Park hours, rope drop questions!! HELP!

[twinmommyks]

After months of reading all these posts, I thought I had everything figured out, but now I actually think I'm abit confused about a few things. I know someone can clarify this for me.

If MK hours are 9am - 10pm, do the rides actually start at 9 a.m. or is that the time that Main Street opens. And if so, what time do the rides start? Do all the lands open at the same time? We intend to go to Fantasyland first since we have preschoolers. What time do the rides start there? Or what time is the rope drop? And does the rope drop mean that the rides are open?

We leave for our first trip to WDW in 16 days and I'm trying really hard to get everything organized and more questions keep popping up!!! HELP ME PLEASE!!!!

Bren

 

[Bob P]

Hi Bren,

All parts of the MK will be open at the OFFICIAL opening time. As for morning EMH, only certain parts (Main Street, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland) will be open.

Opening at 9 means the rope will drop at 9 and the rides will be open at 9. It will take a few minutes for you to get from Main Street to wherever you are going, so (except for EMH mornings) no one will actually be riding at 9!

Enjoy, and don't stress!

Bob

 

[SomePixiedust]

9:00 AM is the time the ropes are dropped at the entrance to each land. Main Street is usually open before that, enabling you to be at the entrance to the land you want to be at at 9. This is, of course, if it is not an early entry day. I am just learning myself about an opening ceremony where Mickey & co arrive on the train to open Main Street. I'm not sure what time that is or any details...anyone else?

:thewave:

 

[pjupton]

I was curious about this too. If you get to the parks early, WHERE do you get stopped these days?

I remember Main St. used to be open an hour before the ropes dropped in the hub, is it still that way?

We used to be able to enter Epcot, walk through Innoventions and eat at the bakery before rope drop, but the last time we were there the rope was up and we were all held back before going past Spaceship Earth.

I thought I remembered being allowed into the Oasis with the rope up at the bridge before the Tree of Life, but last time we were held outside the turnstiles.

Where are the ropes these days and what CAN we see if we get there a bit early?

 

[twinmommyks]

Thanks for the replies!!!!

Am I correct in assuming that we can enter MK and the other parks prior to 9 a.m. to get our strollers or perhaps grab a quick roll for breakfast? I know I've read that Main Street is open an hour before. Is this still correct? And is it the same for the other parks? I'm sure an experienced Disneyer will be able to help us with these answers.

I appreciate the replies. This is our first trip and we're traveling with 3 young children so I am the "leader of the pack", so basically if I'm lost, we're all lost!

Thanks, again.

Bren

 

[oogieboogie]

Everytime we've gone to MK, they've held us just after the turnstiles. Couldn't even get to the stroller rentals yet. Then they do the whole morning greeting/park opening song and dance then rope drop and then the mad dash begins.

At Epcot, they've held us back before the turnstiles. The turnstiles got opened at 9am and then it took several minutes to get thru before the mad dash begins. Another time they've let us thru all the way to just before Spaceship Earth and had the rope there, so you could get a stroller while waiting.

At MGM, they held us right on Hollywood Blvd (the main st) and held there until rope drop.

At AK, we were allowed thru the turnstiles all the way up to the intersection to discovery island past the bridge. They had the opening number with Mickey and Minnie in their safari truck and then everyone followed Mickey and Minnie to Kilimanjaro Safari.

 

[NCombs]

Thanks for the replies!!!!

Am I correct in assuming that we can enter MK and the other parks prior to 9 a.m. to get our strollers or perhaps grab a quick roll for breakfast? I know I've read that Main Street is open an hour before. Is this still correct? And is it the same for the other parks? I'm sure an experienced Disneyer will be able to help us with these answers.

I appreciate the replies. This is our first trip and we're traveling with 3 young children so I am the "leader of the pack", so basically if I'm lost, we're all lost!

Thanks, again.

Bren

This was not our experience last June. We were held at the turnstiles. Main Street did not open until the rope drop at 9:00. You could not get a stroller or any food until after the rope drop.

 

[Carrie772]

Hey what about the resort guests? Do we still get in an hour early or is that now considered "Early Entry" and will be dictated by the calendar of days?

 

[SqueakyMouse]

We found that being at a non-a.m. EMH park first thing or a non-p.m. EMH park last worked best this past week. We began our 10-day stay thinking we'd take advantage of EMH as we had in the past. WAY too many other people had the same idea. We found it better to sleep a little later so we could keep our kids up later. Twice, we had MK practically to ourselves after 9 p.m. What a magical feeling!!

 

[oogieboogie]

Hey what about the resort guests? Do we still get in an hour early or is that now considered "Early Entry" and will be dictated by the calendar of days?

Each day one park gets either 1 hour EMH morning or 3 hours EMH evening. So if MK opens at 9am and it's EMH morning, resort guests can get in at 8am. Rope drop happens at 8am then, without the fanfare of the regular 9am opening though, so no train coming in with the characters and the mayor of main st opening the park.

 

[momto2inKC]

We were at MK for opening a couple of weeks ago. You were allowed to go through security and the turnstiles, but stopped at the entrance (where the train runs over the walkway). They did the whole ceremony with the characters and then everyone just went in. I'm not sure what the rope drop is, as there was no rope drop when we were there.

 

[oogieboogie]

We were at MK for opening a couple of weeks ago. You were allowed to go through security and the turnstiles, but stopped at the entrance (where the train runs over the walkway). They did the whole ceremony with the characters and then everyone just went in. I'm not sure what the rope drop is, as there was no rope drop when we were there.

That was the rope drop. There are CMs that actually hold a rope to hold you in, then after the ceremony, they drop the rope and the mad dash begins.

 

[twinmommyks]

So if we want to get to Fantasyland and ride Dumbo, etc. before it gets too crowded, it might be best to walk to that land first and probably get our stroller rental a little later instead of waiting in line for strollers while others are heading to the rides.

A stroller is not a "necessity" since our kiddos are 4, 4, 8, but I know later in that day when they are tired, it will be very handy. So for those of you experienced disneyers, would you say head to Fantasyland first and worry about the stroller later? Our goal is to ride as many rides early and then take time later to tour the park.

Brenda

 

[Carrie772]

That is exactly what we will do. Our kids have just enough energy to make it til snack time at 11:00 and that is when we get a pretzel and a "kid kart". We have an 8 yo too and he likes to ride in it...thus it is a kid kart, not a stroller.

 

[momto2inKC]

That was the rope drop. There are CMs that actually hold a rope to hold you in, then after the ceremony, they drop the rope and the mad dash begins.

Oh! lol Well, there was no 'rope' when we were there. Just 1 cm at each opening under the train station. He just moved over to the side and motioned everyone in Maybe it was that way since it wasn't really crowded?

 

[maxsmom]

Ok, help me get this straight. On early entry days there is or isn't a ceremony and rope drop? Even though others are already in or entering early, just not an hour early. B/c I assume you don't have to be there at exactly 8. We are always running late now that we have a little one. Thanks.

 

[oogieboogie]

on early entry days there isn't a ceremony. Just an announcement that the park is open and GO. On non-early entry days there is a ceremony.

On early entry days, some people are there before 7:30am, some people come at 7:50am, it's all the same, you'll still be held before the train station until 8am. 8am precisely they let you in. If you come after 8am, then it's business as usual.

 

[maxsmom]

 

[twinmommyks]

Carrie 772, I think we'll be calling the strollers "kid karts", too. That's a neat name and one in which our oldest won't be "embarrased" to be riding in!!! Thanks for your opinion. I think we'll plan to make it through the a.m. without a kid kart and after our 11:30 ps for lunch, we'll go get one!!

Thanks everyone for your replies. I so value your info and opinions!!

Bren

 

[ssdeverell]

Hi Bren,

All parts of the MK will be open at the OFFICIAL opening time. As for morning EMH, only certain parts (Main Street, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland) will be open.

Bob

Just to add to this - Toontown does not open until 1 hour after the rest of the park. Also, some of the rides in Adventureland do not normally open until 1 hour later. Hope that helps.