How early should we get to the park for rope drop?

[VickiL]

I have the unofficial guide and it says to get to the park an hour ahead of opening time. Is this really necessary, or even possible with the bus service from the resorts? We will be going to the morning EMH, so that means the park will be open at 8:00; wouldn't we be OK if we got to the park by 7:45?

 

[scanne]

I think that's cutting it close. You have to factor in several things:

1. How long it will take you to get to the gate from your bus/boat/monorail.
2. Getting through the security checks.
3. Getting up to the entrance where the rope drop is held.

It can take 15 minutes just to get from your mode of transportation to the security check point and another 10-15 minutes from there, depending on the crowds. I don't know how many people journey out that early, but I'd wager to say that there will be substantial amounts of people.

I'd give yourself at least 45 minutes.

 

[VickiL]

Thanks for the advice! Being an ignorant first-timer, I'm going to ask another question: where exactly is the rope drop? Is there only one main entrance to the parks, or more than one?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

They "crowd" everyone after the ticket gates in front of the train station---and you wait....the ropes drop precisely at 9am after the characters have come by train to welcome you.

 

[VickiL]

Do they still do this when they have the morning EMH? Sounds so festive!

 

[lovewdwdvc]

Remember that it may very well take and hour to get from the resort to the "rope drop" location.

I would plan 1/2 hour from the entrance of the park to the rope drop. there is always something open to look at or some place to get a snack near bywhich is fun too.

 

[soccerchick]

Do all parks have a rope drop ceremony or just MK? I vaguely remember some little kid waving a wand or something ~ we couldn't really see from where we were. Then there was a second rope drop of some sort at the castle as you entered Fantasyland. Can anyone give specifics? Thanks!

 

[oogieboogie]

Every park does a rope drop, in MK it's the train coming in with characters and the mayor of Main St opening the park. At Epcot, it's the characters' double decker bus. At MGM it's the characters on one of the parade cars. At AK it's the characters on a safari bus.

Usually the ceremonies only happen on non-EMH days. On EMH days, they just herd you in to a specific area, do a countdown and CMs holding the rope lets it go and people are then allowed to do the mad dash to the rides.

Sometimes, when a land is opened later than other lands (like Toontown in MK) there is another rope drop ceremony at the entrance of that land. The characters come out, a countdown is done too, and the rope is dropped.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

And don't forget...if everyone else is allowing an hour, there's going to be at least 45 minutes worth of people in front of you at rope drop...45 minutes of people who are going to be headed for the same popular rides you wanted to score. That's a lot of people in line ahead of you. Frankly, I'd rather more people slept in...fewer people to compete with!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

but I'd wager to say that there will be substantial amounts of people.

I think you'd win that bet. LOL We went by way of MK then monorail to get to GF for early breakfast on our last day of our stay... and boy was that line long for MK about 45min before it opened that morning!

 

[disneyholic family]

Usually the ceremonies only happen on non-EMH days. On EMH days, they just herd you in to a specific area, do a countdown and CMs holding the rope lets it go and people are then allowed to do the mad dash to the rides.

that's not our experience....at MGM there is a rope on the street leading to RNRC and ToT....
when the rope is dropped, the CMs walking several abreast, lead the guests to the end of the road....they specifically tell you in advance, "DO NOT RUN, DO NOT GO IN FRONT OF US"..

we had the same experience at MK....there were ropes leading to the various sections with CMs who then walked you to the big rides (like space mountain, splash mountain)...

that was in order to eliminate the mad dash syndrome....although i can tell you everyone walks very very fast....

 

[Planogirl]

If you bring a bag, go early. If you don't then I wouldn't bother because you can easily breeze by everyone in the security lines.