Getting to Disney World early enough to rope drop is the best way to guarantee that you’ll ride at least one attraction with little to no wait time. But, it’s not always as simple as it seems. Rope dropping involves some careful planning. And, if you’re staying at a Disney World Resort hotel, you have even more early morning time to take advantage of thanks to Early Theme Park Entry. So, should you rope drop? How does Early Theme Park Entry impact your rope drop plans? And, what rides should you prioritize? We’ve got the answers and more!

What is Disney World Rope Drop?

If you’re planning a visit to Walt Disney World, you may have heard the term “rope drop” thrown around. But what exactly is Disney World Rope Drop? Simply put, it’s the official opening time of the parks when you’re able to enter all of the areas of the theme parks and start riding attractions.

While there are actual ropes that block off parts of the park (so a rope is actually “dropping”), you are actually allowed to enter the parks before the official park opening time. So, you can get through the gates, but then you’ll be gathered with other guests towards the front of the park before the “rope drops” and Cast Members allow you to enter the rest of the park.

So, you actually have to get to the parks earlier than the time they open to rope drop.

Rope dropping is a great way to beat the crowds and experience some of the most popular attractions with shorter wait times. It’s also a good time to take advantage of the lower temperatures and snap some photos before the park gets too busy.

How Do You Rope Drop in Disney World?

Rope dropping in Disney World isn’t as easy as it might seem and involves a bit of planning (and alarms!). To rope drop, you’ll need to be in the park by the time that it officially opens for the day. So, the first step is to check the park hours for the park where you plan to start your day.

Once you know when it opens, you’ll want to plan to be parked (or off Disney transportation) about 30-45 minutes prior. This will give you enough time to get through security and enter the park. The earlier you get into the park, the better positioning you will have for when the rope drops at park opening.

Before the rope officially drops, decide which attraction or area of the park you want to head to first. This will help you avoid getting lost in the crowds and wasting time. And, once the rope does “drop,” you’ll need to move quickly once you can get into the rest of the park. So, be ready to walk quickly (don’t run!). Remember, the first hour or two after rope drop is typically the least crowded time of day, so take advantage of it.

What Time is Rope Drop?

Disney World rope drop is when the park officially opens for the day. So, if Magic Kingdom opens at 9AM, rope drop is at 9AM. The exact time of rope drop varies depending on the park and the time of year. Generally, here’s when you can expect each Disney World theme park to open:

• Magic Kingdom – between 8AM-9AM
• EPCOT – between 9AM-10AM
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios – between 8AM-9AM
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom – between 8AM-9AM

We recommend checking the park schedule on Disney’s website or the My Disney Experience app before you visit to know the exact time the park opens on the day you plan to visit.

How Early Should You Get To Disney World For Rope Drop?

Rope drop may start when the park opens, but it’s important to plan to be at the park well before the official opening to take advantage of the morning. Generally, we recommend getting to the park about 30-45 minutes prior to park opening so that you can get through security and scan your ticket into the park. If you’re traveling during the busy season, plan to arrive closer to 45 minutes early to give you enough time to navigate all this with crowds.

Now, you also have to take into account travel time when it comes to Disney World rope drop. Disney World’s parking lots open 60-90 minutes before the park opens. And, Disney’s complimentary transportation from Disney World Resort hotels starts 45 minutes prior to park opening time. If you’re driving your own car, be sure to calculate in extra time to park and get to the park entrance. And, if you’re taking Disney transportation, get in line at your resort a little before transportation begins. Lines can get long, so you want to plan ahead!

It’s also important to note that guests staying at Disney World Resort hotels (and a few off-site hotels) offer Early Theme Park Entry as a perk for guests. If you qualify, you’ll need to arrive at the park even earlier to take advantage of the extra time you get!

What is Early Theme Park Entry?

If you’re planning to stay at a Disney World Resort hotel, you may have heard about Early Theme Park Entry. This is a new perk for hotel guests that replaces the previous “Extra Magic Hours” offering. So, instead of getting extra time in select parks on select days of the week, now resort guests can enjoy an extra 30 minutes before the park opens in every Disney theme park, every day of the week.

During Early Theme Park Entry, some of the most popular attractions are open for you to ride before the park officially opens. This can be a great way to get on them without having to wait in long lines later in the day. However, it’s important to note that not all attractions are open during Early Theme Park Entry, and the specific attractions that are open can vary from day to day depending on ride operations. Be sure to check with a Cast Member if you have any questions.

Who Can Take Advantage of Early Theme Park Entry?

Early Theme Park Entry is available to guests staying at Disney-owned hotels, as well as select third-party hotels that have an agreement with Disney. In addition, you must have a valid theme park ticket and a park pass reservation for the same park on the same day (if applicable).

Here is the FULL LIST of hotels that qualify for the perk:

Qualifying Hotels

Disney Resort Hotels

• Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
• The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
• Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
• Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
• Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
• Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
• Disney’s Beach Club Resort
• Disney’s Beach Club Villas
• Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
• Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
• Disney’s Pop Century Resort
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
• Disney’s Riviera Resort
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
• The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club
• Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
• The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Other Select Hotels

• Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
• Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
• Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
• B Resort & Spa Lake Buena Vista
• DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando
• Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando Lake Buena Vista
• Four Seasons Resort Orlando
• Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace
• Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
• Holiday Inn Orlando
• Shades of Green on Walt Disney World Resort
• Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
• Waldorf Astoria Orlando
• Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista
• Wyndham Lake Buena Vista

How to Use Early Theme Park Entry to Your Advantage

Being able to enter the parks 30 minutes before regular day guests can make a big difference in how many rides you get to during your day if you do it right. That’s why it’s important to go in with a plan!

In general, you’ll be able to ride one to two attractions during the 30 minutes if you get to the park right on time. However, don’t choose just any ride to head to first! Instead, you’ll want to go to the most popular attractions first to beat the long afternoon lines.

If you prefer a slower morning in the park, prioritize the coffee line. A lot of people wait to get their morning Starbucks until they arrive in the park, so the wait can be long at rope drop. Get in line here first if you don’t care to ride anything right away. And, if you want to skip the long Starbucks line, head to Joffrey’s. The lines tend to be shorter here and they have a great coffee and tea selection.

Transportation

Whether you’re taking advantage of Early Theme Park Entry or coming to the park as a regular day guest, getting to the park early for rope drop is crucial. And, transportation plays a key role in making that happen! Here are some tips to help you get to the park on time:

Disney Buses

Disney buses are a convenient and free way to get to the parks. They usually start running about 45 minutes to an hour before the park opens. To get to the park in time for rope drop, try to get the earliest bus possible. This may mean arriving at the bus stop 20 to 30 minutes before the first bus. This will help you get onto the first bus of the day so you can get to rope drop in good time.

Driving

If you prefer to drive to the park, keep in mind that it takes some time to get through the parking gates, park, and then get to the park entrance, especially during peak season. Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before the park opens to ensure you have enough time to park and make it to the entrance in time for rope drop.

Ride Share Services

Ride-share services like Uber and Lyft are also available to take you to the park. They can drop you off at the entrance, saving you time and hassle. However, keep in mind that surge pricing may apply during peak times.

Monorail, Disney Skyliner, or Boat

If you’re staying at select Disney Resorts, you can take advantage of the monorail, Disney Skyliner, or even boat transportation to get to select parks. These transportation options are convenient and often faster, which can help you get to the park in time for rope drop. However, keep in mind that they may not run as early as the buses, so be sure to check the schedule beforehand and know which parks these transportation options are available to take you to.

A Note on the 7AM “Digital Rope Drop”

When planning your visit to Disney World, it’s important to know about the 7AM “Digital Rope Drop.” This is the time when virtual queues open for the first time every day.

At 7AM, you can join virtual queues for attractions like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and TRON Lightcycle / Run. Make sure to check which rides require virtual queues and know which Lightning Lanes you want to prioritize before so that you’re ready for the 7AM digital rope drop.

Rope Drop Strategies

If you want to make the most of your Disney World vacation, then you need to have a solid rope drop strategy. By arriving at the park before it opens, you can be one of the first people inside and get a head start on the crowds. Here are some rope drop strategies for each of the four Disney World parks.

Magic Kingdom Rope Drop

Magic Kingdom is the most popular park, and as such, it can get very crowded very quickly. To make the most of your early morning time, we recommend heading straight to the most popular attraction you want to ride first. If you’re traveling with little kids, that may mean you start in Fantasyland. Or, if you’re looking for rides that appeal to an older crowd, you may want to start in Tomorrowland or Frontierland.

Here are the rides you should prioritize during Magic Kingdom rope drop:

• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Space Mountain
• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (if a standby line is available)
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Peter Pan’s Flight

EPCOT Rope Drop

EPCOT is a great park to rope drop because it doesn’t get quite as crowded as Magic Kingdom early in the morning. Because half of the park is dedicated to World Showcase, there aren’t as many rides to go on throughout your day, which can lead to long lines across the board as the day goes on. With that in mind, you’ll want to pick the ride that you’re most excited about to head to first.

Here are the rides you should prioritize during EPCOT rope drop:

• Soarin’
• Test Track
• Frozen Ever After
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

Disney’s Hollywood Studios Rope Drop

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a popular park, especially since the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. To make the most of your time, we recommend choosing to start your day either in Galaxy’s Edge or Toy Story Land. These are the two most popular areas of the park, so you can get the rides here out of the way before the lines get too long.

Here are the rides you should prioritize during Hollywood Studios rope drop:

• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
• Slinky Dog Dash
• Toy Story Mania!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Rope Drop

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a great park to rope drop because that’s when the animals that call the park home are the most active. Plus, the early morning is a great time to ride the park’s most popular attractions in Pandora – The World of Avatar before it gets too busy.

Here are the rides you should prioritize during Animal Kingdom rope drop:

• Avatar Flight of Passage
• Na’vi River Journey
• Expedition Everest
• Kilimanjaro Safaris

Comments

What is your strategy when rope dropping in Disney World? How early do you like to arrive and what are the rides you prioritize in each park? Let us know in the comments!