 

[JWG]

When we have done this, they have let us in about 10-15 minutes early (through the turnstyles) and then held us at a rope near the bridget to FutureWorld.

Given that the main entrance holds you at a rope on either side of SSE, I think they get the advantage.

 

[tgj]

Can you still get in at the IG on non-EMH mornings??? Or do we have to bus it from BW to be there for rope drop??

 

[Simba's Mom]

They don't let you turn right toward France, only left toward England and Canada. Those are closed, and there's a rope beyond Canada, so no-one can come back to World Showcase until it opens, but they let people coming from the International Gateway go to Future World.

What I always wondered about this is if they won't let anyone back in to WS until it opens, what about people staying at the Epcot area resorts who walk to FW right at 9:00, then want to go back to their hotel before 11:00. Has anyone had this experience? When staying at the BCV, that's one reason I've never gone to FW before 11:00 am, I'm always afraid I'd get "stuck" over there if anything happened (maybe I forgot something, or whatever reason I wanted to go back to the hotel). For other resorts, at least you can get back to your hotel if you go out the front entrance and take the bus. But somehow, even though it's only for a short time, I'm afraid of being "trapped". Anyone gotten back?

 

[DebbieB]

Can you still get in at the IG on non-EMH mornings??? Or do we have to bus it from BW to be there for rope drop??

The IG opens at the same time as the front entrance. There is no bus from BW to Epcot's front entrance.

 

[Sandisw]

We were there in December and they didn't let us in early. We were held at the turnstiles until right at 8:00 am. In the past they let us in before 8:00 and we could walk to the entrance of Future World for rope drop. It actually put us behind getting to Soaring.

Ty

Thanks for sharing that. That is certainly something different than what happened during our August stay last year. We go to the gate around 7:55 and people were already streaming in.

We were at Test Track and had our FP's at 8:05 and then headed right to Soarin.

 

[TyGuy]

What I always wondered about this is if they won't let anyone back in to WS until it opens, what about people staying at the Epcot area resorts who walk to FW right at 9:00, then want to go back to their hotel before 11:00. Has anyone had this experience? When staying at the BCV, that's one reason I've never gone to FW before 11:00 am, I'm always afraid I'd get "stuck" over there if anything happened (maybe I forgot something, or whatever reason I wanted to go back to the hotel). For other resorts, at least you can get back to your hotel if you go out the front entrance and take the bus. But somehow, even though it's only for a short time, I'm afraid of being "trapped". Anyone gotten back?

You can walk freely between FW and the International Gateway between FW opening and 11:00 There is a rope across the bridge to France and Canada and UK are both closed until 11:00 but the walkway is open.

 

[Cisco]

One of my best Disney memories involved coming through this entrance early one morning. The World Showcase Players were out "practicing" a new skit and they asked me to join them in the Rose Garden. It was just a small group but everyone was bent over laughing at the antics. I found out later I was the only guest in the crowd, everyone else was a Cast Member...I felt like I was living my dream -- working at WDW!

 

[CarolMN]

Moved from DVC Boards

 

[Simba's Mom]

One of my best Disney memories involved coming through this entrance early one morning. The World Showcase Players were out "practicing" a new skit and they asked me to join them in the Rose Garden. It was just a small group but everyone was bent over laughing at the antics. I found out later I was the only guest in the crowd, everyone else was a Cast Member...I felt like I was living my dream -- working at WDW!

OMG-I am such a huge fan of the World Showcase Players (I'm so mad that they're not performing in Italy anymore). Can you please share the secret of where exactly you were lucky enough to see them practicing? Wherever it is, I think I'm going to stake out that area the next morning I enter the IG. I thought it was wonderful just sitting there, listening to the music and watching people rush by. Now to know there's a chance of seeing the WS Players?!

 

[MaryKatesMom]

What they do depends on the anticipated crowd level.

I have always disliked entering IG in the morning and if my DH is with me he will drive us over, if not I will take a taxi to the front.

This was a time when you all of the front gate got to Soarin' before IG people did.