How to rope drop Magic Kingdom from Fort Wilderness?

[CJK]

Hi all! Do the boats to Magic Kingdom only start 1hr before early park entry? If so, is that the only way to get to Magic Kingdom for free? Last time I checked, there weren't buses between Fort Wilderness and Magic Kingdom if the boats were running. We want to do Seven Dwarfs Mine Train during early park entry, which means we need to arrive really early. I don't think the boats will be early enough if they don't start operating until 1hr before. Thanks for any insights!

 

[bama_ed]

A bus runs from the Settlement Bus Depot to MK and back all day long on the same schedule as the boat.

For a 9am official rope drop time, the big boat comes to the dock about 720am, gets to MK about 745am, turnstyles open to Main Street at 750-800am to queue up for the early opening at 830am down at the hub and towards the spinning teacups. It helps to get to the boat dock or bus depot a few minutes early to get on the first bus/boat when it arrives. If the official opening time is not 9am, adjust these times accordingly.

IMO the 1 hr sign (if it's still there) is a holdover from when there was an opening show up on the train station and once the turnstyles opened, all was available.

Bama Ed

 

[CJK]

Thank you SO much!

 

[butterscotchcollins]

For the record we rope-dropped Mine Train this morning, through the tapstiles and lined up around 8:15 - later than I wanted, but it was only a 30 min wait from the line outside the queue. Without LL operating, the standby goes fast, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be first!

 

[bama_ed]

I followed my own strategy when we were there Nov 2022 (Thanksgiving time).

We were on the 1st boat to MK. Waited a short time for the MK turn styles. After going up to the hub and swinging over to the right toward the teacups, this was our wait/view.



But at some point during our wait, I turned around and took a pic of the crowd BEHIND us.



Honestly, if you want to be closer than we were that day, stay at BLT/CR/GF/VGF where you can walk up and get at the very FRONT of the MK turn styles. But for the rest of us, the FW approach worked fine.

Bama Ed

PS - I will say that the last 4 times we stood in the queue to wait for the early entry in front of the teacups, 2 times (half) they made an announcement pre-early opening that 7DMT was not ready for the early opening. [So all the crowd in front headed to Peter Pan]. All that to say 7DMT is not 99% reliable to be ready at the early opening. Roll the Dice, Play the Cards you get that morning. It is what it is.

 

[team bradfield]

We have never rope dropped, we're the sleep in type, but we do go 2 times a year, if we miss a ride this trip, we hit it the next, except DMT, what a waste of time for a 2 minute un-thrill ride, IMHO

 

[champagne&disney]

The pro of taking the boat is that there is dedicated security for the FW and WL boats vs the bus area where you'll be competing with every other resort bus.

 

[mco65]

We have never rope dropped, we're the sleep in type, but we do go 2 times a year, if we miss a ride this trip, we hit it the next, except DMT, what a waste of time for a 2 minute un-thrill ride, IMHO

I like the mine train but it does not live up to the hype. I do think its a must do if your not a park regular and are not sure if/when you will be back.

We rode it at rope drop a lot during the first year it opened but have since just rode it when we could and didn't when the que was too long.

 

[Colson39]

A bus runs from the Settlement Bus Depot to MK and back all day long on the same schedule as the boat.

For a 9am official rope drop time, the big boat comes to the dock about 720am, gets to MK about 745am, turnstyles open to Main Street at 750-800am to queue up for the early opening at 830am down at the hub and towards the spinning teacups. It helps to get to the boat dock or bus depot a few minutes early to get on the first bus/boat when it arrives. If the official opening time is not 9am, adjust these times accordingly.

IMO the 1 hr sign (if it's still there) is a holdover from when there was an opening show up on the train station and once the turnstyles opened, all was available.

Bama Ed

Thanks Ed was just looking for the official boat start times and I knew I would find you when I searched lol.