Points to Ponder on Rope Drop

Recently. I have been seeing posts about Rope Drop. The advantages and different perspectives of doing it.

In Theory, if you Rope Drop a park, your goal is to reach a popular attraction ahead of others to have a lower queue time than if arrived later in morning/day.

The questions in debate is if this is saving time over all in wait time.

We will use Flight of Passage as an example.

Park opens at 9am. If you arrive at 8 am to be ahead of the crowd, get in, go through gates, arrive at attraction and usually still have between 30-45 minute wait time. If you arrive even earlier, you could have less than 15 minute wait time.

To me it’s simply accounting for the entire time in general. Waiting in one place versus another. Either way, still waiting. So, arriving an hour early. You are waiting 1 hour ultimately for the main intended attraction headed to. One also has to account for the wait time once officially in queue. In all this, you have dedicated 1.5 hr for intended attraction.

Arrive earlier, same amount of time is to be calculated for over all wait time.

The debate is that some feel this time is wasted or doesn't necessarily count for the attraction wait time. To me it is all in perspective. If one feels they should only account for the true queue time, by all means, let them have that. I account for the entire time since that is the intention of the rope drop. (unless you are just doing it to be in the park itself with no real goals).

For some they may consider waiting till later to arrive if it means the same over all wait time. Arrive at 9:15am which would be 15 minutes after the used example park opening hours. Getting in line at attraction with a 2 hour wait.. This is just an example. With this perspective, You are not in the mad mob rush of morning rope drop(which can get tense). You only gain an over all 30 minute +/- wait time addition to queue.

Then again, earlier arrival means earlier done and can move on to another attraction maximizing your over all park touring.

Just one thing to consider which is, one is basically still waiting the same time over all (approximately) for intended attraction.

With all Disney planning, there seems to be multi sides in how to tour and it’s not that any one is better than another since all family dynamics are so vastly different.

Just to me it’s good to share perspectives so people can find the right path for their needs. That’s how I look at it all.

I have done rope drop and I have done the leisure entrance. It always depends on my plans, my party makeup in how I want to approach my plans. I honestly do prefer leisure entrance when I can. It is less stressful to me. That is just my opinion.

One exception to my thoughts on Rope Drop, Magic Kingdom, is one park I always encourage guests to rope drop! They always open their gates about an hour prior to posted hours. Great to get in, look around Main Street. Take some pictures then head to the land you have a must do attraction to see is located. 

If you do Rope Drop, I recommend arriving at least 90 minutes prior to posted times. If in peak season, I would even say earlier. 

Feel free to share yours!!!!

Magic Kingdom, is one park I always encourage guests to rope drop! They always open their gates about an hour prior to posted hours. Great to get in, look around Main Street. Take some pictures then head to the land you have a must do attraction to see is located. 

7 dwarf mine train. arrived at the end of line at 9:10am. Park opened at 9am. Line was at 2 hours by the time I arrived. We did walk to it leisurely. Could have arrived sooner and gotten ahead but we were busy with other plans.