How early to arrive for rope drop?

[disney144]

how long before a park opens do you plan to arrive? How long before opening do you get to the bus stop?

 

[EdmondD]

There are dozens of variables beyond your basic question. But if we're assuming a regular, standard, non-EMH, non-AK (at the moment), etc. day with park open at 9, ideally we are there by 8:30-40, in anticipation of potential 8:45ish opening. That means going out to the bus stop by 8, assuming a 10-minute wait and 20-minute ride.

 

[Robo]

That depends on the PARK, and the DATE.

Rule of thumb:
Be at the resort bus stop 60-75 minutes before Rope Drop, plus or minus 45 minutes, depending on, well, EVERYTHING.

 

[disney144]

Thanks for the estimates. For a first time trip, we won't be knowing every caveat and every special situation, so an estimate is just perfect!

 

[EdmondD]

Thanks for the estimates. For a first time trip, we won't be knowing every caveat and every special situation, so an estimate is just perfect!

Understood! You do know the ins-and-outs of Extra Magic Hours, yes?

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

In general if its not a terribly busy time of year I arrive at the parks a solid 30 minutes prior to opening.
I tend to get to the bus stop 45-60 minutes prior to park opening depending on which resort I am staying at and which park I am headed to.

 

[sbrost13]

We're at Disney now staying at Coronado Springs. We do the park with the 8:00am EMH, so Thursday and Friday mornings we were at the bus stop by 6:45am. Unfortunately both days that was a bust!

Thursday we were headed to EPCOT, and we saw 3 Magic Kingdom busses, 2 Hollywood Studios busses and 2 Animal Kingdom busses before we were picked up at 7:25.

Friday we were headed to Magic Kingdom for their 8:00am opening and we saw Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom busses before we were picked up at 7:20am.

Even though we weren't right at the front of the rope drop pack, things ended up great in both parks! The caveat to that is we were not trying to do Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at rope drop (we did Space Mountain). Otherwise, we probably would have had a little bit of a wait.

 

[Disney4meandmyfam]

Wow. I didn't think the Dwarves Mine Cart Ride would still be this popular. We are going in November. I guess we'll use a FP for that one!

 

[CAS239]

When we rope drop we plan to be at the park 60 min prior to park opening. If I'm waiting at all before the park opens it needs to be worth it and be towards the front of the crowd