What time does the rope actually drop?

[Dominion]

I've read in various places that even though a certain park is open at 9am, that they actually let people in earlier than that, sometimes by as much as 20 minutes. Is it totally random as to how much earlier than the published time a park opens? Or are their patterns the parks usually follow? Strategizing for next week - we are trying to do RnRC and TT first thing without a FP+ and I don't have a good sense for how early we should really be at those parks?

 

[Robo]

I've read in various places that even though a certain park is open at 9am, that they actually let people in earlier than that, sometimes by as much as 20 minutes. Is it totally random as to how much earlier than the published time a park opens? Or are their patterns the parks usually follow? Strategizing for next week - we are trying to do RnRC and TT first thing without a FP+ and I don't have a good sense for how early we should really be at those parks?

All of the parks admit guests before the posted "opening time."
Arriving a minimum of 30 minutes (earlier is always better) before the posted opening time is a good rule-of-thumb.

Then, you'll be among the first guests admitted through the gates.

At all parks, guests are now being held, as a group, at ropes inside the parks until nearly the posted opening time, then they are released all at once.

 

[Dominion]

All of the parks admit guests before the posted "opening time."
Arriving a minimum of 30 minutes (earlier is always better) before the posted opening time is a good rule-of-thumb.

Then, you'll be among the first guests admitted through the gates.

At all parks, guests are now being held, as a group, at ropes inside the parks until nearly the posted opening time, then they are released all at once.

OK, thank you. This is helpful We're not exactly happy early risers, so we will aim for about 8:30
on those mornings.

 

[Robo]

Here's what's been happening with Theme Park Openings:

MK still offers an actual Rope Drop SHOW along with an inside-the-gates holding area.
MK Gates open approx. 20-30 minutes "early."
But, the Rope Drop show starts about 8:45AM.

MK's Rope Drop Ceremony is called "Magic Kingdom Welcome"

Again, guests are usually admitted through the entrance gates starting about 20-30 minutes before
the posted opening time, but must then WAIT just inside the gates, in front of the train station (near the "floral Mickey face.")

The ceremony lasts 6-7 minutes, or so, and starts about 15 minutes before the scheduled MK 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.
That one starts about 2-3 minutes before the top of the hour.
Which one you will see can be tough to guess.
----------------------------------

Epcot- Guests are admitted through the gates 15-30 min. early.
There is a "holding area" rope near Spaceship Earth -or- Fountain of Nations.
No formal "show." The rope is dropped about "opening time."
----------------------------------

DHS- Guests are admitted through the gates 15-30 min. early.
There is a "holding area" rope near Sunset Blvd. intersection -or- near Gt. Movie Ride.
No formal "show." The rope is dropped about "opening time."
----------------------------------

DAK- Guests are admitted through the gates 15-30 min. early. There is a "holding area" rope near Discovery Island area.
No formal "show."
There can be a very short "flight of birds" (macaws) over guests' heads that happens some time before they drop the ropes.
The rope is dropped about "opening time."
------------------

AM EMH entrance times seem to not be affected (figure entering 2-10 minutes before the AM EMH time, as usual.)
On AM EMH days, MK will offer some form of their Rope Drop Show
(may or may not be the "full show")
only for AM EMH guests,
and no show at all for the regular hours open time that morning.

As always, for better positioning in the crowds, arrive well before the posted opening time at all parks.

If staying at a WDW resort, plan to be at the bus stop about 45-60 min. before you want to ARRIVE at a given park.
(Arriving far too early beats arriving just a minute or two late.)
----------------------------------

 

[Miskey]

Here's what's been happening with Theme Park Openings:

MK still offers an actual Rope Drop SHOW along with an inside-the-gates holding area.
MK Gates open approx. 20-30 minutes "early."
But, the Rope Drop show starts about 8:45AM.

MK's Rope Drop Ceremony is called "Magic Kingdom Welcome"

Again, guests are usually admitted through the entrance gates starting about 20-30 minutes before
the posted opening time, but must then WAIT just inside the gates, in front of the train station (near the "floral Mickey face.")

The ceremony lasts 6-7 minutes, or so, and starts about 15 minutes before the scheduled MK 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.
That one starts about 2-3 minutes before the top of the hour.
Which one you will see can be tough to guess.
----------------------------------

Epcot- Guests are admitted through the gates 15-30 min. early.
There is a "holding area" rope near Spaceship Earth -or- Fountain of Nations.
No formal "show." The rope is dropped about "opening time."
----------------------------------

DHS- Guests are admitted through the gates 15-30 min. early.
There is a "holding area" rope near Sunset Blvd. intersection -or- near Gt. Movie Ride.
No formal "show." The rope is dropped about "opening time."
----------------------------------

DAK- Guests are admitted through the gates 15-30 min. early. There is a "holding area" rope near Discovery Island area.
No formal "show."
There can be a very short "flight of birds" (macaws) over guests' heads that happens some time before they drop the ropes.
The rope is dropped about "opening time."
------------------

AM EMH entrance times seem to not be affected (figure entering 2-10 minutes before the AM EMH time, as usual.)
On AM EMH days, MK will offer some form of their Rope Drop Show
(may or may not be the "full show")
only for AM EMH guests,
and no show at all for the regular hours open time that morning.

As always, for better positioning in the crowds, arrive well before the posted opening time at all parks.

If staying at a WDW resort, plan to be at the bus stop about 45-60 min. before you want to ARRIVE at a given park.
(Arriving far too early beats arriving just a minute or two late.)
----------------------------------

Please excuse the hijack, but something on map caught my eye and I want to be sure I'm seeing it right. Do you have access to the lockers by guest relations before rope drop?

 

[Robo]

Please excuse the hijack, but something on map caught my eye and I want to be sure I'm seeing it right. Do you have access to the lockers by guest relations before rope drop?

Yes.

And, just to be clear.
Those Guest Relations windows (at #9 on the map) are outside the park gates.
Access to the lockers is inside the park gates.

 

[Miskey]

Yes.

And, just to be clear.
Those Guest Relations windows (at #9 on the map) are outside the park gates.
Access to the lockers is inside the park gates.

Thanks! Have a costume for my niece to wear to dinner that night that I want to store in a locker instead of packing around all day. Glad to see I can take care of that while waiting for welcome show to start.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

a side note - during morning EMH at AK and at DHS during our visit in September of this year they did Not have an internal rope drop - they just let us all go from the turnstiles. It was every person for themselves at that point and rather wonderful (I've always liked the turnstile version of RD)

 

[Canuck16]

The earlier the better is always a good idea for RD.....we usually try and arrive at least 30-45 minutes before the scheduled park openings.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Friday at MK--we were walking through post-opening show at about 8:45. We were not held by the castle. We were escorted into fantasyland by the teacups to go line up for mine train.
We always purpose to arrive through the turnstiles by 8:30am for a 9am open. Lately, that even seems late as the whole area in front of the train station is filled with people. Though not tightly packed right then.

(For perspective, we try to arrive at TTC by 8am, though 7:45am would be better.)

 

[Disneymom2kiddos]

Are the rope drop times the same for Christmas week? I've heard that it is earlier, maybe around 7-730 am. I'm so confused! Thanks!

 

[Robo]

Are the rope drop times the same for Christmas week? I've heard that it is earlier, maybe around 7-730 am. I'm so confused! Thanks!

If you keep checking the calendars, you will see that Disney will move some of the actual posted opening times earlier by an hour
during the busy holiday season. On some days, that means a "regular hours" opening time of 8AM and an AM EMH opening time of 7AM.

There are also some days when they will open (unannounced) certain Epcot attractions to early-arriving guests about a half-hour before the posted opening times.

What will be the most advantageous to being able to take advantage of these things is to arrive early (I'd make it a minimum of 45 minutes) at all of the parks.

Quite literally, a realization of the phrase, "You snooze... you lose."

 

[Disneymom2kiddos]

Thanks!