But if EVERYONE gets to RD, then....?

[KrazeeK120]

I am a late sleeper (or wish I could be, LOL), and I didn't used to do RD.

But I have now seen the light and am willing to get up to get to rope drop because we get SO MUCH done in the morning. DH is a morning person anyway, so going to RD doesn't bother him one bit.

This was particularly clear to me when I was at MK on MLK day. We got there before RD and rode many rides as walk-ons before lunch.

 

[Colleen27]

It is a popular strategy but not one that will ever be universally adopted or even so popular that it loses its value.

First, you have the share of people who have never heard this advice. Not everyone researches their vacations the way us DISers do.

Second, you have the people who don't do early mornings on vacation. They're willing to spend more time in line rather than be a slave to the alarm clock on their time away from work/school.

Third, you have the breakfast eaters who might get to the parks early but want a meal to start their day. They might hit a high-priority ride first but even if they do they quickly get out of the way in favor of the most important meal of the day.

Once you eliminate those three groups you end up with a significantly smaller number of people at the parks and heading for the ride lines first thing in the morning. How much of an advantage rope drop is seems to depend on the season, and I think it is less of an advantage at slower times of the year (I feel the same way about touring plans too). Rope drop offers the best advantage at the times of year with a lower proportion of planners in attendance that day, and planners tend to steer clear of peak, full-price seasons in favor of lower crowds and discounts. So at a slow season during a popular discount you might find 50% of the day's total attendance waiting with you at rope drop, while on a busy day over a school break the percentage might only be 20%.

 

[smidgy]

As for traveling with extended family members who are almost never on time and often have others waiting for them, I have them trained on this rope drop thing. I talk to them the night before and let them know I don't want them to feel bad if they get left behind and have to take a cab to the park and meet up with us later, but that we plan to leave the condo at this time exactly, and anyone not ready will be left behind, and we are totally and completely serious about this (no exceptions). Of course, we'll love seeing you and you can meet up with us later, but if you need even five more minutes we won't be waiting, and we wanted to let you know that ahead of time so there are no hard feelings. // My mom is loves Disney, but is notoriously late for almost everything is always ready and waiting for us -- absolutely amazing // Everybody -- the teens that normally have a hard time getting up, etc. are all set and ready to go. My brother and I get up super early too (We are both morning people) and cook a great breakfast for people who want to get up for that too. It's really a sight to see, but people will make an effort for sure for a magical day at WDW with this fun extended family group.

I must say, there is not much worse than getting up super early when you are a night person and then waitin gfor someone else who is late. If I can make it on time in the morning, anyone can. last sat night, Ididn't get home from work until 3 am. believe me, I am NOT a morning person. if I get up early for rope drop, it better be worth my while, not sitting around waiting for some one.

It is a popular strategy but not one that will ever be universally adopted or even so popular that it loses its value.

First, you have the share of people who have never heard this advice. Not everyone researches their vacations the way us DISers do.

Second, you have the people who don't do early mornings on vacation. They're willing to spend more time in line rather than be a slave to the alarm clock on their time away from work/school.

Third, you have the breakfast eaters who might get to the parks early but want a meal to start their day. They might hit a high-priority ride first but even if they do they quickly get out of the way in favor of the most important meal of the day.

Once you eliminate those three groups you end up with a significantly smaller number of people at the parks and heading for the ride lines first thing in the morning. How much of an advantage rope drop is seems to depend on the season, and I think it is less of an advantage at slower times of the year (I feel the same way about touring plans too). Rope drop offers the best advantage at the times of year with a lower proportion of planners in attendance that day, and planners tend to steer clear of peak, full-price seasons in favor of lower crowds and discounts. So at a slow season during a popular discount you might find 50% of the day's total attendance waiting with you at rope drop, while on a busy day over a school break the percentage might only be 20%.

and may I add a 4th? since we have done everything so much, nebo and I actually have gottne to rope drop a couple times just to relax and do the Speedway! silly? yes. but we had our mugs with our coffee/tea and it was so pretty in the morning!

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

Ive done both. If I really want to "max" park time I book a breakfast in the park before the parks open. If you want to punish your family and have cranky kids go for the RD. If you want to have a vacation where you are relaxed plan.

There are people who swear by RD. I am not one of those people I think you make the most of your trip by planning and being rational. I love magic hour because we are more night owls.

We are ealry risers for work so waking up at 630am is no biggie for us but on vacation who wants to do that everyday? If you go to Disney as frequently as we do hitting RD isn't a big deal either because if we miss something, we know we will be back.

 

[shalom]

Rope drop works all the time and any time, even Christmas week. It works for tourist attractions other than WDW too -- Cave of the Winds or Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls, Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH - the list goes on and on.

Worth doing even places that open later; if a place opens at 10:00, the lightest crowds of the day are usually from 10:00-11:00. The kids and I were "rope drop" people long before we ever went to Disney. We'd outvote hubby.

I talk to them the night before and let them know I don't want them to feel bad if they get left behind and have to take a cab to the park and meet up with us later, but that we plan to leave the condo at this time exactly, and anyone not ready will be left behind, and we are totally and completely serious about this (no exceptions).

I do that speech on vacation as well. My brother will follow it up with, "Yeah, have a good time; we're not getting up," then he'll suggest a lunch-time meeting. And he gives his daughter no sympathy at all if she wanted to go with us but was a few minutes late and got left behind; she has learned to be prompt if she really wants to go. It's true that some late morning people can be taught. But it's also true that others are unteachable.

 

[magicbob]

Human nature is human nature. Not even Disney can change that.

Yup. There are still going to be lots of people sleeping in and also lots of people who get up, but take longer than expected to actually make it to the turnstile. Human nature... it's a beautiful thing.

Rope drop works all the time and any time, even Christmas week. It works for tourist attractions other than WDW too -- Cave of the Winds or Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls, Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH - the list goes on and on.

Yes, it does... we avoided 6 hour lines for the Eiffel tower and palace of Versailles using RD strategy on recent visits to Paris (at present, I live 4 hours from Paris... don't hate me!)