UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2024. Here at Get Away Today we know time is a precious commodity and when you’re at Disneyland, every minute is magical, including the official opening of the parks or what many call “rope drop.”

Our most savvy travelers know two important things before heading to Disneyland:

1. Disneyland vacation packages from Get Away Today offer the best deals and bundled savings with plenty of Good Neighbor hotels.
2. Arriving for rope drop allows you to experience more attractions each morning when crowds tend to be at their lowest.

But what exactly is rope drop and how do you make the most of it? We’re here to answer those questions and share even more strategy tips for your Disneyland vacation.

Rope drop is the nickname of the official park opening, when Cast Members remove the rope and welcome guests into the various lands of the theme park.

Rope drop happens right at the theme park opening. For example, if Disneyland Park opens at 8:00 am, guests will be admitted through the main gates and much closer to the various lands about 30 minutes prior to rope drop.

Once the park is open, the crowds on Main Street or Buena Vista Street disperse to their desired rides and attractions. With this Disney strategy in place you could literally be among the first guests to ride your favorite rides that day, essentially walking right on!

Riding without the longer wait times is a huge draw for guests to wake up early, even while on vacation.

So you want to go to rope drop? Here’s a sample itinerary to give you an idea of what that looks like in action:

• Arrive at parking and/or security screening about 1 hour before the official park opening time.
• Arrive at the theme park gates about 30 minutes prior to official opening.
• Walk as close as possible to your desired attraction—up to the rope—and take in the ambiance while you wait.
• A few minutes before, you’ll hear an announcement about park opening, as well as a welcome when the park officially opens.

Before rope drop is also a great time to place mobile orders for breakfast, apply sunscreen, take some photos and talk about what you hope to experience throughout your trip

Now that you have a better understanding of rope drop itself, we’d love to share some of our favorite ways to enjoy the parks in those less crowded, early morning hours.

Some of the most popular rides to rope drop at Disneyland Park include:

• Space Mountain
• Indiana Jones Adventure
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Depending on your group and interests, you may want to consider which attraction is the best fit to enjoy first. You can also choose different rides to rope drop on different days of your visit, which is another reason we always recommend getting a 3-Day or longer park ticket.

You’ll also want to read up on tips for taking in rides like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. We also keep our articles fresh and updated on a regular basis for new rides and strategies, especially when some require Virtual Queue.

Some of the most popular rides to rope drop at California Adventure Park include:

• Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: BREAKOUT!
• Radiator Springs Racers
• Soarin’
• WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure

For thrill seekers, they often head to Guardians or maybe even rope drop Incredicoaster while little ones ride Toy Story Midway Mania. Whatever you decide to do during your rope drop adventure, it’s highly likely you’ll experience lower wait times than you will later on. It’s one of the many tips we share here at Get Away Today to help you avoid long lines and have more fun.

Rope drop is an excellent strategy to combine with using Early Entry (for guests of Disneyland Hotel, Grand Californian and soon to be Pixar Place Hotel), Lightning Lane and Virtual Queues.

Are you ready for the best way to experience Disneyland with both Get Away Today savings and Rope Drop strategies?

Book early for most availability and the absolute best time at Disney Parks, and we can also help you with last minute savings for your Disneyland trip. All of our Disneyland vacation packages are available online or by calling 855-GET-AWAY.