Rope Drop-I know there are no stupid questions...but....

[tinker&belle]

Okay, I'm getting to the final stretch and I'm kind of starting to get nervous when I realize some things still seem kind of foggy to me...

I know at each park there is 'rope drop.' Does this happen at 9:00 (on non-emh days)? I keep hearing people are allowed up to points (the tree of life in AK for ex) before rope drop...but I'm not sure I understand. I have the visual image from the Rosanne MK show where they were on Main St....okay now I'm rambling...

Here is my question: If I arrive at each park prior to opening, how far will I be allowed into that park, and when do they start doing this?

Thank you for your help!

 

[Robo]

Rule-of-thumb is to arrive 30 minutes before scheduled open time, EMH OR REGULAR, to be among the first to be admitted. They tend to let you in about 10-15 minutes early for the "drop."
If its an EMH day, they will only do the "drop" for EMH guests.

The two "big" rope drops are now "cememonies/shows" at MK and DAK.
Both are performed during EMH mornings.
Both shows feature the characters with "speaking roles".
MK: at the trains station (with singing and dancing).
DAK: after your cross the bridge from the "Oasis" (no singing).

Epcot allows guests to "re-group" near Innoventions and CMs "hold" them until scheduled open time, then allow folks to go either way towards Soarin' or Test Track/Mission Space. There are days when the characters are at that area for the "drop".

MGM allows guests to "re-group" near the Call-Board.
There is a very breif recorded announcement (that "sticks it" to Universal Studios without directly saying so) and then everyone turns RIGHT, and walks quickly to ToT and/or RnRC.

At MK, if you have attended Cindy's Royal Breakfast early, they do have a rope to hold you from FL until "opening time".

At Epcot's International Gateway, there are reports of holding guests at a rope near the UK.


BTW, I don't subscribe to the "no stupid questions" idea.
There are PLENTY of them... but THIS isn't one of them.

 

[CDSTapisRouge]

Someone else can answer for the other parks, but I can tell you about Magic Kingdom...

Unless you are there for a Breakfast reservation, you will be allowed through the turnstiles about 8:30am. They will let you in the front part only, you can not go through the tunnels under the train station out onto Main Street. At about 8:50am they do the Character morning show from the train station to welcome you to the park and officially open for the day. Once that is completed they will let you onto Main Street. You will then be allowed to go up to the entrances for the lands from the Hub sections (Adventureland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland (at the castle) and Tomorrowland. The "Rope Drop" is there, there will be CM's there with the rope up blocking the land off (unless you walk slow enough to miss that all together). At 9am there is a welcome speil that is broadcast, at which time they will remove the ropes and walk you into the lands... The CM's generally stay in front to lead the pac so that no one gets hurt running.

Of course this is for a non-EMH morning and if you were to have a breakfast reservation they would let you in for that when you arrived and if you got out early you could wander Main Street a little bit or wait at the rope for the official rope drop.

 

[tinker&belle]

Thank you so much for the response. This is very helpful. It was kind of what I had pieced together, but it is so nice to have it spelled out!

 

[LisaDKG]

If it was a stupid question, I had it too! Thanks for asking it!