Magic Kingdom has so many great rides that it can be hard to work out what rides to rope drop! With TRON moving to a stand-by queue line the choice has got even bigger. Knowing where to head and what ride to enjoy first is a decision this guide is designed to help you make. We take a look at what makes a best rope drop ride and what options work best for different people.
Finding the best ride
Magic Kingdom has so many amazing ride experiences and the majority of rides open at rope drop, which is the time the park opens to all guests. Only a few character experiences open a little later in Magic Kingdom, at around 10am. Princesses need their beauty sleep! If you want to see the full list of Magic Kingdom rides and their opening times check your app or head to Walt Disney World website using this link.
If you are looking for the best ride options to rope drop in the other three Disney Parks take a look at one of these guides:
- Best rope drop rides Animal Kingdom
- The best rides to rope drop at EPCOT in 2024
- Rope drop rides Hollywood Studios
What does best mean?
The word best is one of those subjective words where what works as the best for one person, isn’t always the best for another person. When working out the best rides to rope drop in Magic Kingdom this guide factors in the following things to work out the what the best ride is:
- Queue times during the rest of the day.
- The type of attraction and who would most like to experience it.
- How busy rope dropping the ride will be and what that means for your experience of rope drop.
- Is there an alternative way to get a similar experience?
- What you want to experience; whatever you do at Disney should be decided by enjoyment.
By assessing these points from experiences rope dropping in the parks, we come up with your best options. The reasons why you choose to rope drop are also important to factor in when working out what the best ride is for your experience. As we all aim for a different park experience, rope dropping the rides that match our goals is crucial.
Reasons to rope drop rides in Magic Kingdom
The ring of the early alarm on your holiday may be a tedious part of rope drop, especially when you are walking thousands of steps a day, but it is all part of the Magic Kingdom rope drop experience. Working out why you want to rope drop may help make that alarm feel better and give you the motivation to bounce out of bed. The top reasons to rope drop Magic Kingdom are:
- You want to make the most out of your day as you have one day to experience everything.
- You’re a morning person.
- It’s part of a strategy to beat the queues, beat the heat, experience everything, and experience all your favourite attractions.
- You want to ride TRON.
No matter what your reason is, rope drop is an option for everyone. If you’re wondering whether rope drop is for you, take a look at rope dropping Magic Kingdom: the pros and cons.
What is the most popular rope drop ride in Magic Kingdom?
Magic Kingdom has two incredibly popular rope drop rides in 2024: TRON and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Both rides have queues even before the park opens, so expect to join a crowd of people heading in the same direction if you fancy an early morning ride. The main reason people choose to rope drop these rides is to avoid the long wait times which build up quickly as the park opens. They are also two rides using Lightning Lane Single Pass in Magic Kingdom, a cost people wanting to queue less can avoid by heading to these rides first.
The best rides to rope drop to beat queue times
In Magic Kingdom, there are a selection of rides that have consistently high queue times throughout the day. There are 5 rides in total which fall into this category and therefore any of these rides could be your best to rope drop if you are looking to beat the queue times. We have put them in the following order.
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- TRon
- Jungle Cruise
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Peter Pan’s Flight
If any of these rides are on your list of must ride experiences in Magic Kingdom, then rope dropping any in 2024 will help you to spend less time in a queue during your day.
The best Magic Kingdom thrill rides to rope drop
For visitors who want a morning thrill at rope drop, head to one of the following thrilling Magic Kingdom rides.
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- TRON
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Space Mountain
Tomorrowland rides and Fantasyland rides will already have a queue at rope drop as resort guests can enjoy these rides as part of the Early Entry perk. We recommend heading to Bug Thunder Railroad Mountain in Frontierland first if you want the fastest early morning thrill ride, as it won’t have a queue. Frontierland does not open until the park opens, which is why it is our top choice for an early morning thrill ride in Magic Kingdom.
The Best underrated rope drop attractions: character experiences
Did you know that most character experiences do not open at rope drop, there are only a couple you can head to. For families with toddlers and young children, or for anyone looking for a great interaction rope drop is the perfect time to meet a Disney character. Queues are low, of not walk in, and by midday they can tip an hour, particularly if you want to meet Mickey. Here is our top three:
- Meet Mickey at Town Square Theater
- Enchanted Tales with Belle (this won’t open at rope drop time, it’s usually half an hour after. Rope drop Mickey and then head here. You might even get to meet another Princess from option 3 on your way).
- Meet Cinderella or Meet Princess Tiana and a visiting princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
You can successfully go through the three character experiences here in the first hour of opening at Magic Kingdom. Just think of the pictures, autographs and memories you can make at this time of the day. Imagine the magic you and your kids will feel starting your day having met these key Magic Kingdom characters? It adds more magic to parades and shows for children who feel they have already said hi. These are the most underrated rope drop rides for adding magic to your experience.
Rope dropping shows in Magic Kingdom
Rope dropping a show may not be top of your list when you think about rope drop, but if you’re looking for a quieter experience in the shows, this is an option for you. This option won’t maximise your time by beating queue lines, but it might give you a more personal experience. Rope dropping Mickey’s PhilharMagic causes cast members quite a bit of surprise and you can find you have the theatre nearly to yourself. It feels like a private screening, in Magic Kingdom.
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- Country Bear Musical Jamboree
- Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
This is a great option for people who enjoy early mornings but don’t want to join in with the rushing around and fast-paced entry plans of rope drop. Each of these shows offers a unique experience, so why not choose your favourite and enjoy an early morning show.
The Best Family rides to rope drop
Family rides are being classed as those which do not have a height requirement so that everyone can enjoy the ride. At Magic Kingdom, our top 5 family rides are:
- Haunted Mansion
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Jungle Cruise
- It’s A Small World
These rides are a fun morning experience for every member of the family to enjoy. Options 1,2 and 4 have the added bonus of not being open during Early Entry too so queue times are really low. You may even be able to ride again with a low wait time if one of these rides is a big hit with your family.
Tips for the rope drop ride experience in Magic Kingdom
Rope drop can be stressful for many people, with the early morning start and different modes of transport needed to get to Magic Kingdom if you arrive by car. The best advice we can give is to enjoy the experience. When you get back to the UK you’ll be wishing you were in Disney rope dropping rides and eating Mickey waffles for breakfast. Here are the top tips for having the best experience in Magic Kingdom rope dropping rides:
- Rope drop thrill rides with a light breakfast, as this will help reduce the likelihood of motion sickness.
- Rope drop in the morning for your ride experiences and book a late morning character dining experience. Breakfast character dining is cheaper, often better, and availability is often excellent around 11am.
- Cover your pushchair when you leave it outside for rides, even in the morning. You never know when there will be a sudden down pour.
- Know which rides you want to head to and don’t change your mind or be put off by a changing queue time. Often rope drop queue times go faster.
- Be prepared with some entertainment in your bag, as queues will only be shorter for the big name attractions in Magic Kingdom.
- Enjoy your ride experience.
Conclusion
Rope dropping rides in Magic Kingdom is a personal choice, and you will find benefits from having an early morning ride experience at any ride in Magic Kingdom.