Now that Disneyland’s Early Entry has been discontinued for all guests, including those staying at the on-site Disney hotels, many guests are wondering how to best rope drop the attractions that once benefited from this exclusive early access.
We recently put a new strategy to the test, focusing specifically on the rides that were previously available during Early Entry. The results revealed a few surprises that could change how guests approach rope drop, especially those willing to wake up early and get to the parks before opening. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including the full reveal of the 2026 Disney Candlelight Processional Narrator List and Disney permanently closing another food spot at Disney Springs.
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Disneyland Rope Drop Without Early Entry
Disneyland ended the Early Entry perk on January 5, 2026, which gave guests of the three Disneyland Resort Hotels 30 minutes of early access to select attractions, dining, and shopping locations at a designated theme park each day of their visit. Previously, this perk was available to all park guests who purchased a 3-day ticket or longer. Now there is no Early Entry option available at Disneyland for any guests.
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At Disneyland, most of Fantasyland and Tomorrowland were the two lands that participated in Early Entry. This included two of the most popular rides at rope drop, Peter Pan’s Flight and Space Mountain.
In order to rope drop these attractions at Disneyland with the lowest wait, especially Peter Pan’s Flight, you need to be lined up at the outside entrance gates at least an hour before the park opens for the day. We were only the fourth family in line outside the entrance gate at 7:05 AM on a day the park opened at 8 AM. Security that day let us in right at 7 AM.
Disneyland Offers Free Sticker and Photo Op for Rope Drop
We were let into the park at 7:30 AM and were able to join the rope line facing Sleeping Beauty Castle with the goal of rope dropping Peter Pan’s Flight. Those who arrive this early for rope drop can get these free stickers.
A cast member was also going around with this fun photo op and offering to take pictures of guests. They even went over the ropes into the crowd so everyone gets a chance to take a photo. This is such a fun thing to offer but also a great way to reduce some of that pre-rope-drop tension as guests get ready to “walk” to Peter Pan’s Flight.
How to Rope Drop at Disneyland
Once the cast members officially dropped the rope, our entire section went straight for Peter Pan’s Flight. Because we were at the front of the rope, we walked right on the attraction, but as we passed by the sign, we saw that it was already posted at a 30-minute wait. If you are not at the front of the group, you will end up waiting 30 minutes or more.
From there, we quickly went right to Space Mountain, where we only waited ten minutes to get on board. You can also position yourself at rope drop to come straight here, but it’s a pretty fast-loading ride, compared to Peter Pan’s Flight.
The other attractions in Tomorrowland that used to be part of Early Entry were all walk-ons and would likely remain low wait most of the morning, so we headed back to Fantasyland. This includes Astro Orbitor, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, and Star Tours: The Adventures Continue. This was a wise choice because we came back around 11 AM and these attractions were still all under 30 minutes.
We headed back to Fantasyland and found Alice in Wonderland was only 15 minutes, so we decided to hop in line. We actually waited about ten minutes here, which was perfect.
Since our goal was to focus primarily on the rides that used to be part of Early Entry, we decided to stay in Fantasyland. By 9:15, we were boarding Dumbo the Flying Elephant. I haven’t ridden this attraction since my son was young, and this was a fun way to start our day.
After we hopped off Dumbo, we quickly did Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Snow White’s Enchanted Wish, and Pinocchio’s Daring Journey. By this time, more people were arriving, and we waited 10-15 minutes for all except Pinocchio, which was still a walk-on.
Since it was clear the crowds had arrived, we decided on another trip down nostalgia lane and rode Casey Jr. Circus Train.
This attraction offers a view of one of the most unique attractions in Disneyland. But since Storybook Land Canal Boats is better at night, we just enjoyed it from above.
We finished off our to-do list with the Mad Tea Party, and we only waited ten minutes. Overall, in the time between 8 AM and 11 AM, we were able to ride all these attractions:
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Space Mountain
- Alice in Wonderland
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
- Snow White’s Enchanted Wish
- Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
- Casey Jr. Circus Train
- Mad Tea Party
This also included a quick churro break in between. Out of all these, the longest lines we experienced were Dumbo the Flying Elephant and Space Mountain. We actually waited longer for Dumbo! If you have small kids and Dumbo is a priority, I would recommend going here immediately after Peter Pan’s Flight, as this ride loads slowly and that’s a big part of what creates the long wait.
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While it’s disappointing we no longer have Early Entry at Disneyland, you can still manage to get a lot done if you wake up early and prioritize these rides. Another hidden benefit is enjoying Fantasyland with lower crowds and less sun. We were able to really soak in the atmosphere of the land, and we saw multiple characters interacting with families, including the Mad Hatter leading a tea party with kids at the tables near Casey Junior.
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