Magic Kingdom Rope Drop Advice

[Nicole Murphy]

We will be at Magic Kingdom on Tuesday April 24 (so close!!) and have FPs for Space Mountain, Peter Pan, and 7 Dwarfs Mine Train. I plan on us (hopefully) arriving for rope drop and making our way through Adventureland and Frontierland rides. It will be my boyfriend's first trip and my first one in over 10 years, so I want us to be able to experience as much as we can.

We want to hit:
Pirates
Jungle Cruise
Splash Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain
Haunted Mansion

Can all this be done before our first FP window for Space Mountain at 11:10-12:10? Or are there rides we should definitely hit first and just try to get additional FP for the others later? It's a 9 am opening and I was kind of thinking we just do as many rides as we can as we come by them and then try to FP the ones we couldn't do later. I figured Haunted Mansion should be easy to score another FP for but the others I have no clue about.

Anything advice helps! Thanks!!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

We will be at Magic Kingdom on Tuesday April 24 (so close!!) and have FPs for Space Mountain, Peter Pan, and 7 Dwarfs Mine Train. I plan on us (hopefully) arriving for rope drop and making our way through Adventureland and Frontierland rides. It will be my boyfriend's first trip and my first one in over 10 years, so I want us to be able to experience as much as we can.

We want to hit:
Pirates
Jungle Cruise
Splash Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain
Haunted Mansion

Can all this be done before our first FP window for Space Mountain at 11:10-12:10? Or are there rides we should definitely hit first and just try to get additional FP for the others later? It's a 9 am opening and I was kind of thinking we just do as many rides as we can as we come by them and then try to FP the ones we couldn't do later. I figured Haunted Mansion should be easy to score another FP for but the others I have no clue about.

Anything advice helps! Thanks!!

No hopefully - make sure you're there at or before RD, preferably before.

It might be possible depending on how crowded it is.

 

[Nicole Murphy]

Haha I am certainly going to try! I say hopefully because it depends on my boyfriend's level of excitement to get up early and get going

 

[hes122]

If you're there in time for RD I would think that you could definitely get through everything but Haunted Mansion before your window closes. I'd then hop on the train and take it over the the Fantasyland station and walk the back path to Space Mountain. Adding Haunted Mansion to that mix makes it a little iffy IMO.

 

[RJstanis]

We will be at Magic Kingdom on Tuesday April 24 (so close!!) and have FPs for Space Mountain, Peter Pan, and 7 Dwarfs Mine Train. I plan on us (hopefully) arriving for rope drop and making our way through Adventureland and Frontierland rides. It will be my boyfriend's first trip and my first one in over 10 years, so I want us to be able to experience as much as we can.

We want to hit:
Pirates
Jungle Cruise
Splash Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain
Haunted Mansion

Can all this be done before our first FP window for Space Mountain at 11:10-12:10? Or are there rides we should definitely hit first and just try to get additional FP for the others later? It's a 9 am opening and I was kind of thinking we just do as many rides as we can as we come by them and then try to FP the ones we couldn't do later. I figured Haunted Mansion should be easy to score another FP for but the others I have no clue about.

Anything advice helps! Thanks!!

As long as you're there for RD it's for sure doable. You may have to decide Haunted Mansion vs Jungle Cruise at worst and then attempt a 4th FP for the one you may have to skip (both are typically available if you burn your other 3 early enough). Like previous poster said ld get there preferably before RD, like 30 min before and you should be fine since you won't be bull rushing Fantasyland like most people.

I would do Splash Mountain and BTMR first and then work your way around to Pirates and Jungle Cruise for a smooth-ish progression to SM FP. Remember, you just have to be there for your FP by 1210, so that gives you a solid 3 hours. If there's time to squeeze Haunted Mansion then go ahead. Just factor the extra walking too.

 

[RJstanis]

If you're there in time for RD I would think that you could definitely get through everything but Haunted Mansion before your window closes. I'd then hop on the train and take it over the the Fantasyland station and walk the back path to Space Mountain. Adding Haunted Mansion to that mix makes it a little iffy IMO.

This is a good strategy too but just remember the train saves your feet, not necessarily time.

 

[jeffg4]

This is a good strategy too but just remember the train saves your feet, not necessarily time.

Yes - the train is NEVER faster than walking unless you are walking extremely slow.

 

[piratepride]

I'd start at BTMR & Splash and than work back to Pirates and Jungle Cruise. Maybe hit HM later in the day or ride it with a 4TH FP later in the day.

 

[rexmism]

I think as long as you keep moving, you shouldn't have a problem making your Space Mountain window with all 5 attractions before it. Remember they also give you a 15 minute grace period (which has been proven thoroughly reliable by this board), so you have until 12:25. The order is tricky, as all 5 attractions are prone to longer waits after an hour or two, and all but one of them have a pretty long duration. There's no great answer. I suppose my suggestion would be Thunder, Splash, Pirates, Jungle, Haunted. There will be some 20-30 minute waits, but I'd estimate you make Space by 12. Skip Haunted if you're running late and sweating it. You can probably get an extra FP later, or it's at least not going to get much longer than it is around 11:30.

 

[hes122]

This is a good strategy too but just remember the train saves your feet, not necessarily time.

That is true, however, I'm not a fan of traipsing back and forth across the park so anything I can to ease that (like taking the train) makes stuff like that more manageable.

 

[unrequited23]

We were able to make Jungle Cruise, POC, Splash, Big Thunder and be 10 mins early for our 11am Plaza ADR with 2 kids and 4 slow moving grandparents. With just 2 adults, I think you should be able to add in HM with no problem as long as you get there before RD.

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

Yes! How do I know? Because I've done it...in two different ways. Lol. You essentially have until 12ish to get everything done. MK opens Main Street at 8 am with 9 am official opening. Make sure you are lined up by the Adventureland entrance about 15 minutes before opening. Head to Pirates first, then Jungle, then Big Thunder, then Splash, then Haunted Mansion. I have also done Big Thunder first, followed by Splash, Jungle Cruise, Pirates, and then used the cut through to get to Haunted Mansion. In both scenarios I was done with everything by around 11:30. You got this!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

If you were there about 15 minutes before RD I think you can definitely get this done. We usually arrive around 15 minutes before RD and get that done easily by 10:30-11.

I would go directly to Splash and Big Thunder. Then work back to Pirates, JC and HM. If HM has too long of a line skip it and get a 4th FP.

 

[Nicole Murphy]

Thanks for the great advice everyone!! I think we will head straight to Big Thunder at RD and work our way around from there. All of your responses were very reassuring for this plan. Now just gotta convince my boyfriend to get up early on vacation!

 

[rexmism]

Good luck with that! It's worth it! Rope drop is a bit stressful but an exciting adrenaline rush, too! Plus, I think pretty much everything in MK besides 7D and Peter Pan is easy to rope drop and pretty much walk on to. Lots of attractions to spread everyone out.
Just don't forget, you may need to eat lunch at some point.