Just as an overview to the whole operation...
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://wdwent.com/
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.
) and I've asked and now know WHEN to leave etc. etc. but something has just occurred to me ... how does rope drop work? 
The maps help sooooo much, I am completely visual and do best with maps.
Thank you again!
