Animal Kingdom Rope Drop Procedures Overhauled Again

Walt Disney World Resort has made another change to its rope drop procedures at Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Starting September 27, the park will almost eliminate its holding area system for non-Disney Resort hotel guests.

The new policy allows all guests to enter most lands around the park before it opens, with cast members scanning MagicBands or park tickets to verify eligibility for Early Entry. However, there is an exception: Pandora - The World of Avatar can only be entered by eligible guests before opening time, and they must wait at the bridge on Discovery Island.

This change comes after a previous update in July, when the holding area was moved from Oasis to Discovery Island. Disney Resort hotel guests still get 30 minutes of Early Entry to all four Central Florida parks, allowing them to enter Animal Kingdom at 7:30 a.m.