Disney just made another change to how rope drop works at both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure. This new change comes after other changes impacted the park earlier this year, including a change to who can access the park and how areas of the land have been roped off.
Let’s get into all the details of this most recent rope drop change and our advice on how to utilize it to strategize your mornings at Disneyland. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including the best Downtown Disney restaurants according to Yelp and new menu changes and additions at Disney World.
READ MORE – We Visit Disney Weekly. These 11 Habits Set You Apart as a Disney Parks Pro.
Disneyland Rope Dropping Change Adds Flexibility
Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure are located directly adjacent to each other, which makes park hopping incredibly easy. It’s just a simple walk across the esplanade that separates the two theme parks. Since park hopping is so easy at Disneyland, the restrictions that were put into place from 2021 until now have frustrated guests. In 2021, restrictions were put into place that required guests to make a reservation for one park, and then they could only switch to the other park after 1 PM. Then the policy was modified in February 2023, when the restriction was changed to 11 AM.
Disney Ride Closure ALERTS, Major Changes, Secrets Revealed
Get alerts on closures, park changes, exclusive discounts, and free printables. Trusted by 100,000+ Disney fans & planners.
Starting June 9, park hopping restrictions at Disneyland have now ended. Now, guests can park hop as early as they like. While park reservations are still required, guests are not required to actually start at the park they reserved.
The only caveat to that rule is that guests will need to wait at least 15 minutes between park scans. Meaning, if you enter Disney California Adventure, you will need to wait 15 minutes before scanning into Disneyland Park. This is a rule that guests often encounter when they are using Disney’s Grand Californian entrance to access Disney California Adventure as a shorter walking distance to then cross the esplanade to enter Disneyland.
We were monitoring wait times today as this change went into effect, and while the crowds were typical for a busy morning, we noticed one interesting twist that can derail a rope drop strategy.
Two of the most popular attractions to rope drop in the morning, Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure and Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland, were both down when the parks opened for the day.
Now that all-day park hopping has returned, this adds the flexibility to alter your plans at a moment’s notice. For example, if you had your heart set on riding Radiator Springs Racers at rope drop but then find out it’s closed, you can change your plans to experience the rides at Disneyland instead without having to wait until 11 AM. This is a great layer of flexibility for guests in the morning since it’s not unusual for these e-ticket attractions to open later without warning.
Another benefit to park hopping restrictions being lifted is that guests can access both theme parks prior to 11 AM, which is often the time of the day when wait times are the lowest.
In this example, guests could rope drop Disney California Adventure to access popular rides like Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! and WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, and then walk right over to Disneyland. In the screenshot above, you can see how an hour after park opening, there are still plenty of low wait rides available in Disneyland compared to Disney California Adventure. With this method, you can prioritize the most in-demand rides in one park, and then head over to the other one to enjoy the rides that remain consistently low for the first two hours of park opening.
READ MORE – These 10 Disney Rides Have Changed Dramatically Since Their Opening
Park hopping without restrictions allows for maximum flexibility for guests at a time of the day when wait times are traditionally the lowest. Since wait times at both parks were fairly consistent, it’s apparent that guests were enjoying rope drop at both parks while also having the flexibility to switch to the next park when they wanted to.
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.
