Early Entry at Disney’s Hollywood Studios While Earning Loyalty Points

Staying on-property at a Disney Resorts Collection resort comes with it’s benefits, but there’s a select list of Disney’s select hotel partners that share certain benefits. For a self-proclaimed points-junkie like me, it’s important that my trips to the Orlando-area theme parks each year help add to my overall point contribution for the year. Let’s face it — these Orlando trips are an investment. I can’t swallow the thought of not collecting any loyalty points on a big-ticket Disney vacation.

Image 1: Power walking means you’ll need comfortable shoes, like these Crocs (yes, Crocs!) ; Image 2: Our tickets and Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace reservations were loaded into our MyDisney Experience app to save valuable time at the front gate

This year, I pursued Hilton Honors Diamond Status. When it came time to book our 3-night Walt Disney World vacation, it was important that I stay at a Hilton property. My partner and I had aspirations of park-hopping during our time in the theme parks. We like to stop at the hotel during the day to cool off and reset. Especially after an early morning start of park-hopping, so it’s important that our hotel is close to the parks. The Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace checked all of our boxes. Just a 13-minute drive to the Disney’s Hollywood Studios parking lot and a quick walk from Disney Springs, with nearly endless shopping and dining options.

As Hilton Honors members, my partner and I enjoyed a daily food and beverage credit, which was useful at the Citrus 28 Market. Here we could grab-and-go snacks during our park-hopping refueling sessions. The helpful front desk staff helped us with connecting our hotel reservation to our MyDisney Experience app, so there was no confusion at the front gate. This is important to do in advance for your entire party…after all, you don’t want to waste your 30 minutes of Early Park Entry at Guest Services.

After a restful night in our complimentary-upgraded 1-bedroom parlor suite, we had a bright and early 6:30am wake-up call. I sound crazy, but somehow I find waking up before the sun seemingly more bearable when the goal is heading to a Disney Park. Our first park today was Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Like just about every other guest heading to the park for Early Entry, we had one goal in mind…a no-wait ride on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.

We were out of the front gate of the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace’s guest parking lot by 7:00am. After a quick coffee run, we were at the parking gates of Disney’s Hollywood Studios by 7:30am. I recommend being parked no later than 1-hour prior to Early Entry, which today started at 8:30am.

This is when you get the “waiting” done for your day…you are waiting for the park to open, so that you’re not waiting in attraction queue lines later in the day. After verifying our Hilton reservation in our MyDisney Experience app and heading to the designated Hotel Early Entry gate, we were actually able to enter the park at 8:15am. This is where the comfortable shoes or Crocs (yes, Crocs!) come into play…the moment you scan into the park and enter the gate for Early Entry, you are now a certified Olympic power walker! Following a direct route down Hollywood Boulevard, turning right at Chinese Theater, down Commissary Lane, taking a hard and past the Muppets…you’ll end up directly into a seemingly vacant Star Wars: Galaxy Edge.

With a pep in our step, we walked from the front gate to Galaxy’s Edge in no less than 6 minutes, a new record for us! This positioned us as one of the very first parties to enter the queue for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Meaning this attraction was a “walk-on” for us, with no Individual Lightning Lane Required.

After a quick spin on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, we headed straight through Galaxy’s Edge, where we entered Toy Story Land and were able to get in line for Slinky Dog Dash by 8:45am. Before the park had even opened for non-Early Entry guests. By the time the park had opened for the day, we had successfully ridden two of Disney’s Hollywood Studios top attractions. Which can garner some of the longest wait times of the day.

My partner and I rewarded ourselves for a successful early-morning start with a hearty breakfast from Ronto Roaster. Later, followed by a 10:00am Mickey Premium bar, because rules don’t matter at Disney. We made it out of the park before noon, when crowds are at their peak along with the Florida heat.

After a quick pit stop back at the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace for some ice-cold Red Bulls and a change of shoes (a very important tip!), we were on our way to our next park, Disney’s EPCOT, with our park-hopper tickets.

I recommend staying at one of Disney’s select partner hotels with Early Entry benefits, like the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace. You get the best of both worlds, by earning loyalty points and capturing some of the same benefits as a Disney hotel, like Early Entry and proximity to destinations like Disney Springs. Early Park entry can be a great way to experience hard-to-ride attractions, like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Orlando. In need of further inspiration? Check out Kevin Razawich’s guide, Art of Animation at Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando Florida.