Rope Drop?

[Doug Means]

SO let me set up the questions:

I've done WDW enough in the last 40 years to "think" i know and understand something. That being said, 2 trips ago in 2017 we could not get a FP for Flights of Passage. So we decided to get to AK early so at the rope drop(AK opened at 9am that day I think) we could hurry, not run, to FoP and hopefully not have a long wait in the stand by Queue. It worked out and we had at best a 15 minute wait which was a 2 hour wait by the time we got off.

Fast forward to 2019, and we again didn't have FoP FP's. So, again we decided to get to the park before the Rope drop and hurry in (website posted time for AK to open was 9am). So, we arrived at 8:15. Right away as we were walking up toward the gate i could see that people we going through. We went in and proceeded to walk to FoP and when we got there it was already an hour and 45 min wait. We asked the CM standing there at the beginning of the stand by line, what was up and he said they started "opening the park earlier' for the FoP stand by. We were visibly upset. He tried to help the situation the best he could but we had FP's for other things that morning and could not wait the 1:45:00.

With that all being said, I've noticed on forums and through talking to other people that the front gate rope drops are really no longer as in the past. There used to be a cute little song and dance at all the rope drops. Now it seems to be the gates just open and people start in and then there is a place somewhere in the park you have to stand and wait until the official park opening.

When did this start? How does a person know this that looks at the MDE site and sees park opening times that really don't reflect anymore when the front gate lets people in? How early does AK front gate really open before the posted time? How early does Studios open before its posted time for RotR?

 

[DryerLintFan]

It started a couple years ago. At MK the rope drop procedures changed to allow folks onto Main Street and the hub and the opening show changed in like... 2017 right before our trip.

 

[larryz]

How early does AK front gate really open before the posted time? How early does Studios open before its posted time for RotR?

Bottom line for all the parks: be at the front gate an hour before posted opening time if you want a shot at being one of the first into the park. If there's a new attraction, make that 2 hours.

 

[networkpro]

Its "open" vs "OPEN". Most of the parks now allow people beyond the turnstiles/mickey heads to an internal holding area... some with retail establishments open (like Starbucks and the Emporium) for guests to spend that money thats burning holes in their collective pockets/pocketbooks. The parks with the new/newish high demand rides might have an earlier escorted wander back to those ride queues, but for the most park any dropping of ropes for day guests is a thing of the past. Pre-hours of normal operation events (early morning magic for example) have checkpoints to weed out guests.

Full park operation is later.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I can recall this happening as far back as 2006 which was the first time I did RD at the parks.
Between then and now its varied a bit.
At MK they started letting you in up to the hub in 2017.
At HS most trips they let you in up to the corner and once TSL opened in 2018 they would walk you back to the land prior to official park opening.
At EPCOT I've found the rope area varies.
At AK in 2019 which was the first time in quite a while I had gone to AK we were able to go in pretty far and people were lined up to enter the FOP line.
Basically my rule of thumb has always been get to the park about 45 minutes before posted opening time and get as close to the first attraction as you are allowed.

 

[COrunner]

My sister and I were talking about this. Late 90's early 00's is when things changed. We enjoyed joking about 'the good ole' days when people called it the running of the bulls. No FP in advance, moms barreling through the entrance to Adventureland or Tomorrowland with strollers. People sprinting almost full out to get to splash mountain. Fun times.

She had brought up that the 'new' rope drop might be around when HS opened and they did the lights/camera intro and that kind of forced people to no longer run as they had cast members and actors alike kind of keeping people moving at a slower clip until the Chinese Theater.

 

[HoustonHorn]

What's really fun is getting a double-ropedrop at AK. November 2018, I arrived at 7:15 for a 9:00 park opening. Ropedropped FoP (heck, it *almost* reminded me of old school rope dropping - they let folks power-walk/run from the gate to the bridge, where we were held up and then politely escorted to FoP). As soon as it was over (which was well before 9:00), a large group of us crossed the park to do Everest. Well, it was so early, that we were held up getting into Asia! Got in a front-seat and back-seat ride on Everest before crossing back to meet my family at NRJ. That was a great morning!

 

[piru]

We visited during 2018 and there were EMH at AK. The park opened at 8 am and we were there around 6.45. We were the 2nd group to enter FOP. We did the same at Epcot for Test Track but as there weren't EMH that day, there was an opening show after allowing us to the waiting area. The show lasted around 15 minutes and then we were led inside the park.

 

[Eamethyst]

Today procedures are different with Disney. Disney does not allow their guests to enter 2 hours prior. If you are staying at a resort/hotel Disney has magic hours for their onsite guests. those guests get to get earlier and or stay later then regular guest, Ap holders, etc. Usually guests can stand outside the gates an hour before opening. Sometimes Disney will allow the gates to open half hour ahead and CM's and guests can enter Main Street, Hollywood Blvd, etc. During the holidays everything is lit up.

 

[Doug Means]

Today procedures are different with Disney. Disney does not allow their guests to enter 2 hours prior. If you are staying at a resort/hotel Disney has magic hours for their onsite guests. those guests get to get earlier and or stay later then regular guest, Ap holders, etc. Usually guests can stand outside the gates an hour before opening. Sometimes Disney will allow the gates to open half hour ahead and CM's and guests can enter Main Street, Hollywood Blvd, etc. During the holidays everything is lit up.

Well I got to AK 45 min early and the gates were already open. By the time I walked to FOP the wait was already an hour and 30 minutes. Park was not officially open yet according to the MDE app.

 

[Eamethyst]

Well I got to AK 45 min early and the gates were already open. By the time I walked to FOP the wait was already an hour and 30 minutes. Park was not officially open yet according to the MDE app.

Disney puts up wait times right away before the gates are even open. Every day they look at how many guests attended the parks the day before. Disney doe not wait until guests stand in line to add wait times. Each park has different operating hours. AK is different. AK does not have a Main Street or blvd. I've been to Ak when the gates were open but the park wasn't officially open.

 

[Tuvalu]

Today procedures are different with Disney. Disney does not allow their guests to enter 2 hours prior. If you are staying at a resort/hotel Disney has magic hours for their onsite guests. those guests get to get earlier and or stay later then regular guest, Ap holders, etc. Usually guests can stand outside the gates an hour before opening. Sometimes Disney will allow the gates to open half hour ahead and CM's and guests can enter Main Street, Hollywood Blvd, etc. During the holidays everything is lit up.

MK opens the turnstiles and allows all guests (not just resort guests) onto Main Street at 8 am for a regular 9 am open. Guests can go no further than the Castle hub unless they have a breakfast ADR.