Why Park Hopping Might Be Better than Rope Dropping in Disney World

Is July the WORST time to go to Disney World?

Well, it depends on a lot of different factors. You have to take into consideration the high temperatures and the crowds, as well as the possibility of rain almost every day (because, Florida). But, if you can handle these things, and be smart about your strategy when it comes to waiting in lines, then you should be okay! So, how should you handle those wait times? Let’s take a look at the times from yesterday, July 12th, to help you get an idea of what you’re dealing with.

The highest wait time we saw in the parks yesterday was for Rise of the Resistance, which had a wait time of 165 minutes around 10AM. This was most likely due to a lot of people heading to the ride right when they got into the park for the morning. The wait time went down later in the day, so we’d suggest waiting it out if you can’t get there RIGHT when it opens up.

Many people use the plan to try and ride the most popular ride right at rope drop, but it can actually work against you if a TON of other people have the same plan, causing the lines to get longer. So, it might be better to park hop to the park you want to go on rides at instead of rope drop it.

How might this work? Let’s say you get to Magic Kingdom at rope drop and lines are already long. You’ll still have to wait until 2PM to park hop, but this gives you an opportunity to look at wait times in the My Disney Experience app at the other parks to see which park is the least busiest. Then when 2PM rolls around, you can head to a park with lower wait times.

This does require you to have the park hopping option, though, added to your ticket. So you also have to ask yourself if it’s worth the additional cost. Be sure to familiarize yourself with everything you need to know about the current state of park hopping in Disney World first!

Let’s break down all of the wait times from yesterday to see how that might work out.

Magic Kingdom

EPCOT

10 AM

Gran Fiesta Tour: 5 minutes
Journey into Imagination: 5 minutes
Living with the Land: 5 minutes
The Seas with Nemo and Friends: 5 minutes
Turtle Talk with Crush: 20 minutes
Spaceship Earth: 25 minutes
Mission: SPACE: 35 minutes
Soarin’: 35 minutes
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: 55 minutes
Frozen Ever After: 65 minutes
Test Track: 70 minutes

11 AM

Gran Fiesta Tour: 5 minutes
Journey into Imagination: 15 minutes
The Seas with Nemo and Friends: 15 minutes
Turtle Talk with Crush: 20 minutes
Living with the Land: 25 minutes
Spaceship Earth: 35 minutes
Mission: SPACE: 45 minutes
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: 55 minutes
Soarin’: 60 minutes
Frozen Ever After: 70 minutes
Test Track: 70 minutes

12 PM

Gran Fiesta Tour: 10 minutes
Living with the Land: 20 minutes
The Seas with Nemo and Friends: 20 minutes
Turtle Talk with Crush: 20 minutes
Journey into Imagination: 25 minutes
Spaceship Earth: 35 minutes
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: 50 minutes
Soarin’: 60 minutes
Mission: SPACE: 65 minutes
Frozen Ever After: 75 minutes
Test Track: 75 minutes

1 PM

Gran Fiesta Tour: 10 minutes
Living with the Land: 15 minutes
The Seas with Nemo and Friends: 20 minutes
Turtle Talk with Crush: 20 minutes
Journey into Imagination: 25 minutes
Spaceship Earth: 25 minutes
Soarin’: 45 minutes
Mission: SPACE: 50 minutes
Frozen Ever After: 60 minutes
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: 65 minutes
Test Track: 75 minutes

2 PM

Gran Fiesta Tour: 10 minutes
Journey into Imagination: 10 minutes
Mission: SPACE: 10 minutes
Spaceship Earth: 15 minutes
The Seas with Nemo and Friends: 20 minutes
Turtle Talk with Crush: 20 minutes
Living with the Land: 25 minutes
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: 50 minutes
Soarin’: 55 minutes
Test Track: 60 minutes
Frozen Ever After: 80 minutes

3 PM

Gran Fiesta Tour: 10 minutes
Spaceship Earth: 15 minutes
The Seas with Nemo and Friends: 15 minutes
Turtle Talk with Crush: 20 minutes
Journey into Imagination: 25 minutes
Mission: SPACE: 40 minutes
Soarin’: 40 minutes
Test Track: 60 minutes
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: 65 minutes
Frozen Ever After: 75 minutes
Living with the Land: Temporarily Closed

4 PM

Living with the Land: 5 minutes
Gran Fiesta Tour: 10 minutes
Mission: SPACE: 15 minutes
The Seas with Nemo and Friends: 15 minutes
Spaceship Earth: 20 minutes
Turtle Talk with Crush: 20 minutes
Journey into Imagination: 25 minutes
Soarin’: 40 minutes
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: 65 minutes
Frozen Ever After: 80 minutes
Test Track: Temporarily Closed

5 PM

Gran Fiesta Tour: 10 minutes
Living with the Land: 15 minutes
The Seas with Nemo and Friends: 15 minutes
Turtle Talk with Crush: 20 minutes
Journey into Imagination: 25 minutes
Soarin’: 50 minutes
Mission: SPACE: 55 minutes
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: 65 minutes
Frozen Ever After: 80 minutes
Spaceship Earth: Temporarily Closed
Test Track: Temporarily Closed

6 PM

Journey into Imagination: 5 minutes
Living with the Land: 10 minutes
The Seas with Nemo and Friends: 10 minutes
Gran Fiesta Tour: 15 minutes
Soarin’: 15 minutes
Turtle Talk with Crush: 20 minutes
Mission: SPACE: 55 minutes
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: 65 minutes
Frozen Ever After: Temporarily Closed
Spaceship Earth: Temporarily Closed
Test Track: Temporarily Closed

7 PM

Living with the Land: 5 minutes
Journey into Imagination: 10 minutes
The Seas with Nemo and Friends: 10 minutes
Gran Fiesta Tour: 15 minutes
Turtle Talk with Crush: 20 minutes
Mission: SPACE: 30 minutes
Soarin’: 50 minutes
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: 70 minutes
Frozen Ever After: 75 minutes
Spaceship Earth: Temporarily Closed
Test Track: Temporarily Closed

8 PM

The Seas with Nemo and Friends: 5 minutes
Journey into Imagination: 10 minutes
Living with the Land: 10 minutes
Mission: SPACE: 10 minutes
Turtle Talk with Crush: 20 minutes
Gran Fiesta Tour: 30 minutes
Soarin’: 40 minutes
Test Track: 50 minutes
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: 60 minutes
Frozen Ever After: Temporarily Closed
Spaceship Earth: Temporarily Closed

9 PM

Living with the Land: 5 minutes
The Seas with Nemo and Friends: 5 minutes
Gran Fiesta Tour: 10 minutes
Journey into Imagination: 10 minutes
Mission: SPACE: 10 minutes
Soarin’: 15 minutes
Frozen Ever After: 40 minutes
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: 60 minutes
Test Track: 65 minutes
Spaceship Earth: Temporarily Closed
Turtle Talk with Crush: Closed

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

8 AM

Expedition Everest: 5 minutes
It’s Tough to Be a Bug: 5 minutes
TriceraTop Spin: 5 minutes
Na’vi River Journey: 15 minutes
Kilimanjaro Safaris: 40 minutes
Avatar Flight of Passage: 70 minutes
Dinosaur: Temporarily Closed
Kali River Rapids: Closed
The Boneyard: Closed

9 AM

It’s Tough to Be a Bug: 5 minutes
TriceraTop Spin: 5 minutes
Expedition Everest: 20 minutes
Kilimanjaro Safaris: 35 minutes
Na’vi River Journey: 35 minutes
Avatar Flight of Passage: 95 minutes
Dinosaur: Temporarily Closed
Kali River Rapids: Closed
The Boneyard: Closed

10 AM

It’s Tough to Be a Bug: 10 minutes
TriceraTop Spin: 10 minutes
Kali River Rapids: 50 minutes
Na’vi River Journey: 80 minutes
Kilimanjaro Safaris: 85 minutes
Avatar Flight of Passage: 130 minutes
Dinosaur: Temporarily Closed
Expedition Everest: Temporarily Closed

11 AM

TriceraTop Spin: 15 minutes
It’s Tough to Be a Bug: 30 minutes
Kali River Rapids: 75 minutes
Kilimanjaro Safaris: 85 minutes
Na’vi River Journey: 85 minutes
Avatar Flight of Passage: 130 minutes
Dinosaur: Temporarily Closed
Expedition Everest: Temporarily Closed

12 PM

TriceraTop Spin: 20 minutes
It’s Tough to Be a Bug: 30 minutes
Kali River Rapids: 85 minutes
Kilimanjaro Safaris: 110 minutes
Na’vi River Journey: 110 minutes
Avatar Flight of Passage: 125 minutes
Dinosaur: Temporarily Closed
Expedition Everest: Temporarily Closed

1 PM

It’s Tough to Be a Bug: 15 minutes
TriceraTop Spin: 20 minutes
Kilimanjaro Safaris: 55 minutes
Kali River Rapids: 80 minutes
Expedition Everest: 90 minutes
Avatar Flight of Passage: 115 minutes
Na’vi River Journey: 120 minutes
Dinosaur: Temporarily Closed

2 PM

TriceraTop Spin: 10 minutes
It’s Tough to Be a Bug: 15 minutes
Kilimanjaro Safaris: 35 minutes
Avatar Flight of Passage: 85 minutes
Expedition Everest: 90 minutes
Kali River Rapids: 95 minutes
Na’vi River Journey: 95 minutes
Dinosaur: Temporarily Closed

3 PM

TriceraTop Spin: 5 minutes
It’s Tough to Be a Bug: 15 minutes
Kilimanjaro Safaris: 40 minutes
Expedition Everest: 55 minutes
Na’vi River Journey: 80 minutes
Kali River Rapids: 95 minutes
Avatar Flight of Passage: 105 minutes
Dinosaur: Temporarily Closed

4 PM

TriceraTop Spin: 5 minutes
It’s Tough to Be a Bug: 10 minutes
Expedition Everest: 50 minutes
Kilimanjaro Safaris: 60 minutes
Kali River Rapids: 75 minutes
Avatar Flight of Passage: 80 minutes
Na’vi River Journey: 90 minutes
Dinosaur: Temporarily Closed

5 PM

TriceraTop Spin: 5 minutes
It’s Tough to Be a Bug: 10 minutes
Kilimanjaro Safaris: 25 minutes
Expedition Everest: 55 minutes
Kali River Rapids: 55 minutes
Avatar Flight of Passage: 60 minutes
Na’vi River Journey: 80 minutes
Dinosaur: Temporarily Closed

6 PM

TriceraTop Spin: 5 minutes
It’s Tough to Be a Bug: 10 minutes
Kilimanjaro Safaris: 20 minutes
Expedition Everest: 40 minutes
Dinosaur: 55 minutes
Na’vi River Journey: 70 minutes
Avatar Flight of Passage: 105 minutes
Kali River Rapids: Temporarily Closed

7 PM

TriceraTop Spin: 5 minutes
It’s Tough to Be a Bug: 10 minutes
Kilimanjaro Safaris: 10 minutes
Kali River Rapids: 20 minutes
Expedition Everest: 30 minutes
Dinosaur: 50 minutes
Na’vi River Journey: 60 minutes
Avatar Flight of Passage: 90 minutes

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

9 AM

Star Tours – The Adventures Continue: 5 minutes
Muppet Vision 3D: 10 minutes
Toy Story Mania: 35 minutes
Alien Swirling Saucers: 40 minutes
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway: 45 minutes
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith: 45 minutes
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: 45 minutes
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: 55 minutes
Slinky Dog Dash: 60 minutes
Rise of the Resistance — WDW: 160 minutes
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy: Temporarily Closed

10 AM

Muppet Vision 3D: 10 minutes
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy: 15 minutes
Alien Swirling Saucers: 35 minutes
Star Tours – The Adventures Continue: 35 minutes
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: 50 minutes
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway: 55 minutes
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith: 55 minutes
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: 65 minutes
Slinky Dog Dash: 80 minutes
Toy Story Mania: 80 minutes
Rise of the Resistance — WDW: 165 minutes

11 AM

Muppet Vision 3D: 10 minutes
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy: 15 minutes
Star Tours – The Adventures Continue: 25 minutes
Alien Swirling Saucers: 50 minutes
Toy Story Mania: 60 minutes
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway: 65 minutes
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith: 70 minutes
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: 70 minutes
Slinky Dog Dash: 80 minutes
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: 95 minutes
Rise of the Resistance — WDW: 130 minutes

12 PM

Muppet Vision 3D: 10 minutes
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy: 15 minutes
Alien Swirling Saucers: 40 minutes
Star Tours – The Adventures Continue: 40 minutes
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: 45 minutes
Toy Story Mania: 60 minutes
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith: 65 minutes
Slinky Dog Dash: 80 minutes
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway: 85 minutes
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: 125 minutes
Rise of the Resistance — WDW: 135 minutes

1 PM

Muppet Vision 3D: 10 minutes
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy: 15 minutes
Alien Swirling Saucers: 40 minutes
Star Tours – The Adventures Continue: 40 minutes
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: 60 minutes
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith: 65 minutes
Toy Story Mania: 70 minutes
Slinky Dog Dash: 80 minutes
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway: 85 minutes
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: 115 minutes
Rise of the Resistance — WDW: 135 minutes

2 PM

Muppet Vision 3D: 10 minutes
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy: 15 minutes
Star Tours – The Adventures Continue: 25 minutes
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: 25 minutes
Alien Swirling Saucers: 30 minutes
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway: 50 minutes
Toy Story Mania: 55 minutes
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith: 80 minutes
Slinky Dog Dash: 90 minutes
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: 120 minutes
Rise of the Resistance — WDW: Temporarily Closed

3 PM

Muppet Vision 3D: 10 minutes
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy: 15 minutes
Star Tours – The Adventures Continue: 20 minutes
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: 45 minutes
Alien Swirling Saucers: 60 minutes
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway: 65 minutes
Toy Story Mania: 70 minutes
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith: 80 minutes
Slinky Dog Dash: 100 minutes
Rise of the Resistance — WDW: 120 minutes
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: Temporarily Closed

4 PM

Star Tours – The Adventures Continue: 5 minutes
Muppet Vision 3D: 10 minutes
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy: 15 minutes
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: 40 minutes
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway: 50 minutes
Toy Story Mania: 50 minutes
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: 55 minutes
Alien Swirling Saucers: 60 minutes
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith: 75 minutes
Rise of the Resistance — WDW: 85 minutes
Slinky Dog Dash: 90 minutes

5 PM

Star Tours – The Adventures Continue: 5 minutes
Muppet Vision 3D: 10 minutes
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy: 15 minutes
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: 45 minutes
Toy Story Mania: 50 minutes
Alien Swirling Saucers: 55 minutes
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway: 55 minutes
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: 65 minutes
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith: 65 minutes
Slinky Dog Dash: 70 minutes
Rise of the Resistance — WDW: 120 minutes

6 PM

Muppet Vision 3D: 10 minutes
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy: 15 minutes
Star Tours – The Adventures Continue: 20 minutes
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: 30 minutes
Alien Swirling Saucers: 45 minutes
Toy Story Mania: 60 minutes
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway: 65 minutes
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: 75 minutes
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith: 80 minutes
Rise of the Resistance — WDW: 90 minutes
Slinky Dog Dash: 100 minutes

7 PM

Muppet Vision 3D: 10 minutes
Star Tours – The Adventures Continue: 10 minutes
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy: 15 minutes
Alien Swirling Saucers: 45 minutes
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: 45 minutes
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith: 50 minutes
Toy Story Mania: 50 minutes
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway: 60 minutes
Rise of the Resistance — WDW: 60 minutes
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: 90 minutes
Slinky Dog Dash: 90 minutes

8 PM

Muppet Vision 3D: 10 minutes
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy: 15 minutes
Star Tours – The Adventures Continue: 15 minutes
Toy Story Mania: 30 minutes
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway: 35 minutes
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: 35 minutes
Alien Swirling Saucers: 45 minutes
Rise of the Resistance — WDW: 50 minutes
Slinky Dog Dash: 60 minutes
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith: 80 minutes
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: 95 minutes

9 PM

Star Tours – The Adventures Continue: 5 minutes
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway: 15 minutes
Alien Swirling Saucers: 20 minutes
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run: 35 minutes
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: 35 minutes
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith: 45 minutes
Rise of the Resistance — WDW: 55 minutes
Toy Story Mania: 55 minutes
Slinky Dog Dash: 60 minutes
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy: Closed
Muppet Vision 3D: Closed

As you can see, wait times tend to get lower later in the day, so it might be best for you to try and ride more at night than in the morning. Park hop over to your favorite park instead of waking up at the crack of dawn for rope drop! Stay tuned to All Ears for more news and updates about the wait times in Disney World.