How early is too early?

[ccarolinec]

Yes, when I'm on vacation anything before 9:30am is too early.

I'm a morning person (I wake up around 5 am most days, 8 if I'm sleeping in), but am actually very jealous of those who can sleep in! Even if I go to bed around 2 I'll wake up around the crack of dawn

 

[ccarolinec]

This is correct. For MK Morning EMH only Fantasyland and Tomorrowland will be open, but most of the attractions will be operating in each. They are the best priorities for rope drop anyway, so it works. You can hit them both, then move over to Adventureland/Frontierland and be well ahead of the regular rope drop group.

I did this on my last visit and it worked wonders, rode 7DMT twice, SM twice, and some of the smaller rides before walking on most of the Frontierland rides. Sadly there were no EMH in the mornings for MK for my trip, but I'm alright with having a more laid back rope drop this time around.

 

[ccarolinec]

We’ve never been to rope drop, it just seems way too crowded and stressful.

We have ridden all of the rides on your list near the end of the evening, and the longest wait for any of them was 17 minutes for FoP last June. Most are 10 mins of less.

I for sure get the people who prefer to sleep in and avoid the rush that is the morning, but the adrenaline of speed walking to that first attraction really gets me excited for the day. Not everyone's cup of tea though.

 

[Sara_H]

I can't get myself to say HS and DTD is still that to me, not DS

Same here...definitely still DTD!

 

[AngiTN]

To me too early is before security opens.

 

[Klayfish]

10:30 for us. We book the first FP for 9:30 then hope to arrive by 10:45. Fortunately, the gate attendants will still let you in if you miss that grace period by a bit.

Yep, that's exactly us too. We arrive just in time to hit the back end of our first FP+ window.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Yep, that's exactly us too. We arrive just in time to hit the back end of our first FP+ window.

You got it. If you time it right, you’ll be at the 3rd FP right on time. Then it’s refresh, refresh, refresh for several more. The night ends with multiple rerides on the headliners after the lines get short.

Rinse and repeat the next day. I can’t imagine waiting outside the locked gates in the morning.

 

[Klayfish]

I'm a morning person (I wake up around 5 am most days, 8 if I'm sleeping in), but am actually very jealous of those who can sleep in! Even if I go to bed around 2 I'll wake up around the crack of dawn

We don't sleep in at home. We get up at 4am on weekdays and 7-8am on the weekend if we're lucky. Hence, on vacation we have zero desire to get up early. It's nice to lay in bed until 8am every day for once.

 

[Mome Rath]

Love doing rope drop and I get a ton done. The only frustrating part is waiting on that first bus...

 

[tinkerjo]

We typically try to arrive 60 minutes prior to opening and we usually try to choose EMH mornings. We were the second family one morning at AK (prior to Pandora) we really enjoy taking to the CMs working, talking about our strategy for the day, etc. but 1 hour is usually early enough to get a really good parking spot (we drive to all parks except MK) and be near the front of the pack.

 

[brockash]

It really depends on whether it's important for you to be FIRST in, or just in the first wave. If you want to be in the first group - plan on 90 minutes before opening for HS and AK, an hour before for MK and Epcot. If it's important to be FIRST in, add 30-45 minutes to that.

Bus service starts 45 minutes before park opening, so if you want to be there earlier you would have to get an Uber or Lyft.

Buses start well before the 45 mins prior to park open they advertise. On average I'd say park buses start around 615/630 no matter the opening time. You should not need to uber just to be in the first wave of folks there.

 

[pens4821]

Other than AK, I don't think getting there super early for the rides you want to do is all that necessary. You should be able to easily get on the rides almost walk on getting there 15-30 minutes before opening.

 

[Kerriowl]

Two years ago, we got to AK at about 6:20 for an 8am opening. It was day 6 of Pandora being open. We were the first ones there and had some lovely conversations with the security guards before they opened the security check lines. One of my favorite memories of that trip.

 

[ccarolinec]

Other than AK, I don't think getting there super early for the rides you want to do is all that necessary. You should be able to easily get on the rides almost walk on getting there 15-30 minutes before opening.

Exactly what I was thinking, since AK is the only day I'm following the masses.

 

[ccarolinec]

Two years ago, we got to AK at about 6:20 for an 8am opening. It was day 6 of Pandora being open. We were the first ones there and had some lovely conversations with the security guards before they opened the security check lines. One of my favorite memories of that trip.

It's moments like these and the quietness of the parks in the morning that make rope drop my favorite.