Disney World Rope Drop: Why It is Important to Arrive Before the Disney Theme Parks Open
One of the best Disney World tips you will ever receive for avoiding long lines is to arrive at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom or Disney's Hollywood Studios theme parks before they open for the day. Sometimes park opening is called arriving before "rope drop" because cast members (Disney employees) may hold ropes across the entrance of the theme parks - once the park opens, they may lower the rope or they may require guests to stay behind the rope and walk at a safe speed until you get a little ways into the park.
Why Is Getting to the Theme Parks Early a Big Deal?
The Disney World and Universal Orlando theme parks are at their least crowded in the first hour or two of the day.
It is so much better to arrive early and take a mid-day break than to arrive late and get in line behind everyone else. During summer months, it is great if you can get to the parks at least 30 minutes prior to park opening, though 45 minutes is better.
Wondering if it really makes a difference? Here are a list of stand-by times at Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom for a day where, on a scale of one-to-ten, the crowds were a seven (7) which is moderately high but not peak level.
Space Mountain Stand-by Times:
9:00AM (park opening): 16 minutes
10:00AM: 41 minutes
11:00AM: 70 minutes
12:00PM: 70 minutes
3:00PM: 86 minutes (longest lines of the day)
4PM to 9PM: 74 - 82 minutes
10:00PM to Closing: 54 minutes
Source: TouringPlans.com
Don't you agree that a 16-minute line is just so much nicer than an 86-minute line?
If you decide to buy Genie+, you can - and should - use it to minimize lines. Getting to the park before it opens will let you experience those attractions that don't offer Genie+, or sell out quickly, in a timely fashion. You can also enjoy less popular attractions, live entertainment and large capacity attractions in the middle of the day when the lines and heat are at their worst. Another good tactic is to head back to your resort mid-day to enjoy a swim and catch a nap to make up for that sleep you missed in the morning and then come back to the parks later in the day.
But Why Do We Have to Arrive So Much Earlier than Park Opening?
Arriving 30 to 45 minutes ahead of park opening may seem a bit extreme until you remember that there are somethings you have to do before they let you into the parks and getting from the parking lot or your Disney transportation stop to the front gates will take some time. You'll also have to pass through the security check point and admission turnstiles before entering the park.
Disney Theme Park Security Point - Bag Check.
Bag Check: It will save time if you have all of the compartments on your bags, purse, and camera bag opened and ready to go. Weapons are prohibited, of course, as well as glass containers and alcoholic beverages.
Tip: Take a minute to scan the security and admission lines ahead of you as they aren't always equally busy. Look for families with lots of kids and bags that might cause one line to be shower than the others. Depending on traffic flow, lines on the edges or on one side or the other may be lower than those in the center.
Have A Plan for Your First Rides and Attractions of the Day
If you're going to the effort of getting to the theme parks early, you'll definitely want to have a plan for at least the first few attractions you want to hit as soon as the park opens. Ideally, you should also have a park map in hand and know where the rides are located. If you don't know where you're headed, you'll feel stressed and you may get trampled by a determined guest pushing a stroller while you try to figure it out. Click here to read more about theme park touring plans.
Every one of our clients gets theme park touring plans and a packet FULL of tips and information designed to help you have a better time in the parks. We tell you the best quick-service restaurants, "don't miss" live entertainment recommendations, fun freebies for each park, and more. Our hope is that these resources will make it easy for you to have a better Disney World experience...better food, shorter lines, and more happy memories. The best part is there is no extra cost when you book your trip through us.
Don't Miss Out on Great Experiences at Disney World!
We want to help you have the most wonderful, most memorable Disney vacation possible. We know that giving you good, up-to-date information and a few simple tools will make a huge difference in your Disney vacation. Long lines become shorter lines and you will have great memories of shared experiences instead of missed opportunities. That's why we're called Build A Better Mouse Trip.
Here’s How We Help You Have A Great Vacation:
Your travel agent – You have one agent from start-to-finish who knows your name and your priorities and who wants to do everything possible to help you have a wonderful experience.
“Best Days” Vacation Planning – We’ll help you pick the best park for each day based on hours and expected crowd levels then we help with dining reservations and understanding which Disney Genie+ and individual Lightning Lane selections might be right for you.
Saving Money – Of course we watch for discounts and promotion and automatically apply the best available offer to your reservation but we also help you avoid up-sells and options you won’t use.
We Are Fee-Free - We book directly through Disney and we never charge a service fee so you never pay any extra to use our services when you book your trip through us. You can have all the benefits Disney offers PLUS all the services we offer.
Magic Kingdom Main Street & Welcome Show
The Magic Kingdom will often allow people to enter the Main Street area prior to park opening. The shops, guest services at City Hall, and some food options may be open but you will not be able to go beyond the castle hub until park opening. Cinderella Castle has a short but sweet little "Welcome Show" each morning just prior to park opening. It is a cute way to start your day.
TIP: Work your way as far forward as possible. You may get farther by walking using the sidewalks instead of the center of Main Street or try going through the shops on the left side, as you face the castle, of the street. The people you pass are the people who will be behind you in line once the park opens.
What should You Ride First?
Disney has replaced FastPass with Lightning Lanes. The two main ways people can use the Lightning Lane to minimize waits is to purchase Genie+ which allows you to use the Lightning Lane for quite a few lines or to purchase up to two “Individual Lightning Lane Selections” per day. If you don’t want purchase these, getting to the park well before it opens and being in the first wave of riders is your best tactic for riding these attractions with minimal lines. Even arriving at the scheduled opening time can mean a long wait if the park unofficially opened earlier. Here are the current attractions that benefit from early arrival if you don’t have Genie+:
Disney’s Hollywood Studios - Slinky Dog Dash or Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run but only if you are in the first wave of riders. Tower of Terror or Rock ‘n Roller Coaster are other good choices.
Magic Kingdom - Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Peter Pan’s Flight, or Space Mountain