What It Means To 'Rope Drop' At Disney Parks & Why It May Be The Ultimate Hack For Tourists

A trip to a Disney park is one of the most magical experiences around, but it'll also hurt your bank account. Unless you're a local, a vacation to Disney World or Disneyland will cost a family of four at least $6,000. When spending that much money on a vacation, you're going to want to see and do as much as you can. However, with 280 and 143 rides, shows, and attractions in Disney World and Disneyland respectively, it's easy to get overwhelmed and not know where to start.

The trick to a successful Disney park trip during which you're able to experience everything you want is to have an efficient rope drop strategy. "Rope dropping" is the Disney phrase for showing up to a park before it opens, and being among the first visitors to experience the lands and attractions that day. This strategy gives you a chance to hit up as many heavy hitters as you can before they rack up long wait times.

One of the weird Disney facts you didn't know were true is that "rope dropping" comes from the fact that in many of the Disney parks, guests have to line up along a physical rope that employees drop as soon as the park opens. But even if you show up early, you need to have a solid game plan if you want to make the most of your time and get your money's worth. Perfectly plan your next Disney trip by using this genius tool.

One of the pitfalls to avoid when planning your family trip to a Disney park is not booking a Disney hotel or "good neighbor" hotel. Sure, they will likely drive up the cost of your overall trip, but they offer an exclusive perk that will make it all worth it. A stay at one of these hotels comes with early theme park entry that allows guests to enter the park and experience select attractions 30 minutes before the park opens to the general public.

At Disney World, this perk is available for every day of your stay at all four theme parks. At Disneyland, this perk is available for Disneyland Park on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and for Disney California Adventure Park on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. If you don't want to shell out hundreds a night for a Disney hotel, but still want early entry, stay at a good neighbor hotel. These hotels are usually located a close distance from the parks, and are significantly cheaper while offering many of the same perks.

One thing to keep in mind about early entry is that not everything in the parks will be available during that half-hour. Only select lands, rides, and restaurants will be open. So if there's an attraction you're dying to get out of the way first thing in the morning, be sure to plan ahead and make sure it's available during early entry so you don't waste any time and can hit the ground running.

The best thing you can do for your Disney parks vacation is to show up for rope drop, but the worst thing you can do is not have a solid rope drop strategy. This requires doing research into which attractions are available, which rides you want to hit up, height requirements, and what tends to break down in the morning or have a late start. The worst possible thing you can do during rope drop is waste your time. And don't even think about stopping to grab coffee or some breakfast. This isn't amateur hour. Here are the rides and attractions you'll want to hit up in each park:

If you're going to Magic Kingdom, aim for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, TRON Lightcycle Run, Tiana's Bayou Adventure, or Peter Pan's Flight. In EPCOT, go for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Frozen Ever After, or Remy's Ratatouille Adventure. In Animal Kingdom the main attraction everyone will go for is Flight of Passage, though you can also opt for Na'vi River Journey or Kilimanjaro Safaris. In Hollywood Studios, Rise of the Resistance and Slinky Dog Dash are going to see the most crowds and definitely join in if you want them out of the way quick. However, if you go to Tower of Terror first, you'll also be able to knockout Rock N' Rollercoaster and Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway.

If you're rope dropping Disneyland over on the west coast, going for Rise of the Resistance, Space Mountain, or Peter Pan's Flight will always be a great move. Over at Disney California Adventure, most guests will want to go for Radiator Springs Racers, but I suggest heading to Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout then knocking out as many rides as you can on Pixar Pier.