Recent Peter Pan at rope drop experiences?

avalon451 · Aug 30, 2016

DH and I will be in the parks two weeks from today for my birthday trip! :yay:

I'm working on itineraries. I keep being frustrated by TouringPlans' projected wait times for Peter Pan right at opening.

Ok, I know all about how the line builds fast, and the rule "PP first!" (it was closed for refurb when I was there last year, sadly). But reports are that it has gotten way worse in the last few years, so that even if you are first at the turnstiles and walk quite briskly (I refuse to run like a jerk, thanks! :upsidedow

) you still are met with a terrible wait when you get there.

When I went a few years ago, I was still in the first 20 people in line given the above circumstances. Is this just not possible any more?

Projected crowds are pretty low for September 14th. What do you think? Will it be 15-20 minutes by the time I get there, given my obsessive rope-drop tendencies? Or has it not been that bad lately? Any recent experiences?

GlitteryOtters · Aug 30, 2016

I was last there in May and have a similar approach to rope drop as you (get to hate early, brisk walk, no running). On 3 of the days I hit Peter Pan first, I kept track of my time and all three times i was on between 15 and 20 minutes after rope drop. That was pretty similar to my mid-October 2015 times when I was pretty consistently on about an average of 20 minutes after rope drop (plus or minus a couple of minutes). With the long wait times later in the day, I felt 15 to 20 minutes was not bad at all. Good luck!

~Meg

guynhawaii · Aug 30, 2016

Aloha,

Recommend to head straight to PP at RD. Most people go to SM. However, upon arrival at PP, the Cast Member s..l..o..o..w..l..y walks everyone through the long queue to boarding which results in the quick backlog. My family and I stay on property and visit DL during EMH (Tue/ Thu/ Sat) always hit Fantasyland first. PP first followed by Dumbo and work Fantasyland counter clockwise heading towards Tomorrowland. Then work DL clockwise from Tomorrowland, fully utilizing FPs. Enjoy the rides in the AM before the crowds become too much. Take a more relaxed attitude after lunch. Generally return to the hotel pool and nap. Return to the parks at PM. Good Luck!

GatorChris · Aug 30, 2016

Last November, we went to Peter Pan first thing on a Monday...and were met with a 35+ minute wait. No it didn't break down. It's just that tons of people were headed for the same place in front of us. I vowed it was the last time I'd waste valuable morning time on that ride. I probably could've hit Dumbo, Toad's, Peter Pan, AND Snow White in the same time it took for Peter Pan.

Funny - since we started doing regular DL trips in 2013, we've had over 30 days in the parks and only done Peter Pan twice. Twice! And I think the second time was only because my MIL "simply had" to ride it. It's just too much of a wait for this ride.

22Tink · Aug 30, 2016

We were just there, got home last night. We (among tons of other people) went straight to PP at rope drop and the ride wasn't running yet so we went to ride Dumbo. It seemed that as soon as PP finally opened the line was immediately long. Our wait that morning was about 25 min and it was pretty consistently 30-45 min our whole trip. Even at 11:45 at night we waited 30 minutes. It's definitely a popular one!

avalon451 · Aug 30, 2016

See, I'm very good at touring plans, and have even made DLR itineraries for many friends and family who don't have the same planning experience (*cough*obsession*cough*) as I do. But this PP thing has simply changed in the last several years. I think other rides used to draw off the majority, and they have waned in popularity. I'm still recalling the Finding Nemo obsessive strategy of 2008.... but no longer. Darnit! I just don't want to waste a lot of time at PP first thing in the morning!

Frozen2014 · Aug 30, 2016

Think they'll ever add Peter Pan to Fast Pass? Definitely seems like they should.

Xenorye · Aug 30, 2016

If certain rumors pan out, multiple rides are planned to be adding FastPass in the next couple of years. (Cue the anti-MC crowd.)

avalon451 · Aug 30, 2016

Frozen2014 said:
Think they'll ever add Peter Pan to Fast Pass? Definitely seems like they should.

Apparently it is FP'd at WDW? But the way the queue is built at DL, it's not feasible, they say.

avalon451 · Aug 30, 2016

guynhawaii said:
Aloha,

Recommend to head straight to PP at RD. Most people go to SM. However, upon arrival at PP, the Cast Member s..l..o..o..w..l..y walks everyone through the long queue to boarding which results in the quick backlog. My family and I stay on property and visit DL during EMH (Tue/ Thu/ Sat) always hit Fantasyland first. PP first followed by Dumbo and work Fantasyland counter clockwise heading towards Tomorrowland. Then work DL clockwise from Tomorrowland, fully utilizing FPs. Enjoy the rides in the AM before the crowds become too much. Take a more relaxed attitude after lunch. Generally return to the hotel pool and nap. Return to the parks at PM. Good Luck!

Off topic, guynhawaii, I just returned from 8 days in Maui with the family. Lovely trip!

Frozen2014 · Aug 30, 2016

avalon451 said:
Apparently it is FP'd at WDW? But the way the queue is built at DL, it's not feasible, they say.

Yes, but most rides have Fast Pass at WDW. Too bad they can't add it. I guess you mean that they couldn't add in a second line that also gets to the starting point?

WonkaKid · Aug 30, 2016

FWIW, I've been at the front of the rope drop the last two Sundays. I walked briskly to PP. I hate running and I hate when other people run, especially when they try to pass me in the last 50 feet or so. I started another thread about that when I clashed with a woman who's kids ran and she was mad that I wouldn't let them pass. In any case, I've been comfortably first in line for the past two Sundays. And I didn't have to run. But I had to walk at a pace probably just below the legal standard of running ;-).

In any case, best of luck to you. Hope you make it to PP early

. I've been to DL Paris and they have a PP FP. It's probably easiest just to get to the rope drop early, though ;-).

Rob

alvernon90 · Aug 30, 2016

avalon451 said:
I just don't want to waste a lot of time at PP first thing in the morning!

I think it is fair to skip it, then! I look at it this way: If I hold Peter Pan for later in the day (45 minute wait) I'm missing the opportunity to do two other rides during that wait time. If I go on Peter Pan right at rope drop (25 minute wait) I'm missing the chance to do four other rides during that wait time.

In other words, don't evaluate the morning PP wait by how many minutes it saves you compared to waiting later in the day, do it by evaluating the opportunity cost at the time you are getting in line.

Also (and here is an unpopular opinion) the upgraded Alice ride is now the best dark ride in Fantasyland. PP is second place. Instead of waiting for PP, go walk on to Alice and ride it twice.

longtimedisneylurker · Aug 30, 2016

alvernon90 said:
Also (and here is an unpopular opinion) the upgraded Alice ride is now the best dark ride in Fantasyland. PP is second place. Instead of waiting for PP, go walk on to Alice and ride it twice.

Totally agree with this.

Jaina · Aug 30, 2016

We definitely want to do it once with our multitude of children, since we only visit every few years. Is it better to do it at rope drop on a non-MM day, or first thing on a MM?

DLRExpert · Aug 30, 2016

My rule is if it's an Early Morning Hour and I do not have access to it, I skip it.
If I do have access to an EMH, I would get to the Disneyland entrance 30 minutes before EMH starts and then head directly to Peter Pan. Stay in that line no matter what.
If I cannot get to the front of the rope for rope drop on a non EMH day, I skip it.

In my opinion, it is better to experience more attractions in Fantasyland during that first hour and then come back to Peter Pan when you have covered everything else.

Instead of Alice, I would do Dumbo first, as that attraction has a low capacity and loads slowly.
On a perfect day it PP, then Dumbo.
On a normal day its Dumbo, Alice, Toad, Casey jr, Pinocchio, Snow White, Tea Cups, then the Matterhorn (Just make sure you experience the Matterhorn when both sides are open, otherwise you will have a long wait).

ME

BirdsSingWords · Aug 30, 2016

I like to ride PP immediately after fireworks. They rope off that section of Fantasyland during FW, and a small line forms for PP at the rope. The CMs walk that line in shortly after the show ends, and you can get on within minutes.

Skyegirl1999 · Aug 31, 2016

I agree with PP that it is actually better to do Alice first, and Peter Pan later, UNLESS you actually get a 10 minute or less Pan wait.

I'd go to/by Peter Pan and if you're in the first few people, great! If not, just keep going to Alice (yes, this is a slightly less efficient way to get to Alice, but it doesn't change that wait time by a ton, in my experience).

I agree with the idea that you could get a bunch of rides done during a 30-minute rope drop wait time, but only 1-2 done during a later 40-minute wait time, so I just don't think it makes sense to wait at Peter first thing now that "rush to Peter Pan!" is half the rope-droppers strategy!

pennym · Aug 31, 2016

In April we went at rope drop on a magic morning and still waited an hour!!! It was ridiculous, wasted the whole MM hour on a 2 minute ride!

alvernon90 · Aug 31, 2016

Skyegirl1999 said:
I agree with PP that it is actually better to do Alice first, and Peter Pan later, UNLESS you actually get a 10 minute or less Pan wait.

I appreciate the agreement! But I would like to clarify that I am making a more radical proposition, which is that Alice is the better ride. In other words, it's not about missing out on Peter Pan because the line is too long, it's about missing out on riding Alice. It's not worth missing Alice unless the Peter Pan line is 10 minutes or less.

Every time I ride Alice since the upgrades I find it to be an absolute delight. The technology makes it so much more realistic and immersive and lively. The darker elements of what is happening come through more clearly now, especially the fact that the playing cards are knowingly murdering the white roses but they have no choice because they will be killed themselves if they don't obey the Queen. What used to be weird now comes across as deeply scary. The escape outside truly comes as a relief. Skip Peter Pan and ride Alice twice! #RideAliceTwice

Recent Peter Pan at rope drop experiences?

Errrr... what?

Michigander Disneylander

Mouseketeer

Not of This World

BC, Canada

Errrr... what?

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

Errrr... what?

Errrr... what?

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

Two Decade Veteran

DIS Veteran

Actually, my name is Sara. It's a long, VMK story.

and WDWExpert?

...and the Flowers Croon

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

Two Decade Veteran

Share this page