So, you want to go to Disney World, and your coworker/sister/cousin just scared the pants off you with lots of talk about 6am wake ups and waiting at the park gates before 8am. You might be thinking, Is this for real? Do I have to do this?

Let’s grab a Joffrey’s coffee and start with some basic foundational information about Rope Drop. You can decide for yourself if this strategy is worth it for your trip. (Hint: I am pro-Rope Drop but you don’t have to be!)

WHAT is Rope Drop?

Rope Drop is simply the familiar phrase for being at the entrance to the theme parks before official park open, in order to be the first group of guests in the park. In the past, and around a few smaller select sections of the theme parks nowadays, Disney Cast Members would hold an actual rope across the pathway to prevent guests from entering the park too early. They would physically drop the rope to allow guests in at park open, thus “Rope Drop” was born. When someone uses the phrase, “I am going to Rope Drop Magic Kingdom tomorrow,” they are saying, “I’m going to get up at an ungodly hour to beat the crowds at the Kingdom.”

3/15/2022; 7:57am Past security and waiting at the turnstiles for the green light!

WHEN is Rope Drop?

You might be making that quizzical look right now. Didn’t she already say Rope Drop is basically park open? Yes. And NO!

Rope Drop is, by my aforementioned definition, the moment the park opens. In reality, there’s an earlier Rope Drop that is only for Walt Disney World Resort Guests, known as Early Entry. This allows for a special 30-minute window for on-property resort guests to enter the park before it officially opens. Can you also Rope Drop Early Entry? Yes! Should you? Without a doubt. It is mind-boggling how much you can accomplish in these 30 minutes with very low crowds. During peak seasons (think: February and April vacations, Easter weekend, Thanksgiving Week, Christmas Week) you will find that wait times start to climb very early in the day, as non-resort guests begin to enter the park at official opening.

WHERE is Rope Drop?

All four Disney parks allow guests to wait outside of the security section to each park in the early morning, and offer Early Entry every day for resort guests. About 60 minutes prior to Rope Drop (official park open), security will open to allow guests to begin flowing up to the turnstiles. (The International Gateway at the back of EPCOT is included in the Early Entry opening operations, and you can Rope Drop from that entrance as well.) Specific operations of Early Entry and Rope Drop can change and will also vary from park to park. For example, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, guests are often allowed to enter the park 10-15 minutes prior to Early Entry to wait outside of each land and/or queue. If you head towards Tower of Terror, you will queue up on Sunset Blvd., with the line for Rock’n’Roller Coaster across the road.

Rope Drop in Action

11/20/24: 8:20am Sunset Blvd. with Early Entry pre-Rope Drop queues for Rock’n’Roller Coaster (left) and Tower of Terror (right) outside of the actual queue.

Now, the real burning questions…

WHY is Rope Drop?

Many sane people may question why anyone in their right mind would choose to wake up at the 6am hour (and sometimes earlier!), to be up and out the door while on vacation. Setting an alarm seems like the antithesis of the entire idea of a vacation, and time off from the daily grind. In reality, there are many solid reasons for starting your park day with Rope Drop, in order to allow for luxuriating later on. I’ll start with these FOUR:

1. You will be able to ride the most popular attractions in the park with little-to-no wait times, which will save hours in your day – without exaggeration. In September 2024 I was among the first boatloads for Frozen Ever After in EPCOT’S Norway pavilion, quite literally walking right on the ride. When I exited, the queue was full outside of the ride building, and beginning to stretch to the China pavilion, with a 50-minute wait posted.
2. Conversely, while many guests will scamper right over to the popular “E-ticket” attractions during the early morning, you might find that you can accomplish 3-5 less popular rides in the same amount of time. In March 2025, I rope dropped Magic Kingdom and was able to ride The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid, Haunted Mansion, and the PeopleMover within the first 60 minutes of park open.
3. Walt Disney World is located in central Florida, and unless you are a native Floridian, you might find yourself diving for shade and air conditioning by the early afternoon during most times of the year. Spending a few hours in the park early in the morning allows you to accomplish a lot before wait times build up and allow for a midday break. The 2-5p hours are a great time for a refreshing dip in your resort’s pool, a nap in your room, a longer leisurely meal to rest and recharge, or some casual day drinking.  
4. The vibes are high! You are joined by other guests with a passion for Disney and having fun. It’s exciting to look around at all the other lunatics who set their alarms on vacation to queue up before the parks open. The Cast Members are rested and ready for the day. The sunrise is magical – yes, there are days where you might be up before the sun, and it is worth it. And, while I would certainly describe the Disney properties as among the tidiest around at any given time, the parks are absolutely sparkling clean early in the morning.
5. BONUS! Want pretty Instagram-worthy pictures without crowds in the background, and don’t want to pay for PhotoShop? You guessed it! Set that alarm!

9/25/2024; 8:57am, Post-Frozen Ever After Joffrey’s coffee in an empty America Pavillion for the win

WHO is Rope Drop (for)?

This strategy is going to be helpful for anyone who…

…Is a morning person. Yes, this strategy is much easier for the early birds. If you are a night owl, you probably stopped reading several paragraphs ago. If you are usually up and out in the morning, don’t change your sleep schedule!

…Is a parent of young kids. Are you trying to tell me your kids are not already awake by 7am or earlier? Is it not Christmas Morning every day when you’re a child on vacation in the House of the Mouse? Don’t dilly-dally. Brew your in-room Joffrey’s, get those kids up, dressed, and strapped into their strollers with breakfast snacks. See notes above on midday breaks: you’ll be back at your resort for midday naptime in no time.

…Is ballin’ on a budget. Let’s be real: Disney World is NOT CHEAP. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. However, there are ways to save money and manage funds while you are at the parks. Utilizing Rope Drop to check off major attractions means you may not need to purchase MultiPass or Individual Lightning Lanes for some (or any) days of your trip. These skip-the-line services can be extremely beneficial in the right situations, but if you do not want to shell out the extra cash (which can be as much as $38 per person per day during peak seasons for MultiPass), consider setting your alarm and racing the sun instead.

…Wants to get the most out of their park ticket. If Time = Money, then the more hours you spend in the park, the more you are getting out of your ticket price. It is Simple Disney Math.

…Can’t deal with the heat. (It’s me, hi, I’m the problem it’s me…) I was born and bred in New England, and I melt faster than Olaf in the Florida humidity. The early morning hours can still be hot and humid during certain times of the year, but you are saving yourself from the highest temps and strongest sun of the day by hitting the parks early (and heading back out again later after the sun sets). I’ve noted it twice already and I will say it again now – midday pool breaks are key!

So, is this strategy for you?

For me, Rope Drop is a vital part of a successful trip to Walt Disney World. I admit, much of that is made possible by the fact that I am simply a morning person and maintain the attitude of “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” while I’m hopping around the parks. If hitting the snooze button and potentially spending some extra cash on MultiPass and Individual Lightning Lanes sounds more your speed, go for it! (And yes, there will be a future blog post about the many pros to utilizing Lightning Lanes and strategies to maximize your picks.)

Want to learn more about Rope Drop? Ready to start planning? Contact me to start mapping out your next Magical Quest!

3/14/22: 7:11am Sunrise at The Tree of Life, Disney’s Animal Kingdom