What time should family arrive in the parking lot for best possible rope drop senario?

[EMHDad]

I understand the current schedule at disney gives onsight guests a time advantage in jumping on rides and trying to get 1-2 big rides at very low waits. However, trying to come up with the best plan for the next 3 days.
Tomorrow: MK 9am-10pm
Friday: EP 10am-9pm
Saturday: HS 9am-9pm

What time should the family arrive at the parking booth at each park? (Not what time does it open. I think that is one hour beforehand, right?) What time should they arrive to get the best possible start?

 

[Gehrig1B]

Are you staying on property?

If so Disney transportation will beat you if you drive a personal vehicle. If not, it doesn't matter as the lines will be very long before allowing you entry.

If you chose to drive the car, parking will open an hour prior to the scheduled park opening.

 

[EMHDad]

Are you staying on property? That is why we are trying to figure out timing for arriving at parking lot the realistic scenario of what it will look like to get inside and such.

If so Disney transportation will beat you if you drive a personal vehicle. If not, it doesn't matter as the lines will be very long before allowing you entry.

If you chose to drive the car, parking will open an hour prior to the scheduled park opening.

Not staying on property

 

[Gehrig1B]

You can definitely arrive early but resort guests will be allowed entry earlier, as you already know, so rope dropping, with the exception of Adventureland and Frontierland at MK, will not benefit you much. In fact, in most cases, after the lines grow with all the resort guests, they will become shorter later in the day.

But again, cars are being allowed into the parking lots 60 minutes prior to opening.

 

[Stacybaeasm]

I think what you are asking is what time do you need to arrive at the parking turnstyles to have the best chance at being toward the front. If the lots open 60 minutes before opening, you will want to arrive to get in the car line at least 90 minutes prior to opening. Those car lines form fast and you will want to be toward the front because it takes time with each car to pay or be cleared through and then park, walk to the entrance, and then go through security and the tap points.

 

[Gehrig1B]

I think what you are asking is what time do you need to arrive at the parking turnstyles to have the best chance at being toward the front. If the lots open 60 minutes before opening, you will want to arrive to get in the car line at least 90 minutes prior to opening. Those car lines form fast and you will want to be toward the front because it takes time with each car to pay or be cleared through and then park, walk to the entrance, and then go through security and the tap points.

Maybe we can hear from recent experiences because since reopening cars that arrive too early at the toll plazas are asked to turn around and return at the 60 minute mark to avoid long lines of cars forming there. I have not experienced this as we do not normally drive to the parks, just wondering what procedure is in place now.

 

[TigerlilyAJ]

What about arriving by Uber/Lyft at DHS? We can't come earlier than 60 minutes before posted opening? So only 30 minutes before onsite guests can enter? Or can Lyft drop you off and exit?
We're staying at AoA, but I don't know if Skyliner opens early enough for our preferences?

 

[gharter]

If you are not staying on property, you have missed the new RD which is early entry for resort guests. While resort guests can only enter 30 minutes early, that is long enough for most of the major attractions to have a long line by the time the parks open for everyone else.

 

[Gehrig1B]

What about arriving by Uber/Lyft at DHS? We can't come earlier than 60 minutes before posted opening? So only 30 minutes before onsite guests can enter? Or can Lyft drop you off and exit?
We're staying at AoA, but I don't know if Skyliner opens early enough for our preferences?

The best option would be to Uber/Lyft to Swan and Dolphin and walk. Walkers are always the first in line beating all transportation options. Rideshares are not allow into the drop off areas any earlier than regular car traffic. From AoA the Skyliner is your best Disney option and will run early enough although people line up as early as two hours prior to park opening at the Skyliner station and lines can get long at the CBR hub early in the morning.