TSM,TOT,& RNR...Whats the best strategy

[litlpixie]

4 adults wanting to try all three of these using FP to our advantage. What would you do??

[Robo]

Originally Posted by litlpixie

4 adults wanting to try all three of these using FP to our advantage. What would you do??

Arrive 30 minutes before Rope Drop.

TSM (Ride, then get FP for later)

ToT (Ride Standby)

RnRC (Ride Single Rider Line)


If you don't want the FP for second trip on TSM, grab one for RnRC while you ride ToT.

[ScotnSteph]

This is what worked for us in June when we visited HS on four different days during our stay.

Arrive early before rope drop. At least by 8:30 if not earlier. Once you get in the park have your FP runner (for us my marathon runner DH) head to the right side of the rope. At rope drop he was able to keep right with the CM's and get us FP's for TOT with an early return time - usually around 9:30am. By the time he exited with FP we were just catching up and we all headed to RNRC to ride standby with a very short wait.

We would then grab FP for TSM when our window opened up around 9:30am. We were able to get a second set of FP's for TSM around 11:30am. I was afraid they would be gone by then, but we got them on each of our 4 visits.

We would take an afternoon break most days and upon our return FP's for TOT, RNRC and TSM were usually gone, but if you stuck around you could get a set for RNRC around 1:30pm.

Also, we found that TOT was either a walk on or close to a walk on during the last 30-40 minutes before close. Often wait times listed were exaggerated. We would just ask the CM's and get a better estimate.

This worked well for us because we were able to avoid the madness at TSM at rope drop. By the tiime we went to get our TSM FP's the lines for the actual FP's weren't bad at all. Also the lines for FP's and the return times were better at TOT than RNRC. I was very pleased and pleasantly surprised at how well this worked in June crowds.

Have fun!!!

[Ktharee]

I swear reading all of this strategy stuff to ride TSM gives me knots in my stomach! We are traveling with my parents (late 60's) so I guess we'll need to send a runner for the FP. Are most people who are there at rope drop heading for TSM? Probably, right?

[jayduk]

We didn't realise the rush for TSM when we went in June last year. We happened to ride TOT and RnRc before we got to TSM and it was pretty manic, the actual queue was unbelievable (i'd never wait that long!). So we got a FP which was for towards the end of the day. However we managed to get on it a second time (without FP) during the first Fantasmic show but we did need to use the single riders queue.

[litlpixie]

Thanks for all the great replies! I will be riding ToT for the first time and I am a little nervous I will admit. But it can't be worse than RnR....I'm not a rollercoaster fan and that ride scared the living crud outta me

[cleophus12]

We were there in June, and were there for park opening. The rush was for TSM, and by the time I got there (running), the fp line was backed up to The Little Mermaid. I did not wait. I left and met my family who were doing RNR and TOT one after the other on standby. Although this may seem a bit extreme, we did the DVC "tour" and got the "magic" FP and that's when we did TSM. We were at WDW for 7 days and had planned to do the DVC thing anyway, so it's not like we did it just for the FPs. I'm just not willing to wait in that long line (that truly gets longer as you stand in it because people just walk up and jump in line) for FPs first thing in the morning. Too easy to miss too much.

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Here's what we did a couple of weeks ago on a Thursday. We arrived at about 9:30 to avoid the rope drop crowd.

1. Picked up FastPasses for Midway Mania. Then line was all the way back to the Prince Caspian entrance but it only took about 5 minutes to make it to the machine.

2. Rode Rock & Roller Coaster twice on standby with minimal wait.

3. Rode Tower of Terror three times on standby with minimal wait.

4. Went back and picked up a 2nd set of FastPasses for Midway Mania at 11:30.

5. Rode Midway mania using first set of FastPasses at about noon.

[rsimon]

We do this every time and it works great for us..

We arrive early for rope drop.. We go to TSM first and try to be near the front of the crowd. We get a fast pass first, then get in the standby line and ride. By the time we are done riding stand by, we have enough time to go to RNR or TOT and we check out the wait times and FP return times.

As soon as our time window is up for the TSM FP, we grab a fast pass to RNR or TOT depending on the wait and FP return times. We then go to TSM and use our FP. By the time we are done there riding TSM for the second time, our FP time for RNR or TOT are about up.

If we have time to kill, we ride the single rider line for RNR while we wait for our FP window to come up. As soon as it is time, we grab another FP for either TOT or RNR and then go use our FP that is now ready to use.

Before 11:00, we are always able to ride TSM twice, RNR usually twice, and TOT at least once. The trick is to get your fast pass for your next ride BEFORE you get on the ride you are going to ride now. This way you always have one in the queue and the time is ticking. Also you are able to get earlier times then if you waited to get the FP after you finish a ride.

We only have a week left today before we'll be there!!

[x.laura.x]

Can i ask, does TSM have a single rider line? I think i may be the only one in my group interested in riding it.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by x.laura.x

Can i ask, does TSM have a single rider line?

Sorry, but no.

It opened with one, then they closed it.



May I ask why you would be the only one interested in riding TSM?

It is now THE most popular attraction at WDW.
It's just a lot of FUN!

[terbethk]

our strategy was:

arrive at 8:15, power walk to TSM, ride standby (we were always on within the first five minutes)

pick up RNRC fastpass

Ride tot

ride RNRC

we got all of that PLUS the great movie ride done within the first hour.

granted, we're two adults and we move quickly, so it might take a little more time if you have children.