We have a trip planned for later this month-July 18-25. I’ve had my Touring Plans done for awhile now, and have the starting times all set to 45 minutes prior to park opening, since that is what everyone was recommending due to rope drop procedures at the time. Now that rope drop is getting back to normal, what is a realistic view on the time we will be able to start a touring plan? Do I need to go back and change all of my plans to a time closer to the actual park opening? I would really appreciate some thoughts on this from people who have been to the parks since rope drop has been moving back toward the old normal. Thanks!!
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I think @OBNurseNH said they have been opening the parks to everyone at 30 min prior to official opening.
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From observing recent visitors, the taps still open around 60 minutes prior. Guests are then guided to areas inside the park and led to a barrier/rope. It has been dropping around 30 minutes prior to official park open time.
You’re right, in the spring time, setting the TP 45 minutes early worked great. But now, 30-35 minutes early looks more accurate. Of course in reality, the exact time you enter the first queue will vary depending on your position in the crowd of visitors waiting with you.
Specific time probably varies between the 4 parks, recent visitors will also share details. ( @Dreamer )
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Following this too as we have a trip in a couple weeks.
MK has been dropping the rope right at official opening time, so sadly no early admission there any longer.
The other three parks are currently dropping ropes 30 minutes before official opening. That’s better than nothing and I can plan accordingly.
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Thanks for the feedback-I guess I’d better do some work on my Touring Plans. 15 minutes shouldn’t be too drastic on my AK, EP, and HS days, but taking 45 minutes off of the start of my MK days is going to take some reworking. I was hoping to have to change my plans because of the return FP+…oh well, I’m not too optimistic about having to do that anymore. Again, thanks everyone for the feedback!
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I experienced standard rope drop at MK, EP, and DHS last week. I’m a front of rope drop kind of girl.
MK - taps at 7:15. Held at ropes around hub until 8AM on the dot. At that time, we were walked to the different lands. Rides were up and ready to go.
EP - security at 10. Taps a few minutes later. Held in Canada (from IG entrance) until about 10:45. I went to FEA, which was up and running. Got off the ride just before 11.
DHS - security and taps open at 8. Ropes dropped at about 8:30. Held in line (SDD in this case) until about 10 'til 9. Was off SDD and heading to TSMM by park opening.
After seeing reports of return to normal RD and then experiencing MK on my first park day (I had to reroute my plan after TTC slowed me down and put me in a bad position for 7D), I took my plans back to the way I used to run them pre-covid.
I knew my RD priority for each park, which I removed from my plan. Then, I set my plan to start at official park opening. Once off my of my RD ride, I optimized (some prefer to evaluate) and off I went with park hours officially ticking. That always worked for me pre-covid and worked like a dream on my EP and DHS days.
I do it that way knowing that I’m going to hit one headliner in that park opening window, and then I’m prepared to be on the clock for the rest of the rides and attractions. If by chance I get to hit more than one high priority (which really, with traditional rope drop, is nearly impossible in EP and DHS - more likely in MK or AK), then I’m ahead of the game, but more than likely I’m hitting a headliner and then a runner up.
In MK, on the fly, I shifted my approach and did PPF followed by JC. In EP, I did FEA and then, because of the late opening stayed in WS and waited until the afternoon for the crowds in FW to shift (that worked really well - especially with all the festival food for lunch). In DHS I did SDD followed by TSMM and AS2. Then, it was time for ROTR.
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RD seems to back to pre-Covid times. When we RDed Epcot, we entered through the IG and were held at Canada. We weren’t let in further until around 10:45. When we RDed AK we were held at the tapstiles until 7:30. At HS we headed down Sunset Blvd and were held at the end until about 8:40 I think (I may have to look back at my own trip report 
).
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8:28 
I can’t believe how all over the place the parks are with the timing 
Not only do you have to wait longer at the ropes, some attractions aren’t even up and running yet. (like you experienced at ToT) How things have changed.
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Too funny. 8:28 was stuck in my head and now I know why.
The inconsistency was annoying. I really liked the opening procedures during Covid.
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Yup. On the nose.
Taps open slightly earlier at but then you’re held at a rope to wherever
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I’d have my plan start at park open. Have your priority ride in mind and hit that first, then re-optimize your plan after marking “done” on the attraction you may have gotten to early.
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OK i get using the Sacred Space code. But now we’re not even naming whole parks?
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It’s all the parks. All of them.
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OK. Looked like a word was missing in the middle of your “at but”.
My at was a butt enhancer
Or a typo
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That was funny. Should not have deleted
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