parking lot opening times

[Rock'n Robin]

If I want to get to the parks at rope drop, and we are driving, what times should I be aiming for? This is the week before Easter and the crowd levels are all forecast at 10 so the early bird gets the worm, as the say.
The days we are going these are the opening times:
MK; 7AM, EMH (it is EMH every day of our trip)
AK: 8AM
DHS, Epcot: 9AM
TL: 9AM

I do NOT mind being there 1/2 hour before rope drop and waiting--it's much better than being on a bus wondering if you will make it. But we haven't had a rental in 9 years and I'm looking for advice from driving veterans,
Robin M.

 

[Inkmahm]

Be careful with driving for MK EMH. We were there March 19 for 8 am opening. The problem wasn't the parking lot, it was the monorail! The boat didn't start running until 7:45 am. The express monorail started at the same time (I only know that with hindsight as it started after we left the monorail station in the resort monorail and beat us to the MK). We were in a LOOOOONG line for the resort monorail and got to the MK just a little before 8 am. It took half an hour in the monorail line and there were lots of people behind us in line.

For the MK, I think if I did EMH again I'd consider using the resort bus transportation to get there.

But to answer your original question, I think they open the parking lot about an hour before rope drop.

 

[dacky041208]

You also need to be careful with the Animal Kingdom. I don't know if it is every day or once in a while, but a lot of people complain they only open the parking lot about 15 minutes before the park opening. Maybe someone knows why they open this parking lot later than the others.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

A few days ago someone had posted that AK opened it's lot 1/2 hour before opening, which would be fine (we would be in line earlier in the car). I was thinking that these issues (transport from TTC to MK, AK opening) would be different since we will be there at such a busy time--but of course common sense and WDW policy do not always go hand in hand. Perhaps they WANT more people to take the bus--we will be at SSR and this is a real concern of mine.
Robin M.