Experiencing the Magic Kingdom Rope Drop at Walt Disney World
Welcome to those of you joining me from A Disney Mom’s Thoughts and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the Final stop on our Magical Blogorail
A Disney trip isn’t complete without getting your family early, loading them all onto a bus, and making your way over to the Magic Kingdom half hour to an hour before opening just to see the Magic Kingdom rope drop (Disney lingo for park opening).
You might think we are crazy for getting up so early but there is something magical about this park opening. It really does stand out from all the rest. Let me tell you about why you may also want to get your kids up early one day out of your vacation.
Capture Some Great Family Photos
Before opening Cast Members will let you in past the turnstiles so you can wander around the courtyard in front of the Railroad station.
- This is a great opportunity to capture some #DisneyMemories and get photos of the family in front of the Mickey topiary and Walt Disney World Railroad with little to no crowds. (There is also a Photopass photgrapher there if you want the official shots.)
- You may get picked to the be the family of the day and get to open the park. So definitely don’t shy away if a Cast Member comes up and starts talking to you. There is no formula to getting picked except for being there at least an hour before park opening.
Enjoy the Opening Show
As you get closer to opening time you will want move towards the middle of the courtyard. If you have smaller children get them close to the topiary wall. Now the magic begins…
- A citizen of Main Street (typically the Mayor or Fire Chief) comes out and welcomes you to “The Most Magical Place on Earth” (in Disneyland you are welcomed to the “Happiest Place on Earth”)
- Main Street singers appear and welcome you with their rendition of ‘Good Morning’ from Singing in the Rain
- Then the Mayor or Fire Chief puts his hand to his ear and you begin to hear the huff and puff of a Disney World Railroad Engine
Watch All the Characters
Then you see the steam of the engine break through the trees.
A train filled with your favorite characters pulls into the station – Alice, Goofy, Daisy, Pinocchio etc. You never know who will be there. But you will know one thing. In the first car is Mickey Mouse and the family of the day.
Feel the Excitement of the Count Down
Once all of the characters have moved from the train to the railing there is a countdown. 3-2-1…. the family of the day opens the park with a bang!
- Streamer fly in the air and confetti showers down on everyone. And since your at Disney the confetti is shaped like Mickey.
- If your kids are up front let the pick up some streamers and confetti. It’s so fun to see them scramble for it and the confetti is a great reminder of a magical moment.
- Hint: Pick up some confetti yourself and when you get home place it in something of the kids (like their lunch box) to surprise them.
At this time the rope has dropped and people are scrambling to get to their first ride.
Before you join the herd just take a moment and enjoy the magic. Look down and see the smiles on your children’s face and preserve those #DisneyMemories. They are the ones that matter.
What do you get up early for on your Disney vacation?
Leave a comment below and tell us.
Thank you for joining Magical Blogorail Blue this month. We will be back on July 12th with an all new theme.
Keep checking in with our blogs in between loops to keep up to date with our Disney news, photos and stories.
If you are looking for more Disney magic, you can make your way over to The Magical Blogorail website to see all our members and their blogs, as well as all our previous loops.
Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:
- 1st Stop ~Top 3 Things Must-Dos with Disney Babies Blog
- 2nd Stop ~Disneyland Mint Julep in New Orleans Square with Days in the Park
- 3rd Stop ~Cast Member Thank You Cards with Ideally Disney
- 4th Stop ~ Staying on Disney Property with A Disney Mom’s Thoughts
- 5th Stop ~ Magic Kingdom Rope Drop with Capturing Magical Memories
Wow, that sounds like so much fun. We have yet to bring our son to Disney, but we hope we get to do so soon!
We frequent the parks and I hadn’t experienced this before. We love Disney – it’s such a magical place for the whole family to enjoy!
We have never been to Disney. It looks so lovely in your pictures & makes me want to take my daughter a bit more.
It looks like you had a wonderful time! I never knew about the rope drop. I guess you learn something new every day. We just returned from Disney and had a terrific time. It is truly a magical place!
Of all the times we visited there, we always miss this. Usually because we’ve been in the parks late the night before and are still sleeping!
[…] the Hidden Mickeys, and all kinds of little traditions, I learned that I had never been to the Park Opening Ceremony at the Magic Kingdom (also known as Rope […]