MK Rope Drop confusion

[monagh10]

Hi all. This will be our first trip with the new rope drop process. I thought I had our whole plan figured out until I realized MK opens at different times for 2 days we are planning on going.

Day 1 (Sunday) - posted MK hours 9a-11p; Let the Magic Begin 8:55

Day 2 (Thursday) - posted MK hours 8a-11p; Let the Magic Begin 7:55

So on day 1 Main Street actually opens at 8:00 and day 2 Main Street opens at 7?
My kids love Crystal Palace and I know the PPO benefit is gone now with the park opening changes. We have an 8:00 Crystal Palace reservation on Day 2 but in reality Main St will have already been open for an hour, correct?

Please someone make me not so confused! LOL

 

[hiroMYhero]

So on day 1 Main Street actually opens at 8:00

Yes; perhaps as early as 7:50a.

day 2 Main Street opens at 7?

The park will open sometime between 7:00a and 7:45a. The park hasn't had too many 8:00a openings and for the ones that have occurred, the entrance opening time hasn't been consistent.

New Magic Kingdom Welcome Show & Main Street Opening UPDATE: Page 15 - Post #281

 

[menotyou21]

I talked to Disney Signature Services about this and they said the park would generally be open 1 hour prior to "rope drop". They did say it has been varying between 1 hour and 1hr 15 mintues. So it's possible Main Street will be accessible as early as 7:45am on a 9:00am Park Opening day.

 

[monagh10]

Thank you!

 

[cassie58]

Hi all. This will be our first trip with the new rope drop process. I thought I had our whole plan figured out until I realized MK opens at different times for 2 days we are planning on going.

Day 1 (Sunday) - posted MK hours 9a-11p; Let the Magic Begin 8:55

Day 2 (Thursday) - posted MK hours 8a-11p; Let the Magic Begin 7:55

So on day 1 Main Street actually opens at 8:00 and day 2 Main Street opens at 7?
My kids love Crystal Palace and I know the PPO benefit is gone now with the park opening changes. We have an 8:00 Crystal Palace reservation on Day 2 but in reality Main St will have already been open for an hour, correct?

Please someone make me not so confused! LOL

We always do CP as well, and of course loved PPO, but with this schedule, maybe you want to switch it to late brft and take advantage of early hours. We were able to switch ours during our week last time (due to change of park opening to 7 am week before Christmas which we were not expecting.)

 

[cubed]

So if we have an 8:05am BOG reservation on an 9am park open, can we get it before Main Street opens at 8am? What time should we show up for our reservation?

 

[hiroMYhero]

So if we have an 8:05am BOG reservation on an 9am park open, can we get it before Main Street opens at 8am? What time should we show up for our reservation?

7:45a would be the earliest they allow all guests who hold ADRs (scheduled between 8:00 - 9:00) to enter MK.

 

[gap2368]

Hi all. This will be our first trip with the new rope drop process. I thought I had our whole plan figured out until I realized MK opens at different times for 2 days we are planning on going.

Day 1 (Sunday) - posted MK hours 9a-11p; Let the Magic Begin 8:55

Day 2 (Thursday) - posted MK hours 8a-11p; Let the Magic Begin 7:55

So on day 1 Main Street actually opens at 8:00 and day 2 Main Street opens at 7?
My kids love Crystal Palace and I know the PPO benefit is gone now with the park opening changes. We have an 8:00 Crystal Palace reservation on Day 2 but in reality Main St will have already been open for an hour, correct?

Please someone make me not so confused! LOL

this is what I have seen going to disney 9-11 times since the new opening ( 3 or 4 times EMH)

park opens around 8 am ( depending on if there are things they need to clear from the streets, it may be a little earlier or latter)

park opens just a few minutes earlier on an EMH morning. ( some times not depending again on what needs to be clear from the streets, mornings of races this could be latter for all the racers to leave)

the new show has always been ( every time I have gone) been at 8:55 even for EMH. you are more then welcome to go back to see it if you like.

agin this is what I have seen when I am there other may have different thing happen

 

[Robo]

this is what I have seen going to disney 9-11 times since the new opening ( 3 or 4 times EMH)...

Yup. What you described is what has been reported numerous times.
That would be considered the "new normal," as far as anyone can tell.

 

[Sarahraegraham]

So for someone staying on property with a pre-RD breakfast of 8am for a 9am opening, they will let in at 7:45. Which means I should be at the bus stop by 6:45? Do the buses run that early?

 

[menotyou21]

So for someone staying on property with a pre-RD breakfast of 8am for a 9am opening, they will let in at 7:45. Which means I should be at the bus stop by 6:45? Do the buses run that early?

According to Disney CM, the buses begin running around 6:30am.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

Wow ok I am trying to get all of this written down. I think I understand, so Main street is now open and hour earlier to try and let ppl shop more. So a 9 am opening. Is 8 am (main street) but a pre park adr gets let in at 7:45 (so maybe still got that near empty main street shot?) I am sure we can't go ride 7dmt before the adr right even if it were a 8 15, 830 adr? Also, I see someone said the bus starts running at 6:30 will this change based on parks and the hours? How often will wdw hours change after they post them?

 

[Robo]

Wow ok I am trying to get all of this written down. I think I understand,
1. so Main street is now open and hour earlier to try and let ppl shop more.
2. So a 9 am opening. Is 8 am (main street)
3. but a pre park adr gets let in at 7:45 (so maybe still got that near empty main street shot?)
4. I am sure we can't go ride 7dmt before the adr right even if it were a 8 15, 830 adr? Also, I see someone said
5. the bus starts running at 6:30
6. will this change based on parks and the hours?
7. How often will wdw hours change after they post them?

1. Yup. (Main St. will open at 8AM on most days. But, NOT necessarily "an hour earlier" than the "MK opening time" every day.)
2. Yes.
3. Yes. (Get to the gates by 7:30-ish.)
4. In most cases, rides will not be operating yet.
5. Give or take, yes.
6. Only on the very rare dates when MK opens with a 7AM EMH.
7. Not ALL hours and events will change from those posted 6 months in advance,
but some will, and sometimes more than once.
And, some (MK closing time, in particular) can change the day-of.

 

[thornton0511]

I will add that for our trip they changed all the opening regular hours at MK from 9am to 8am, but they did not let people in an hour early despite the time change.

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We got there 45 min prior to the 8am rope drop and this was what it looked like 15 min later at 7:30. You can't really see it but the crowds go back past the turnstiles. At 7:50am they "dropped the rope" at the tunnels and literally people ran into the parks and down main street. It was very chaotic. Then we were all held at the hub until the the new welcome show ended and were escorted by CM's at 8:00 to the rides (7DMT for us). This part was very organized and remained the same as the old procedure, however holding the masses of people at the tunnels and not allowing them in an hour early at their own pace, nor having a rope of CM's escorting people down mainstreet was a epic mess. I do hope with future 8am openings they will fix this and come up with a different plan. I actually called guest relations prior to our trip to see what the procedure was going to be for 8am openings and was told they would hold us at the tunnels unless the crowds built up, at which point they would allow people in earlier to casually walk to the hub. Obviously that was not the case on our morning. Not a very magical start to a day lol but we survived.

 

[Robo]

I will add that for our trip they changed all the opening regular hours at MK from 9am to 8am, but they did not let people in an hour early despite the time change.

They do not simply add an hour to the "Main St. pre-opening" time when MK opens earlier.

Here's what to expect with the "new normal" opening procedures-

MK 9:00AM Open, No AM EMH: Gates to Main St. open just before 8:00AM.

MK 9:00AM Open, 8:00AM EMH: Gates to Main St. open just before 8:00AM.

MK 8:00AM Open, No AM EMH: Gates to Main St. open just before 8:00AM.

MK 8:00AM Open, 7:00AM EMH: Gates to Main St. open just before 7:00AM.


Point of order:
Making a phone call to "Disney" or "Guest Relations" will not get you accurate answers to questions about park and transportation operations.
You WILL get an "answer." It is the accuracy of that answer that is "iffy."

 

[thornton0511]

They do not simply add an hour to the "Main St. pre-opening" time when MK opens earlier.

Here's what to expect with the "new normal" opening procedures-

MK 9:00AM Open, No AM EMH: Gates to Main St. open just before 8:00AM.

MK 9:00AM Open, 8:00AM EMH: Gates to Main St. open just before 8:00AM.

MK 8:00AM Open, No AM EMH: Gates to Main St. open just before 8:00AM.

MK 8:00AM Open, 7:00AM EMH: Gates to Main St. open just before 7:00AM.


Point of order:
Making a phone call to "Disney" or "Guest Relations" will not get you accurate answers to questions about park and transportation operations.
You WILL get an "answer." It is the accuracy of that answer that is "iffy."

The response to my email question before our trip was to guest services and was sent a few days after my initial email.

Thank you for contacting us regarding the Walt Disney World Resort.



Your email has been forwarded to me for response, and I look forward to personally addressing your question. If you need immediate assistance, I am available Monday through Wednesday between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. EST as well as Saturday and Sunday between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST at 407-934-7459. Otherwise, if you would reply to this message with your phone number and the best time to reach you, I will be happy to contact you once I have received clarification on this issue.



Thank you again for your message.



Best Regards,



Jonathan Riggs

Guest Experience Services

Walt Disney World Resort

407-934-7459

I left my phone number and this gentleman called me a few days later after speaking to the park manager regarding opening procedures for an 8am opening time. He specifically said the the plan was to hold people until 7:45, but if the amount of guests arriving before that started to really congest the area, they were prepared to allow guests in earlier than that. It would just depend on how many show up at what times. Maybe you are correct and this guy was no better educated than just calling in and speaking to the cast member who answers the phone, but I was given the impression he actually knew, and was not giving me generic or incorrect info. But, based on how RD was handled what you are saying was the case. So maybe.

 

[RIdisfan]

I like the old show at the front of the park . I love trains and the characters above us . Love being with everyone and the fun of MK

 

[tanyaandallie]

I will add that for our trip they changed all the opening regular hours at MK from 9am to 8am, but they did not let people in an hour early despite the time change.

[/URL][/IMG]

We got there 45 min prior to the 8am rope drop and this was what it looked like 15 min later at 7:30. You can't really see it but the crowds go back past the turnstiles. At 7:50am they "dropped the rope" at the tunnels and literally people ran into the parks and down main street. It was very chaotic. Then we were all held at the hub until the the new welcome show ended and were escorted by CM's at 8:00 to the rides (7DMT for us). This part was very organized and remained the same as the old procedure, however holding the masses of people at the tunnels and not allowing them in an hour early at their own pace, nor having a rope of CM's escorting people down mainstreet was a epic mess. I do hope with future 8am openings they will fix this and come up with a different plan. I actually called guest relations prior to our trip to see what the procedure was going to be for 8am openings and was told they would hold us at the tunnels unless the crowds built up, at which point they would allow people in earlier to casually walk to the hub. Obviously that was not the case on our morning. Not a very magical start to a day lol but we survived.

This was our experience as well. For an 8 am Non-EMH last week. They let folks out of the tunnels and on to main street around 7:45. Then we waited at the ropes to each land until after the opening show. They do not let folks into main st. at 7 am!

 

[Robo]

-this gentleman called me a few days later after speaking to the park manager regarding opening procedures for an 8am opening time. He specifically said the the plan was to hold people until 7:45...
But, based on how RD was handled what you are saying was the case. So maybe.

What I said and what he said are not substantially different.

I said, "MK 8:00AM Open... Gates to Main St. open just before 8:00AM."
He said, "...the the plan was to hold people until 7:45."

I figure we're within 5-10 min. of saying the same thing.
Which for Disney is a virtual tie.

 

[cubed]

So where is the best place to head if you have a pre-RD ADR on a 9am open? We plan on getting there 45 minutes early for our 8:05am BOG ADR and want to know exactly which side lets people in for this. I'll try to get there as early as possible but in case we run into a crowd like the pic above, what do we do?