Accompanying Children during Magic Morning

[DisneysMagic]

Listed below is what I thought was a sensible question for the Disneyland Resort. However, the answer makes no sense to me at all. Please read and comment. Anyone else encountered this situation and if so, how did you handle it? We're certainly not going to send a 7 and 9 year old into Disneyland for Magic Morning alone. This is ridiculous in my opinion. Seems like whoever was answering the emails wasn't thinking. Perhaps I should call and speak to someone? After buying two AP's and two children's tickets that include Magic Morning, surely we must somehow be able to accompany them!

Original Message Follows:
-------------------------

VISIT DATE = 7.14.2008
Length of Stay: 4 Days

Detailed Comments:
My wife and I both have Deluxe AP's and will be taking our two
grandchildren (7 and 9 years old) to Disneyland starting July 14. I
have purchased Park hopper tickets for both of them for four days.
Their tickets include a Magic Morning for each of them. With us having
AP's, what is Disney's policy concerning being able to accompany them
during their Magic Morning time?

Disneyland Reply --------------------------------------------

Thank you for taking the time to write Disneyland Resort Ticketing &
Reservations.

Unfortunately you would only be able to receive Magic Morning early
entry if you are a guest at one of the Disneyland Resort hotels. You
would get this by showing your room key as you enter.

Again, thank you for contacting us. If you have any further questions,
please e-mail us directly at [email protected]. Be sure
to include your full name, order number, and e-mail address for future
correspondence.

Sincerely,

Disneyland Resort
Ticketing & Reservations

Please note all information is subject to change without notice and
should be confirmed just prior to your visit.

Received date: 6/23/08

[Danijo]

Are you sure they get Magic Morning entry if you are not staying at a Disney hotel? Perhaps you are thinking of Mickey's Toontown Morning Madness which you do get with a 3-or-more-day Park Hopper.

Otherwise, if you aren't staying at a Disney hotel, I don't think any of you will get into Magic Mornings as they do indeed check room keys.

[DisneyIPresume]

I don't agree at all with Disney's policy on this. If the child is 17 or under they should be accompanied by an adult. I know most 17 year olds can fend for themselves, but wouldn't you think Disney's lawyers would not want Disney to encourage people to allow legal minors into the parks without an accompanying adult?

That being stated, this is not the first time a 7 and 9 year old would be in the park unaccompanied. I have heard of people dropping off kids younger than that there. If I remember correctly many years ago an article in the Register saying that there was a 2 year old left there unaccompanied while the parents went to work. This is just terrible!

[DisneysMagic]

Are you sure they get Magic Morning entry if you are not staying at a Disney hotel? Perhaps you are thinking of Mickey's Toontown Morning Madness which you do get with a 3-or-more-day Park Hopper.

Otherwise, if you aren't staying at a Disney hotel, I don't think any of you will get into Magic Mornings as they do indeed check room keys.

Here is the info off the website concerning the tickets... note it says nothing about staying at the Disneyland Resort... these are tickets only...

• 4-Day Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® Bonus Tickets entitle Guests to admittance to both Disneyland® Resort theme parks over 4 days, including visits to both theme parks on the same day.

• The first visit must occur on or before January 5, 2009. All Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® Bonus Tickets expire 13 days after first use or on January 18, 2009, whichever occurs first.

• Each day of use of a Disneyland® Resort Park Hopper® Bonus Ticket constitutes one full day of use.

• Park Hopper® Bonus tickets include one Magic Morning admission for early entry into a designated theme park. A Magic Morning early entry admission allows access to a designated Disneyland® Resort theme park before the park opens to the general public. While not available daily, the feature will be available multiple times per week.

[Danijo]

Oh, wow, I agree that language really is misleading! I'd probably call them; not that I think they'll let you in for Magic Mornings but they need to update their website and hopefully compensate you in some other way.

(I have a 9-year-old myself and completely agree that letting them go unaccompanied is a bad idea.)

[Darkbeer]

Magic Mornings are paid for by the Walt Disney Travel Company and work with pre-purchased multi-Day ParkHoppers.

What Disney is saying, that just by buying a cheap "child" ParkHopper, you can't get the rest of the family into the park early.

This is a bit of a weird situation, as almost always, people buy at least one Adult ParkHopper when they buy Child ParkHoppers.

But the rules are the rules, and in this case, seems like the entire family needs to wait until official opening.

[thrax]

saying that there was a 2 year old left there unaccompanied while the parents went to work. This is just terrible!

if thats true then i REALLY hope those parents felt bad. thats a horrible thought!!!

[pattimelt]

Actually that's the "OFFICIAL" answer. Everyone that wants to get in for a Magic Morning MUST have either a 3 day or longer park hopper or be a guest at one of the DLR hotels.

BUT----if you go to the Magic Morning line and speak with one of the ticket takers or leads there, they do have the authorization to allow you in with the kids, even though magic morning access is not allowed with your annual pass.
Most of the takers and leads will allow you access into the park for Magic Morning without thinking twice.


Mickey's Toontown Madness is a separate event and IS sponsored by Walt Disney Travel, whereas Magic Morning is NOT.

[DisneysMagic]

Actually that's the "OFFICIAL" answer. Everyone that wants to get in for a Magic Morning MUST have either a 3 day or longer park hopper or be a guest at one of the DLR hotels.

BUT----if you go to the Magic Morning line and speak with one of the ticket takers or leads there, they do have the authorization to allow you in with the kids, even though magic morning access is not allowed with your annual pass.
Most of the takers and leads will allow you access into the park for Magic Morning without thinking twice.


Mickey's Toontown Madness is a separate event and IS sponsored by Walt Disney Travel, whereas Magic Morning is NOT.

Thanks pattimelt, that answer makes a lot more sense!

[disneychrista]

Their reply actually makes more sense most of the ones I have gotten. You asked their policy and they told you that unless you are staying on site then you would not be allowed entry. No where does it say that they allow the 7 & 9 yo to enter by themselves. You didnt ask that question.

[ralfrick]

Sorry, but you're wanting a perk that you haven't paid for, so I see no legitimate complaint at all.

Here is the info off the website concerning the tickets... note it says nothing about staying at the Disneyland Resort... these are tickets only...

I'm assuming that staying at the DLR because that's what an APer would have to do for EE. I believe, correct me if I'm wrong, that the tickets will allow one EE, but staying at a DLR hotel gets you EE any time it's offered during your stay.

A bientot.

[Laughin'Place]

The reply made sense to me. I'm not sure what all the confusion is about.

And I wouldn't think it would be fair just because you show up at the gate and make a big scene that they should let you in early just with your APs. Missing early mornings is the biggest drawback of having an AP and it shouldn't be a surprise that they enforce this policy. I get tired of businesses making exceptions for people just because they whine and argue loudly.

(I'm not saying you have already done this -- it's just a pet peeve of mine.)

[Burnt Toast]

Oh, wow, I agree that language really is misleading! I'd probably call them; not that I think they'll let you in for Magic Mornings but they need to update their website and hopefully compensate you in some other way.

(I have a 9-year-old myself and completely agree that letting them go unaccompanied is a bad idea.)

How is that misleading? It flatly says "Park Hopper Bonus Tickets"... only Park Hoppers that are three-days or more are branded as a "Bonus Ticket', two-days and one-day Park Hoppers are not. APs are only good during normal operating hours, Magic Morning is not considered to be during normal Park operating hours since it's a private event.

If you are staying at a Disneyland Resort hotel, then that's one of the perks for staying on property and you won't need a "Park Hopper Bonus Ticket" (again, three-days or more). The general public needs to have the appropriate ticket to enter, again a "Park Hopper Bonus Ticket".

If the "confusion" is from the original poster's reply letter... it clearly answers the question given to them about how they are APers and want to partake in Magic Morning, they need to be a Guest at a Disneyland Resort hotel as an AP to be able to enter during Magic Morning and show a room key. I probably would have gone a step further if I was the person who made the reply e-mail and put in a reminder that APs are only good during normal Park operating hours.

[BFJen]

We were staying at a Disney Hotel and our friends were not - but, they let us all in (as being part of a party) for the Magic Mornings anyway. So, I don't see that these people would have any problem, unless a CM was having a really bad day.

[Danijo]

How is that misleading?

I was comparing the bolded section that the OP had posted from the website to the original reply from Disney. Although I now see from the other replies that 3-day Park Hoppers DO allow you one Magic Morning, the way I interpreted their response was that ONLY hotel guests were allowed in to MM which seemed to contradict the ticket info.

Anyway, pattimelt seems to have answered the question best.