CONFUSED ON PARK OPENING

Charjen

Member
I was reading a couple of trip reports where people were walking in to the parks early. My time for MK is 9:00 AM when they open, but some were saying they were walking in at 8:15....
Same with the other parks.....
How does this work?
 

nickys

Premium Member
I was reading a couple of trip reports where people were walking in to the parks early. My time for MK is 9:00 AM when they open, but some were saying they were walking in at 8:15....
Same with the other parks.....
How does this work?
They open the parking lots about 45 minutes before opening.

And once they open the parking lots then they start letting people into the parks. Whether or not certain rides open early is dependent on a number of factors, but especially at DHS and MK there have been many reports of rides being opened earlier than the published park opening times.
 
Upvote 1

dmw

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
Pre-Covid the parks would open before the published open time, but CMs would have ropes on the main walkway preventing guests from proceeding to the rides. At the official open time (sometimes a bit early), the CMs would remove the ropes and guests would rush in. Thus, the term "Rope Drop" which you may read about.

I've not been since the re-opening... would be curious to know if Rope Drop still happens.
 
Upvote 0

EdnaMode

Well-Known Member
I'm not much of a rope-dropper (not at all, actually) but I know that DHS has been opening 45 minutes - hour prior to posted opening. They're doing this so that the (huge) crowd that arrives can 1) be within the park when the 10am Rise boarding groups are released and 2)begin queueing for M&M's Runaway Railway. I don't believe any of the rides are operating, though.
 
Upvote 0

nickys

Premium Member
Pre-Covid the parks would open before the published open time, but CMs would have ropes on the main walkway preventing guests from proceeding to the rides. At the official open time (sometimes a bit early), the CMs would remove the ropes and guests would rush in. Thus, the term "Rope Drop" which you may read about.

I've not been since the re-opening... would be curious to know if Rope Drop still happens.
They are letting people in to avoid the crowding that happens at rope drop, whether outside or inside the park. So rope drop as such is not happening, you can line up for certain rides once you go in, and some rides will start running early.
 
Upvote 0

lilmzkitty

New Member
I'm not much of a rope-dropper (not at all, actually) but I know that DHS has been opening 45 minutes - hour prior to posted opening. They're doing this so that the (huge) crowd that arrives can 1) be within the park when the 10am Rise boarding groups are released and 2)begin queueing for M&M's Runaway Railway. I don't believe any of the rides are operating, though.
We were at HS last Wednesday. We got into the park around 9:20 (10am opening) and went to Rock n Rollercoaster, they did not start loading the ride until 9:30.

Magic Kingdom we got in around the same time and went to Seven Dwarfs, but Pooh wasn't taking people until official park open. So it seemed some of the attractions were open before the official opening, but not all of them.
 
Upvote 0

Rob562

Well-Known Member
I'm guessing you're being thrown by the "time" portion of the park reservation system. The time listed is just the park hours for the day. There is no need to arrive at that time. They're simply forcing the existing reservation infrastructure, which is designed with a start-time for attraction and dining reservations, into service as a park capacity tool.

Kind of like how they took the Boarding Group function that was designed to limit capacity in Galaxy's Edge, but only used for a day or two, and pushed it into use for Rise of the Resistance.

-Rob
 
Upvote 0

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom