Disney’s Hollywood Studios Testing Return to Pre-COVID Early Entry Procedures

Katie Francis

People entering Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway at Disney’s Hollywood Studios enjoy a seamless start to their adventure, with a green roof and palm trees in the background enhancing the experience. Early Entry Procedures ensure they have plenty of time to explore this magical attraction.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios Testing Return to Pre-COVID Early Entry Procedures

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is currently testing a return to pre-COVID early entry procedures.

People walking towards a tunnel entrance in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, with a directional sign to the left and park staff standing near the entrance, reminiscent of pre-COVID early entry days.

Early entry is a perk offered to guests at most Walt Disney World Resort Hotels. It allows guests access to the park half an hour before it officially opens. Since the days of COVID precautions, non-resort guests were held at the tapstiles until the park opened.

Now, all guests are permitted entry to the theme park, and access to most lands and attractions is monitored and restricted to hotel guests. A similar procedure is in place at Magic Kingdom, allowing all guests into the front of the park (namely to the Emporium).

Cast Members were stationed outside Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, checking credentials to confirm if guests were eligible for early entry. They were also in front of Toy Story Land, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and other areas in order to maintain the restriction.

Guests without early entry were allowed to join a queue for attractions or restricted lands, which began admittance at the official opening time.

What do you think about this procedure versus keeping non-resort guests outside the gates? Let us know in the comments.

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6 thoughts on “Disney’s Hollywood Studios Testing Return to Pre-COVID Early Entry Procedures”

  1. Non resort guests should wait outside the gates. A half hour is not really any significant amount of time, and having to fight the crowds just to get into the park eats up that time. Go back to an hour early entry at least.

    Reply
  2. A half hour is a waste of cast member time and pay. It should be back to one hour for guests staying on property or an hour later or better yet both!

    Reply
  3. I think for non guest to wait outside the gates for an half hour is too long because what if you have a person in your party who has a disability/ hearing / medical history or health conditions/ issues it makes it hard for them to wait that long outside those park gates / lines to get into the Disney Hollywood Studios Park

    Reply
  4. I think it should go back to being an hour early entry for hotel guests and without having to fight through crowns to get in, none resort guests should wait outside, it’s expensive to stay in the Disney hotels but this was always a perk if you did. It should go back to pre covid.

    Reply
  5. I like allowing all guests entrance into the park and then allowing only Disney hotel guests past the entrance to specific lands. they’re doing this at Magic Kingdom currently. however a half hour is not enough time for those hotel guests to get to the checkpoints and through them ahead of the non-hotel resort guests. they need to go back to at least an hour. That used to be the perk of staying at a Disney hotel. Remember though it was only one park per day that had early access, not all of them.

    Reply

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