Magical Quests Blog

Tag: Disney Rope Drop

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
Maximize Your Rope Drop Morning at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
With four new attractions within the last 10 years and more on the horizon, Disney’s Hollywood Studios boasts some of the most high-tech rides at Walt Disney World and navigating it all can be a bit of a beast. The earlier you get to the park, the better shape you’ll be in to soak in all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.

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. During peak times of year, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will occasionally open at 8:30am for regular operating hours, so be sure to check the MyDisneyExperience app for the most up-to-date information.

In this addition to my Rope Drop Series, I will cover the logistics of traveling to and entering Disney’s Hollywood Studios 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 Disney’s Hollywood Studios, depending on what resort you are staying at. 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 Disney’s Skyliner to Hollywood Studios. The travel time can vary, with a transfer required at the Caribbean Beach Hub for guests staying at POP Century, Art of Animation, and Riveria. Fly time averages about 15 minutes from POP/AOA/Riveria (including the transfer stop), and about 5 minutes from Caribbean Beach. Early in the morning, you may see a long line of people headed to the Skyliner – don’t fret. It does move quickly, and you’ll be on your way soon.

For 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 have the option to ride Disney’s Friendship Boats to Hollywood Studios, or walk on the path that follows the same waterway. Both options will take about 15 minutes, with a slightly shorter walk from the Boardwalk Inn.

Boardwalk, Swan, Dolphin

Disney’s Skyliner

Friendship Boats to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios

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 practically sleep in for this Rope Drop morning. If you are hopping on a Disney Bus or flying on Disney’s Skyliner, you’ll want to be up and out around 7:15am to catch that early bus. It’s okay. It’s not nearly as early as your Animal Kingdom rope drop morning, and it’s nothing a Joffrey’s can’t fix!

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.

Rope Drop Crowd, March 2022

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

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 and signage will direct you where to go.

Old Hollywood, Andy’s Backyard, or A Galaxy Far, Far Away…?

Okay, you’re in! Which way are you going?! Disney’s Hollywood Studios has nine ride attractions, and they are all extremely popular with frequent high wait times throughout the day. For this reason, you really can’t go wrong with choosing any major attraction to hit first thing in the morning, but I would recommend four top contenders: Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Slinky Dog Dash, Tower or Terror, or Rock’N’Roller Coaster. Why not Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway (MMRR) you ask? I adore this ride and think the storyline and technology is a perfect example of Disney Imagineering, but that wonderful tech means that sometimes it takes a little bit to get up and running first thing in the morning. I have frequently found that MMRR is not always open during Early Entry, sometimes not opening until 15-30 minutes into regular park opening. While this is certainly not a major flaw, it is definitely something you should consider when planning out your Early Entry Rope Drop morning.

Strategy One: Join the Resistance

Many guests are going to use this early time to head to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. With wait times as high as 120+ minutes during the day, this is a great use of your Early Entry time. The queue itself is filled with Star Wars props and is highly immersive, as you meander through the cave hallways of the Resistance main base. The attraction itself lasts about 17 minutes, inclusive of the “pre-show” with Rey and BB-8, which means that you are using most, if not all, of your 30 minutes of Early Entry on this attraction. It is still absolutely worth it, especially if you are a Star Wars fan like me!

After doing your part to aid the Resistance, zip over to Millenium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run. Take a few minutes to slow down in this queue, as you get to explore the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs. While I do enjoy this ride when traveling with a group, I have always sat in the Engineer seat, which currently does not have an interactive “job” on this attraction like the Pilots and Gunners. That will all change next year, when the ride is reimagined to include new locations in the Star Wars Universe, as well as appearances by the Mandalorian and Grogu. Just yesterday (April 19, 2025) Disney Imagineering announced at 2025 Star Wars Celebration in Japan that those now lucky enough to sit in the Engineer seats will choose the location of your adventure, and – best of all – interact with Grogu! I am so excited for this refurbishment, set to open in May 2026 at the same time The Mandalorian and Grogu hits theaters.

Galaxy’s Edge is home to a couple of delightful breakfast snacks, so treat yourself after you successfully ride two of the most popular attractions in all of Walt Disney World! Ronto Roasters, home to the wildly popular Ronto Wrap, serves breakfast from 9am – 11am, and Kat Saka’s Kettle starts selling the Cold Brew Black Caf (spiked and non!) at 9am as well.

Strategy Two: Play Time in Andy’s Backyard

Maybe you have an Individual Lightning Lane for Rise of the Resistance, or couldn’t snag a Lightning Lane on MultiPass for Slinky Dog Dash before 8pm. Heading to Toy Story Land at the back of the park is a great use of this early entry time. Consistently one of the highest wait times of all the attractions on property, Slinky Dog Dash is a family-friendly roller coaster that is sure to make you squeal, “wee!” This really is a delightful ride, but with a long, hot, fully outdoor queue, it is a bit of a logistical hurdle in any successful Hollywood Studios day. Heading here early in the morning will save you a ton of wait time later in your day, and with two other attractions in this land you can accomplish a lot with minimal dashing around.

After you ride Andy’s new and improved Slinky Dog Dash track, head right across the walkway to Toy Story Mania – a fun, interactive game play ride that everyone can enjoy. This has long been one of my favorite attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and my competitive spirit comes out as I vie for the top spot on the leaderboard. (My highest personal ranking is a Best in Vehicle Score from 2024; there’s certainly room for improvement.)

By this point in the morning the park is likely now open to non-resort guests. You can check the MyDisneyExperience app to see what wait times are like in other areas of the park, or you can more than likely hop on the last ride in this land, Alien Swirling Saucers. This ride typically does not get a high wait throughout the day (unless you are there during peak weeks like Easter, Christmas, etc.), so you may want to see if you can hit another headliner attraction or two before the park crowd levels are in full swing. If you’re ready for a snack, Woody’s Lunch Box serves a tasty Breakfast Bowl with brisket gravy, scrambled eggs, and green onions atop tater tots until 10:30am, as well as the Lunch Box Tart throughout the day.

Strategy Three: Head Down Sunset Boulevard

My personal favorite choice and frankly always my go-to: take a right down Sunset Blvd. and head to either Rock’N’Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith or Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror. Both are solid choices, though in my opinion, Tower of Terror is the best attraction to ride first thing in the morning. Beyond the obvious wake up jolt of repeated “free fall” drops (No time for a coffee? No problem!), the ambiance of this ride is as creepy in the morning as it is at night. The mist in the queue area sometimes blends with an early morning fog, and the attraction building looks both inviting and menacing at the same time. I have also had some of the best cast member interactions early in the morning at this ride, with the roleplay by the bell hops on another level.

One of my favorite things about heading down Sunset Blvd. in the morning is the proximity of both these two “E-Ticket” attractions. After your morning wake up call at Tower of Terror, you can head over to Rock’N’Roller Coaster, and hop in a super stretch limo to make it to (one last!) Aerosmith concert. Though I do love this ride and it was the first inverted coaster I ever rode, I am quite excited for the upcoming retheming of this coaster into Muppets Mayhem. I think that Steven Tyler & Co. met the requirements for “Disney retirement” long ago, and this reimaging is long overdue.

Tower of Terror

Tower of Terror

Rock’n’Roller Coaster

Tower of Terror

Rock’n’Roller Coaster

Rock’n’Roller Coaster

Perhaps the best part of heading down Sunset for your rope drop morning is… the Joffrey’s cart located at the exit to Tower of Terror! I know! Two super popular attractions and a Joffrey’s cart? Dream come true! Depending on how busy this area of the park seems in the morning, you might think of getting yourself a tasty iced latte after Tower of Terror, and bringing it over to the queue for Rock’N’Roller Coaster. If you’re anything like me, this beverage will be gone in 15 minutes or less which should be just enough time for the walk over to G-Force Records, and the very short wait that will probably have built up by now. (Or, simply continue on and double back to this cart after Rock’N’.) At this point in the morning, the tail end of Rope Drop guests are entering the park and with wait times climbing at Rise of the Resistance and Slinky Dog Dash, many “late” Early Entry Rope Drop guests will head down Sunset Blvd. as well.

Phew! That was fun! What now?

You can certainly continue riding rides via standby and perhaps utilize Lightning Lane MultiPass to supplement your Rope Drop accomplishments, now that you’ve knocked out a couple of major attractions. (I do like to double this strategy with MultiPass to avoid waiting in long lines later in the day, and to be able to enjoy the rest of the park at leisure.) Rides like Star Tours: The Adventure Continues and Alien Swirling Saucers should both have low-ish wait times through late morning and now is a good time to hop in those standby queues. But, while this park does have the highest concentration of thrill rides of any Walt Disney World theme park, it also has some fantastic entertainment, character meet and greets, and interactive play areas to round out your day.

Live Action Entertainment

By late morning, I am looking at the show times for Beauty and the Beat Live on Stage or The Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular to rest my feet and take in a performance. Both of these shows have been running for over 20 years, and they embody the original vibe of the park when it opened as MGM Studios. Though the Indiana Jones show has evolved a little over the years, it is still fundamentally the same show that premiered on August 25, 1989 (almost an opening day attraction for this park!).

Another fun (and air conditioned!) show is For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-A-Long Celebration, which I saw for the first time this past March – honestly, I was surprised at how entertaining this show was, beyond the obvious fun of belting out “Let It Go” as loud as possible in public. The narrators are hilarious and include jokes about today’s pop music, making it accessible for everyone. And there’s more exciting shows on the way, with Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After and The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure both opening on May 27, 2025.

Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular

Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular

Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage

Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage

For the First Time in Forever: Frozen Sing-A-Long Celebration

Meet Your Favorite Characters!

This park also has a ton of character meet and greets, some of which can have very long lines later in the day. In Toy Story Land, you can meet Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jesse (check the MyDisneyExperince app for set times!) and if you are a Pixar fan in general, head over to Pixar Place near the walkway into Toy Story Land. Here you’ll be able to get a big hug from Sulley, flex with Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, talk fashion with Edna Mode, cool off with Frozone, and share a happy moment with Joy. These characters also have set times listed in the MDE app, and this is a fun way to meet a bunch of characters in one area.

Use The Force

If you are Star Wars fan, there is no better way to immerse yourself in the story than to spend an hour (or more!) exploring Batuu in Galaxy’s Edge. On this distant planet in the Outer Rim, you can catch the Mandalorian wandering around the marketplace, usually with Grogu by his side. Watch for the Storm Troopers patrolling with Kylo Ren, as he attempts to coerce you to the Dark Side. Keep your secrets close, find Rey and Chewbacca, and join the Resistance! There are so many ways to live your Star Wars story in this land.

You can also use the DataPad on the Play Disney Parks app, and interact with various droids, panel switches, and doorways throughout the land. You’ll have missions to complete, puzzles to solve, and characters to interact with. When you’re ready for a break, grab a drink inside Oga’s Cantina and be watchful of First Order officers out to capture Resistance Fighters.

Luxuriate

There are so many exciting things to do at this park, but when you want to shift gears and relax a bit more without heading back to your resort, you can:
- Unwind at the Brown Derby Lounge to enjoy a light bite and a cocktail. This outdoor lounge is ideal for people-watching, and the food and drinks are potentially the best within this park.
- Watch Walt Disney Presents, which includes a small walkthrough of the history of the Walt Disney Company.
- Visit Potatoland! One of the more ridiculous Disney references, Potatoland is a fictional land featured in a Mickey Mouse short, and you can visit a fun (weird?) photo op with a potato on a pedestal/stool with a “Potatoland” backdrop in the waiting area for Vacation Fun. After your potato-op, enjoy the Vacation Fun shorts for a brief respite of air conditioning.
- Check out Baseline Tap House for a refreshing beer or cider, and a shareable bite. This location gets quite busy, but if you are lucky enough to grab a table it is another chill spot for relaxing and people watching.
- Seriously, see the shows!!
Disney’s Hollywood Studios is one of my favorite parks to Rope Drop, because it is honestly one of my least favorite parks to be in midday. With so many popular attractions at this park, it does get quite busy almost every day, and I personally find that the layout of the park creates a few more “bottleneck” points than others. Getting up and out early is a great strategy to supplement Lightning Lanes, and accomplish those popular rides with efficiency so you can relax and enjoy “a Hollywood that never was, and always will be.” (Michael Eisner, May 1, 1989 dedication of Disney’s MGM Studios).

Ready to join the Resistance? Looking to check into the Hollywood Tower Hotel? Let’s map out your next Magical Quest today!
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April 20, 2025
The Perfect Early Morning at Animal Kingdom
As the earliest park to open each day at Walt Disney World, rope drop at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is not for the faint of heart. But, setting my alarm to beat the crowds and the midday heat at Disney’s warmest theme park is a strategy that has served me well over the years. For non-resort guests, official park opening is at 8am, meaning Early Entry Rope Drop begins at 7:30am for guests staying at a Disney Resort or other participating hotel. This post will cover the logistics of traveling to and entering the parks for Early Entry Rope Drop, along with strategies to help you make the most of these early morning hours. I’ll also touch on best options for non-resort guests, what to do if you arrive “late” to early entry, and how to spend all that glorious free time you’ll have left. (Unsure of what “Rope Drop” is? Read my earlier post “Why You Should ‘Rope Drop’ at Disney World” for some helpful background information!)

Getting to the Park

Disney bus transportation begins running an hour before Early Entry begins. For Animal Kingdom, that means the first bus is pulling away from your resort around 6:30am. During very busy times of the year, transportation will often begin running earlier than the 60-minute mark. If you are staying anywhere besides Animal Kingdom Lodge you want to be on the first or second bus of the morning. It is a good 15-20 minute ride to Animal Kingdom from almost all other resorts (10-12 minutes or so from Coronado Springs and the All Star Resorts), 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? Plan to call it an early night the day before this rope drop. I recommend leaving your room to head to the bus by 6:10am, which means waking up sometime in the 5am hour depending on how quickly you and your group can get ready while it is still dark out. It’s okay. It’s nothing a Joffrey’s can’t fix!

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. There you will gather with everyone else who woke up before dawn to wait. 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. 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.

3/14/2022; 7:07am Early Entry Rope Drop crowd waiting after security, before entering the gates.

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 open 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 eligible for Early Entry based on your resort. 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.

Fly on an Ikran, Go Get that Dino, or Be Chased by a Yeti?

Animal Kingdom has the least number of ride attractions in Walt Disney World, and even fewer are open during Early Entry. As you enter Discovery Island, take a brief moment to appreciate just how beautiful the Tree of Life is at sunrise. This is a great time to grab a couple of pictures in front of the park icon with no crowds in the background.

You have four attractions to choose from: Avatar Flight of Passage, Na’vi River Journey, DINOSAUR, or Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain. All but one of these rides (Na’vi River Journey) have a height requirement, and two popular rides are not open during Early Entry – Kilimanjaro Safaris and Kali River Rapids.

The vast majority of people here this early in the morning are headed to Pandora – the World of Avatar, with most of those people queueing up for Flight of Passage (FOP). This exhilarating 3D ride on the back of an Ikran over the Valley of Mo’ara sees wait times as high as 120+ minutes during peak seasons, so it is a great move to check this one off your list during Early Entry. Though you will literally see hundreds of people heading for the same attraction, and it may feel like you are not “skipping” any line at all, you will save a huge amount of time by joining this queue. For the most part, you will continually walk the entire time, as the queue for FOP is long enough to accommodate a 6-hour wait. Translation – you will be slowly meandering through a gorgeously themed queue for about 20 minutes, unless you were at the very head of the pack through the gates and did not stop for a picturesque Tree of Life sunrise photo.

Assuming you are in the World of Avatar and have successfully accomplished FOP, you can head to Na’vi River Journey, which is a gem for all ages. While this relaxing boat ride utilizes scenic dark ride storytelling and newer screen effects, the big draw is the Na’vi Shaman animatronic featured towards the end. Reportedly costing somewhere between $10 and $23 MILLION to build, I am always completely blown away by how fluidly this “machine” moves. This attraction will also have a very high wait time as the day goes on, and is a smart choice for your second ride of the day.

Visit Harambe Wildlife Reserve

If this slow moving (beautiful) boat ride is not your speed, (or perhaps you were on the first bus from your resort, rode Flight of Passage AND Na’vi River, and are really winning the day at this point), this is a great time to head to Kilimanjaro Safaris. Odds are it is at least 8:15am-8:30a by this time, and Kilimanjaro Safaris typically opens at 8:15am. Take the path from the back of Pandora along the river to Africa for the quickest route to this attraction. Kilimanjaro Safaris will take you on a tour of Harambe Wildlife Reserve, which is home to over 30 different species and covers 110 acres – that’s larger than all of Magic Kingdom.

An early safari is ideal for catching animals that are more active during the cooler morning hours. Spot cheetahs, peep elephants, and admire the Masai giraffe – who recently welcomed a newcomer to their tower, baby Tucker! If you’re lucky you might even hear the lion and lionesses waking up the savanna with their roar.

At this point in your rope drop morning, you have potentially accomplished three of the most popular rides at the park by 9am. Superb! The park has been open for at least an hour and Early Entry Rope Drop is sadly “over,” but you have positioned yourself to enjoy the rest of the park a bit more leisurely pace. Now is a good time for a breakfast snack and a Joffrey’s. In Africa, you have Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery, Harambe Fruit Market, and Zuri’s Sweets Shop available for quick service/grab-and-go. Harambe Market does not open until 10:45am, and my personal plan is to keep moving. In my case, I’ve got two directions to go:
1. Head to Asia for the Joffrey’s stand, and grab a pastry to enjoy with that glorious caffeine or
2. Backtrack to Pandora for a hearty breakfast at Satu’li Canteen or a snack at Pongu Pongu.
Option one puts you in prime position to hop on two thriller attractions after a breakfast break if you’re ready for more rides, while option two is going to fuel you more for the rest of the day. Choose, but choose wisely… Heading to Pandora is going to use more time (though it is so delicious). If hitting all the main attractions before 11am is your gameplan, you might want to continue towards Asia for breakfast, if needed. (Maybe you are a true rope drop professional and brought a stash of granola bars to the park to get you through the first three hours. I applaud you!) You can also call it a morning and head into Tusker House for a fun character breakfast if that is more your speed.

Frittata with Beef at Satu’li Canteen

Pongu Lumpia from Pongu Pongu snack stand

They’re Not Gonna Make it, They’re Not Gonna Make it!

Can we complete all 6 ride attractions before 11am?!

The next two attractions are more than likely going to have short, manageable waits by this time in the morning, because the park is in full operation and Early Entry Rope Drop is now just a memory. DINOSAUR will be closing at some point in 2026, and as a result has seen higher than average wait times as of late. Even so, wait times for both DINOSAUR and Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain should be at a reasonable level during the 9am-10am hour, except for peak seasons. This is because folks who slept in on vacation (how dare they!) are strolling into the park now and are more than likely heading towards the three big attractions you’ve already experienced.

If you’re heading across the park from Satu’li Canteen, it’s time to “Go get that Dino!” If you traveled to Asia from Africa, you’re headed to Expedition Everest, and then to DINOSAUR in Dinoland USA afterwards. Either of these options is the right move at this point, having tackled the logistical Tetris of FOP-Na’Vi River-Safari.

You Made It!

You hit every major ride attraction before 11am! Congrats!

Wait, what about Kali River Rapids? Okay sure, you can ride Kali River Rapids as well at any point after Kilimanjaro Safaris, when you tackle Expedition Everest and DINOSAUR. Hot take: I skip this ride, often even if it’s 100 degrees out. You will get wet; you may get soaked. If you are not okay with having a wet bottom all day, you may want to skip this ride as well. It is, however, a fun option for kids, if you’ve brought a change of clothes, are heading out of the park shortly afterward, or simply don’t care about getting drenched. For me, skipping it also makes my rope drop morning even easier.

Hit Snooze 17 Times?

What if you show up “late” or are staying off-site or simply don’t want to rush to Pandora World of Avatar first thing in the morning? While heading left to Flight of Passage is going to be the most efficient use of your early morning time, sometimes you miss that first bus or the parks are just busy. A few other ways to have a great time during your Animal Kingdom morning are:
- If you love thrill rides and roller coasters, head to Dinoland USA or Asia first. Both DINOSAUR and Expedition Everest are usually a walk on for the first hour of park operations. I speak from experience, having arrived “late” to Early Entry one morning, finding myself at the back of the pack with a 45-minute posted wait for Flight of Passage. I pivoted east and was chased by a Yeti five times in about a half hour. (I then needed to sit down and gather my thoughts and ask myself if I’m too old for that sort of thing. The answer was, “maybe.”)
- If you rope drop official opening (i.e. not Early Entry) as a non-resort guest, you could head to Kilimanjaro Safaris first to catch one of the early trucks on the savannah. As previously mentioned, the morning is a great time to see animals in a more active state. Good or bad, this tip has become common knowledge for many guests, and you will see a line form for Safaris early on, so it is in your best interest to head there first if you want to enjoy this park’s premiere attraction without a lengthy queue.
- If you are not on a strict budget, you can also purchase an Individual Lightning Lane for Flight of Passage ahead of your trip, which will drastically alleviate the logistical decision-making process at this park. It’ll also make the early morning rush to the bus more manageable, as arrival time will not really make or break your day. If you plan to park hop and/or don’t want to rope drop, you could purchase Lightning Lane MultiPass and use your first mid-morning ride bookings at Animal Kingdom, and book for your second park as you use your Lightning Lanes.
Time to Luxuriate

Now the park is your proverbial oyster and there is so much to do and see at Animal Kingdom. Sometimes zipping through a rope drop morning means skipping the animal trails during the early half of your day or speed walking past the show theaters. Now that you’ve accomplished all of the rides in the park at least once, you can:
- Say hello to Gino and family on the Gorilla Falls Trail in Africa
- Check out show times for The Festival of the Lion King Show at Harambe Theater – in my opinion, easily the best theater show at Walt Disney World
- Walk the trails around Discovery Island, and dance with Viva Gaia Street Band!
- Take a few minutes to squeal over the adorable new baby tiger Bakso with mom Sohni on the Maharaja Jungle Trek
- Hop on the Wildlife Express Train to Rafiki’s Planet Watch, and pet miniature goats in the Affection Section, participate in the Animation Experience, or – if you’re lucky – catch a routine medical procedure on one the inhabitants of Animal Kingdom at Conservation Station
- Nosh ‘til you need to nap! Animal Kingdom is one of, if not THE best park for quick service locations, snacks, and sit-down restaurants
Setting my alarm and rising before the sun adds to the sense of adventure that I feel when visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Hitting some of my favorite attractions in all of Walt Disney World, beating the intense midday sun, and spending extra time exploring this immersive park make the early mornings well worth it for me.

Ready to start planning the perfect Rope Drop morning at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Let’s map out your next Magical Quest today!

Resources:

Participating Early Entry Resorts
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April 12, 2025