(this post is updated annually–check for current park open times & ride closures before planning your rope-drop)
When we’re heading to Disneyland, our main goal besides maximizing fun and magic is saving time and money! One surefire way to save both time (waiting in line) and money (instead of purchasing Genie + or individual lightning lanes) is to get up at the crack of dawn and be the first ones in the parks, aka rope-dropping!
Today’s blog post will cover:
Rope-Dropping Defined
Reasons to Rope-Drop
Navigating Early Entry & Rope Drop
Sample Rope-Drop Schedule
Attraction Recommendations by Park
What is Rope-Dropping?
Disneyland posts daily ‘opening hours’, but did you know that the posted ‘opening time’ actually indicates a time when certain cast-member-guarded-ropes inside the parks will drop? That means you have to set foot on Disneyland property 30-60 minutes BEFORE the posted “opening time”, so you can navigate security, scan your tickets, use the bathroom, finish drinking your coffee and walk down main street to where everyone will queue in front of the ropes! Once they finally drop the ropes at the posted opening hour, you can fast-walk to your favorite rope-drop participating ride.
Why do People Rope-Drop?
The main reason guests want to be in the parks when the rope drops is because the crowds are smaller and ride lines are markedly shorter the first hour or two after the parks open.
What About Early Park Entry?
Early Entry is available for guests staying on property at official Disneyland Resorts like The Disneyland Hotel and The Grand Californian, so they will be in the parks and have a head start over rope-droppers.
But don’t worry about it—here’s why.
Only Fantasyland and Tomorrowland are open during Early Entry, so people spend their thirty minutes of early entry there and then disperse. That means that even though Peter Pan (Fantasyland) and Space Mountain (Tomorrowland) might already have a line of early entry people when you rope-drop at 8am, if those lines are too long you can still hit up other Fantasyland or Tomorrowland rides. Meanwhile, because Adventureland and Frontierland aren’t open during early entry, you have access to those at the same time as everyone else.
In California Adventure, during Early Entry there are seven rides open around the park, which does add an element of rope drop complexity; most early entry guests, however, head for Radiator Springs Racers, which leaves the rest of the park open for you to rope drop (if your traveling party is all over seven years old, single ride Radiator Springs Racers anytime during the day. If you have little kids with you and can’t single ride, this ride is a good contender for an Individual Lightning Lane).
Sample Rope-Drop Morning Schedule
In order to figure out a morning rope-drop schedule for either California park, first check the Disneyland website or app for posted park hours and work backwards from there:
The goal is to be lined up at the park gates when they open 30 minutes before the ropes drop (if the ropes drop at 8am, you want to be lined up at the gates by 7:30am).
Here’s a sample rope-drop schedule from our last Disneyland trip, when we stayed free using points at the Home2 Suites around the corner from Disneyland (read our hotel review here). We timed the walk from the hotel to the park entrance the night before, and highly recommend you do the same and adjust your times accordingly.
1. First ones at free hotel breakfast when it opens at 6:30
2. Depart hotel by 7:00am
3. Arrive at East Resort entrance on Harbor by 7:10
4. Lined up at security by 7:15
5. Lined up at park gates by 7:30 (these gates open 1/2 hour before ropes drop
6. Lined up at Rope Drop by 7:40
From here, we’ll break it down by parks & popular rides to rope drop in those parks.
CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE
Radiator Springs Racers has an individual lightning lane, so it’s tempting to rope drop it–but, like Rise of the Resistance, it breaks down A LOT. The best way to ride it is to single ride it (for parties where everyone is over the age of seven). You can try rope-dropping it if you have kids under seven, but it’s a gamble. Make sure you attempt it from the right-hand rope next to Ariel’s Grotto.
Six rides have early entry:
Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission BREAKOUT!,
Incredicoaster,
The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure,
Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree,
Monsters Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!,
Soarin’ Around the World,
WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
That means early entry guests will get those rides out of the way, but also means there might be a bit of a queue on those rides by the time you get there.
We really like rope-dropping either Guardians, Soarin’ or Toy Story Midway Mania, because even if they have a slight line at rope drop, they all have much longer lines the rest of the day. Here’s a breakdown of a plan for each.
Rope Drop Guardians
This line stays long for much of the day, so rope dropping the left side of California Adventure and starting with Guardians is a solid choice. Head to Pixar Pier next, and follow the strategy outlined next.
Rope Drop Pixar Pier
To rope drop rides on Pixar Pier, Toy Story Midway Mania is a good choice, because it usually has a long line the rest of the day. For this strategy, head to the right as soon as possible when you enter California Adventure. If you pass Smokejumpers, The Grand Californian and Grizzly River Rapids, you’ll know you’re on the right track. There are typically far less people at this rope than any other, so we refer to it as the secret rope drop. Here’s a map if you need it:
You’ll end up looking straight at Pixar Pier, with Ariel’s Undersea Adventure on your right:
We like to start with Toy Story Midway Mania because of the notorious line, then hit Incredicoaster and then cross the park over to Guardians (if you’re not riding Guardians, work your way through the rest of the pier and ride Mickey’s Pal-a-round, Goofy’s Sky School and the Silly Symphony Swings).
Rope Drop Soarin’
Soarin’ is a classic with a long line, so you can always cross this one off your list first thing and then head over to either Guardians or Pixar Pier.
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Disneyland
At Disneyland, rope droppers head here, there and everywhere. Here are a few popular rope drop strategies to choose from.
Rise of the Resistance
Disney sells an individual Lightning Lane for Rise of the Resistance, so it’s tempting to avoid that cost by rope dropping this ride. Keep in mind, though, that even though Galaxy’s Edge isn’t open during early entry, early entry guests still get a thirty second head start towards the ride before regular rope-droppers like you and me. Still, if you’re near the front of the Frontierland rope (slightly left of the castle and to the right of Adventureland), it’s still possible that the ride won’t break down and you’ll wait in a manageable line, shorter than it will be for the rest of the day.
Teen Strategy: Rope Drop the Mountains
My teens current favorite strategy is to rope-drop Space Mountain, Matterhorn, Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain, in that order. Even though you have to contend with early entry guests at Space Mountain, it’s still a shorter line than you’ll encounter the rest of the day.
Rope-Dropping Frontierland & Adventureland
With this strategy, you can probably ride Big Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Pirates and Jungle Cruise all in the first 90 minutes. Start with Big Thunder: to do this, you’ll follow the Rise of the Resistance map above, but peel off at Big Thunder! Then move on to Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Indiana Jones and Jungle Cruise.
Rope Drop Tomorrowland
This metod allows you to ride Space Mountain, Matterhorn, Star Tours and Buzz Lightyear. This works well with teenagers, because you can wait and do the Fantasyland rides later in the day when people with littles tend to take a mid-day break (or in the evening when they’ve all gone to bed).
TAKEAWAYS
Rope dropping is hands down our favorite tip to save time and money at Disneyland, California Adventure, and really any Disney park. We hope you enjoy these tips and have a magical time!
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