8:00 am vs. 9:00 am MK Rope Drop

[daisynan]

I recently discovered that the day we plan to be at MK has an 8:00 rope drop for all guests and not the standard 9:00 time. Does anyone have any experience with this? Is the 8:00 crowd usually smaller than the 9:00 crowd or is it about the same?

Also, we plan to go straight to Elsa and Anna at rope drop (since I was unable to score a FP+). What kind of wait are we talking about here? Not really wanting to spend our first hour in the park waiting in line.

 

[LaurenT]

As long as it's not a morning EMH, that 8 am RD will be even better than the regular one. More families will be unable or unwilling to get there that early and many families won't even realize it opens an hour earlier than usual. If you're at the tapstile by 7:15, you should be able to get right up to the rope at the right tunnel and, as long as you can keep up with the CMs, should have a very reasonable wait for A&E.

 

[kj2mom]

Our first day there is an 8am too but we are offsite so have to go through TTC. I have read that the express monorail does not start until 7:30am. Is there any chance it would start earlier with an earlier opening time? Afraid we will be too late for RD if we are still at TTC at 7:30.

 

[daisynan]

Thanks so much LaurenT.

Our first day there is an 8am too but we are offsite so have to go through TTC. I have read that the express monorail does not start until 7:30am. Is there any chance it would start earlier with an earlier opening time? Afraid we will be too late for RD if we are still at TTC at 7:30.

The Resort Monorail will be running probably starting at 7:00, so we plan to take that one. We are also off-site and will be parking at TTC as well. Last time we went we took the resort monorail bc we had an early morning ADR at Crystal Palace and the ride was pretty quick. Not many people at the resorts are getting on the monorail at 7:00 am. lol

 

[tobikaye]

I would suggest arriving at TTC about 6:45 and then walking to Poly and taking the monorail resort from there if the resort monorail is not stopping at TTC.

 

[kj2mom]

I did see the resort monorail started at 7 but I forgot MK was a stop (I had thought of taking it to the Contemporary and walking from there but now realize that would be silly...............totally forgot about the MK stop). Our MK day is the 4th of July so I am trying to not panic about the craziness and just plan the best I can. We are actually planning on getting into TTC around 6 which would hopefully put us on the first monorail (and if not, it is what it is). Thank-you!

 

[Robo]

On mornings when MK opens "REGULAR HOURS" at 8AM, the MK Express monorail will be operating an hour earlier than normal, as well.

 

[daisynan]

I did see the resort monorail started at 7 but I forgot MK was a stop (I had thought of taking it to the Contemporary and walking from there but now realize that would be silly...............totally forgot about the MK stop). Our MK day is the 4th of July so I am trying to not panic about the craziness and just plan the best I can. We are actually planning on getting into TTC around 6 which would hopefully put us on the first monorail (and if not, it is what it is). Thank-you!

Wow, yes MK on July 4th definitely means just embracing the crazy. lol You will still have a WONDERFUL time!

 

[nalajms]

Also, we plan to go straight to Elsa and Anna at rope drop (since I was unable to score a FP+). What kind of wait are we talking about here? Not really wanting to spend our first hour in the park waiting in line.

Last Nov I had an 8:25am CRT. MK went from a 9am open to an 8am open. We got there around 7:30 and we were towards the back of the crowd (after admission). Let let us start entering around 7:50. We walked with the mob to A&E, waited 25 mins to see Elsa.

 

[soniam]

The fireworks will be the most spectacular that you have ever seen, even if they aren't I remember getting to the campground on the evening of July 4th for my first WDW visit as a kid. I still tear up a bit when I think of watching the fireworks from across the lake

 

[kj2mom]

On mornings when MK opens "REGULAR HOURS" at 8AM, the MK Express monorail will be operating an hour earlier than normal, as well.

Oh really??? So the first express would be 6:30?? Perfect!!! I am really excited about the trip but nervous also since this is the first time I have rented a car, I am the only adult with my two children so essentially I have no one to talk things out with. You know how sometimes it just feels good to have that outlet? Unfortunately (but thankfully for me) you all are my outlet!! Seriously though, just trying to arm myself with knowledge and patience and then whatever happens happens!

 

[Tissa]

I arrived for the 8am opening at about 8:15 during our spring break trip. It was so great, I have a picture I took of an empty frontierland at 9am. We walked on every ride including 7dmt. As normal most of the masses did not start showing up until 11am. Then the wait times jumped like crazy.

We drive but always take the ferry and skip the monorail because it is easier to get on and off of with a wheelchair.

 

[LaurenT]

Just FYI - you don't have to take the express from TTC. The resort monorail stops there as well, and typically begins running 30 minutes before the express. You would stop at Grand Floridian and Contemporary and then MK. And if you're on that early and it's not an EMH for onsite guests, there won't be a lot of people getting on at the resorts.
This is what I'll be doing next Tuesday and Wednesday.

 

[Robo]

The resort monorail stops there as well...

We seem to have come full circle.


(Just like the monorail loop.)

 

[daisynan]

Last Nov I had an 8:25am CRT. MK went from a 9am open to an 8am open. We got there around 7:30 and we were towards the back of the crowd (after admission). Let let us start entering around 7:50. We walked with the mob to A&E, waited 25 mins to see Elsa.

That is exactly what I wanted to hear! Thanks so much!!!