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Being at Magic Kingdom for Rope Drop is important if you want to get a head start on the crowds that will arrive later in the day. The following tips will help you make the most of Rope Drop at Magic Kingdom.
Guests arriving at the Magic Kingdom via Disney bus are screened (bag check and metal detectors) at stations near the bus drop-off point. Guests arriving via the Ticket and Transportation Center are screened walking into the TTC area. Guests arriving via Disney resort monorail or boat are screened at the resorts (Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge). This doesn't really affect the arrival procedure, but it does need to be considered when calculating when to arrive.
During the pandemic, the Magic Kingdom has been admitting guests into the park anywhere from 20 minutes before official opening on off-peak days to 50 minutes early on days with high attendance. Until Disney’s new Early Theme Park Entry program begins later in 2021, all guests should arrive at the Magic Kingdom entrance 30 minutes before official opening on off-peak days and 60 minutes before official opening on days with high attendance.
When the Early Entry program begins, on-site guests should arrive 60 minutes before official opening (that is, 30 minutes before Early Entry) on all days. Off-site guests should arrive 30 minutes before official opening on all days.
As soon as you’re admitted into the park, most of the rides in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland will be running. Rides in Adventureland, Frontierland, and Liberty Square may start operations closer to the park’s official opening time.
When the park opens, Main Street’s larger shops, such as the Emporium, will also be open, in case you need sunscreen, ponchos, or aspirin. The Main Street Bakery (Starbucks) will also be open for coffee and breakfast items.
As soon as the park opens, most guests head for one of the headliner attractions: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Fantasyland gets the biggest crowds, followed by Space Mountain in Tomorrowland, with Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland in third place. When Tron Lightcycle/Run opens in Tomorrowland (late 2021 or 2022), it should be the biggest draw in the park.
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On Saturday, January 27, 2018 several of the TouringPlans staff tested the impact of arriving early at the Magic Kingdom. On this day the park opened to the public at 8am (with no Extra Magic Hour) and the crowd was measured as an 8 out of 10.
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