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Rainy Days in Disney World – How to Prepare for Disney Downpours
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While Florida is known as “The Sunshine State,” it still sees its more than its fair share of rain events throughout the year. The rainy season in Florida is long, lasting from mid-May to mid-October, and covers the hottest months of the year as well. The June – September time frame in particular sees an average of 7 inches of rain per month, much of which falls during brief, heavy downpours and thunderstorms. Getting caught in a Disney Downpour is a rite of passage, but being prepared and knowing what attractions and activities will be accessible can make all the difference in your day.

Magic Kingdom

There are many outdoor attractions that will close during storms when lightning is in the area, but there are still plenty of attractions to keep the fun going at Magic Kingdom. Indoor attractions like Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, and many of the Fantasyland rides will stay open during downpours and lightning. This is also a great time to take in a show like Mickey’s PhilharMagic or Enchanted Tales with Belle, or meet characters who have indoor meet and greets, like Cinderella, Tiana, and Friends at Princess Fairytale Hall, as well as Disney Pals as Circus Stars at Pete’s Silly Sideshow. Always check the app to see which attractions are open and which close when lightning is nearby. I was surprised to learn that the canopy covering the outdoor section of Tron: Light/Cycle Run offers enough protection to allow the coaster to continue to run with lightning in the area.

Leaving the park during a downpour can be a bit of a nightmare. If you are not hopping on a Disney bus, you will be waiting for the Monorail which pauses during storms when lightning is in the area. The Magic Kingdom Ferry will continue to run, but you’ll be drenched if you get stuck on the outside deck. The Magic Kingdom Launch Boats to Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and Wilderness Lodge will stop during severe weather as well (they’ll complete their last run, of course) so if you are staying at these resorts, plan to wait out the rain at the park.

EPCOT

EPCOT is, in my opinion, the best park to be in on a rainy day or during a downpour. Every ride attraction is fully indoors, and almost all of the queues are fully indoors as well. Even better, two rides are housed within The Land pavilion which also has character dining at Garden Grill and an often-overlooked quick service location at Sunshine Seasons. If you’re trapped for a longer rain delay, you can also check out Awesome Planet – a 10-minute long movie film of various ecosystems from across the globe, and how humans are impacting climate. One of the only attractions that will close, ironically, is Moana – Journey of Water. While the main cause of this is the potential for lightning in the area, it does close as if it were an outdoor ride.

If you find yourself in the World Showcase during a downpour, this is a great time to explore the exhibits and shops within each country pavilion. In Japan, you can pass time in Mitsukoshi, a replica of the famous department store that has everything from samurai swords to unique snacks to a pearl selection experience. Over in Mexico, you can watch glass blowing at La Princesa de Cristal, sample some tequila or mezcal at La Cava de Tequila, and say “Hola” to Donald and friends on Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros – all housed completely within the pavilion. A few other fun options are grabbing a beer in Canada and catching Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vision 360 (though it could use an update!), finding your family crest in the UK if your ancestors are from those countries, or listening to the Voices of Liberty perform inside the America Pavilion.

It’s important to note that in severe weather, Disney’s Skyliner will close – I certainly wouldn’t want to be stuck in a flying metal bucket in a lightning storm, would you? If you are staying at any of the Skyliner Resorts (Art of Animation, POP Century, Caribbean Beach, or Riviera) check the app before heading out of the park. Disney will run bus lines to these resorts if the Skyliner closes for a prolonged period.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The majority of the ride attractions at Hollywood Studios are indoors, making this a great park to be on a rainy day. While there are only 9 ride attractions at this park, only Slinky Dog Dash typically closes during heavy rain and lightning. However, outdoor shows will also typically close during rain and lightning, which will close the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular theater and the Beauty and the Beast theater. On a busy day, these two shows hold nearly 3,500 guests so you can see a ripple effect throughout the park — be prepared to wait a bit longer even for “filler” attractions like Star Tours – The Adventure Continues. You can avoid some of these longer lines by using MultiPass Lightning Lane, or you can use this opportunity to check out the indoor shows like the new villains show Unfairly Ever After, the recently returned Voyage of the Little Mermaid, or stretch out your vocal chords at For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Out of the four Walt Disney World Theme Parks, Disney’s Animal Kingdom can have the biggest risk versus reward scenario on a rainy day. If there is no lightning in the area, some outdoor attractions will remain open, and the animals are more active in the cool rain than they are in the middle of a hot sunny day. Kilimanjaro Safaris is a fantastic attraction to hit during or immediately after a rain shower – if you’re lucky, you could catch the parade of elephants playing in their watering hole, lions stretching from their midday nap, or hippos walking around in the water. Both the Gorilla Falls Trail and Maharajah Jungle Trek will remain open during brief showers, but will close during heavy rain, with or without lightning. Because of the nuanced closures and the fact that a couple of these attractions are specifically “walking paths,” it’s important to pack your patience and have a good poncho handy while exploring Animal Kingdom in the rain – but the animal activity that you get to experience is absolutely worth getting a little wet. Be sure to check the My Disney Experience app for real-time attraction closure updates.

A post-rain safari is a great time to catch some lion activity!

Prior Preparation Prevents Pour Performance

As Scar warns us in The Lion King, you have to Be Prepared in Walt Disney World. From packing your suitcase and prepping your park bag, to making sure you have the right weather forecast technology, it’s key to be equipped for whatever Mother Nature sends your way.

Packing

High-Quality Poncho

I prefer a slightly thicker poncho that doesn’t feel like I am wearing cling wrap, with a zipper or snap close in the front, and pockets. This makes it easier to put on quickly, and makes it easier to take off after you’ve slogged through a thunderstorm in 90-degree heat and 110% humidity. The thicker material actually feels a bit cooler because it doesn’t stick to your skin in the same way the cheap see-through ponchos do. Choose a poncho that you can easily reuse, and want to reuse. While the cheap ponchos are good for a one-time use, you’ll need to bring several with you on your trip during the rainy season, and might need to use more than one in a single day. Here is my choice for a durable poncho with a storage bag to bring to the parks: https://amzn.to/3Gbx1aL

Water Shoes

This one is a little odd but hear me out! Sometimes you head into the theme parks knowing full-well there will be a downpour while you are there. In the summertime, this is almost a guarantee. Rather than choosing between your “good” park shoes or your “back-up” park shoes, or doing mental math to figure out if your shoes will be dry enough for rope drop the next morning, consider bringing water shoes with you to the park. You’ll need to have a backpack or wet-dry bag large enough to put your shoes in, but a quick change as dark clouds are rolling in can keep you moving while others scatter for dry ground. It’s important to note that it is against park rules to walk around barefoot – make sure you are throwing on the new flippers quickly and not taking time to air out your toes. And, refrain from the urge to take off your shoes and splash around in puddles. (Or, you’ll be having a friendly conversation with a Cast Member before you can say Thunderbolts.) These are my preferred water shoes, with good grippy bottoms and a fun color scheme: https://amzn.to/4kke8Ar

Wet-Dry Bag

If you are following my tip above and are bringing water shoes to the park, a wet-dry bag will be clutch for post-storm fun. Downpours in Disney are typically brief, and guests can carry on with their park day shortly thereafter. But – if your sneakers are now soaked, it’s going to be an uncomfortable couple of hours of walking, and you might form some sort of ugly blister or chafing due to your wet shoes and hot weather. (Gross.) Wet-dry bags are lightweight, can fold up, and won’t take up much room in your park bag if they aren’t needed. It might seem a little “extra” but for me it is worth it to keep my dry shoes dry during the rain, and to contain my wet shoes after the storm clears and I’m back in my good shoes. Even if you aren’t using water shoes, it’s a good idea to throw flip flops in your bag. This is also great to have if you’re bringing an extra t-shirt with you. These wet-dry bags are available all over, but here is a link to a product on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4khVI3f

Second Pair of Park Shoes

You should always bring more than one pair of shoes with you to Disney World. You’ll need good comfortable footwear for walking long distances, pool sandals, maybe evening wear, or something casual when hanging out at the resort. But, if you get caught in the rain and aren’t prepared with a change of shoes for your next park day, your feet will be miserable in semi-soggy sneakers. I like to kill two birds with one stone and bring a pair of comfortable sandals that can be worn at the pool or for longer walking. Besides my trusty walking sneakers, I also pack these Sketchers brand sandals for pool time and evenings because they are good for a full park day as well if needed: https://amzn.to/3Tc18Sl

Weather Apps

While there is a myriad of weather-related apps you can download to any smartphone, I happened to chat with a Disney Cast Member about this in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, during an unexpected rain shower on a sunny day. I was headed to Kilimanjaro Safaris (obviously!) and she mentioned that they didn’t hear about this shower during their morning briefing. I said something to the effect of, “Wow, that’s some cool logistics to prep early in the day for delays. I didn’t see this on AccuWeather either.” And she responded something to the effect of, “AccuWeather ShmAccuWeather… WeatherBug is where it’s at. That’s what Disney uses!”

Considering there is a weather beacon in EPCOT where every app is getting their information from for the area, it’s interesting to hear that one app is favored over others for forecasting. But, since ride closures are linked to lightning in the area (even when it is not raining) it is helpful to have this app on your phone, so you can have a little insight into when/why attractions are closed, based off the data Disney is using in real time.

Staying Home – Resort Activities at Walt Disney World

A rainy day is a great time to hang out at your resort and take advantage of the amenities and activities offered. If you are staying at the Magic Kingdom Resorts, you can embark on a culinary adventure at the many top-tier restaurants and lounges available – Grand Floridian alone has more than 7 dining locations, including a character buffet at 1900 Park Fare, a Beauty and the Beast-themed lounge at Enchanted Rose, and Victoria & Albert’s, a Michelin-star restaurant. While the Monorail does close temporarily during severe weather, you will usually find that it runs during light-to-moderate rain (without lightning) and this can be a fun time to fit a Monorail Bar Crawl (or Snack Crawl!) into your trip. The Polynesian Resort and Village is home to Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto, a must-do immersive bar experience, as well as Tamu Lounge – a great place to grab a bite while you wait for your “Table is Ready” text for the Grotto.

The Walt Disney World Resorts also offer recreational activities, many of which will continue during the rain. At Animal Kingdom Lodge, guests can create a String of Memories and collect beads at locations throughout the resort, learning about African culture along the way. Over at Port Orleans French Quarter, guests can partake in the Hidden Character Hunt and find photo props of Louis from Princess and the Frog throughout the resort. Most resorts offer pin trading, and all resorts have an arcade (typically located near the pool) to pass time on a rainy day. You can find these activities listed on your resort’s website in through the My Disney Experience app.

During hurricane closures, Disney Cast Members go above and beyond to ensure guests continue to have a fun time while hunkering down at their resort. Characters will often pop over and hang out in the lobby for impromptu and unscheduled greetings, and there are usually recreational activities held indoors.

Head to Disney Springs for a Shopping Day

If you’re looking to venture out from your resort but aren’t up for tackling the parks in the rain, Disney Springs offers over 90 stores and 60 dining locations to satisfy any shopaholic who sees a rainy day as a prime opportunity for a little retail therapy while on vacation. Disney Springs has everything from Disney and LEGO merchandise to high-end clothing, accessories, and art, and you can find souvenirs as well as essentials you may have forgotten to pack. I once went sneaker shopping at Disney Springs with a friend who had a rough day with her park sandals, and needed new footwear before we tackled Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure the next day. We got an errand done and then went out for drinks at Raglan Road! Win-win!

Disney recently announced that they will be opening at Level99 location at Disney Springs, and I am so excited! This social gaming experience for adults with mental and physical challenges, art installations, and craft beer and snacks will elevate the experiences offered at Disney Springs. Level99 will be located in the building that previously housed the NBA Experience, and Disney Quest (which I still miss!) and will offer the perfect rainy-day hang-out. (The opening date for this location has not yet been announced. Check out the official Disney Parks website for updates: LEVEL99 — Social Gaming Experience | Disney Springs)

You can plan a pretty picnic, but you can’t predict the weather…

The key to having fun in Disney World on a rainy day is to just keep going! There is always something fun to do when the rain rolls in, and if you use the weather to your advantage, you’ll be able to see shows you may have cruised past before or try a sit-down restaurant you didn’t have time for on prior trips. Rainy days can force you to slow down and appreciate the comforts of your Disney resort, or they can show you just how much of a Diehard Disney Fan you really are, ready to tackle the parks no matter what Mother Nature has in store.

Ponchos? Check! Back-up Shoes? Check! WeatherBug alerts on? Check! Let’s plan your rainy season Magical Quest today!
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June 28, 2025
Why You Should NOT Rope Drop at Walt Disney World
Many longtime Disney theme park fans will tell you that waking up early and arriving at the gates for park opening, also known as “Rope Drop,” is the only way to have a successful day in Walt Disney World. While I am a huge proponent of hitting these early hours in Disney for reasons beyond low wait times (slightly cooler temperatures to name one!), it is certainly not for everyone. If setting your alarm whilst in Florida sounds like the antithesis of vacation, read on for my solid reasons against heading to Rope Drop at Disney World.

#1. If you’re not an early riser, do not change your sleep schedule at Disney. There is a lot of walking involved at these parks, even if you are not rushing from ride to ride. It’s also very hot and humid the vast majority of the time, and instead of being moderately tired, you will be EXHAUSTED after day 2 if you change your sleep schedule. Even if you ARE an early riser, it can be an aggressive, early morning to have everyone up and out (sometimes moving with serious hustle) before the sun is up. Many guests will be logging close to 20,000 steps per day at the theme parks, and if you hit a wall early on due to lack of sleep, you could find yourself scheduling an unplanned rest day later during your visit.

#2. Arriving for Rope Drop doesn’t mean you aren’t waiting at all. Your wait is at the bus stop, getting through a longer security line, waiting outside the gates to be let in, getting scanned again to show your resort reservation, waiting again outside of a specific land or ride. It’s actually a LOT of waiting, you just aren’t waiting during park hours when you could be doing other things. For some, this logic isn’t enough to justify setting a 6am alarm.

#3. Rope Drop can be a bit stressful! Once the gates open you are rushing (but not running) to your first ride. You can take a leisurely pace if you want, but most guests will keep up with traffic. You might want to stop and take pictures of the park icon but depending on what your plan is for that morning, it is probably not a great idea. For example, if you are at Magic Kingdom Rope Drop and are trying to make it to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, that beautiful Castle picture absolutely has to wait until after the ride, or even later, since most of the crowd is headed to that queue. (I have sacrificed about 10 minutes of line time at Avatar Flight of Passage for a quick sunrise picture of the Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom Rope Drop though, it was worth it for me.)

#4. Any hiccup in the day, especially due to things completely out of your control, can deter your morning and leave you feeling like you’ve missed out. While there is always another attraction to ride, it can feel frustrating if you’ve planned every step of your morning around riding a certain popular attraction at Rope Drop, only to have it not open in the morning (which can happen from time to time). Or, maybe there was a transportation snafu or delay leaving your resort, and you are now at the back of the crowd. If you didn’t also purchase Lightning Lane Multi-Pass, you could find yourself waiting in a long queue later.

In January 2024 I made it to Rope Drop at EPCOT on my departure day, which is a feat itself. I fully intended to ride Frozen Ever After, only to receive a notification from the app upon entering the park that it would be closed for unscheduled maintenance all day. I was bummed because I hadn’t been on this attraction in several trips (specifically because I didn’t want to wait for it!) but I don’t mind a pivot. At this time, though, Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind was still on virtual queue, so I hustled all the way to France and waited about 20 minutes for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. Considering that’s a 12 minute walk from the front of the park at a fast pace, that was my entire Early Entry Rope Drop. Not exactly an efficient use of my morning.

#5. Recent updates to Lightning Lane MultiPass and Virtual Queues at Disney World let guests plan ahead and sleep in. In the past, Lightning Lane bookings only opened up at 7am on the day of your visit, and were only for “next available” time slots. With the updated MultiPass system, guests can pick three rides based on tiered levels, 7 days in advance of their arrival when staying onsite. (Individual Lightning Lanes can also be booked in advance.) This allows guests to plan out their visit and sleep in if they want, with the ability to choose return times as well. If you visited the parks in the 2010’s, this is just a paid version of the old FastPass+ system, and for non-local guests it is vastly superior to the prior iterations of this service post-COVID.

Disney World also moved its last Virtual Queue attraction to standby wait in 2025, which previously required frantic button-mashing on your phone (and a silent prayer) at 7am to obtain a “boarding group” for newer rides like TRON Lightcycle / Run. With the end of Virtual Queue (for now), you no longer need to wake up early just to have a chance at racing for Team Blue. With these updates, Disney has once again made it easy sleep in, grab breakfast at the resort, and waltz into the park whenever you are ready.

#6. Speaking of grabbing breakfast at the resort – while there some options available very early in the morning, you really need to be prepared to have some sort of breakfast in your room at an obscenely early hour or bring a snack with you to the park for a successful Rope Drop. I have made the mistake of not eating a snack during a Rope Drop morning and becoming viciously hungry by 10a, which can damper a lovely time. And, because of the stressful timetables you are working within to make the most of the morning, it would be very inefficient to stop for a breakfast bite when you arrive at the parks. If eating on the go isn’t your vibe, Rope Drop might not be either.

#7. Strategically utilized queues are not the worst thing at Disney World. Many of the queues in the parks are indoors and air conditioned, and sometimes a 30-minute wait in low-lit tunnels for Space Mountain is exactly what you need. When I am at the mercy of the crowds, I will choose to wait for rides that will give me a respite from the heat (EPCOT is ideal for this, with almost all indoor queues) or see a show for a nice 20 to 30 minute seated break.

Don’t want to wake up early and don’t want to wait in lines? That’s the dream! And luckily, there are other strategies for avoiding peak wait times that don’t involve setting a wake-up call from Mickey Mouse (though, that is still fun to do regardless).

#1. One of the best ways to capitalize on low waits at night is to skip the fireworks. GASP! For some this is a hard pass, but if you have more than one evening at the parks, consider just seeing the fireworks once. At Magic Kingdom you can often enjoy a lot of rides during the fireworks, and some will offer a great view – rides like the PeopleMover in Tomorrowland, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Frontierland, and Dumbo in Fantasyland can really create a magical Disney moment during the fireworks. While EPCOT does close at the start of the Luminous: A Symphony of Us (meaning you need to be in line just before the show begins), Magic Kingdom is typically open for a bit after the fireworks end. There will be shorter wait times between the end of the show and closing as well, because many families start to head home. At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, wait times will go down as the amphitheater fills up for Fantasmic! – which can hold up to 6,900 seated guests, and has standing room for about 3,000 more.

#2. At any park, you can hop in line for an attraction up until (approximately) one minute before the park closes. That means that if there is a 20-minute posted wait for Tower or Terror, or even at 60-minute wait for Rock’N’Roller Coaster, you can get in line at 8:59pm for a 9:00pm park closure. This follows the same logic as waiting prior to park opening at Rope Drop, in that you are not waiting during operational hours. (And of course, if you get to a ride and the queue is closed, don’t argue with the Cast Member!)

#3. Depending on the time of year, the early afternoon can have a little lull as early risers head to the exits for a midday break, and you can capitalize on some low-to-moderate wait times. If you live in a hot and humid climate and are comfortable with the high temperatures, you can take advantage of lower crowds as other guests leave during peak heat times. (It’s me, I am the one leaving!)

#4. If you’re staying at a Deluxe Resort on Disney property, you can enjoy Extended Evening hours, allowing for 2 extra hours after official park closing, 2 nights per week. This is usually held at Magic Kingdom and EPCOT during non-holiday seasons, with Magic Kingdom often running until 1am, and EPCOT until 11pm. When there are Halloween or Christmas parties happening at Magic Kingdom from August – December, Extended Evening hours will be offered at either Animal Kingdom or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This is a great way to experience attractions with low wait times and avoid the blistering heat of the day.

If you are staying at a Deluxe resort and want to work this into your trip, I would plan for a resort/pool day or some other relaxing daytime activity, so you are rested and ready to go later. Shows and other entertainment are typically not offered, but the ride attractions are – and what’s better than flying through the lit-up canopy of TRON Lightcycle / Run at night?!

Choose, but choose wisely… What is the best strategy for your group?

Do I head to Rope Drop every day of my Disney trips? No way! But, on those days that I am sleeping in a little and taking my time, I am definitely utilizing Lightning Lane Multi-Pass or planning to head to the parks again at night to make the most of my evening.

If you are worried that you’re going to miss out on the fun by sleeping in a little on vacation, don’t be. Sometimes Rope Drop is not all it’s cracked up to be, and there are plenty of other ways to avoid long waits in the parks to keep the magic going.

Ready to hit the snooze button and luxuriate all day in Disney World? Wondering how to layer MultiPass bookings, Extended Evening hours, and resort days to craft the perfect relaxed itinerary? As an Authorized Disney Travel Agent, I can be your expert guide to the magic. Let’s map out your next Magical Quest today!

P.S. Are you curious about the pros of planning to Rope Drop the theme parks? Here are my reasons for Rope Drop in Disney!
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May 18, 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