Studios Rope Drop Question

[SerinaEmily]

I was reading in one of the blog things at the top about summer strategies and the author was saying something about at rope drop at Studios most people wait on Hollywood Blvd but there is a lesser known area near the Brown Derby you can wait? Anyone know where this area is?

 

[Robo]

I was reading in one of the blog things at the top about summer strategies and the author was saying something about at rope drop at Studios most people wait on Hollywood Blvd but there is a lesser known area near the Brown Derby you can wait? Anyone know where this area is?

Guests are not given a choice as to where the Rope Drop area is.
(They can, of course choose to stand anywhere farther back in the crowd.)

The CM's rope-off an area and that's the area where the guests will wait.
Often the front of the waiting area will be on Hollywood Blvd. at the intersection of Sunset Blvd.
(That's the area "B" color-highlighted on the map below.)

But, sometimes, to accommodate more guests, they will put the ropes farther down Hollywood Blvd. to near the giant sorcerer's hat. (Close to the #2 on the map below.)

 

[vicki_c]

When TSMM first opened, you could cut through near the Brown Derby (but this is still after the rope was dropped for all guests) and if you were fast, you could get yourself ahead of the main pack of guests coming from Hollywood Boulevard/Sorcerer's Hat. But they stopped that not long after it opened and now all guests must take the same path to TSMM.

On Robo's map, this was really veering off at #11 - the Tips Board and walking in front of the Brown Derby entrance instead of walking towards the hat. But as I said, they closed that avenue off at rope drop quite a while ago, from what I've seen on all our trips in the last 2 years.

 

[Pembo]

We headed into the shop on the left hand side of the street (as you face the hat). It was HOT that morning and we waited for rope drop in ac comfort. No we weren't at the front but we were cool.

 

[touy_story_man]

Ok i was also wondering this after i read the blog for summer tips.

So if i have this right, you cant get past the rope drop to get to the brown derby but you just book it through the brown derby area to get to TSM?

 

[Robo]

So if i have this right, you cant get past the rope drop to get to the brown derby but you just book it through the brown derby area to get to TSM?

All guests must stay behind the ropes and (when the rope is "dropped")
stay behind the CM's who lead guests to the TSM area.

If you try to sneak past the "ropes," or run past the CM guides,
you'll wind up in a mess 'o trouble
worse than Brer Rabbit stuck in honey.







.

 

[mom2rtk]

My guess is that they had trouble with different interpretations of the "book it" approach.

 

[vicki_c]

Not sure if I understood that you understood what I was saying - but to clarify:

Ok i was also wondering this after i read the blog for summer tips.

So if i have this right, you cant get past the rope drop to get to the brown derby Correct

but you just book it through the brown derby area to get to TSM? Incorrect - you can no longer walk by the front of the Brown Derby to get to TSMM at rope drop

 

[DisneyDadof3]

Not sure if I understood that you understood what I was saying - but to clarify:

There is a second place to STILL do rope drop by Brown Derby. There will be fewer people. However, you will still reach the TSM ride no sooner than those in the main crowd as the CM's meet up after the arch area by Mermaid and hold hands so the crowd can't pass.

I actually find it more annoying by the Brown Derby as there is less space to walk in the crowd. Others find that it is better.

Either way, no one is getting ahead of anyone.

 

[vicki_c]

There is a second place to STILL do rope drop by Brown Derby. There will be fewer people. However, you will still reach the TSM ride no sooner than those in the main crowd as the CM's meet up after the arch area by Mermaid and hold hands so the crowd can't pass.

I actually find it more annoying by the Brown Derby as there is less space to walk in the crowd. Others find that it is better.

Either way, no one is getting ahead of anyone.

Thanks - that has not been the case that I saw on our trips, but things change all the time.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

I have seen "rope drop" done different ways at DHS. To answer the main question, Brown Derby is never a shortcut option. On our most recent trip this past May we were at the very front of the crowd. CMs held the rope in place between the clump of trees on Hollywood Blvd (between the "oo" in "Hollywood" on Robo's map).
One key decision to make, especially if you are at the front of the crowd, is whether you want to ride TSMM first or get an FP first. Be sure you are on the right hand side of the crowd (closer to Brown Derby) if you want to get an FP. Be toward the center or left (AI Exp side) if you want to ride first. This will keep you from being trampled, and keep you from unnecessary meandering in front of the hordes of people who will be right on your heels.

 

[delmar411]

Actually during SWW's they held people at rope drop in front of the Brown Derby. It was a major problem and caused mass chaos as everyone who were waiting where they 'should' were cut off by people who had arrived much later and were filled into that area but allowed to jump in front of people at rope drop. It's something that never should have been done and every single inch of space from the hat back to the gate was filled with people. We had 2 strollers and normally I can handle rope drop crowd but I was seriously worried about the boys getting crushed (teens/young men were jumping over people/strollers) in the push.

 

[DisneyDadof3]

Thanks - that has not been the case that I saw on our trips, but things change all the time.

We were there Dec 2008, June 2009, Dec/Jan 2009/10, and June 2010 and this has been the case most of the time. The only other opening option we've seen is they hold the rope right Sunset Blvd... and then Brown Derby isn't even an option until after rope drop... but even then they have CM's waiting for those that skip over there to try to get ahead.