Did MK yesterday, you have to do rope drop!

[Disney_Jill]

I LOVE the MK Opening show. It is the one that I do not want to miss. Thankfully we are early morning people, up by 6:30, even on vacation and most weekends. Only once did we sleep until 8 or so and that was after a full day at Epcot followed by a full day at MK (rd, break, and left at midnight). We were beat. We still made it to the parks by 9:30 though. We get up, eat, watch tv, and go.
I am guessing night owls can still enjoy a park with less crowds if they stay for the late night EMH or until closing. I just can't stay out that late. If we make it until 11:30 pm, we are falling asleep on the way to the hotel and are out like a light as soon as our heads hit the pillow. Those mid-afternoon naps/rest help a lot on days like that.
I'm glad you guys had such a great MK day.

 

[Ambassador]

We to have enjoyed the characters arriving on the train when the little delegates were younger. Now we try to get inside the Parks for rope drop at advanced locations, in the mad scramble to be first on a super headliner ride like Space Mountain. We take care not to mow anyone over, but it is like the start of a marathon!

 

[Jessica14]

I cried too at the MK rope drop last week! We were at every park either at rope drop or for Early EMH. It so paid off especially the day I had a terrible cold. We were at EPCOT between 8-12 and did everything we wanted in Future World and then I went back to POFQ to rest for the rest of the day. I feel like we had a full day even just there for a few hours because we accomplished so much.
Jessica

 

[skater]

Lots of magic has happened for us at rope drops over the years. Its not just the show, its the little things like cms standing outside the stores with the Mickey gloves.

And last year we were chosen at the rope to be the family of the day for Living with the Seas - lots of magic there .

 

[MichelleVW]

It is awesome! Everyone should do rope drop at least once at Disney - at the MK particularly - it is fun to be there early and see the opening show and the ride waits alone are worth getting up early on vaca - just once.

There are many things I have been alerted to by the DIS that I would have never "missed" because I didn't know they even existed...and this is one of them...Many, many people ARE missing something special, in my opinion.

I agree!! I love love love Rope Drop at the MK, so much that sometimes when I need a little pick me up I will watch it on youtube.

 

[peaches00]

Oh, and I think we were the only ones who knew about rope drop because everyone was huddled at the gate and we were waiting front and center and when they made the announcemnt, they all came running. I felt like the best tourist ever and it was because I read about it on this board.

i don't understand-do you enter the park first at rope drop or through the gate? and where exactly is the rope drop and do they scan your tickets there? thanks for any info!

 

[Robo]

i don't understand-do you enter the park first at rope drop or through the gate? and where exactly is the rope drop and do they scan your tickets there? thanks for any info!

There are different situations at each park.

But, common to all is that you will first use your ticket to enter the park gates,
then, you will be in (or walk to) the Rope Drop area.


Here's an excerpt from my Coffee Table Novella, "Rope Drop Wars: Ep. IV- A New Rope."

I arrive at the park gates 30 minutes before opening time at any park, on any day.

MK's Rope Drop Ceremony called "Magic Kingdom
Welcome" (see link below) is, by far, the best and
most elaborate.

Guests are usually admitted starting about 15-20 minutes before
the posted opening time, to WAIT just inside the gates, in front of the train station (near the "flower Mickey face.")

The ceremony lasts 6-7 minutes or so and starts 6-7 minutes before the scheduled opening time.
There is also a "mini" version (far less "hoopla") that lasts about 2-3 minutes.
There is also an "AUDIO ONLY" version (no characters at all) that lasts under minute.
Which one you will see can be tough to guess. (See link below.)

There is really only one more "formal" Rope Drop Ceremony featuring a presenation
with primary Disney characters.
It happens at DAK , and is called "The Adventure Begins"(see link below.)

Guests are usually admitted starting about 15-20 minutes before
the posted opening time, and they re-group to wait just inside the gates.
This "just inside the gates" info is new (as of Feb.2010) and I don't know if it is a temporary
or permanent change. (For years, guests would line up behind ropes set up near the Tips Board.)
I'll leave the info this "new" way until I hear otherwise.

The ceremony lasts 6-7 minutes or so and starts 6-7 minutes before the scheduled opening time.


The above two shows feature Disney characters with "speaking
roles".
MK: (called "Magic Kingdom Welcome") at the train
station (with lots singing and
dancing, and a guest family).
DAK: (called "The Adventure Begins") just inside the Main Gates (no singing, but cute).

Epcot allows guests to "re-group" near Innoventions
and, on certain mornings, some of the characters show up
to quietly shake hands with a few of the folks standing at the rope.
CMs "hold" guests until scheduled open time, then
allow folks to go either way towards Soarin' or Test
Track/Mission Space.

At DHS the CMs usually have ropes across the street near the
Call-board/Tips-board/Starring Rolls eatery.

There may be a short (about 3-4 minutes) "show" which
will include a couple of*DHS "Streetmosphere" characters,
and a few selected Guests from the waiting crowd.
After a brief "set-up" and countdown, the
ropes are dropped and everyone walks briskly
STRAIGHT AHEAD (with CM escorts)
towards the new Toy Story Midway Mania...
or turns RIGHT, and walks
briskly (with CM escorts) to ToT and/or RnRC.

At MK, if you have attended Cindy's Royal Breakfast
early, they do have a rope to hold you from FL until
"opening time".

If (IF) they perform a Rope Drop Ceremony at a given park, it will ONLY be ONCE per day (not twice.)

They might not perform it at all.

If (IF) they do perform a Rope Drop Ceremony at a given park on an AM EMH day, it will ONLY be performed for the EMH opening crowd and not at the "regular" opening time that day.

If (IF) they do perform a Rope Drop Ceremony at a given park, it will begin about 5-8 minutes before the scheduled opening time.

But, guests will be let into the park about 10-20 minutes before the scheduled opening time to get ready for the Rope Drop Ceremony.

To see if they will be performing the ceremony, look at the Steve Soares site.
(see link below)

Note: Like everything else at WDW, not EVERYTHING will
happen the same way or the same time (or even happen
at all) every day.
The best you can hope for is for what USUALLY happens.

Rope Drops are no exception to this.

I never miss being there before opening, EMH or
regular, but not just because of the "Rope Drop
Ceremonies"... its because you can do SO MUCH MORE
before the throngs of folks (who simply will NOT get
up early on vacation, bless their sleepy little
hearts) arrive later in the mornings.

---------------------------------------------

LINK Below-


The following site posts the stage shows, in-park and
other on-property shows and their times for the
CURRENT week.
(It is updated every weekend.)
The times may be "similar" for other dates as well.

Near the top of the page,
click on the colored links for the various
parks
and their show times.

http://pages.prodigy.net/stevesoares/index.htm

Be sure to check back to the site as the actual dates
of your trip get closer.

---------------------------------------------

On many mornings, guests (B) are held for Rope Drop near the HAT (#2)
before being released into the park at opening time (Regular of AM EMH.

On some days following Rope Drop, the CMs will direct guests to enter thru the "Alternate Path" via the Animation archway.

 

[formytinkerbelle]

We are not early birds either but it is kind of like Christmas morning as a 5 year old child. It was so exciting for us to get up that early and the kids were tired but that just meant they conked out in the stroller for 2 hours which was awesome. It honestly made the day. I couldn't imagine waiting when everyone else arrived around 10ish and fighting those crowds all day with my 2 little ones. we were so satisfied with all we accomplished by noon. Sure it won't be for everyone, but I would say you should at least consider it especially if you have little ones.

 

[LWatson]

We are Rope Drop people!!! We love it too. We plan on making it everyday for our trip coming up for every park...LOL.

 

[♥Tinkerbell♥]

Then, we took the train all the way aroung the park because we thought we'd do the back of the park first without realizing it wouldn't stop in toon town and basically did a big circle but lo and behold we caught a glimpse of Snow White at the entrace in a little hidden place directly to the right of the train station. We got to walk right up to herwith no one behind us and we took our time, got the best pics with 3 yo DD and I again had to hold back the tears from our magical experience. the CM said if we wanted to see the fairies to go right then and so we did and we saw the 3 fairies and 3 princesses with NO WAIT!

So this was just at the main entrance??? I would love to see them outside of the ToonTown tent... oh... btw.. were the Princess or other characters dressed up in their holiday gowns? or was it just their normal daily ones???

Thanks