Have you rope dropped a Disney park before? Rope dropping simply means you’re inside the park before its official opening time! “Rope dropping it” is a great strategy to maximize your time at Disneyland or Disney World because it means you’ll be one of the first people to set foot inside the park.
It’s named this because Disney Cast Members physically hold a rope at the end of Main Street that prevents guests from walking any further into the park. At park open, there will be a brief celebratory announcement, and then the rope will be released! Guests are encouraged to walk (and not run) to their starting destination of the day.
First inside the park means first to the attraction queues! The opening hour of the day will always be the least crowded time at the park – you’ll get on more rides during this hour than any other time of day. In peak seasons like the summer months, rope dropping is particularly valuable.
WHAT TIME DO I NEED TO ARRIVE FOR ROPE DROP AT DISNEYLAND OR DISNEY WORLD?
As a general rule, try to arrive at the ticket entrance 30 minutes before opening time to have a successful rope drop. Be sure you’ve already parked your car and gotten through security well before this time – when I say entrance, I mean the place where your ticket is scanned, and all that’s left to do is walk into the park.
How much time to account for parking and security varies quite a bit depending on which park you’re planning on visiting.
For most Disney World parks, you’re in the clear if you arrive at theme park parking 60 – 70 minutes before open. Magic Kingdom is the most challenging Disney World park to access, so account for even more time if you’re planning on rope dropping this one! You’ll need to park and transfer a the Transportation Center, which adds an extra travel step.
At Disneyland, I’d recommend arriving 70 – 80 minutes before open due to the smaller tram and security setup.
WHAT’S IT LIKE TO ROPE DROP A DISNEY PARK?
Take a peek at a real-life Disneyland rope drop! This was captured from a TikTok Livestream just last week…it’s almost like being there!
If you can stand the early wake-up call rope dropping Disney is one of the best way to beat the crowds!
