Rope Drop Virgin

[6loversofdisney]

I'm guilty of never experiencing this and if I did, I don't remember. I will not miss it on our next trip but what do I need to know? How much before the actual park open time should we arrive?

 

[samsteele]

Rope drop works well for me as I'm an early morning person & I can move quickly to a number of headliner attractions before my FP+ kicks in. A few things to keep in mind:
1) double check the EMH (extra magic hrs) schedule for your vacation. There are pros & cons to going to a park with EMH. However, if you decide to go, you will need to be at the park gate extra early that day;
2) I usually plan to be at my resort bus stop a good 1hr & 15 mins prior to park opening. So if a regular 9am opening, I am waiting for the bus by 7:45am. Usually the bus gets me to the park by 8:30am & after a quick bathroom break, I'm through security & in the line by 8:40am (or earlier). Lately, I've been staying at POP Century so your mileage may vary; and
3) there can be an exhaustion price to pay for rope drop. Some people go back to their hotel for a nap break in the early afternoon when the crowds are high. I don't like to waste the time on the bus so I keep motoring. However, I find it tough to stay awake & in the parks for fireworks. Always trade-offs

 

[Mflowers92]

Glad I'm not the only one who's never experienced this. I'm trying on my upcoming trip to hit the Magic Kingdom Welcome Show because I've never seen it, but otherwise not planning this in particular. Reading the way some people talk about rope drop though makes me question how I've ever enjoyed a trip to Disney World.

 

[samsteele]

Glad I'm not the only one who's never experienced this. I'm trying on my upcoming trip to hit the Magic Kingdom Welcome Show because I've never seen it, but otherwise not planning this in particular. Reading the way some people talk about rope drop though makes me question how I've ever enjoyed a trip to Disney World.

The show is fun & everyone should see it at least once. It is not long, so you have to decide if its worth it for you if you are a late night/park closer person.
If you do go, consider what rides/what area of MK you plan to rush to first. If you plan to try to get 7 Dwarfs Mine Train first thing, Peter Pan, Space Mountain, etc then line up on the Right hand side of the entrance for a faster & more direct shot. If you buck the crowds and want to see Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Big Thunder Mtn first thing, then line up on the further Left hand side of the entrance. Either way, you will be looking up to watch the Welcome Show & the train with character entrance. Enjoy!

 

[annemce118]

I like rope drop in MK as you walk up Main Street and the cast members are waving and saying good morning!

 

[CAS239]

I'd get to the park 45min-1 hour prior to park opening time to be near the front of the pack. The MK welcome show is done roughly 20 min before scheduled opening. And keep in mind that usually the parks open ahead of schedule. So sometimes they open 15-20 min before their scheduled to open so you don't want to be arriving 15 min prior and see the park already open.

 

[Robo]

And...
The MAIN reason to get to the parks very early is that most guests simply will NOT get up early on vacation.
So, if YOU get there first-thing, you can ride the most popular attractions before many other guests get there.

The rope drop "ceremony" (there's only the one... at MK) is just fine, of course, but the real draw for me is the lower attendance for the first hour, or so.
(That goes for AM EMH, too.)

 

[lizabu]

I like to be at the park 30 to 45 minutes before the park opens. I'm usually boarding the bus or boat to the park 1 hour before the park opens.

 

[lizabu]

I like rope drop in MK as you walk up Main Street and the cast members are waving and saying good morning!

Me too the happiest part of the whole day. They will high five you too

 

[Tinatheneedle]

If we are at GF what time should we be on the monorail so we don't miss the MK welcome show? And if there are morning EMH at MK, will there be a welcome show?

Thank you!

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

The show is fun & everyone should see it at least once. It is not long, so you have to decide if its worth it for you if you are a late night/park closer person.
If you do go, consider what rides/what area of MK you plan to rush to first. If you plan to try to get 7 Dwarfs Mine Train first thing, Peter Pan, Space Mountain, etc then line up on the Right hand side of the entrance for a faster & more direct shot. If you buck the crowds and want to see Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Big Thunder Mtn first thing, then line up on the further Left hand side of the entrance. Either way, you will be looking up to watch the Welcome Show & the train with character entrance. Enjoy!

I decided to be a contrarian this past March. DD18 and I were at MK for a single day, so were determined to get on SDMT first thing. We arrived 30 minutes before opening and saw a slightly thicker crowd on the right side entrance. We went to the left side and tried our luck. I was surprised to see that the masses headed toward SDMT evened out in the merge just past Town Square. We wound up being within the first 30 people on the ride that day.

 

[lizabu]

I decided to be a contrarian this past March. DD18 and I were at MK for a single day, so were determined to get on SDMT first thing. We arrived 30 minutes before opening and saw a slightly thicker crowd on the right side entrance. We went to the left side and tried our luck. I was surprised to see that the masses headed toward SDMT evened out in the merge just past Town Square. We wound up being within the first 30 people on the ride that day.

That's the way to do it. Just do the opposite of whatever the herd is doing.

 

[CAS239]

If we are at GF what time should we be on the monorail so we don't miss the MK welcome show? And if there are morning EMH at MK, will there be a welcome show?

Thank you!

I'd get on the monorail about 30-45 min prior to the park opening. The welcome show is done roughly 20 minutes prior but depending on the day, if the parks busy and you show up later rather than earlier then you'll be on the other side of the security and won't be as close as you want to be to the show.

If there's morning EMH it's done 20 min prior to EMH entrance, it's not performed again an hour later at regular park opening

 

[mrzrich]

The rope drop "ceremony" (there's only the one... at MK)

I have been at AK rope drop very recently and they held us back in front of the tree of life. There was an announcement, some fanfare and many colorful birds were released

 

[Tinatheneedle]

I'd get on the monorail about 30-45 min prior to the park opening. The welcome show is done roughly 20 minutes prior but depending on the day, if the parks busy and you show up later rather than earlier then you'll be on the other side of the security and won't be as close as you want to be to the show.

If there's morning EMH it's done 20 min prior to EMH entrance, it's not performed again an hour later at regular park opening

Thanks for the advice. Will do-just have to get the DH up and moving!

 

[Robo]

I have been at AK rope drop very recently and they held us back in front of the tree of life. There was an announcement, some fanfare and many colorful birds were released

AK used to have a "opening ceremony " with Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Pluto -and- Mickey.

Now... some birds.
Nice, but not a "show."

 

[DVCcurious]

I made it through bag check
Somehow I made it through
Which ride should I go to first
Should I ride Winnie the Pooh?

I am trapped
In the mob
I'm trying to get up Main Street
And Main Street looks
yeah main street looks
Shiny and new

Rope drop virgin
Dropping for the very first time
Rope drop virgin
Almost all the rides
Have no lines

Gonna ride all the good ones
Short lines are fading fast
Been saving my fast passes
Cause short lines won't last

Mornings are so fine
And they're mine
I'll be rope dropping
Till the end of time
Cause this makes me feel
Yeah it makes me feel
I won't have to wait to ride

Rope drop virgin
Dropping for the very first time
Rope drop virgin
Almost all the rides
Have no lines

Whoa....Whoa.....Whoa

Rope Drop virgin
oh, oh
Rope Drop virgin

Feels so good inside
Magic Kingdom
When there are no lines
And I'm riding

Can't you walk on Peter Pan
For the very first time?

 

[mrzrich]

OMG! TOO FUNNY!

 

[FortForever]

I made it through bag check
Somehow I made it through
Which ride should I go to first
Should I ride Winnie the Pooh?

I am trapped
In the mob
I'm trying to get up Main Street
And Main Street looks
yeah main street looks
Shiny and new

Rope drop virgin
Dropping for the very first time
Rope drop virgin
Almost all the rides
Have no lines

Gonna ride all the good ones
Short lines are fading fast
Been saving my fast passes
Cause short lines won't last

Mornings are so fine
And they're mine
I'll be rope dropping
Till the end of time
Cause this makes me feel
Yeah it makes me feel
I won't have to wait to ride

Rope drop virgin
Dropping for the very first time
Rope drop virgin
Almost all the rides
Have no lines

Whoa....Whoa.....Whoa

Rope Drop virgin
oh, oh
Rope Drop virgin

Feels so good inside
Magic Kingdom
When there are no lines
And I'm riding

Can't you walk on Peter Pan
For the very first time?

My new theme song! I've never done rope drop in my 52 years of life. Been going to Disney since they opened. I'm not a morning person. I sleep in, leisurely shower and dress (much to the annoyance of housekeeping) and wander down to have breakfast. Don't think I've ever made it to a park before 11 or noon in my life. Has never presented a problem before as we go slow times, or whats left of them.

Next trip, I will be doing rope drop two days in a row for my grandchildren. Maybe I will like it, but I'm sure I'll be needing a mid day nap.

 

[MrsJamesPSullivan]

It really is a nice feeling to be leaving a park around noon knowing you've gotten in a ton of rides without all the hassle and lines. We take a break, sometimes a nap, then head back around 3-4 and our evenings are more relaxed even if we go to a different park because we try to think of it as bonus time. Doing it that way works well for us.