How early do Main Street USA and the stores open compared to rope drop?

[PSM]

I will have limited time on my partial day visit and first time to Disneyland but I can get there as early as I want that day. It looks like the park will open at 9am, so I'm assuming it will be like Magic Kingdom in Disney World where you can get into the park and walk Main Street USA before 9am when they'll actually drop the ropes to the different lands.

Assuming that's accurate, my questions are:

- How early can I actually get into Disneyland to walk around Main Street USA if scheduled park open is at 9am?

- How early do the stores on Main Street USA open if scheduled park open is at 9am?

Thanks!

 

[PiratesMansion]

I will have limited time on my partial day visit and first time to Disneyland but I can get there as early as I want that day. It looks like the park will open at 9am, so I'm assuming it will be like Magic Kingdom in Disney World where you can get into the park and walk Main Street USA before 9am when they'll actually drop the ropes to the different lands.

Assuming that's accurate, my questions are:

- How early can I actually get into Disneyland to walk around Main Street USA if scheduled park open is at 9am?

- How early do the stores on Main Street USA open if scheduled park open is at 9am?

Thanks!

Like WDW, roughly 30 minutes before opening for both.

 

[Phroobar]

The mouse would never deny you the opportunity to spend money.

 

[PiratesMansion]

The mouse would never deny you the opportunity to spend money.

Ironically, until very recently, the Magic Kingdom held all guests arriving before opening in the plaza before the train station until very shortly before park open! There was a "magical" welcoming show to try and prevent guests from realizing that they couldn't get their Starbucks fix and were being crammed in like sardines into a tiny plaza with no shade, space, or redeeming qualities of any kind. I'm sure elsewhere on this very site, some are still mourning the loss of this highly questionable and definitely less profitable practice.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Ironically, until very recently, the Magic Kingdom held all guests arriving before opening in the plaza before the train station until very shortly before park open! There was a "magical" welcoming show to try and prevent guests from realizing that they couldn't get their Starbucks fix and were being crammed in like sardines into a tiny plaza with no shade, space, or redeeming qualities of any kind. I'm sure elsewhere on this very site, some are still mourning the loss of this highly questionable and definitely less profitable practice.

I hope no one is mourning it. But I'm surprised it took TDO as long as it did to revert to the old way of opening Main Street prior to rope drop.