Disney’s Animal Kingdom has made another change to how guests access rope drop each morning before the park opens. This new procedure will affect how guests access the most popular attractions at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, including those with Early Theme Park Entry.
This change comes after another change was quietly introduced back in July, which likely means the original change wasn’t completely successful. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including the six purchases we regret after a Disney vacation and why the expensive Star Wars hotel failed, according to a former CEO.
READ MORE – 11 Unwritten Rules of the Disney Parks You Really Need to Follow
Disney World Changes Rope Drop at Animal Kingdom Again
Disney World has again changed how cast members organize crowds during rope drop at Animal Kingdom. This is the second change we’ve seen for rope drop at Animal Kingdom this year.
Disney World Ride Closure ALERTS, Major Park Changes, Secrets Revealed
Get alerts on closures, park changes, exclusive discounts, and free printables. Trusted by 100,000+ Disney fans & planners.
The first change came in July, when guests were no longer required to stay in the Oasis area of the park before it officially opened for the day. This change allowed both Early Theme Park Entry and regular park day guests to enter through Oasis and continue to Discovery Island. Discovery Island was then used as the main waiting area, with guests with Early Theme Park Entry being allowed to access the rest of the park by navigating to three different checkpoint areas to access the eligible areas.
For guests without Early Theme Park Entry, they could stay in the general Discovery Island area of the park or be held in taped-off waiting areas at the entrance of each checkpoint. Only guests staying at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels can take advantage of Early Theme Park Entry, which allows them to enter the parks 30 minutes before the official opening time.
Before this change, all guests were held at the Oasis, which is the tropical entrance to the theme park and acts as the park’s equivalent to a lead-in to the main icon of the park, similar to how Main Street, U.S.A. does. Oasis is a much smaller area than Discovery Island and features multiple pathways, so holding crowds in this area has always felt pretty chaotic.
Now these former holding areas have been removed, and guests are no longer being held at Discovery Island. All guests can now enter the lands before the park officially opens, with the exception of Pandora- The World of Avatar. This land remains exclusive to hotel theme park guests during Early Theme Park Entry. Guests without this early access can instead line up on the bridge to enter the land when the park officially opens. A cast member is stationed on the bridge to verify hotel guests before they can enter.
As for the other lands, the attraction lines are only open to guests with Early Entry before the park opens, and cast members will verify their hotel reservation before guests can enter the line. For guests without Early Theme Park Entry, this means they can freely wander and access the other lands before the park officially opens, just not the attraction lines.
READ MORE – These 10 Disney Rides Are Far Better Than The Ones They Replaced
This is a positive change for crowd flow at Animal Kingdom, so guests aren’t grouped in these various holding areas of Discovery Island. Instead, guests without Early Theme Park Entry can disperse to the lands they are interested in or line up for Pandora- The World of Avatar. Considering most guests who rope drop Animal Kingdom are there for Pandora- The World of Avatar, this change makes sense. This news was first reported by WDWNT.
The change now allows guests to access the open food and beverage locations and avoid a big backup of people waiting near the front of the park. We wonder if more Disney parks would consider this change or if it is only relevant for Animal Kingdom where the demand is so specific for Pandora.
Don’t Miss the Latest Disney News
Don’t miss the latest Disneyland and Disney World news from Mickey Visit. Join the FREE Mickey Visit newsletter that over 100k readers receive every single week. Mickey Visit is here to help you save money and experience more during your Disney and Universal vacation. See the Mickey Visit guide to Disneyland and the Mickey Visit guide to Disney World for tips.
