Hi Liz!
Ah, "rope drop," two magical words that bring joy to my Disney-loving heart. My family’s all about getting to the parks bright and early, and trust me, the early bird does get the worm (or at least shorter lines for your favorite rides).
Here’s the game plan: for
EPCOT,
Animal Kingdom, and
Hollywood Studios, aim to arrive an hour before the official opening time. This gives you plenty of time to park, herd your crew, breeze through security, and be ready to enter when the gates open.
Now,
Magic Kingdom is a whole different ballgame. When you park there, you're actually parking at the Transportation and Ticket Center (plot twist!). From there, you’ll either hop on the
monorail (the "highway in the sky") or float your way across on a
ferry to the kingdom itself. Because of this little detour, plan to get there at least an hour and a half early. It’s worth it as you’ll feel like royalty strolling into the park first thing in the morning!
Pro tip: Take a photo of the row and section in which you park. It is no fun wandering around the parking lot looking for your car (ask me how I know).
May your days be filled with pixie dust and magic,
Anne