AK doing away with rope drop

[VWL Mom]

Not sure if this has been mention before but AK has done away with the rope drop hold which was located near the tip board. Guests are now being allowed into the park 15 minutes before the official opening time. Once inside you can ride some of the rides before the official opening time.

Kilimanjaro Safari, Expedition Everest and TriceraTop Spin are open along with some snack kiosks on Discovery Island.

FASTPASS distribution does not begin until the official park opening time.

[Jodi]

I am so glad I read this post. We are heading to the world in 9 days, will make sure we take advantage of this! Thank You!

[texas211]

So, now must get there even earlier to ride the safari.

[Tekneek]

So, now must get there even earlier to ride the safari.

If you were planning to ride it first thing, you were probably already there well before those 15 minutes anyway. This way the whole show gets on the road and you can more casually make your way to it, and perhaps get on with a slightly less wait as well.

[Altair]

So, in reality, the rope drop has been moved up 15 minutes. Just like at DHS, once everyone figures this out it will be just like before.

[Dixiemom]

So, in reality, the rope drop has been moved up 15 minutes. Just like at DHS, once everyone figures this out it will be just like before.

Exactly.

[#1donaldfan]

I miss the old rope drop !!

I will say that in MK even though the park is open to resort guests, we have to wait for Adventureland to open and that rope drop this past week nearly killed the poor lady pulling it back !! She had to run out of the way of the stampeeding of people !!

[cer]

So, in reality, the rope drop has been moved up 15 minutes. Just like at DHS, once everyone figures this out it will be just like before.

I don't believe it is like moving up rope drop at all.

So, instead of admitting people and having them held up with a rope...the entry into the park itself limits the flow of guests. You no longer have a ready-set-run type of situation as before. It is much safer and works well. (I think)

[ThanxForNoticin]

No more "rope drop" Mickey safari show at AK in the mornings any more?

[cer]

Last time I remember a type of "show" was at the turnstyles. So the big bus came with Mickey and Minnie on it and they did a little ditty right on the other side of the turnstyles and that signaled the park opening and then the cast members began admitting guests. It was not a deal where they admitted you to a point and had a rope drop "show" inside the park.

[MickeysBestPal]

No more "rope drop" Mickey safari show at AK in the mornings any more?

Long gone.

Last time I remember a type of "show" was at the turnstyles. So the big bus came with Mickey and Minnie on it and they did a little ditty right on the other side of the turnstyles and that signaled the park opening and then the cast members began admitting guests. It was not a deal where they admitted you to a point and had a rope drop "show" inside the park.

There was a time when that "show" was done deep into the park near the Tree of Life.
(It was at a location just after you crossed the bridge coming in from the Oasis area, and the rope was right next to the DAK "Tip Board.")

Then (after a few years,) they changed the "show" a bit and moved it to just inside the DAK gates. It ran that way for about a year.

Then, they stopped doing the "show" altogether, and moved the "rope holding area" back to the aforementioned "near Tip Board" location.
They admitted guests through the gates at about 15 minutes before posted "opening time," but still held guests at that internal rope area until "straight up" opening time.

Now, they've also completely done away with the internal rope drop.

[ThanxForNoticin]

Didn't even realize it was gone. The one I remember is the one you mention at the Tree of Life. It was kind of a fun way to get the day at AK started - although I will admit that I was often just as anxious to head to Everest and could've done without the show!

[azcavalier]

They've done away with the rope drop at DHS as well. They said that people just got stupid, and it was a safety hazard. However, in the case of DHS, they don't' seem to be starting the rides early. This just allows guests to make their way to the rides they want as they enter the park, rather than having them queue up and race for it. I thought it worked well. I'll be interested to see how it works at AK.

BTW, the earlier you can ride the safari, the better. The animals are a lot more active in the cool of the morning. The best safari rides I've taken were first thing on EMH days.

[Altair]

I don't believe it is like moving up rope drop at all.

There has to be a time when they won't let you in, so that will be the new rope drop time.

[cer]

There has to be a time when they won't let you in, so that will be the new rope drop time.

OK - but you understand what I am saying, too. There is a new early entry (what you are calling rope drop) - but without admitting guests into a holding corral and then subjecting everyone to a running of the bulls type situation (what I am calling 'rope drop').

Yes, people will catch on to the early entry (rope drop), but the admission to the park is much more controlled.

At any rate, once we all get Fast Pass +, I assume there will be no need to get to a park at opening. Right?

[MickeysBestPal]

once we all get Fast Pass +, I assume there will be no need to get to a park at opening. Right?

I think it will be just as important to get to the park early.

That way you can ride E-ticket attractions with the shortest standby lines of the day...
and save your FP+ for later in the day and/or for the second park on a "park-hopper" situation.

Early arrival remains one thing that I can control for myself...
and the one thing that many other guests simply will NOT do
"on vacation."

Early arrival is a near-guaranteed advantage for those who make the effort
to get up in time.

[Goofy4TheWorld]

I don't believe it is like moving up rope drop at all.

So, instead of admitting people and having them held up with a rope...the entry into the park itself limits the flow of guests. You no longer have a ready-set-run type of situation as before. It is much safer and works well. (I think)

Wait, one of my FastPass+ selections was going to be "Disney's Ready-Set-Run", does this mean I will loose my FP+ to the "attraction"?

[cer]

Wait, one of my FastPass+ selections was going to be "Disney's Ready-Set-Run", does this mean I will loose my FP+ to the "attraction"?

It has been an "E Attraction" in the past...

Actually, it will be marketed as a *perk* in that Disney will never run out of Fast Passes for the "Ready-Set-Run" attraction - it is free with your park admission...