Magical Quests Blog

Author: Bridget Tully

The BEST Early Morning at Magic Kingdom
Everyone dreams of the perfect morning at Magic Kingdom. You casually stroll up Main Street USA with majestic Cinderella’s Castle growing larger as you approach. You’ve just picked up a Starbucks iced latte at the Main Street Bakery, and you haven’t got a care in the world. There are no lines for PhotoPass photographers in the Hub, and you capture the ideal Instagram-worthy family photo that will be the centerpiece of your Christmas cards as well. Everyone in your group is bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and you will now meander through the park leisurely, before heading to Fantasyland to ride all the rides without any wait.

Like I said, everyone dreams of the perfect morning at Magic Kingdom.

In reality this Rope Drop is both the most worthwhile and the most complex of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World. Between the multiple transportation steps needed for guests arriving by car or non-Disney resort bus and the tiered opening of lands in this park, there are a lot of logistics to consider when planning out your morning. But with 24 rides plus shows and parades, arriving early will help ensure you can have the most fun possible at Magic Kingdom.

For non-resort guests, official park opening is typically at 9am, meaning Early Entry Rope Drop begins at 8:30am for guests staying at a Disney Resort and other participating Good Neighbor Hotels. Magic Kingdom will open earlier during peak seasons, often with an 8am opening time during Spring Break weeks, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and some peak summer weeks. It is always good to double check the MyDisneyExperience app about a week before your trip. Disney will post basic operating hours 60 days in advance, with the actual/confirmed hours showing withing 1-2 weeks of the actual dates. (For reference, Saturday March 1 was the early end of spring break week and the park opened at 8am.)

In this addition to my Rope Drop Series, I will cover the logistics of traveling to and entering Magic Kingdom for Early Entry Rope Drop, along with strategies to help you make the most of these early morning hours, how to navigate the “waves of opening” in the Magic Kingdom lands, and how to spend all that glorious free time you’ll have left. (Unsure what Early Entry Rope Drop is? Check out my post, “Why You Should Rope Drop at Disney World” for background information.)

Getting to the Park – By Land or By Sea

There are multiple options for traveling to Magic Kingdom depending on where you are staying. Guests staying in the Magic Kingdom resort area on one of the monorail resorts – Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Contemporary Resort & Bay Lake Tower, and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort can (obviously) take the Monorail to the park.

If you are staying at the Contemporary Resort (including Bay Lake Tower,) it is quickest to walk to the park. You’ll follow a sidewalk path to the gates and pass through a small security checkpoint on the pathway. Taking the Monorail from Contemporary might take you 20 minutes or more with the resort stops along the way.

You can also walk from Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. This is about a 15-minute walk, depending on what end of the resort you are leaving from. Since Grand Floridian is the last stop before the park, it’s going to be quicker to take the Monorail unless you really want to burn some unnecessary steps before you even get into the park.

You can also take the launch boats from Grand Floridian and Polynesian Resort, and will need to take the launch boat from Wilderness Lodge or Wilderness Campground. The boat from the monorail resorts can be fairly efficient if timed correctly, but the boats from Wilderness can take a bit longer since there are more people to service. If you are trying to rope drop (any park) from the Wilderness complex, you want to be waiting for that first boat in the morning or the first bus of the day for other parks.

All other resorts will utilize the Disney Bus service. During very busy times of the year, transportation will often begin running earlier than the 60-minute mark, and it’s important to factor travel time into your morning. If you are driving, parking also opens 60 minutes before early entry begins (occasionally earlier during peak seasons).

It’s important to know that if you drive and park at Magic Kingdom, or take a ride share that is not a Minnie Van (offered through Lyft for a premium rate), or are using the bus service from a Good Neighbor Resort, you’ll be parking at/dropped off at the Transportation and Ticker Center, and will need to take either the Monorail or Magic Kingdom Ferry across the Seven Seas Lagoon to the gates. This will add a significant amount of travel time to your morning, so if you are in this boat (get it?!), set your alarm extra early.

So, what time are you waking up? For those of you lucky enough to be staying in the Magic Kingdom resort area on the Monorail, (especially those lucky guests at Contemporary Resort) you will have a comparatively relaxing start to your Rope Drop morning. If you are driving or not staying on-property at a Disney Resorts Collection Hotel, you’ll want to be up before the sun for the peak-week early 8am openings. It’s okay, you’ll be running on Joffrey’s and Pixie Dust in no time!

Security and Park Entry

Security typically opens 45 minutes or more before early entry begins. This allows any lines forming outside the park to be let into the space between security and the turnstiles/MagicBand readers. This is where you will gather with everyone else who got up and out early to hit the parks. Yes, while the main point of rope drop is to avoid long lines in the park, you are still waiting a good 30 minutes outside of the gates if you want to be at the front of the crowd. The theme park logic in this is that you are not waiting during the park’s operating hours, at least for the first few rides of the day.

The entry procedure recently changed at Magic Kingdom (Fall 2025). Cast members will usually start allowing all guests into the park around 7:45am, well before early entry starts, to alleviate the crowds gathering from the later busses. Guests can leisurely stroll up Main Street U.S.A. and take all the Castle pictures your heart desires. Once inside, if you are a non-resort guest and arrive early for official park opening, cast members will direct to you to a separate queue/corral area to wait.

After you tap your band, phone, or keycard and fingerprint for park entry, you’ll be directed towards cast members who have handheld readers to scan your ticket again. This is to ensure that you are indeed a Disney resort guest. If you are traveling with others, be sure that everyone included on your resort reservation is together for this step, so one person can be scanned, let the cast member know how many people are on the reservation, and they will simply count heads and let your group in. Cast Members now allow resort guests all the way into Tomorrowland and Fantasyland to queue up outside of attractions, rather than on the bridges into the lands. I am a big fan of this new system because you have less dense crowds of people waiting to move into a larger area, and it just feels more comfortable and safer all around.

I’m walking right down the middle of Main Street USA

Only Main Street USA, Tomorrowland, and Fantasyland are open for Early Entry. This means that Adventureland, Frontierland, and Liberty Square are not open until official park opening. They will be fully roped off, and you will not be able to walk through these areas. Unless you have a breakfast reservation at Crystal Palace, you’ll be heading straight back to Fantasyland behind Cinderella’s Castle, or banging a right and heading to Tomorrowland. Depending on your group’s goals (and if you are really leveling up by also using MultiPass and/or Individual Lightning Lanes today), the most popular “first rides” for Early Entry are Peter Pan’s Flight, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and Space Mountain.

There’s a great big, beautiful Tomorrow…

My favorite ride to head to first is Space Mountain. Opening on January 15, 1975, Space Mountain was the first fully indoor roller coaster, and the first roller coaster to be fully computer-controlled, making it a cornerstone attraction in the evolution of theme park technology and safety. Space Mountain often has a 40+ minute wait during the day, though the fully indoor queue can be a nice respite from the Florida sun if you do find yourself in a longer standby queue later. One of the logistical bonuses to ticking off Space Mountain first is its proximity to TRON Lightcycle / Run, if you are trying to race for Team Blue.

Though located in Tomorrowland, TRON Lightcycle / Run does not open with Early Entry. If you are not purchasing an Individual Lightning Lane for TRON and want to avoid the long wait later in the day, this is the most efficient way to fit it into your morning. You can also go straight to the ride and queue for the entire 30 minutes of early entry, but that’s not a great use of your time.

Don’t be afraid to ask a Cast Member for a ballpark wait time if you opt to hit Space Mountain first. They will have someone manning the back of the line, and that person might be able to tell you what the approximate wait will be once the ride opens. You can then decide if the wait is worth it for your group, or if you want to keep your morning moving.

“Fantasyland is dedicated to the young, and the young-at-heart…” – Walt Disney (Fantasyland dedication in Disneyland, July 1955)

The vast majority of people are headed to Fantasyland, and specifically Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, which frequently has a posted wait time of 75 minutes or more. This is a great use of Early Entry if you are at the front of the Rope Drop pack. With literally hundreds of people headed to the same family-friendly coaster, this can get a little intense in all honesty. There will be a mad dash of people rushing this way (with so many strollers it almost feels like a go-kart race), and the walkways can get a little tight in certain areas. In the MyDisneyExperience app, you will see that they typically just throw a 35 minute wait up as soon as the ride opens because of the anticipated crowds headed this way.

Hopefully you will be zipping through the queue, but there are a few fun interactive elements to play with as you make your way to the load area which can keep kids (and adults!) occupied for a bit. The attraction is an adorable blend of Disney dark ride with advanced audio animatronics and light thrills, and while most of the ride moves slowly, the coaster portion does top out at 34mph. Believe it or not, that’s faster than both Space Mountain (28mph) and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (30mph)!

Other guests headed to Fantasyland are likely on their way to Peter Pan’s Flight, which can also have a 60+ minute wait through much of the day. A classic Disney dark ride, Peter Pan’s Flight opened on October 3, 1971 — 2 days after Magic Kingdom’s grand opening — and has undergone a couple of facelifts over the years, most recently in 2024 with an update to the Never Land Tribe scene. If you find yourself in the middle of the pack heading into the park, this is a great attraction to start your day with (or book via MultiPass).

Make the Most of Early Entry

If you were lucky enough to hop on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train or Peter Pan’s Flight, you can now hit other attractions in Fantasyland that will continue to have lower waits in the morning – The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, It’s a Small World, Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid, and Dumbo are all solid picks. While Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin is still a great early ride, it’s a comparatively long walk from the other fun attractions that are just steps away from each other in Fantasyland. These rides will have moderate waits later in the day and can sometimes run out of Lightning Lanes when the park is very busy. There are a handful of other rides that tend to have low waits throughout the day and can be saved to ride later: Barnstormer, Mad Tea Party, Tomorrowland Speedway, and Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover.

Be prepared to PIVOT

Magic Kingdom has more attractions than any other park, and there can always be some technical difficulties at park opening at any major theme park. Because so many guests are headed to these three big attractions (and in particular, the two in Fantasyland), if one of them does not open with Early Entry, you can see a very high influx in the other queues. In that case, just throw your plans out the window and hop on the next closest ride that you want to ride. Really, I mean it! Don’t overthink things and don’t panic. Disregard your Early Entry plans and just have fun! Beyond having the most rides of any theme park, Fantasyland has the highest concentration of rides of any land in any park, and most people will find that their day becomes really “magical” when they are just going with the flow.

A great first ride in Fantasyland in this scenario is The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, which can have a 30+ minute later in the day and can also run out of Lightning Lanes sooner than other attractions. (It’s also right across from Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.) In Tomorrowland, you can head to Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin if Space Mountain is closed – I would not hop in line for TRON because that’s what most everyone else will be doing in that scenario, and you could be looking at a 60+ minute wait.

Fuel up for Fun

There are a couple of quick service locations open in these two lands in the early part of the day if you need some breakfast (or second breakfast). At the Lunching Pad in Tomorrowland, there is a sticky bubble bread that is available all day long, as well as a breakfast bowl that is available until 10:30am. I tried this breakfast bowl during my last morning visit to Magic Kingdom and I was happily surprised by how tasty this was, and how massive the portion is. With tater tots, a cheese omelet, chili con carne, pico de gallo, and sour cream, this is definitely shareable or a good choice if you need to really fuel up for a longer park day (which was my case).

In Fantasyland, Gaston’s Tavern and Friar’s Nook both open at 9am and serve a giant cinnamon roll, crème brulee croissant, or ham and gruyere tart (Gaston’s) and a breakfast bagel sandwich or bacon cheddar tot bowl (Friar’s). Both Friar’s Nook and the Lunching Pad have Mobile Order available, and I highly recommend using this feature to speed things along. There are also a couple of sit down character dining options available for breakfast in the park, like The Crystal Palace with Pooh and Friends, or Cinderella’s Royal Table with a few Princesses.

We’ve done one Rope Drop yes, but what about “Second Rope Drop?”

Once regular park operating hours begin, non-resort guests will be able to queue for rides and the waits for attractions like TRON and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train could be lengthy. You could opt to hop in line for one of these big attractions right before 9am, though be prepared for a 45+ minute wait at this point. (This is not what I would do with my remaining morning time.)

Liberty Square, Frontierland, and Adventureland open at 9am (or regular park hours, whatever that is for your visit date) which means you can essentially Rope Drop the other half of the park at this point. Major attractions like Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, or Jungle Cruise are all great options to hit right when they open up. Fantastic! Let’s do it again!

Since I am typically in Fantasyland during Early Entry, my next move is to head to Haunted Mansion, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (which is currently closed for refurbishment). The queues for each of these can easily hit 30-45 minutes later in the day (much longer for Tiana’s), and any of them would be a great choice to knock out early. If you are staying off-property, it would be worth your while to go directly to the waiting corrals for these lands when you enter the park and skipping Fantasyland and Tomorrowland entirely in the morning.

Many guests alternatively will opt to position themselves for Jungle Cruise in Adventureland. An opening day attraction at both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom, Jungle Cruise features a skipper guide who tells cheesy puns about the animatronic animals you encounter on your river journey. With the recent live-action Jungle Cruise movie renewing the fervor for this attraction, you will often encounter long waits to see the backside of water (in a queue that can get quite hot) so ticking this one off early is a good move.

Whether you head back to Frontierland or over to Adventureland, the most logistically convenient attraction to hit next is Pirates of the Caribbean (pronounced Caribbean). Often thought to be an opening day attraction, Pirates of the Caribbean didn’t open at Magic Kingdom until 1973 – this is because the Imagineers thought that Floridians wouldn’t be interested in riding an attraction focused on pirates, because they already had actual pirates in the area throughout history. However, guests who had been to Disneyland were perplexed when there was no fan-favorite Pirates of the Caribbean at Magic Kingdom, so the Imagineering team recreated the classic musty-water-smelling boat ride we all know and love today (with a few minor tweaks).

In Every Job that Must be Done, there is an Element of Fun.

By this point in the day, Rope Drop is sadly over. However, you’ve probably accomplished 4-5 popular “E-Ticket” attractions by this point, and maybe even caught the “Let the Magic Begin” show in front of the Castle. Now is the time to nosh on a breakfast bite if you haven’t yet, enjoy in a show, or take in a scenic ride on the Magic Kingdom Railroad or the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. Maybe you planned your Rope Drop morning around some MultiPass Lightning Lanes, and ideally those return windows are starting around 10am – great job, you are a park professional! Maybe you are looking for a more elevated dining experience and/or a respite from the park pace – head over to one of the Magic Kingdom resorts for brunch, and a little rejuvenation.

A Real World Experience

My last Magic Kingdom Rope Drop was pretty low-key. I had gone to the Orlando Informer event at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure the night before, and was attempting to hit all four Disney parks in one day. (Aggressive, I know! And spoiler alert, I accomplished what I set out to do!) I did have an Individual Lightning Lane for TRON Lightcycle / Run booked and intended to be on the first park-to-park bus to Hollywood Studios at 10am. The park also opened early this day at 8am instead of 9am because of anticipated crowds at the start of Spring Break week. For these reasons, I wasn’t necessarily trying to position myself to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train or Peter Pan’s Flight. I wanted to accomplish as much as I could, with the least amount of hustle. (I mean isn’t that always the real goal?)

My casual Magic Kingdom Early Entry Rope Drop looked like this (time stamps are approximations based on pictures taken throughout the morning):
- Official Park Opening at 8am, Early Entry Rope Drop began at 7:30am
- 7:07am Bus to Magic Kingdom from Animal Kingdom Lodge (~20 min ride)
- 7:33am Through security and approaching turnstiles
- 7:36am Leisurely walk down Main Street USA
- Walked to Space Mountain but it was closed , should have checked the app – time to PIVOT!
- 7:50am Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- 7:58am Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid
- Park officially opened while I was under the sea with Ariel
- 8:12am Haunted Mansion
- 8:37am Breakfast in Tomorrowland at Lunching Pad
- 8:55am TRON Lightcycle / Run (Individual Lightning Lane)
- 9:12am Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
- 9:35am Pictures in front of Cinderella’s Castle
- 9:45am Leisurely stroll down Main Street USA, hopped on first bus to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which pulled away right at 10am.
Had I been up and out a bit earlier, I probably could have accomplished one more ride before leaving the park. Considering I arrived “late” to Rope Drop and had to pivot when Space Mountain was closed, I think it’s pretty fantastic that I was still able to accomplish 5 rides and breakfast in about 2 hours. That just goes to show you that there’s really no wrong way to enjoy your morning at Magic Kingdom, no matter what time you arrive.

Willing to set your alarm while on vacation? Interested in staying at a Monorail resort to make your morning a bit easier? As an Authorized Disney Travel Agent, I can be your expert guide to the magic. Let’s map out your next Magical Quest today!

References/Resources

“Pirates of the Caribbean” Behind The Attraction, created by Brian Volk-Weiss, Season 2, Episode 1, Disney, 2023.

“Space Mountain” Behind The Attraction, created by Brian Volk-Weiss, Season 1, Episode 5, Disney, 2021.

“What Would Walt Do?” The Imagineering Story, created by Leslie Iwerks, Season 1, Episode 2. Disney, 2019.
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May 11, 2025
May the Force Be with You: Immersive Star Wars Experiences at Disney World
A cultural phenomenon since Episode IV: A New Hope premiered in 1977, the Star Wars saga has captivated audiences for almost 50 years through movies, TV shows, cartoons, and theme park experiences. Ramping up in recent years with the additions of Galaxy’s Edge in 2019, the Star Wars-Disney connection goes back to the mid-1980s with the development of the Star Tours attraction. A self-proclaimed fan of Disneyland (having visited the park on its second day of operation as a kid in 1955) George Lucas partnered with Disney Imagineering to build a novel attraction for Tomorrowland, and the rest was theme park history.

A long time ago, on both coasts of the USA…

“That’s no moon.” – Obi Wan Kenobi, A New Hope

Star Tours opened in Disneyland January 9, 1987, and in Walt Disney World on December 15, 1989, forever changing how fans can experience the Star Wars story. This first of its kind 3D simulator ride brought guests directly into the action as we ventured out on a tour to the forest moon of Endor, piloted by droid RX-24, only to find ourselves inadvertently in the middle of the epic Death Star battle from A New Hope. This blending of cinematic storytelling and (at the time) cutting edge technology marked a revolutionary step forward in Imagineering, that continues to be built upon today.

The bi-coastal Star Tours attractions closed in 2010 and were replaced by Star Tours: The Adventure Continues in 2011. The next generation version utilizes the same ride system with C-3PO as your pilot on a galactic quest through one of a multitude of possible different combinations of scenes. Recently, Disney added even more updated scenes and story lines to this ride, bringing fan-favorite characters like the Mandalorian and Ashoka Tano for the adventure. Guests can now experience fifty-four different combinations of locations and story lines, making this ride one of the more “re-rideable” attractions in the parks. (I personally have yet to encounter Mando on my adventure, and I’m always excited for Star Tours.)

The nostalgia lover in me must point out that while the classic safety instruction video was updated with the attraction, the Imagineers held true to the peak 80s quirkiness from the original safety video. The costumes and makeup used to portray space beings and creatures boarding the attraction is top notch, and I appreciate that they re-filmed this in the same spirit and vibe as the original safety shpeel video. This simple yet effective clip brings you both into the story, and back in time. (Watch the original below!)

Bright Suns! Welcome to Black Spire Outpost

“You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.” – Obi Wan Kenobi, A New Hope

With the addition of Galaxy’s Edge in 2019 at Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World and Disneyland in California, travelers can explore the Outer Rim in new and highly immersive ways. A unique planet imagined specifically for the Disney properties, Batuu is still recognizable as distinctly “Star Wars.” As you enter Black Spire Outpost and take in your surroundings – from the Resistance Base in the forested edge of the land to the marketplace that evokes scenes from Tatooine – you are enveloped in the sights and sounds of a living, breathing galactic community.

Everything in this land is highly detailed, from blaster marks on the walls down to the droid tracks in the ground (some of which were created by the original R2-D2 droid suit). As you move through Black Spire Outpost, you’ll notice slight changes to the background theme music as the scenes around you transform from the resistance outpost to the First Order base, all created by none other than John Williams, the legendary composer behind the Star Wars soundtrack (among many others). You can easily spend hours looking at the droids, creatures, and other details that bring Batuu to life – not to mention the X-Wing, TIE-Fighter, and transport ships parked around the outpost.

If your schedule allows, visit Batuu at night. This land takes on another feeling when the sun sets and the thematic lighting can be clearly seen, with the occasional lightsaber cutting through the dark.

From Padawan to Jedi Knight – The Evolution of Immersive Star Wars Attractions

“Rebellions are built on hope.” – Jyn Erso, Rogue One

As Imagineering has evolved over the years, so has the ability to bring you into the story in physical ways that have not been possible before. Building off the technology of Star Tours, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run advances the motion simulator technology to put you in the pilot’s seat. As you make your way through Batuu, and set your eyes on the Fastest Hunk of Junk in the Galaxy for the first time, you might find yourself getting more emotional than your first sight of Cinderella’s Castle. Absolutely stunning in scale and detail, the Millennium Falcon is a true gift to fans of the Star Wars universe. Childhood dreams come true as you board the ship, wander its hallways, sit at Chewy’s chess table, and pilot the Falcon on a galactic heist of coaxial cables for famed smuggler Hando Ohnaka. The queue is truly amazing, and you really feel like you’re prepping the Falcon for an excursion.

Travelers of Batuu can look forward to a new ride update coming in May 2026, when The Mandalorian and Grogu hits theaters. In addition to a new story line, characters, and locations, there will be new interactive elements for the engineer seat (which currently is just a button-mashing “job” and is sadly the only spot I’ve ever sat in!) that will allow guest in the back of the ride to have a couple of fun responsibilities: 1. Select the destination location and 2. Interact with Grogu! This upgrade will take this immersive attraction on step further, and I look forward to seeing what the Imagineers dream up for Grogu. (You can find more information about the upcoming enhancements in the recent Disney Parks Blog Post about the Star Wars Celebration in Japan. This is the way.)

“The First Order wins by making people think they are alone. We’re not alone. Good people will fight if we lead them.” – Poe Dameron, The Rise of Skywalker

I am not sure that we can even refer to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance as a “ride” or “attraction.” A true feat of Imagineering and storytelling with multiple ride systems, audio animatronic characters and jaw dropping technological effects, Rise of the Resistance can only be referred to as “an experience.” From the moment you enter the queue and meander through the Resistance Base, seeing lockers of blasters, pilot gear, and other galactic weaponry, you begin to feel yourself becoming animated and excited to battle The First Order. After your briefing from Rey about the dangers ahead, and a quick dash to your transport, you’re taken prisoner by the First Order and will need to escape from a Star Destroyer.

Rise of the Resistance showcases some of the most advanced technology and audio animatronics Disney has to offer – from the fluidity of Kylo Ren’s movements to the blaster effects, it really is one jaw-dropping scene after another in this 15-minute experience. Including three ride ride systems, role-playing cast members, and set designs that tower stories above you, this is a fully immersive adventure that sets a new bar for Walt Disney Imagineering. Imagine every time you played “Star Wars” as a kid, using a paper towel role as a light saber and trying to outrun your cousin or friend who was playing a Stormtrooper; now imagine that is real. That is what Rise of the Resistance is like.

I have been lucky enough to join the Resistance many times, and my personal favorite scene is the room with the enormous AT-AT Walkers – the scale of these always blows my mind, and I appreciate that the Imagineers when to such heights to make this experience feel so real.

Fuel Up & Stay Out of Trouble

“Can I offer you a libation to celebrate the closing of our shared narrative?” – The Client, The Mandalorian

There is no shortage of thematic food & drink found at Galaxy’s Edge, and the Imagineers have found a way to bring details of the stories to life with quick service locations like The Milk Stand (serving up Blue or Green Milk) and Ronto Roasters (which uses an old speeder engine as an oven).

For me, the highlight of these immersive dining experiences is Oga’s Cantina, a location akin to Mos Eisley Cantina on Tatooine. A dimly lit cavernous space with creatures in tanks and the occasional Storm Trooper questioning patrons, Oga’s Cantina has an immersive vibe that immediately makes you forget you are in a theme park (if you hadn’t already forgotten that from your time in Galaxy’s Edge). You may even recognize a familiar droid if you were lucky enough to ride the original Star Tours – our old friend REX has been reprogrammed to a DJ and has really found his calling spinning all day at Oga’s. (He was a terrible pilot anyway!)

As you enjoy a snack and libation and take in the cantina, you can imagine smugglers wheeling and dealing at a corner table, while rebels exchange information in hushed tones near the bar. So many iconic scenes in both the movies and TV shows happen in spaces just like this – Han shooting Greedo, Mandalorian telling his bounty he can bring him in warm or bring him in cold, Obi-Wan and Anakin following a would-be assassin through Coruscant – that it really feels like anything could happen at any moment to alter your story. Oga’s Cantina is not necessarily a wow moment from a palate perspective. There are a couple of thematic snacks that are visually interesting and tasty, and the cocktails each have a unique Star Wars-tilt to them. The alcoholic drinks are batched, though, so if you are looking for a standard cocktail, you won’t find it here. Because of its popularity, this location also has a 45-minute time limit, but you are welcome to take your second (or third!) drink with you to go.

Become a Jedi Knight

“An elegant weapon for a more civilized age.” – Obi Wan Kenobi, A New Hope

The next entry is not for everyone due to the cost-prohibitive nature of the experience, but for those who are able and willing to shell out extra cash to build a lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop, it is truly a memorable experience. Organized in relatively small groups, this feels like a personal experience where you are lead through the process of selecting and building your own lightsaber. Through storytelling, music, and well-themed lighting effects, this experience will give any Star Wars fans goosebumps. I was looking forward to this experience, and I was blown away by how unique and moving the workshop was. Though, the cost has increased substantially since I was able to build my lightsaber, as of publishing date ringing in at $249.99 +tax. (Like I said, cost-prohibitive…)

Character Interactions

“I find your lack of faith disturbing.” – Darth Vader, A New Hope

Among the things that makes Galaxy’s Edge so immersive and compelling in a storytelling sense is the fact that characters wander around and interact with travelers throughout Batuu. Whether you encounter Stormtroopers as they patrol the land, or team up with Rey and Vi Moradi to aid the Resistance, there’s really no telling who could be around the corner and where your next turn will take you. If you’re lucky, you’ll run into the Mandalorian and Grogu by the marketplace – This is The Way.

However, my favorite Star Wars character interaction isn’t found in Galaxy’s Edge. Easily one of the best character meet and greets in all of Walt Disney World and located in the Star Wars Launch Bay on the other side of the park, pledging allegiance to Lord Vader himself is a must-do for any Star Wars fan, rebel or imperial. Towering well over 6 feet tall with perfect costume and voice animation, Darth Vader intimidates me every time I meet with him to file my reports (because clearly I have been spying for him all day on Batuu). I do hope they find a way to move this character experience closer to Galaxy’s Edge (along with Chewbacca and BB-8 who you can also say hello to in this area). I think it can sometimes be forgotten because of its off-the-beaten-path location and lack of any other driver of traffic ever since the previously housed movie memorabilia was moved to the Rise of the Resistance queue.

Update Fall 2025: Star Wars Launch Bay is now closed. Guests can meet Darth Vader by the entrance to Star Tours: The Adventure Continues, and interact with Chewbacca in Galaxy’s Edge. BB-8 is currently not available as a character meet-and-greet, but you can see him when you ride Rise of the Resistance.

Gone but Not Forgotten

“Rejoice for those around you who transform into The Force. Mourn them do not, miss them do not.” – Yoda, Revenge of the Sith

It would be remiss of me if I did not mention a couple of Star Wars experiences from years past that are no longer available at the parks:
- Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular – Nighttime fireworks which included scoring by John Williams ran from June 16, 2016 through COVID closure in March 2020 and has not returned. Currently only Fantasmic is available as a nighttime show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (which is a must-see) but who wouldn’t love to cap off an epic day of playing along in your favorite Star Wars story with this extravaganza?
- March of the First Order – A brief daytime show where a battalion of Stormtroopers would march in front of the Chinese Theater lead by Captain Phasma. Whether it was because of the impending opening of Galaxy’s Edge in late 2019, or a logistical issue with this large march of actors, it was a bummer when this came to an end. I vividly remember seeing this show immediately upon entering the park one day and it was such a wow! moment for me.
- Jedi Training Academy – This fun kids’ experience let padawans learn to wield the force from Jedi Knights, and the stage sadly sits empty next to Star Tours at Hollywood Studios. Not only would I love to see this return – I’d like it to be an all-ages experience so I can participate as well! (Just kidding… sort of.)
“Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future.” – Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back

There are so many ways to immerse yourself in the Star Wars story in Disney World, it’s not even possible to highlight all of them in this post. In addition to my favorites above, you can also build a droid, complete missions on your DataPad (aka cell phone) using the Disney Parks app, utilize the PhotoPass Cast Members to capture your favorite Star Wars moment, and put together your perfect Jedi-vibe at the merchandise stalls. With upcoming enhancements to Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run and the fairly recent addition of the Mandalorian and Grogu as character interactions, fans can look forward to the future as the Star Wars saga continues.

Ready to Join the Resistance? This is the Way. Let’s map out your next Magical Quest today!
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May 4, 2025
The Perfect Rope Drop Morning at EPCOT
Cracking the Top 10 most visited theme parks in the world with close to 12 million visitors each year, EPCOT is a unique theme park that leans on edutainment to enhance the guest experience. This park has welcomed three new ride attractions and one new walk-through attraction in the last nine years, as well as a reimagining of the front area of the park. Home to one of the newest roller coasters at Walt Disney World with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, EPCOT is always a busy park with wait times peaking in the evenings and weekends. The many food and drink offerings make this park a popular place for guests to hop to for dinner, and a huge draw for locals on the weekends (I know I’d be hanging out there!). Setting your alarm and heading to this park early will help alleviate some of the logistical hurdles so you can enjoy a relaxing, culinary tour of the World Showcase and everything else EPCOT has to offer

For non-resort guests, official park opening is typically at 9am, meaning Early Entry Rope Drop begins at 8:30am for guests staying at a Disney Resort and other participating Good Neighbor Hotels. EPCOT rarely changes its regular opening hours, and the majority of dining locations (and bars) in the World Showcase do not open until 11am, except for a couple of carts and locations with breakfast items.

In this addition to my Rope Drop Series, I will cover the logistics of traveling to and entering EPCOT for Early Entry Rope Drop, along with strategies to help you make the most of these early morning hours, and how to spend all that glorious free time you’ll have left. (Unsure what Early Entry Rope Drop is? Check out my post, “Why You Should Rope Drop at Disney World” for background information.)

Getting to the Park

There are multiple options for traveling to EPCOT, depending on what resort you are staying at. And, unlike any other theme park in Walt Disney World, there are two entrances to this park. For guests at Disney’s POP Century Resort, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, or Disney’s Riviera Resort, you will take the Skyliner to EPCOT and enter through the International Gateway at the rear of the park.

The wait to board the Skyliner on Pop or AoA will vary depending on your arrival time. I have personally waited up to 25 minutes in the morning. The travel time can vary, with a transfer required at the Caribbean Beach Hub for guests staying at POP Century and Art of Animation. Travel time averages about 15 minutes from POP/AOA (including the transfer stop), and about 5 – 10 minutes from Caribbean Beach and Riviera. This commute is slightly shorter than the trip to Hollywood Studios on the Skyliner. You’ll want to allow for at least an hour from door to door, so plan to leave your room no later than 7:30am.

Guests staying in the EPCOT Resort Area at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, or the Swan & Dolphin Resorts will leisurely stroll in through the International Gateway. This is easily my favorite overall resort area on property, with this short jaunt taking me directly into the World Showcase the epitome of convenience.

Guests staying in the Magic Kingdom resort area at one of the Monorail resorts – Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Contemporary Resort & Bay Lake Tower, and Disney’s Polynesian Resort will ride Disney’s Monorail to EPCOT, transferring at the Transportation and Ticket Center. This trip can take about 20-30 minutes, depending on the timing of your Monorail. While the entrance loop into EPCOT is lovely, it does use up some precious time early in the morning.

All other resorts will utilize the Disney Bus service. During very busy times of the year, transportation will often begin running earlier than the 60-minute mark, and it’s important to factor travel time into your morning. If you are driving, parking also opens 60 minutes before early entry begins (occasionally earlier during peak seasons).

So, what time are you waking up? For those of you lucky enough to be staying in the EPCOT resort area by Crescent Lake, you can definitely sleep in for this Rope Drop morning. If you are hopping on a Disney Bus or Monorail, or queuing up for Disney’s Skyliner, you’ll want to be up and out around 7:15am to catch early transportation. For those entering through the front gates, there’s a Joffrey’s stand between security and the entrance that is often open early. Caffeine to the rescue!

Security and Park Entry

Security typically opens 45 minutes or more before early entry begins. This allows any lines forming outside the park to be let into the space between security and the turnstiles/MagicBand readers. This is where you will gather with everyone else who got up and out early to hit the parks. Yes, while the main point of rope drop is to avoid long lines in the park, you are still waiting a good 30 minutes outside of the gates if you want to be at the front of the crowd. The theme park logic in this is that you are not waiting during the park’s operating hours, at least for the first few rides of the day.

Cast members will usually start allowing guests into the park about 10-15 minutes before early entry starts, to alleviate the crowds gathering from the later busses, and to allow guests to walk up to the lands that are participating in early entry to wait. If you are a non-resort guest and arrive early for official park opening, cast members will direct to you to a separate queue/corral area to wait.

After you tap your band, phone, or keycard and fingerprint for park entry, you’ll be directed towards cast members who have handheld readers to scan your ticket again. This is to ensure that you are indeed a Disney resort guest. If you are traveling with others, be sure that everyone included on your resort reservation is together for this step, so one person can be scanned, let the cast member know how many people are on the reservation, and they will simply count heads and let your group in. You’ll be corralled again to wait near attractions that will open with Early Entry, generally outside of the queue area or slightly outside of the land. Cast members will direct you where to go.

France, Norway, Xandar, or Test Track 3.0? (updated 11/16/25)

The four main attractions that guests head to at EPCOT’S Early Entry Rope Drop are Frozen Ever After, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (GOTG), and Test Track (3.0). This newest version of Test Track opened summer 2025, and it has had a positive effect on the early entry period at EPCOT.

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is (obviously) located in France, and therefore the guests entering the park through the International Gateway have a drastic advantage over those entering from the front of the park. The “walking directions” feature on the MyDisneyExperience app times the walk from the front of EPCOT to Remy at 16 minutes, so at a Rope Drop pace you are still looking at 10-12 minutes to get to France, compared to the guests who are practically walking right into the pavilion. If you are entering through the main gates, you will have better luck heading pretty much anywhere else, especially during peak seasons. At a Rope Drop in January with very low crowds, I was able to make it to Remy’s from the front of the park (Frozen Ever After unexpectedly down for maintenance all day and GOTG still on virtual queue), but I had to haul and queued for about 20 minutes upon arriving at the attraction. This isn’t the norm though, and you might find a sizable line by the time you make the trek from the front.

Frozen Ever After is more equidistant from the Main Entrance and the International Gateway, about 10 – 12 minutes from either turnstile. If you have a kiddo who loves Anna and Elsa, or you yourself want to belt out “Let it Go” first thing in the morning, this ride has a level playing field at Rope Drop. While the queue area is cute and immersive, especially when you walk through Oaken’s Tokens & Sauna, it does get very “people-y” very quickly, with switchback chains filling a fairly small waiting area. For this reason, I love hitting Frozen at Rope Drop and zipping through the Arendelle Courtyard in just a couple minutes.

In the videos below, you’ll see the queue as I enter during Early Entry, and the wait that has built up after riding! Totally worth it to hustle to Norway.

The Perfect Rope Drop Morning at EPCOT

One of the most popular attractions at Walt Disney World, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind changed from a virtual queue to a regular standby queue in Spring 2025. Up until that point, guests had to frantically tap into a “virtual queue” in the MyDisneyExperience app right at 7:00am while hopping on one foot and singing “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” only to often find themselves shut out of a boarding group, or given a return time during an evening dinner reservation. Thank goodness this was the last attraction on the VQ system!

Since becoming “Rope Drop-able,” this attraction has seen floods of guests early in the morning. If you are planning save EPCOT and the rest of the galaxy with the Guardians during your Early Entry time, you want to be at the front of the pack heading through security in the morning to make the most of it. If you are heading to Xandar from the International Gateway, you’ve got a 12-15 minute trek in front of you, depending on how much hustle you have first thing in the morning. Be prepared for a short wait by the time you arrive at the attraction, considering the wave coming in the front. (Please, do not run in the parks!)

If both pre-shows are operating for Guardians in the morning, that attraction will take about (at least?!) 30 minutes from the time you enter the Xandar Pavilion. If they aren’t running and are instead allowing guests to flow through, it will take closer to 15-20 minutes. Either way, it is still a time investment, and this might be the only “E-Ticket” attraction that you ride during Early Entry. Considering this attraction can have a 90+ minute wait during the day, it is still a great use of these early park hours if you do not want to buy an Individual Lightning Lane.

Now that Test Track is open, guests have a fourth headliner attraction to rush to when Early Entry begins — no shade to Soarin’ but it does not tend to get as long of a wait as these other attractions, and you can easily soar around the world later in the morning. Since opening this summer, Test Track has consistently seen 60+ minute wait times and often has a longer wait time than Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Since GOTG is located right next to Test Track, you’ll make the best use of your morning time heading to the roller coaster first and then zipping over to Test Track immediately afterwards. If you have an Individual Lightning Lane for GOTG lined up, you could ride Test Track and then hustle over to Norway via the Odyssey Bridge to catch Frozen Ever After before the park officially opens.

Test Track also has a single rider queue, and I found this to be extremely helpful during my EPCOT day. While the standby queue had a 75-minute posted wait, I was in my car in 15 minutes via the single rider queue. If riding with others, you will be separated from your group as a single rider, but it does save a ton of time.

Prepare to Pivot!

Unlike other parks, it is tricky to accomplish two top-tier attractions during Early Entry. A main reason for this is how spread out the “Big Four” rides are between Norway, France, and World Discovery. The walking times between these attractions are (again, based on the MDE app):
- Guardians of the Galaxy to Frozen Ever After – 10 min walk
- Guardians of the Galaxy to Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure – 15 min walk
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure to Frozen Ever After – 14 min walk
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure to Soarin’ Around the World – 14 min walk
- Frozen Ever After to Soarin’ Around the World – 11 min walk
- Test Track to Frozen Ever After – 8 min walk
- Test Track to Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure – 14 min walk
In almost every situation, by the time you get off your first attraction and walk to your second, Early Entry Rope Drop will be over and non-resort guests who have been waiting in corrals will be let into queues. This will still be a shorter wait than later in the day, but it’s not as efficient as Animal Kingdom Rope Drop or Hollywood Studios Rope Drop, with popular rides fairly close to each other. If you have your heart set on crushing both Remy and Frozen during Early Entry, you may want to temper your expectations, and prepare to pivot to another attraction. (Or, make sure you are on the very first transportation option of the day!)

Currently, my preferred #2 ride is Soarin’ Around the World. Whether I am heading over from France or Norway (GOTG Rope Drop is not for me – I’d rather purchase an Individual Lightning Lane for a time of my choice later in the day), I like to grab a Joffrey’s and leisurely head to the front of the park, specifically to The Land Pavilion. Most guests are going to try to fit in one of the other headliner attractions and so at this point I am going to take advantage of a walk on at Soarin’ to keep things moving.

There are a few very popular breakfast places in EPCOT, if you’re willing to wait. In France, Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie and Crepes A Emporter be La Creperie de Paris start serving at 8:30am and 9:00am respectively, and Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe in Norway also opens at 9:00am. These spots are super popular and do see long lines build up after the first riders exit the attractions in these countries, so be prepared. (I have actually Rope Dropped Les Halles in France and it was 100% worth it!) If you just want a quick breakfast treat, head to Oasis Sweets & Sips in Morocco (right next to France) or the Joffrey’s cart in America in the World Showcase. At the front of the park, you can grab a breakfast bite at Sunshine Seasons in the Land Pavilion on your way to Soarin’, or see what the line looks like at Connections Cafe (aka Starbucks).

Late-Morning Luxuriating

At this point, the park has been open to all guests for a bit, and while there could be some moderate waits around the park, it should be pretty easy to hop on attractions like Spaceship Earth, Mission Space, Living with the Land, and the Seas with Nemo and Friends. This is also a great time to check out Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, a beautiful interactive walkthrough that embodies classic EPCOT edutainment.

The Perfect Rope Drop Morning at EPCOT

If you want to say hi to some character friends, this park has a ton of meet and greets, with many of your favorites hanging out in the pavilion country that aligns with their story. For example, Winnie the Pooh and Alice from Alice in Wonderland meet guests in the UK Pavilion, Anna and Elsa will welcome you to Arendelle in Norway, and Belle says “bonjour” to guests in France. At the front of the park, you can meet the classic EPCOT mascot Figment over in the Imagination Pavilion, as well as Mickey & Friends near CommuniCore Hall.

Most times of the year there is a festival happening at EPCOT, and you can spend some time enjoying the special offerings and entertainment on offer. While the shows and displays will change with each festival, there is always some variety of Outdoor Kitchens throughout the park that offer up tasty bites and sips starting at 11am. The EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival is happening as I write this, and exploring the gardens and topiaries is a relaxing way to downshift after a busy Rope Drop morning, before you start your quest for culinary delights throughout the World Showcase.

Looking to travel the world and save the galaxy, all in one day? EPCOT has it all!

Let’s map out your next Magical Quest today!
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April 25, 2025