Your park bag is packed, you know your transportation route, and now you’re ready to rope drop your Disney World park for the day. But before you get there, you should know that certain hotels make it easier to do so.

Rope dropping is when you show up before the park even opens and are some of the first to get on attractions. Why do guests do this? Because it’s a great shot at some of the lowest wait times of the entire day and a serious head start over the late sleepers. Doing it at Disney World means waking up EARLY, and once you factor in transportation, it’s probably earlier than you planned. Plus, Disney hotel guests get Early Theme Park Entry, so everyone else is already trying to beat the clock, too. After rope dropping from tons of hotels over the years, we’ve learned one thing: if you want to maximize your morning, skip these hotels and choose smarter swaps to save you time.

Disney World is HUGE, and with that in mind, we can’t just give you a set list of hotels that are good and bad for rope drop in general. Each hotel is closer to a specific park and further from another. Therefore, we’re letting you know two hotels you should skip and two hotels you should opt for instead for each of the four theme parks. So let’s get to it!

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If You’re Rope Dropping at Magic Kingdom…

If you’re planning on starting your morning off at Magic Kingdom, there are some logistics that you’ll have to navigate to rope drop here that you don’t have to at other parks. If you’re heading here via car or ride share, you’ll head to the Transportation and Ticket Center first. If you are arriving by Disney bus, boat, or monorail, you can head straight to Magic Kingdom.

AVOID Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Disney’s Old Key West Resort

This is not a negative comment on Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa or Disney’s Old Key West Resort. However, these resorts are pretty close to Disney Springs, which means they’re not that close to Magic Kingdom. You will need to either take a Disney bus to Magic Kingdom or drive a vehicle to the Transportation and Ticket Center if you’re staying at one of these resorts.

Stay at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort or a Monorail Resort

The monorail resorts, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney’s Grand Floridian & Spa Resort, are each connected directly to Magic Kingdom by the monorail system. They also offer a walking path directly to the park, which can be a very reliable way to get there if you don’t mind the extra steps. At Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney’s Grand Floridian & Spa Resort, there are boats that can take you directly to the Magic Kingdom from these resorts.

If You are Rope Dropping at EPCOT…

EPCOT  is located along the Skyliner AND monorail routes, creating some complexities as to which hotels you should stay at versus those you should avoid if rope-dropping EPCOT is something you take very seriously. There are also some big headlining attractions at this park, and depending on where you enter from, yes, EPCOT has two entrances, you could either really help your chances of getting a head start, or really hurt them.

AVOID Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

While Wilderness Lodge is a Magic Kingdom resort, it is NOT connected to the Monorail. Instead, you’ll take a Disney bus if you’re using Disney transportation to head to EPCOT. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is another one to avoid because it is quite far from EPCOT. There’s nothing inherently wrong with these resorts, but there are better options for starting your day at EPCOT.

Stay at a Skyliner Resort or a Boardwalk Area Resort

Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, as well as Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Resort, are PRIME EPCOT locations. The International Gateway Entrance at EPCOT is located just a short stroll away from these hotels, and you won’t need much transportation (or any at all) to rope drop, and these give you great access to rope dropping Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. The same logic goes for staying at a resort attached to the Skyliner, Disney’s Riviera Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Art of Animation, and Disney’s Pop Century Resort. The Riviera and Caribbean Beach will not make you transfer to a different route if you are heading to EPCOT. These have direct access to the park. These will bring you right outside of the International Gateway, and you’ll be ready to start your morning off smoothly.

If You’re Rope Dropping at Disney’s Hollywood Studios…

Finally, Disney’s Hollywood Studios sits along the Skyliner route and is an incredibly popular park to rope drop thanks to its thrilling attractions. We find that you can knock out a few attractions here early in the morning with minimal wait times.

AVOID Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Monorail Resorts

Again, Animal Kingdom Lodge is pretty far from this park. If you are staying at that resort, you’ll have to take a Disney bus here. The same thing is true with monorail resorts, as you’ll head for the buses to start your morning at Hollywood Studios.

Stay at Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Resorts or Skyliner Resorts

Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Hotels are super close to Hollywood Studios and are actually within walking distance (with the Swan being closest). You’ll also get a scenic view along the way. There is also boat transportation that will take you to Hollywood Studios as well. The Skyliner resorts are also great for getting to Hollywood Studios. You’ll head to Caribbean Beach’s station and transfer to the Hollywood Studios line.

If You’re Rope Dropping at Disney’s Animal Kingdom…

Disney’s Animal Kingdom isn’t along the monorail or Skyliner routes, making it one of the trickiest Disney Parks to rope drop using Disney World transportation, but it does give the most equal chance for all Disney resort guests. The park typically opens the earliest, and many guests love to start their days here to get things done before other parks even open.

AVOID Old Key West and Monorail Resorts

Disney’s Old Key West Resort is sandwiched between EPCOT and Disney Springs, while it’s not as far away as the Magic Kingdom resorts, it’s also not along any convenient transportation route. The monorail resorts are also some of the furthest hotels from Animal Kingdom in all of Disney World, making them ones to avoid if you’re planning on starting your days at Animal Kingdom.

Stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge or All-Star Resorts

We’ve talked about Animal Kingdom Lodge as a place not to stay, but if your priority is Animal Kingdom or just animals in general, THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU. Animal Kingdom Lodge is literally the closest you can get to Animal Kingdom via a very short bus ride. Disney’s All-Star Sports, Music, and Movies Resorts aren’t ideal for rope-dropping ANY of the Disney Parks; they are a bit closer to Animal Kingdom than most other resorts. The All-Star Resorts lack many of the amenities of other Disney hotels, BUT if you’re the type of person who wakes up early, gets up late, and spends the WHOLE day at the park, they may be the ideal resort for you

Disney World has a lot of hotel options, and each one has its pros and cons based on location. When in doubt, check the Disney World map for proximity and transportation options. For more Disney news and tips, follow us at DFB!

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What Disney World Resort is your favorite to stay at and why? Share with us in the comments below!