Hi there, Amy! Welcome to planDisney and thanks for stopping by with such a great planning question.
Staying at a Disney Resort hotel? Rope dropping?? Maximizing magic?!? You are speaking my Disney language, my friend! Taking full advantage of the perk of
Early Theme Park Entry for Disney Resort Hotel Guests by "rope-dropping" and arriving before the park even opens for Early Entry is my favorite way to hop on my favorite attractions before the crowds arrive. More time in the parks and less time in line definitely maximizes the magic, and I'm more than happy to help you do just that.
Your planning is off to a practically perfect start. You are absolutely right that some attractions are available for Early Entry and some are not. For instance, in Magic Kingdom, only attractions in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland will be open for Early Entry. To find a full list of available attractions in each park, check out the
Early Entry page on the Walt Disney World website. I recommend using that list to plan which attractions you want to enjoy first. Happy planning!
Do you want to know the best part about not all of the attractions being available for Early Entry? Two rope drops! Let me explain. My family likes to plan out Early Entry attractions so that we are ready to also rope-drop an attraction that opens at park opening. For example, in Magic Kingdom, we usually rope drop attractions in Fantasyland and then rope drop Haunted Mansion with no wait at all right at park opening. In Animal Kingdom, we rope-drop one of the attractions in Pandora and then rope-drop Kilimanjaro Safaris to be one of the first to ride and see the animals early, when they are the most active. Magic maximized!
I hope this helps, Amy, and I hope you have the most magical and memorable upcoming visit! Please feel free to stop by any time with any planning questions you may have. I love planning itineraries to maximize park time, so
ask me anything! You've got a friend in me.
Chase the wind and touch the sky,
Mandy