The Animal Kingdom is often the least crowded of the four theme parks in Disney World despite being the largest. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be many people roaming around any time of the day.
On average, Animal Kingdom receives around 38,000 visitors every single day. Depending on your tolerance, it might still be a bit too crowded.
So, rope-dropping is the way to go if you want to visit the attractions and enjoy the rides without massive crowds.
In case you’re wondering, rope dropping is a Disney term where you arrive at the park right before the gates officially open. Those who’ve been to Disney several times know that the staff will usually open the gates even before the official opening hours.
This allows you to enter 15 to 30 minutes before crowds enter the park! But how exactly do you rope drop at Animal Kingdom?
Let’s have a look at some of our tips!
According to statistics, most rides and attractions in Animal Kingdom open at around 8:00 in the morning. So, if you want to rope drop, you must be there at least 15-20 minutes before the official opening hours. Here are some tips we could recommend:
- Wake up early.
- Stay in one of Disney World’s hotels.
- Prioritize the attractions and rides to visit first.
- Bring something to eat.
- Make sure to listen to the cast members.
We’ll cover useful tips to make your rope-dropping at Animal Kingdom much more enjoyable.
Tips for Rope Dropping at Animal Kingdom
There are a handful of unique attractions and rides throughout Animal Kingdom.
The famous Pandora: The World of Avatar takes you on an epic adventure as you immerse yourself in the otherworldly Mo’ara Valley landscape.
Then, you can journey through Africa and witness spectacular sights as you ride on Expedition Everest and go rafting in the Kali River Rapids.
You can then get on the Wildlife Express Train and go sightseeing with various animals at Rafiki’s Planet Watch. All these and more can get even more enjoyable if there are fewer crowds, which is possible with rope-dropping.
To make that happen, here are some rope-dropping tips we can recommend during your stay in Animal Kingdom:
1. Wake Up Early
Animal Kingdom opens the earliest of the four theme parks within Disney World. This means that if you want to rope drop, you don’t have any choice but to set your alarm and wake up as early as possible.
As mentioned, most attractions and rides within Animal Kingdom open at around 8:00 AM, so arrive at least 15-20 minutes earlier.
You must also account for your travel time, especially if you stay at a hotel far from Animal Kingdom.
2. Stay in One of Disney World’s Hotels
This directly correlates to our first tip. As far as we know, only Disney World buses can enter the parking lots early in the morning. If you get to the park via a private ride or services like Lyft and Uber, you’ll have to wait until you can park and get in line.
For this reason, staying at one of Disney World’s hotels is advantageous if you plan to rope drop. Not only will you be able to get to the buses early, but it can also cut travel time significantly, allowing you to drop rope successfully.
3. Prioritize the Attractions and Rides To Visit First
If you plan on rope-dropping, you must first decide which attractions to visit.
We recommend visiting Flight of Passage first, followed by Expedition Everest and then Kilimanjaro Safari.
These rides will have the most crowds regularly, so rope dropping is helpful to avoid such crowds.
Also, if you can get into the park early, it’s an excellent time to take photos as there will be fewer distractions.
As Animal Kingdom mostly focuses on nature, you will be able to get lots of beautiful and amazing shots to keep as a remembrance of your vacation.
4. Bring Something To Eat
Time is precious when you’re rope-dropping, and you don’t want to waste it by eating at a restaurant early in the morning.
Instead, you should bring a few snacks like a granola bar or some fruits with you.
These can give you energy and satiation while enjoying the rides and attractions.
5. Make Sure To Listen to the Cast Members
The cast members ensure everyone who enters the park is safe, including the ones who rope drop.
So, as much as possible, please pay attention to them when they request.
Sometimes, they will ask you to stand behind the lines, walk to this spot, and so on.
It’s also a good practice to always say thank you!
Conclusion
You can visit attractions in just a few hours by rope-dropping Animal Kingdom. Some visitors claimed they could visit six popular attractions in under two hours on average.
It’s also a perfect way to avoid huge crowds to take pictures without distractions.
Of course, we highly recommend you follow the tips we mentioned to make your rope-dropping experience successful.
Have fun!
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the Best Day To Rope Drop at Animal Kingdom?
Animal Kingdom typically has lower crowds between Fridays and Sundays.
So, those would be the best options if you’re looking for a perfect day to rope drop with as few visitors as possible.
Wednesday is also a good choice as it receives fewer visitors on average.
Is It Better To Visit Animal Kingdom Early in the Morning?
Absolutely! It’s for this reason that rope-dropping in Animal Kingdom is highly recommended.
Live animals are the main attraction of this park, and since they’re the most active early in the morning, you’ll be able to witness them roaming around in their habitat.
