Ghibli Park - Questions about Ticketed Areas

I managed to score tickets to all three areas of Ghibli Park for this October, but I am a little confused by some of the details of the ticketing/entry policy.

The tickets to Dondoko Forest say "ticket holders are allowed to visit Dondoko Forest walking trail during the opening hours of the park on that day only."

I can't find any reference to these walking/hiking trails apart from another passing mention in the FAQ. Does anyone know where/what these trails are? Are they past any ticket gating, and is the language on the ticket implying you can visit them outside your ticketed entry time (without being barred from re-entry when you visit another area)?

Also, I understand you can't enter the ticketed areas before your assigned time, but how necessary is it to arrive early to line up? I wasn't sure if the queues to enter the different areas tended to get long (apart from the ones inside the warehouse which I hear can get a little crazy).

Thanks in advance for any insight!