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Credit: DisneyEPCOT guests will notice some significant changes to the rope drop procedure starting today, as the park prepares for the upcoming debut of a traditional standby queue at Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
After over 1,000 days of using a Virtual Queue, the highly anticipated standby system will officially begin on February 25th, altering the dynamic at EPCOT and potentially shifting the way guests approach their mornings at the park.
To accommodate the expected crowds and ensure smooth operations, EPCOT’s operational team has implemented some adjustments. Here’s everything you need to know about the new rope drop process ahead of these big changes.
Changes to EPCOT’s Rope Drop Procedures
The first noticeable change comes as guests enter the park. For today’s visit, the timing was affected by the final day of the Princess Half Marathon, which caused parking lots to open much earlier than usual to accommodate the event’s participants. On typical days, parking plazas at EPCOT open about one hour before Early Entry begins, which translates to a 7:30 AM opening for a 9:00 AM park opening.
This timing gives guests who are staying at Walt Disney World Resort hotels a chance to enter the park early, taking advantage of Early Entry—a benefit that lets guests start their day with fewer crowds.
Once you’re inside the park, however, things will look a little different than before. EPCOT has introduced a new method for splitting guests into two groups—those with Early Entry access and those who do not. For those unfamiliar with the process, this adjustment marks the first significant update to the park’s rope drop system in recent years.
New Early Entry Procedure for EPCOT Guests
As part of Walt Disney World’s hotel perks, guests staying at Disney Resort hotels can use the Early Entry benefit, which gives them a 30-minute head start over regular guests. Early Entry allows access to select attractions before the official park opening, making it an ideal opportunity for lower wait times and fewer crowds.
While Early Entry at EPCOT won’t feel radically different from previous years, the check-in process has received some updates. Guests can expect to head toward the right of Spaceship Earth, where signage will direct them to a designated Early Entry check-in point.
Cast Members will verify the Early Entry entitlements for one person per party—after that, everyone in the group can enter with a tap of their MagicBand, admission card, or MagicMobile device.
Guests are generally held in the Early Entry holding area until about 30 minutes before the scheduled start of Early Entry (or 60 minutes before the park opens to all guests). This ensures everyone is in position for a smooth start to the day’s activities.
New Rope Drop Holding Area for Non-Early Entry Guests
For regular day guests without the Early Entry perk, there’s also a notable change. In previous years, these guests have been held in the fountain area near Spaceship Earth. This central location served EPCOT well, but with the expected surge of guests at rope drop—especially with the upcoming Cosmic Rewind standby queue debut—the need for additional space became evident.
To make the experience more comfortable for all guests, EPCOT has moved the rope drop holding area for regular park guests further back near the Guest Relations location, just past Spaceship Earth. This new arrangement allows for better crowd management as more guests prepare for the park’s opening.
Now, as early as 60 minutes before the park officially opens, Early Entry guests will be allowed into World Celebration Gardens (to the right of Spaceship Earth), while non-Early Entry guests will be directed to the new holding area on the left, closer to the Guest Relations entrance.
Managing Larger Crowds for Cosmic Rewind
The changes to EPCOT’s rope drop procedure are partly in response to the larger crowds expected for the highly popular Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which is set to debut its traditional standby queue on February 25th.
Previously, the attraction utilized a Virtual Queue system, meaning that standby lines were nonexistent. The introduction of the traditional standby queue is sure to draw in more guests, particularly during peak park hours, making crowd management even more crucial.
As the standby queue opens for Cosmic Rewind, EPCOT anticipates larger-than-usual rope drop crowds, and the modified holding areas and crowd flow adjustments are designed to help mitigate congestion in the park. Expect these new procedures to stay in place during the busy days following the standby queue debut, as Disney works to accommodate the increased interest in this highly popular attraction.
What to Expect in the Coming Days
Though the changes we’ve seen today are a preview of what’s to come, there are likely to be even more adjustments as EPCOT adapts to the influx of guests taking advantage of Cosmic Rewind’s new standby queue.
With the opening of this traditional queue, guests will no longer rely on the Virtual Queue system, which has been in place for nearly three years. This shift in operations is expected to create new patterns of guest behavior, especially during peak times like rope drop.
For now, it’s important to be aware of the new procedures, as they’ll help ensure your park day starts as smoothly as possible. Whether you’re an Early Entry guest or arriving with a regular rope drop, the new system at EPCOT will help manage crowds more efficiently—especially as Cosmic Rewind draws even larger crowds to the park.
As we get closer to the standby queue debut, we’ll continue to monitor how these changes affect the overall experience and share further updates. For now, if you’re heading to EPCOT soon, remember to arrive early, follow the new rope drop guidelines, and get ready for a fun-filled day at one of Disney’s most beloved parks.