This question is a bit more complicated than you realize. Here is why: The term "Rope Drop" is a general term used commonly at DLR and WDW to represent the moment the parks actually open and guests and are allowed on rides. Often there is no physical rope at all. But sometimes there is.
Further complicating this is some parks have different policies on different days. And all DLR and WDW parks now have early entry hours as a special perk to certain guests. So does rope drop mean the time the parks open early for special guests, or the normal opening time, or both?
So with all of that it is not surprising that some Disney guests have never seen a physical rope and others may have numerous times. But the term itself does not necessarily have anything to do with a physical rope. I am sure it did in the beginning but not anymore.