Hi there, Sharon! Welcome back to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! Thank you for taking the time to stop by and submit another excellent question!
I don’t know about you but, even when on vacation, I am an early riser! I just love waking up early and getting as many things done as possible during the morning hours. This, of course, includes waking up when the sun rises while visiting
Walt Disney World Resort and experiencing the parks as soon as they open!
This strategy of getting to the parks early and experiencing them as soon as they open is often referred to as “Rope Drop”. This term comes from the way in which Cast Members remove the ropes blocking off access into the majority of the parks and invite Guests in for a day of magic!
After “Rope Drop”, all
attractions that are open during normal operating hours will be accessible! Prior to this time, many of the parks will have shops and quick service dining locations at the front of the park open for Guests to visit before the entirety of the park opens to the public. An example of this would be
Main Street Bakery at Magic Kingdom which is a great place to get your caffeine fix in the morning!
Generally, Cast Members will begin allowing Guests into the front gates of the park approximately 30 to 45 minutes prior to opening time.
Personally, I find the “Rope Drop” strategy to be the perfect way for me and my family to maximize our time in the parks and get an early start to our day of adventure! I hope this information will help you in planning your own family’s strategy!
~Wyatt