Reasons Why You Should NOT Rope Drop at Walt Disney World

Rope dropping is one of the most common practices of Disney park goers. By arriving at the parks early, Guests are ready to get a head start on the day in hopes to experience shorter wait times on the most popular rides and attractions.

While rope dropping can be beneficial, it does have some drawbacks and may not be for everyone. There is a lot to navigate when committing to arriving at the theme parks when they “drop the ropes” to enter the park. 

Today, we’re going to take a look at reasons why you shouldn’t rope drop and why hanging back in the morning may be better for you and your travel party.

1. Get Extra Sleep

For most, Disney vacations aren’t relaxing. A lot of physical effort is put in from the time you wake up to the time you go back to bed. Then it happens all over again the following day. While a vacation to Walt Disney World is exciting, fun, and magical, it’s also exhausting. By choosing not to rope drop, you’re giving your travel party and yourself some extra time to rest and relax in the morning.

Not only can this be physically beneficial for your body, it also takes a lot of stress out of the day. Not setting the demand to get to the park as early as possible in the morning gives yourself some time to slow down. The lack of rushing around in the morning can really help shift the tone of the day to be more upbeat and positive instead of anxious and hurried.

2. Breakfast is Important

While it’s important to allow your body to rest during a Disney vacation, it’s also important that you keep it fueled. This necessity begins first thing in the morning. If ever there’s a time that the phrase “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” rings true, it’s during a Disney vacation. When you opt to take a more relaxing approach to your morning by not rope dropping, you give yourself the time to enjoy a hearty and healthy breakfast.

This also gives you a chance to have special breakfast experiences. There are multiple character breakfast opportunities at Walt Disney World. Some of our favorites include ‘Ohana, Chef Mickey’s, and Breakfast à la Art with Mickey and Friends. Check out our article “Best Disney World Character Breakfast” to see which breakfast experiences we recommend and which ones we’d skip.

3. You're Not Staying On Property

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Those who are staying off property already have a slight disadvantage in comparison to those who are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel. Guests who stay on property receive a variety of exclusive perks and benefits, one of which is Early Theme Park Entry.

With Early Theme Park Entry, Disney Hotel Guests are able to enter the parks 30 minutes before they open to the general public. Because of this, Disney Hotel Guests have a head start on everyone else, which results in lines and wait times forming before the parks even open.

As a Guest who’s staying off property, it may be somewhat pointless to put in the extra time and effort that’s required to rope drop. Especially since the point of rope dropping is to avoid longer lines and crowds. With the Disney Hotel Guests already in the parks, these lines and crowds have already formed.

4. Morning Transportation Congestion

Whether you’re staying on or off property, early morning congestion is bound to happen. There are many Guests who try to get to the parks as early as possible in the morning. This leads to a buildup of both bodies and vehicles.

Most on-property hotel Guests utilize Disney’s complimentary transportation system. Even though there are multiple forms of transportation being used at any given time, such as the monorail, boats, buses, and the Skyliner, long lines still form each morning as a mass amount of Guests try to get to the parks.

Other Guests opt to use private transportation for their morning commute. While this can be a quicker option, since you’re avoiding the line for Disney’s transportation, it doesn’t come without its own set of struggles. When driving your own vehicle, you’ll have experiences such as heavy traffic, congested roadways, and lines of vehicles waiting to get into the parking lot.

Besides that, driving your own vehicle can also add more time to your morning in other ways. When using Disney’s transportation, you’ll be dropped off close to the park’s entrance or other nearby areas. This perk is missed out on when you drive yourself.

Once you arrive at the parks in your own vehicle, you’ll be directed to a specific area of the parking lot, which may not be very close to the park’s entrance. The walk from your car can add quite a few minutes to your morning. While this can be avoided by making sure you get to the parks even earlier, that only makes for an earlier morning for you and your travel party.

5. Long Entrance Lines

As I previously mentioned, a lot of Guests will be making their way to the parks early in the morning. Once you arrive at your desired park, you’ll then be faced with the crowds that are waiting to get through the entrance. This, again, leads to more lines that you’ll have to wait in.

Before entering the park, each Guest needs to go through a form of security check. This includes walk-through metal detectors, bag check stations, stroller/wagon checks, and in some instances, additional wanding. After completing the security check, each Guest will need to scan their ticket in order to make sure that they have valid admission for the correct day and park.

These are standard procedures that take place at all hours of the day. However, it’s a much lengthier process in the morning due to the amount of Guests that are arriving early to rope drop.

6. Plans Can Be Made in Advance

Rope dropping, while providing the opportunity to get a head start on the day, can also add a number of additional stressors. While it’s the most popular way to avoid a few lines in the morning and get on some of the most sought after attractions, you can still have an activity-packed day without choosing to rope drop.

One great thing about Walt Disney World is the fact that you can make advanced reservations for many of your plans, including rides and attractions. By booking Lightning Lane Passes, dining reservations, and Enchanting Extras in advance, you can get a head start on your day from the comfort of your own home. There’s no need to wake up early during your vacation just to battle large crowds as you make your way to the park.

7. Not Interested in the Big Ticket Attractions

Generally, Guests who rope drop have intentions of heading to the newest or most popular rides at the park. If these rides aren’t top priority for you, there’s really no need for you to head to the parks early.

While wait times will inevitably change during the day, and fluctuate due to crowd levels, the popularity of the rides stay the same. The rides that are in high demand remain that way throughout the day, leaving the less popular rides with shorter lines and wait times. You'll be able to easily make your way through the rides in lower demand without arriving early to do so.

8. You'll Have More Energy to Stay Late

There’s an exciting rush to get to the parks early in the morning, and understandably so. However, the Walt Disney World theme parks can be just as magical in the evening hours.

Unfortunately, by the time the end of the day rolls around, many Guests are worn out and ready to head back to their hotels. Actually, many Guests do go back to their hotel before the parks close for the day. Most Guests exit the parks right after the nighttime spectaculars. If you stay later, you can take advantage of lower crowds and shorter wait times. Those who skip rope drop and give themselves time to rest in the morning should still feel energized in the later evening hours.

Additionally, this is a great opportunity for those who want to ride a more popular ride, but don’t want to arrive at the parks early to do so. As long as you’re in the ride queue before the park closes, you’ll be able to get on the ride. Cast Members will continue running the ride until every Guest in the queue has had their opportunity to ride.

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