5 tips to Touring the Parks from Rope Drop to Fireworks like a pro!

5 tips to "Rope Drop to Fireworks" like a pro!

The term "Rope Drop to Fireworks" always comes up when people ask me how I tour the parks. Rope Drop to Fireworks refers to guests who go to the parks from the opening to closing. The idea of being at the park for that many hours may seem like a daunting feat, but trust us it can be done in relative ease!  

5 tips for a successful Rope Drop to Fireworks day at Disney:

1.  Do your research.
Know what time the park opens its doors to guests.  Check the My Disney Experience App to confirm whether or not the park has magic hours that day. If so, the opening show will happen during the magic hours not the usual park opening hours.

2.  Get up and out early.  Its not fun but it is a necessity!
Take into account the mode of transportation you will be taking to the parks. Although park transportation is very efficient, there may be up to a 45 minute wait/travel times from certain resorts. It would stink to get to the park right after the rope drop and miss the fun! Rule of thumb, the more travel time you give yourself, the easier it will be to relax and have fun.

3.  Go in with a game plan. Prioritize your "must do" attractions or experiences for the day.  If everyone in your group is on the same page you can plot out the most efficient path through the park.  Knowing where you are headed cuts out a lot of debate time and gets you on the rides quicker.

4.  Speaking of rides, make sure you book those fast passes!  Every minute that you save on lines with a fast pass gets you closer to your next attraction. You can't always get your first choice in fast passes but  if you strategically plot out your route around the passes you have it can save you hours of running back and forth.

5. Make the morning count.  Get to as many high wait attractions as you can early before the masses come. The parks will be the busiest during the afternoon. Afternoon is the time to hit up attractions with low wait times (Philharmagic anyone?) and get a snack or two. 

Sample morning-lunch itinerary for touring the Magic Kingdom:

-Rope Drop
-Fast walk up Main Street straight to Fantasyland (You can enjoy Main Street later in the day)
-Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs mine train (Fast Pass if you can)
-Peter Pan's flight 
-The many adventures of Winnie the Pooh
-Early lunch at Be our Guest or Pinocchio Village Haus
-It's a Small World (The line is always long but moves quickly.  Don't waste a fast pass here.  Go in the afternoon when you need a break from running around and want some shade!)

The itinerary above gets three high wait attractions out of the way early.  It also gives you ample time to grab an early lunch and beat the mad rush to food.  You can then head over to Frontierland before coming back to Main Street and positioning yourself for the 3pm. parade.

Bonus tip: 

Magical moments will be happening all around you. Let them happen! Don't stick to such a strict plan that you miss the magic! Take the time to relax, look around and soak in the wonder. Sit on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority, take a deep breath and soak in all the happy faces. You will be surprised at how infectious the happiness is!