Disney’s Animal Kingdom began testing new rope drop procedures early this week with guests held on Discovery Island instead of the Oasis area.

Animal Kingdom Rope Drop Test

Cast Members confirmed the procedures are currently testing and they aren’t yet sure if they will become permanent or if they will be the same every day.

During a standard Animal Kingdom opening, non-resort guests are held in the Oasis (the entrance area before Discovery Island) until the park’s official opening at 8 a.m. Resort hotel guests could proceed into the rest of the park for Early Entry at 7:30 a.m.

Disney is now testing allowing non-resort guests onto Discovery Island during this waiting period. This allows much more space for guests to breathe, although Discovery Island shops still aren’t open before 8 a.m. There are PhotoPass photographers available at the Tree of Life if you want to get your pictures taken early.

There are then three entry points from Discovery Island to other areas of the park. These are located in front of Island Mercantile for Pandora – The World of Avatar; in front of Zootopia: Better Zoogether! for the bridge to Expedition Everest; and at the former DinoLand U.S.A. bridge.

Resort guests check-in with Cast Members at each of these spots for Early Entry while non-resort guests wait in designated areas.

The exact procedures are subject to change as testing continues.

How do you feel about this version of Disney’s Animal Kingdom rope drop? Let us know on social media.

For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.