How to Rope Drop at Disney World
All the strategies you need to rope drop at Disney World! We’ll cover rope drop, early park entry and how to make a plan for getting to Disney to beat the crowds!
One of the things that I researched a lot before our 2022 Disney trip was rope dropping. Yes, it’s a thing. Yes, there’s a strategy behind it. And yes, if you are willing to rise and shine early, you most certainly will reap the benefits of rope dropping at Walt Disney World!
What is rope drop?
Simply put, rope drop at Disney World is the moment that the entrance rope is dropped and the park officially opens. When someone says to 'rope drop' a ride, that means you are ready to enter the park, or already in the park when the rope drops in front of lands or attractions, giving you a better chance at scoring a shorter wait time for your desired ride or experience. Note that this time is even earlier if you qualify for early park hours by staying at a Disney resort hotel or partner hotel. It’s also important to note that the parks may let you through the turnstiles before the park opens, but you will not be able to enter lands or attractions until the rope is dropped and the park officially opens or unless you qualify for early park hours (aka staying at a Disney resort).
Rope Drop: An Example
We rope dropped Animal Kingdom to get on Flight of Passage and had about a 45 minute wait (believe it or not, this is a very low wait time!). We rope dropped Magic Kingdom and walked right onto Pirates of the Caribbean, then rode the Magic Carpets twice in a row without waiting in line. We were enjoying our Dole Whips with 3 rides under our belt by 10AM, a true feat. You can use the rope drop strategy instead of purchasing Genie+ or Individual Lightning Lanes, or in tandem with these extra features.
What time is rope drop?
It varies by park and by day. Some parks open early (Hollywood Studios) and some open later (EPCOT). Be sure to reference the daily park schedule on the My Disney Experience app or Disney website. And, I recommend checking this the night before your park day so that you’re sure exactly when it opens. And, be sure to understand early entry times and if you qualify to leverage this.
What is early entry?
Guests who are staying at a Disney resort or partner hotel are eligible to enter the parks 30 minutes prior to the official park opening. It sounds like this is not a lot of time, but believe me, those 30 minutes can make a huge difference! We stayed at the Doubletree Suites by Hilton Orlando and were able to utilize this extra feature. Find the full list of early entry hotels here.
How early do I need to arrive at the parks to rope drop?
I suggest arriving at least 30 minutes prior to park opening. This will ensure you’re through security and in the queue to scan into the park the moment it opens. Make no mistake, there will be people lined up early and while Disney does a great job of moving people through quickly, there’s just no substitute for simply arriving as early as possible.
Remember to leave extra time for transportation and parking (!!!)
Depending on where you’re staying will help determine your transportation options and thus, the amount of time to leave yourself in the morning. If you’re driving, remember that you’ll need to park and walk to the park entrance, get through security and scan into the park. If you’re taking Disney transportation, remember to leave enough time for buses, ferries or the monorail. And, some parks take more time to get to (I’m looking at you Magic Kingdom), than others. So, leave yourself another 30-45 minutes for this situation as well.
So there you have it. All the tips you need to rope drop Disney World like a pro!
What do you think? Would you ever rope drop at Disney World?
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