Welcome back to planDisney, Emily! You've asked such a great question today because it covers so many important aspects of planning your Walt Disney World Resort vacation. Let's jump right in and chat about what each of these terms means and how they influence your time in the Theme Parks!
First up: rope drop. This is the term that Disney aficionados use to describe arriving at the Theme Parks very early in order to be there as soon as it opens. Those who are in the know will tell you that being at a Theme Park at rope drop is the best way to make the most out of your day, and I have to agree! The early hours of the day are when the attraction wait times are the lowest and the weather is cool and comfortable, so you'll be able to get so much done in a short amount of time. Guests who like to rope drop usually arrive around 45 to 60 minutes in advance of the official opening time, and doing this is open to anyone with valid admission.
Next, let's chat about
Early Theme Park Entry, which is a perk for guests staying at a
Walt Disney World Resort Hotel and select other hotels in the area. Every morning, guests of these Resort Hotels can enter the Theme Parks 30 minutes before their opening time. For example,
Disney's Hollywood Studios opened at 9:00 AM this morning, but Resort Hotel guests could begin riding attractions at 8:30 AM. You'd be surprised at how much you can do in that extra half hour, and I think it's a great reason to consider staying on property at Walt Disney World Resort!
Finally, we've got
Extended Evening Theme Park Hours, which are extended evening hours on select nights in select Theme Parks for guests staying at a
Disney Deluxe Resort. At this time, Extended Evening Theme Park Hours happen once a week at
Magic Kingdom Park and once a week at
EPCOT for guests staying at these Resort Hotels. This is my absolute favorite benefit of staying at a Disney Resorts Collection Hotel and I will often pick a Disney Deluxe Resort if it's in my budget so I can take advantage of this extra time. I think there is extra magic in the air at the Theme Parks at night, and it just feels really special to have that additional time to make memories.
I hope this answers your questions, Emily! If you have any more questions about planning your magical vacation, you can come back and ask me and I'll be happy to answer them.
Jessica