We were at MK by 9:00 am 3 days last week and never saw the rope drop, but we thoroughly enjoyed the park that early. Up until approx 10:00 am we were able to walk on all rides, including Space Mountain and Splash Mountain. Another tip we discovered was that Toon Town opened an hour after the rest of the park. When it did open we were one of the first families there and we were able to meet and greet all the characters before the mad rush. We were able to get pictures with the princesses, the Pooh characters, and the classic Disney characters all within a span of 20-30 minutes. I highly suggest getting there early to beat the crowds!