Arriving to Disneyland early within the morning, earlier than park opening is important to an environment friendly day. This shares technique for beginning your day and twine drop suggestions for California’s busiest theme park, together with what time to reach, which points of interest to prioritize, and extra. (Up to date September 15, 2024.)
Quite a bit has modified in the previous couple of years. Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway opened in Toontown, and earlier than that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge debuted together with its two points of interest, Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run and Star Wars Rise of the Resistance. That adjustments the rope drop dynamic, as many visitors are drawn deep in Disneyland to the Star Wars stuff.
Then there are the operational adjustments. The massive one is adjustments to Early Entry, which is now not each day in each parks as of 2024. Extra considerably, Disneyland has changed free FastPass and paid MaxPass with Lightning Lane Multi-Move and Single Move (each paid). See our Information to Lightning Lanes at Disneyland & DCA for extra on how this sophisticated paid FastPass works.
Rope drop at Disneyland is an expertise that may be pleasant or depressing, relying upon the way you put together for it. To begin with, let’s tackle what rope drop is for the Disneyland first-timers. It’s merely when the lands and points of interest formally open, which is synonymous with the revealed park opening time.
Nonetheless, because the turnstiles often admit visitors earlier than park opening, Disney followers have demarcated the 2 occasions with the ‘rope drop’ time period. If it’s simpler, simply consider “rope drop” as “very first thing within the morning” at Disneyland. Along with rope drop being a time, it’s additionally a verb (“we’re rope dropping Mr. Toad’s Wild Trip”).
Rope dropping issues has unfold past the realm of Disney parks, too. We’ve got been recognized to say, “we’re rope dropping In-N-Out Burger,” which is actually simply us banging on their door at 10:20 a.m. yelling, “WE WANTS THE DOUBLE DOUBLE!” (A joke I’m recycling from my Magic Kingdom rope drop publish because it’s truly extra related to Californians.)
Accordingly the following pointers solely apply to non-Early Entry days. With that mentioned, let’s check out how rope drop performs out in Disneyland…
When you must go away your lodge to reach at Disneyland for rope drop is a fairly frequent query. It relies upon upon the place you’re staying. Typical knowledge is to reach an hour prematurely. I don’t disagree with this recommendation, however I’d make clear what “arrive” means–be by way of bag test and standing within the Esplanade (the realm between Disneyland and Disney California Journey) an hour earlier than official park opening time.
In case you’re at a lodge straight throughout the road, this implies leaving your lodge 75 minutes earlier than the revealed park opening time. Down the road a bit farther? Plan to depart your room 80-90 minutes early. In case you’re staying far off-site, driving and parking, it may imply leaving your lodge two hours prematurely.
This “arrival” level of clarification is critical, as many first-time guests don’t understand there are 2-5 factors of friction to the arrival expertise: Southern California morning rush hour site visitors, strains to get into the parking construction/heaps, parking tram strains, bag test strains, and turnstile strains.
Don’t underestimate the strains or congestion in any of those eventualities. Whereas Disneyland is way more compact than Walt Disney World, its crowd stream infrastructure exterior the parks is noticeably worse, and this has grow to be a extra pronounced drawback within the final couple of years. All of those friction factors may be vital and stress inducing, and also you get rid of 3 of them simply by staying at a lodge inside strolling distance.
We prefer to arrive on the bag test line about 70 minutes earlier than park opening as a result of that is virtually all the time early sufficient to beat the crowds and breeze by way of. On busier days, for those who arrive at bag test beneath an hour prematurely of park opening, you would be ready quarter-hour at bag test. In case you arrive proper at park opening, you would wait half-hour or extra, relying upon the season.
In case you’re impatient like me, the wait at bag test is excruciating. It could be quarter-hour, however it feels like 55 as you slowly creep ahead, eye the strains round you that invariably appears to be shifting sooner, and groan because the safety guard at your desk opens each single pouch and sun shades case, whereas each different desk as an alternative receives a fast once-over. I perceive that safety is necessary and all that, however Disneyland’s course of is painful and inconsistent.
I’d somewhat arrive earlier than the hordes of different visitors, breeze by way of rapidly, and spend that very same time ready within the relative consolation of the Esplanade between Disneyland and Disney California Journey. The world is spacious, inviting, has an awesome background music loop, and is simply flat-out a greater option to get you in temper for beginning your morning at Disneyland.
As famous above, Early Entry is now not day-after-day in each parks. As of late 2024, the schedule is Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for Early Entry at Disneyland. That means that in an ideal world, you’d go to Disneyland on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Sunday for those who’re not eligible for Early Entry.
That’s as a result of Early Entry is an on-site visitor perk that enables these staying on the three Disney-owned lodges at Disneyland Resort to enter the parks half-hour previous to park opening every morning. Which means that for those who rope drop Disneyland on an Early Entry day, you’re behind all of these on-site visitors, which isn’t excellent. At the very least, in principle.
The excellent news for those who can’t select your days is that Early Entry will not be included with any tickets or Good Neighbor Lodge packages, which means that solely 3 lodges are eligible. Due to this, the pool of eligible visitors is kind of small. This makes it vastly advantageous for individuals who are eligible for Early Entry, as few others are round to benefit from it.
The flip aspect of that Early Entry is minimally impactful to off-site visitors, as a result of by the point Early Entry is over, most of these visitors have “moved on” to trying to rope drop Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Whereas they do have a definite benefit there, that dynamic means Early Entry has virtually zero impression to common rope drop in Fantasyland. See our Information to Early Entry at Disneyland & DCA for recommendation about making the most of this on-site perk.
For now, again to your frequently scheduled rope drop technique, already in progress and principally unaffected by Early Entry…
Disneyland’s turnstiles usually open 30-45 minutes earlier than park opening. In case you’re on the entrance of this line, you may get fortunate together with your ticket being scanned in even sooner than this, which actually solely issues for those who’re shopping for Lightning Lanes. It’s not an enormous head-start, so for those who’d somewhat grasp again and benefit from the Esplanade with out being in a cramped line, don’t fear.
A couple of minutes later, the turnstiles open and Disneyland begins admitting visitors to Major Avenue. The precise time relies upon upon crowds, however we’ve skilled this as early as an hour earlier than park opening, however extra generally round half-hour earlier than official park opening.
If you’re utilizing Lightning Lane Multi-Move, you’ll need to e-book your first collection of the day for Area Mountain sooner or later early on. Ideally, you’ll have an early return time and can be capable of do Area Mountain after your first wave of points of interest, as soon as strains begin constructing. See our 1-Day Disneyland Itinerary Utilizing Lightning Lanes for particular technique.
As soon as inside Disneyland, we take pleasure in savoring the leisurely stroll up Major Avenue. Perusing the numerous reward outlets which can be open on Major Avenue with out folks is a pleasant expertise. It’s additionally good to seize a cup of espresso at Starbucks from the Major Avenue Bakery as a decide me up.
In direction of the top of Major Avenue or close to the Central Plaza, you’ll encounter Safety and different Solid Members who received’t assist you to proceed any farther into the park. Generally they’ll truly use a rope to dam the trail that may later be dropped as soon as the park formally opens. (Therefore the time period rope drop!)
As soon as that rope drops, Disneyland’s points of interest open, and also you’ll must resolve the place to move first. Quite a lot of the group will head to Fantasyland, however now many visitors additionally head to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Tomorrowland.
There are a bunch of competing theories about how you must ‘zig when others zag’ and go to another land as an alternative. These are all ostensibly compelling, particularly for those who’re a contrarian or need to assume you’re smarter than everybody else.
These methods are additionally all improper. Keep on with the tried and true–head to Fantasyland. Even for those who don’t have babies, that is the best method. Not solely are these timeless points of interest a quintessential a part of the Disneyland expertise, however a number of don’t supply Lightning Lane line-skipping entry and are simple to knock out within the morning in fast succession.
The rationale that Fantasyland is the “right” place to begin is kind of easy: the minimal completion time for each attraction in Fantasyland is considerably lower than options round Disneyland. Particularly, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance takes perpetually from begin to end, and it typically has delayed openings.
Fantasyland darkish rides are principally old style, no-nonsense points of interest. They’ve quick queues, no pre-show, and dump you proper out close to different attraction entrances. The minimal journey time for many Fantasyland points of interest is beneath 5 minutes. You’ll be able to simply accomplish a half-dozen Fantasyland points of interest, if no more, within the first hour that Disneyland is open.
Against this, the length of Indiana Jones Journey, plus strolling by way of the queue, boarding the attraction, and exiting is over quarter-hour. Area Mountain is over 10 minutes. Haunted Mansion is over 15. And so forth. Then, when these points of interest dump you out, you continue to have a modest stroll to the subsequent attraction. At most, you’ll be able to solely do 3-4 of those points of interest within the first hour that Disneyland is open.
Fantasyland is essentially the most condensed land at Disneyland, and you’ll actually clear up by doing these quick darkish rides in fast succession earlier than the group builds. In our 1-Day Disneyland Itinerary, we cowl essentially the most environment friendly order for doing these Fantasyland points of interest, plus every thing else after the morning rush.
Ideally, you’ll begin with Peter Pan’s Flight, which could have the longest line later within the day. Nonetheless, for those who’re additional again within the pack or its line is spilling out of the indoor queue, skip it and do Snow White’s Enchanted Want, Alice in Wonderland, and different points of interest as an alternative. The objective right here is to journey the wave and keep forward of the crowds–that requires considering in your ft and skipping rides as essential.
Although these Fantasyland points of interest by no means peak as excessive as Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Area Mountain or Indiana Jones Journey by way of particular person wait occasions, the time you’ll save in combination by beginning in Fantasyland far exceeds the time it can save you by rope dropping a distinct a part of the park.
After you’re performed in Fantasyland, you’ve gotten a few choices. One is to move again to Toontown, the place you’ll be capable of do Disneyland’s latest journey: Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Along with that, you’ll be able to hit Roger Rabbit’s Automotive Toon Spin, and Chip ‘n’ Dale’s GADGETcoaster with low wait occasions. In case you’re into characters, you’ll additionally discover them again right here–additionally with quick strains.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway truly doesn’t have too dangerous of waits all through the day, however there’s upside in doing all of these issues and beating the crowds to Toontown. (It may be unpleasantly crowded noon.)
Personally, I would attempt to stretch my luck a bit of additional and knock out Matterhorn “on the way in which” to Toontown. You must nonetheless be capable of hit the entire above points of interest with minimal waits. After Toontown, you’ll be able to hit “it’s a small world” with a low wait time, too. This method is perfect, as you’re knocking out lots early within the morning.
In case you’re completely tired of Fantasyland darkish rides, the perfect different is Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge–however you’ve gotta be quick…and fortunate. Truthfully, I’m going to (as soon as once more) warn you towards doing Rise of the Resistance at rope drop. It’s high-risk (and stress), low reward.
With that mentioned, for those who do hit Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance early (assuming no morning downtime) after which bounce to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, you’ll be able to usually comply with up with Huge Thunder or Indiana Jones Journey, Haunted Mansion, and Pirates of the Caribbean. That’s not a foul option to begin the day!
One other different is to begin in Tomorrowland, knocking out Area Mountain first adopted by secondary points of interest and ending up with Matterhorn earlier than heading again to Toontown. Once more, until you’re particularly averse to Fantasyland for some cause, this simply isn’t going to avoid wasting you as a lot time.
The underside line is that Fantasyland is way and away the perfect rope drop choice at Disneyland. There isn’t a counterintuitive ‘hack’ or secret technique right here. Each publish you learn like that is going to advocate Fantasyland first. Even with “everybody” advising this, it’s nonetheless the perfect method. Don’t overthink it or be a contrarian.
At this level, it ought to be about an hour or so after rope drop, and also you’ve most likely been awake for not less than a number of hours. In case you did begin in Fantasyland, you would hold the ‘effectivity’ prepare rolling at full steam forward, it’s not a foul thought to move to Frontierland and New Orleans Sq. at this level to decompress a bit.
Each of those lands are beautiful within the morning, and also you’ll nonetheless be forward of the complete wave of the crowds in them. It’s nice to take in their ambiance, possibly take pleasure in a morning snack, and respect the “little issues” that make Disneyland particular. These quiet moments of pure whimsy are when the magic occurs, and what retains us going again.
Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Ideas for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets. Study on-site and off-site lodges in our Anaheim Lodge Evaluations & Rankings. For the place to eat, try our Disneyland Restaurant Evaluations. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, try What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Trip Planning Information. Lastly, for guides past Disney, try our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Seashore, and tons of different locations!
Your Ideas
What’s your Disneyland rope drop technique? Do you comply with the tried and true Fantasyland technique, do you go for thrills in Tomorrowland, or begin someplace completely completely different? Do you prefer to savor the low crowds and have a leisurely expertise later within the morning? Do you agree or disagree with our recommendation? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to suggestions about your experiences is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
