EMH rope drop

[ELG13]

I've yet to drag the family to a rope drop and being that this may be the last trip for a while...the only rope drop we can do at MK for our upcoming trip is the same day and the morning emh....is that just crazy?? Or worth it? We generally get plenty of rides in without rope drop but would like to do it.

 

[brifraz]

The first 40 minutes of morning EMH is excellent. VERY few lines except for superheadliners (Seven Dwarves will get a line pretty quick, then Peter Pan and Space Mountain). Magic Kingdom is actually the worst morning EMH park (in my opinion). We do EMH rope drop every day we can. Here's our two usual EMH plans for MK...

7:40am - in line (or on Main Street if they open it up)
8am - Pan OR Space Mountain
8:10 - Pooh OR Buzz Lightyear
8:15 - Teacups OR Speedway
8:25 - Little Mermaid OR Teacups
8:40 - It's a Small World
8:55 - at Frontierland for regular opening
9am - Big Thunder Mountian
9:15 - Splash Mountain (if open)
9:40 - Jungle Cruise
10am - Pirates of the Caribbean
10:30 - FP+ for Seven Dwarves (actually 10-11am)
11am - FP+ for Space Mountain or Pan
11:30 - quick service lunch
12pm - FP+ for Enchanted Tales with Belle
1pm - Things that don't get lines... Philharmagic, Country Bears, Tiki Room, Treehouse, OR Tom Sawyer Island
2:30pm - back to the resort to relax and try to book some more FP+ for the evening (maybe catch the parade on the way out)

We do things pretty hardcore (and always have). Bear in mind that we are the family that brought you 4 parks in one day...on New Years Eve.

 

[ELG13]

The first 40 minutes of morning EMH is excellent. VERY few lines except for superheadliners (Seven Dwarves will get a line pretty quick, then Peter Pan and Space Mountain). Magic Kingdom is actually the worst morning EMH park (in my opinion). We do EMH rope drop every day we can. Here's our two usual EMH plans for MK...

7:40am - in line (or on Main Street if they open it up)
8am - Pan OR Space Mountain
8:10 - Pooh OR Buzz Lightyear
8:15 - Teacups OR Speedway
8:25 - Little Mermaid OR Teacups
8:40 - It's a Small World
8:55 - at Frontierland for regular opening
9am - Big Thunder Mountian
9:15 - Splash Mountain (if open)
9:40 - Jungle Cruise
10am - Pirates of the Caribbean
10:30 - FP+ for Seven Dwarves (actually 10-11am)
11am - FP+ for Space Mountain or Pan
11:30 - quick service lunch
12pm - FP+ for Enchanted Tales with Belle
1pm - Things that don't get lines... Philharmagic, Country Bears, Tiki Room, Treehouse, OR Tom Sawyer Island
2:30pm - back to the resort to relax and try to book some more FP+ for the evening (maybe catch the parade on the way out)

We do things pretty hardcore (and always have). Bear in mind that we are the family that brought you 4 parks in one day...on New Years Eve.

I wish we could be that hardcore...but I do want to get there early. So if EMH is at 8...does main Street open at 7 and then we wait for the "lands" to open at 8? Ever since they changed it I've been confused. We had an ADR last year at crt at 820 and I thought the boat would get us at 7 bc it was an EMH morning but it wasn't coming until 8...it was a giant cluster.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Yes, always rope drop every day, regardless of EMH or not. Take naps and go to bed early. It's the single biggest thing you can do to avoid crowds (and heat and family conflict and getting overwhelmed).

 

[ELG13]

Yes, always rope drop every day, regardless of EMH or not. Take naps and go to bed early. It's the single biggest thing you can do to avoid crowds (and heat and family conflict and getting overwhelmed).

We have the water park and dinner at DS the night before at like 6 so I think it's pretty feasible that we can get home and in bed early enough. We are staying at all star music ...so roughly what time should we leave? I'm still trying to understand ...does main Street only open at 8 or does everything open at 8?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

We have the water park and dinner at DS the night before at like 6 so I think it's pretty feasible that we can get home and in bed early enough. We are staying at all star music ...so roughly what time should we leave? I'm still trying to understand ...does main Street only open at 8 or does everything open at 8?

We're talking about a day when normal park opening is 9:00 and EMH is at 8:00?

If so, the following attractions open at 8:00.

Astro Orbiter
The Barnstormer
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
"it's a small world"
Mad Tea Party
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Mickey's PhilharMagic
Peter Pan's Flight
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Space Mountain
Tomorrowland Speedway
Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid
Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress

Main Street opens at 7:00ish but it might not be exact. If you're there at 7:30, you're fine. Leave your resort at 6:45 and you'll be super safe.

 

[ELG13]

We're talking about a day when normal park opening is 9:00 and EMH is at 8:00?

If so, the following attractions open at 8:00.

Astro Orbiter
The Barnstormer
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
"it's a small world"
Mad Tea Party
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Mickey's PhilharMagic
Peter Pan's Flight
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Space Mountain
Tomorrowland Speedway
Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid
Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress

Main Street opens at 7:00ish but it might not be exact. If you're there at 7:30, you're fine. Leave your resort at 6:45 and you'll be super safe.

Yes...normal 9 am EMH is 8.
Thank you! It might be a hard sell to the hubs but I'm going for it!

 

[Tuvalu]

We're talking about a day when normal park opening is 9:00 and EMH is at 8:00?
Main Street opens at 7:00ish but it might not be exact. If you're there at 7:30, you're fine. Leave your resort at 6:45 and you'll be super safe.

Sorry @CaptainAmerica and @ELG13 but on EMH mornings Main Street does not open early. We were just there. Guests weren't allowed through the tapstiles until 7:50 am. Guests with breakfast ADRs were checked in at tapstiles on the far left and were allowed to remain in the area before the train tunnel. CMs blocked the entrance to Main Street until 7:55 am, then the breakfast guests were allowed in, then everyone else.

The procedure is the same whether it is an EMH morning or not.

 

[ELG13]

Oh Lord...now I'm even more confused. When we had ADRs at 820 back in October we could walk all along main Street with everyone else...we were just able to get to the castle after checking in with the cm at the rope in front of the castle.

 

[Tuvalu]

Oh Lord...now I'm even more confused. When we had ADRs at 820 back in October we could walk all along main Street with everyone else...we were just able to get to the castle after checking in with the cm at the rope in front of the castle.

If you have a breakfast ADR at BOG or CRT there are CMs holding special signs (on the left side of the castle) where you once again check in and will be allowed through if it is still before 8 am. Once EMH starts at 8 am, everyone else will be allowed into Fantasyland.

 

[ELG13]

If you have a breakfast ADR at BOG or CRT there are CMs holding special signs (on the left side of the castle) where you once again check in and will be allowed through if it is still before 8 am. Once EMH starts at 8 am, everyone else will be allowed into Fantasyland.

We don't this time...that was just my experience in October that anyone could be on main Street until the land opened at 9. So I was confused if main Street would open at 7 for emh at 8. But it seems that since it's special hours that we can't get anywhere past the train tunnel until 8 for emh.

 

[Tuvalu]

We don't this time...that was just my experience in October that anyone could be on main Street until the land opened at 9. So I was confused if main Street would open at 7 for emh at 8. But it seems that since it's special hours that we can't get anywhere past the train tunnel until 8 for emh.

One thing that is different for EMH mornings is that the ferry and express monorail from the TTC do not begin operating until after 8:30 am. This prevents offsite guests from the 8 am entry, so there are fewer people on Main Street on EMH mornings.

 

[ELG13]

One thing that is different for EMH mornings is that the ferry and express monorail from the TTC do not begin operating until after 8:30 am. This prevents offsite guests from the 8 am entry, so there are fewer people on Main Street on EMH mornings.

But main Street is in accessable until 8?

 

[Tuvalu]

But main Street is in accessable until 8?

Correct. No guests are allowed on Main Street prior to 8 am on any day (with the exception of peak holiday times when MK opens at 7 am....but even then Main Street does not open earlier than 7 am.)

 

[ELG13]

Correct. No guests are allowed on Main Street prior to 8 am on any day (with the exception of peak holiday times when MK opens at 7 am....but even then Main Street does not open earlier than 7 am.)

Ok that makes sense. On a normal day we could get on at 8 and the land opens at 9 but since it's EMH it all opens at 8.
Is it wide open or can we only take certain paths?

 

[Tuvalu]

Ok that makes sense. On a normal day we could get on at 8 and the land opens at 9 but since it's EMH it all opens at 8.
Is it wide open or can we only take certain paths?

All of Main Street and castle hub area are open, as are the paths to Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. CMs are stationed on the paths to Adventureland and Liberty Square to prevent guests from entering prior to 9 am. And there is a CM stationed near the Tangled restrooms to prevent guests from heading to Haunted Mansion/Liberty Square during EMH (since only Fantasyland and Tomorrowland are open during EMH.)

 

[ELG13]

All of Main Street and castle hub area are open, as are the paths to Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. CMs are stationed on the paths to Adventureland and Liberty Square to prevent guests from entering prior to 9 am. And there is a CM stationed near the Tangled restrooms to prevent guests from heading to Haunted Mansion/Liberty Square during EMH (since only Fantasyland and Tomorrowland are open during EMH.)

Why do they not have all of the park open? I assume it's a demand and cost thing...cause the big rides I guess are mostly fantasyland and frontierland.

 

[Tuvalu]

Why do they not have all of the park open? I assume it's a demand and cost thing...cause the big rides I guess are mostly fantasyland and frontierland.

EMH was designed as a resort guest perk offering "select" attractions (Disney's word, not mine.) This enables Disney to control costs and gives the ability to change those "select" attractions whenever Disney wants (although morning EMH at MK has always been Fantasyland and Tomorrowland.) Only "select" attractions are open during EMH at the other parks too. It was never intended for every attraction to be open during EMH.

 

[brifraz]

All of what @Tuvalu said. All is spot on and exactly how we have experienced it. We did have one time where Main Street opened up at about 7:45am for an 8am EMH, but that was the exception not the rule and I think it was because it was a holiday and the turnstiles were getting a bit insane (shops weren't open yet, just the actual street).

My family would definitely prefer to sleep in, but the magic that we have experienced when we have gotten there very early is totally irreplaceable (picked as family of the day at both MK once and AK once, Epcot had a surprise early opening once - Soarin' with not a single other person in the theatre was amazing, Studios open early a couple times).

 

[ELG13]

EMH was designed as a resort guest perk offering "select" attractions (Disney's word, not mine.) This enables Disney to control costs and gives the ability to change those "select" attractions whenever Disney wants (although morning EMH at MK has always been Fantasyland and Tomorrowland.) Only "select" attractions are open during EMH at the other parks too. It was never intended for every attraction to be open during EMH.

That makes sense! I may just tell the hubs he can show up later with the 15 yes old...me my mom and the kids can go. I've wanted to do it for so long...even if we don't get right on rides...just walking in the *hopefully cooler* morning with my coffee and seeing the sunlight hit the castle...we saw it with our CRT adr but we we're sprinting bc we were afraid to be late lol! Is it generally crowded? Winnie the Pooh would probably be our top pick or buzz...is one better than the other during that time?