Report: Rocky Rope Drop at Magic Kingdom
With the heart of summer season at Walt Disney World now underway, I headed to Magic Kingdom for rope drop. In this park opening report, I’ll (speed) walk you through my morning, with a step-by-step look at what I accomplished, strategy & tips, and more.
The day started out well enough. I woke up at 6:40 am, quickly showered, and was out the door of our room at Wilderness Lodge by around 6:50 am. Our room was relatively close to the dock, and to my surprise, a boat was waiting for for me when I arrived. Along with two other parties, our water taxi departed at 7:01 am.
The boat arrived at Magic Kingdom at 7:13 am. I was through security shortly thereafter, and the turnstiles opened literally as I was walking up to them. Every step of the way thus far, it felt like the seas had parted for me. The smoothest and fastest Magic Kingdom rope drop experience I had ever had up until this point. Little did I know that the wheels would fall off when the journey became, uh, bumpy.
Arriving onto Main Street USA by 7:16 am, I figured I had some time for quick photos before briskly walking to Fantasyland to queue up for my first attraction of the day. However, it had been a while since I last went from a cold hotel room to a humid Florida morning.
Not only was my lens still totally fogged over, but my DSLR battery totally drained due to the dramatic change in temperature. Not a huge deal. It was an ugly overcast morning, so the photos would be ugly anyway and my phone would suffice. If anything, the camera dying gave me an excuse for these photos being awful.
Right now, it’s pretty typical of Magic Kingdom opening the turnstiles around 45 minutes before official opening time, giving guests full access to the park, opening some attractions around 15-30 minutes early, and the remainder right at official opening time.
However, all of this is subject to change and almost certainly will be changing very soon. Epcot has already reverted to its old rope drop protocol, and it’s likely Magic Kingdom will follow suit in the coming weeks to prepare for the new on-site early entry program.
Following some quick shots to document the experience, I picked up the pace and briskly walked through Cinderella Castle–rather than the bridge to Tomorrowland–and headed to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. While my approach would’ve been faster if I were heading for the attraction marquee, it was slightly slower for the end of the line, which wraps towards Storybook Circus.
I was in line for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train by 7:19 am. This is the earliest I’ve been in line for a Magic Kingdom attraction since Extra, Extra Magic Hours nearly two years ago.
At this point, I was feeling really good about my morning. I suspected it would be 15-20 minutes before the ride started, but that was fine. I was close to the front, and it would’ve been no more than a 10 minute wait once the line got moving.
This was exciting. My whole reason for rope dropping Magic Kingdom was to arrive as early as possible for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and see if I could conceivably ride it twice before the wave of crowds. This is theoretically possible, but only if you’re staying on-site, as the Transportation and Ticket Center parking doesn’t open early enough to make this viable from off-site. If this is good strategy, I was perfectly poised to figure it out this morning!
You know that saying? The best laid plans of the Mouse and men often go awry…
When 7:40 am rolled around, it seemed like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train wasn’t ready to roll. If both of us had gone to Magic Kingdom, I could’ve gone to scout Peter Pan’s Flight or other attractions while Sarah held our place in line. However, we have a longstanding agreement that Sarah can “enjoy the hotel room” on early mornings when the sky is overcast, so I was on my own. (On pretty mornings, I race around taking photos while she does the waiting and tests strategy.)
At 8 am, an announcement was made that Seven Dwarfs Mine Train wasn’t yet ready to open and there was no ETA on when the ride would open. I bailed from the line immediately upon hearing that. Interestingly, no one in front of or behind me did the same.
They ended up making the right call, as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opened at 8:17 am (per My Disney Experience, which I was repeatedly refreshing), right as I was about to board Peter Pan’s Flight. I only point this out because it’s fascinating to me that most guests would continue sinking time into an unknown versus cutting loses.
My total wait for Peter Pan’s Flight was 15 minutes, which isn’t terrible…unless you account for how long I wasted in line for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. I could’ve probably done Peter Pan’s Flight three times with no wait during that time. By the time I got off Peter Pan’s Flight, the extended queue was all the way back to Columbia Harbour House.
From there, it was on to Splash Mountain.
In line at 8:25 am with a posted wait of 5 minutes that was very clearly wrong just by looking at the outdoor queue in use.
Posted wait jumped to 30 minutes and then 45 while I was in line.
My total wait for Splash Mountain ended up being 20 minutes.
This wasn’t as bad as I was expecting, and would’ve been even shorter if every row in the logs was being loaded.
My planned next stops were in Adventureland, but the overflow queue was already in use for Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise had a posted 50 minute wait.
I knew both of those lines would be shorter later in the day, so I wasn’t going continue my morning as planned and “fight the wave.”
Instead, I headed for Tomorrowland for a couple of laps on the PeopleMover.
While gliding around above Tomorrowland, it was easy to see that crowds were already building even though Magic Kingdom had been open for less than an hour. I’m assuming this is the result of increased Disney Park Pass distribution, as it got busier, faster than any rope drop I’ve done in the last few months.
On the plus side, I did observe more construction activity on TRON Lightcycle Run than I’ve seen since pre-closure.
There were dozens of construction workers on the site, fresh scaffolding has been erected where the gravity building was previously enclosed, and safety nets are being installed around the canopy. Here’s hoping this opens in 2022!
There were still attractions with short waits by 8:38 am, but the list is getting smaller and smaller. Keep in mind that this is only a little over a half hour after Magic Kingdom opened. When it comes to rope dropping Walt Disney World, early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable.
Seriously, anyone entering Magic Kingdom at 9 am and planning to stay for ~8 hours would be objectively better off arriving after noon. Most of the headliners I would’ve prioritized first thing in the morning would end up having shorter wait times in the late afternoon and evening hours. This is a dynamic I don’t see changing in the next couple of months, as heavy crowds early in the day plus oppressive heat and humidity will lead to guest “burnout” and more people leaving Magic Kingdom before things get pleasant at night.
Otherwise, there’s not a ton to glean from my morning in Magic Kingdom. I debated not writing about this at all, but I think it’s worthwhile from a few perspectives.
First, it underscores just how limited of a window there is for beating the crowds at rope drop, and how essential it is to arrive well before park opening. Second, this should illustrate that things don’t always go as planned, and it’s important not to rigidly stick to an itinerary that isn’t working. Be dynamic and adjust on the fly as necessary–delayed attraction openings and ride breakdowns are pretty common.
Third, this is probably a preview of what you should expect this summer at Walt Disney World as crowds continue to grow. (Above was the crowd as I headed back onto Main Street at 9:30 am, with huge lines for PhotoPass and Starbucks. While the latter is “mandatory” in the morning, PhotoPass would have virtually no line–and a pretty sky–after lunch.)
Having a good plan is critically important, as is beating the crowds at the beginning of the day and outlasting them at the end. (We plan on doing a “park closing report” later this week to illustrate the importance of staying late.) Figuring out what to do in the middle so you don’t get burned out is also crucial, and often overlooked.
Finally, I got up early, got all sweaty racing around Magic Kingdom, and became incredibly frustrated in the process. You better believe I’m not letting all those headaches “go to waste.” Also, I think showcasing our shortcomings is valuable in both demonstrating we’re not Walt Disney World “strategy savants” and in setting realistic expectations.
If all you ever read about here is how flawless and great things go for us at Walt Disney World, it might be doubly discouraging when you cannot replicate those results. It should go without saying, but we’re human and have “travel fails” all the time. While not ideal in the moment, that comes with the territory and is part of the experience and comes. If you can roll with the punches and shrug off failures, they’ll be fond memories you can laugh about later. Remember, expecting perfection only invites disappointment!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Thoughts on morning in Magic Kingdom? Have any of your own rope drop disappointments? How would you have done things differently? Any other feedback on arriving early to the Walt Disney World theme parks? Agree or disagree with our advice or approach? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
On our recent month long visit, which is our fifth since re-opening, we found that mid-afternoon to evening times were the best times to be in the park, hot weather be darned. Our mornings were low key and lazy – staying in our camper at Fort Wilderness makes that super easy. We’d have breakfast, either quick and easy cereal/yogurt/protein bars or full on bacon, eggs, toast cooked on the outdoor grill, then mosey on to the park of the day. We’d arrive typically just before lunch and usually wander around a bit, browse a store or two, maybe a show.
During lunch times and after, the ride times usually dropped quite a lot, so we’d start riding then. We have our set favorites, but try to take in one or two that’s not on our usual routine. Then we’d have a late lunch – we’d see if we could score a walk up table service, and if not, mobile order a quick service. Sometimes we’d just go for a substantial snack and plan a later dinner, either back at the camper or at a resort restaurant, and now that park hopping is back, sometimes hop to Epcot and festival snack. Geyser Point is a favorite, and easy to get from there back to the campground with a dedicated bus that runs back and forth from Wilderness Lodge – but I hear the boat service between WL and the Fort is returning soon! Some days, we’d bail from the parks around 6:00 and hang out at the campground for the evening, going “looping” in the golf cart, or having a campfire and S’mores, and adult beverages that don’t cost an arm and a leg.
We’re empty nesters, no kids (usually) and have been to WDW many, many times. I gave up the rope-drop-to-fireworks, Disney death march long ago. Lazy and laid back is the way to go.
We also did Disney on 6/6 – the Starbucks line in the morning was definitely the longest but sadly necessary line for us in the morning. The Jungle Cruise around 5:00 was a total disaster- not sure what was going on but went way beyond the posted wait time and a lot of people coming through the fast pass line. We probably spent 1 hour 15 minutes with a posted time of 45 minutes
Thanks for this report, it is very helpful! We are heading there next week and will be staying at the Caribbean Beach Resort. Is it even possible to arrive at the Magic Kingdom by 7am from the Caribbean Beach Resort? I am not sure if the buses start operating early enough to get us there on time, and if the TTC isn’t operating yet, an Uber won’t help us… any advice???
Any updates on dropping the mask mandate anytime soon?
I’ve tried doing rope drop two different times in my life, both times we ended up with a random child of someone else’s vomiting at our feet as we tried to get into the park. I mean, what are the odds??
I now have an aversion to even considering it ever again! LOL!! Bad juju for us I guess!
Forgive me, but we have been going to WDW since it opened in 1971, when my son was a baby. He’s 50 yrs. old now, & we’re bringing his daughter now! (Late in life blessing- she’s 6 yrs old! We all have Silver passes, as we try to avoid the warm summer months and heavy tourism! I enjoy your posts, but often see the frantic families trying to beat the lines and running through hither and yon, trying to do all this! My advice: enjoy the day, and family experience. Look for hidden Mickey’s , enjoy an ice cream or a pineapple slush! Play with your children in line, and make it as relaxing of a day as possible!
Thank you for creating this newsletter! I am finally returning in October – YAY!. I wanted to ask as of your last visit, if you noticed, if the handicap ques are working as they were ‘post pandemic’ ? Thanks!
My wife is putting this on a tshirt for me:
“When it comes to rope dropping Walt Disney World, early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable.”
As always, thanks for your re-conn Tom!
Really makes me start to wonder whether rope drop is “worth it” anymore. Maybe it will be a little better for on-site guests when early entry officially starts. But at that point, it will be totally worthless for off-site guests.
Even pre-Covid, a good rope drop strategy could give you 2 hours of quality park time. Then another hour of “any time” attractions like Carousel of Progress, etc… And you could have a quality 3 hours before taking a mid-day break.
It’s now looking like you can’t count on more than 60-90 minutes of “quality” time.
For my upcoming August trip, I’m heavily debating skipping many mornings and just waiting until after dinner to hit parks…
I am not, never have been, and never will be this imaginary ‘morning person’ BS I keep hearing about. However, getting our butts up and out for EEMH right after GE opened in 2019 was sooooooooooooooooo worth it. Smuggler’s a dozen times each day and such was most excellent.
And I am also oh. so familiar with the nefarious lens fogging issues, having worn glasses since 4th grade, hunting and having your scope fog up, and camera lenses. Missed some cool morning shots with still water across the lake walking from Swan to Epcot last year because of it.
Correction… I was there Wednesday on 6/9. Sorry!
Thanks, Tom! I was there yesterday (Thursday 6/9) about 7:15am. Here’s a summary of my experience – (1) No wait at security or the gate; (2) headed straight to Seven Dwarfs, but with a long line wrapping around, headed to Winnie the Pooh which was not running yet; (3) went to Peter Pan, walk-on, (4) then crossed back by Winnie (still offline) and Seven Dwarfs (line too long), and went to Tomorrowland; (5) walked on to Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear; (6) crossed park to Fantasyland; (7) walked on to Pirates, but Cruise had a 50-minutes, so I headed over to Frontierland; (8) Splash had a 50-minute wait, Barnstormer was offline, but I was able to walk on to Haunted Mansion; (9) cruised around Tom Sawyer Island on the Liberty Square Riverboat; and, (10) ended the morning at 10am with MIckey’s PhilharMagic. By the way, when I say walk-on, I mean less than 5 minutes.
We went on Sunday 6/6 and your experience was almost our exact experience. We drove to MK and took the ferry ending up tapping into park at about 7:40. Went straight to Mine Train and noticed they weren’t letting anyone on. Can’t remember how I found out but heard it was experiencing a delayed opening. I would’ve stuck with it but judging by the line it was already at least a 45 minute wait. Bailed on that strategy and went to Peter Pans Flight. On in less than 10 minutes. Headed to Splash Mountain, arrive shortly after 8 AM check MDE and it is also down. Big Thunder says 10 (I think) so we jump on there. While on Big Thunder, Splash opens and momentarily says 5 minutes before quickly jumping to 45 and then to 60. We then head to Pirates which has a posted wait of 30 but we are on in 20. Then the kids want to do Aladdin so we basically walk on to that. Jungle Cruise says 45 so we jump on there and it basically takes 60. Big mistake! Anyway that was our MK rope drop experience. I’m curious did you visit on the same day?
Fun article. How were the restaurants doing at MK? Are the wait times reasonable? Did you ever find out about the 6:00pm closing time on 8/14? that is so early for a Saturday in the summer.
This was a great article! Thank you for sharing it!
I rope-dropped MK on Tuesday.
Here’s how it looked then:
Disney buses were actually held back from parking until 7am. We could then get off and go through security, but we were held back at the entrance until 7:15 (like you described). We went to Space Mountain first. No rides ran until about 7:55 that morning.
My goal was to minimize wait times indoors, so we did the indoor queues & attractions right away. We got on Space Mountain right away, and then then we did walk on Buzz Lightyear, walk on Under the Sea, grabbed some breakfast at Gaston’s, and then did walk on Haunted Mansion!
We said the same thing this trip the best time of the day is being in line 30 min before park opened and worst time of day is 30 min after scheduled park opening.
You need to do a blog on how one gets out of bed, showers and is out the door in ten minutes.
I’m guessing you don’t sleep and shower in your clothes.
We have never rope dropped before – but now I am thinking we should! Except we planned on driving instead of taking the bus from AKL to MK. Ugh!