Early risers at Disney's Animal Kingdom are finding a different routine. The holding area on Discovery Island, where guests previously waited until official park opening, is gone. Instead, visitors can walk into most lands before Early Entry begins.

How it works now

Attraction queues initially open only to guests with Early Entry, meaning those staying at Disney resort hotels. Cast Members scan tickets at each attraction entrance. Everyone else can line up near the entrance or explore the land until the park officially opens to all guests.
There is one exception: before opening, only resort guests with Early Entry can enter Pandora – The World of Avatar. Other guests line up in a separate queue.

The second change this year

This is the second adjustment in a matter of months. In early July, guests without Early Entry were moved from The Oasis entrance area to Discovery Island to wait for the 8 a.m. opening. The new approach spreads the morning crowd across the individual lands. Disney has not issued an official announcement; the procedure was documented on site.

Animal Kingdom Reworks Its Morning: Early Entry Checkpoints Move to Discovery IslandAnyone hoping to be first at Avatar Flight of Passage needs to rethink their morning. Disney has moved Animal Kingdom's Early Entry checkpoints out of the cramped Oasis corridor and deeper into the park. Resort guests lose a little head start – everyone else gets a far more comfortable wait.