DHS goes dropless

[teach22180]

This is really good news to me. I was first in line at the turnstyles twice last summer, but still really far back in the fastpass line at TSMM. I have a bad knee, so while I could still get up the street fast enough to be at the front of the rope, many, many people passed me in the walk/run/stampede to TSMM. Now I'll have a better chance of maintaining my hard-won first in line status!

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

So do they still yell no running, or has it gone the way of Tokyo Disney?

Tokyo Disney No-Rope Rope Drop

i think i saw one or two people walk in. that was insane. its like "lets go to disney, we can get a fastpass for 1 ride. 1 ride only.then we will go stand in line for 2 or 3 hours for 1 ride, and then again for 1 more ....and time to go home.

NO THANK YOU!!!

Looking forward to hopefully being a part of the new non rope drop rope drop at mgm!!!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Good write up, as always, from Josh here...

http://www.easywdw.com/uncategorize...-procedure-what-you-can-expect-to-see-and-do/

Good news as they slowly eliminate the running of the bulls in the parks.

 

[Gorechick]

Thanks for the link. I haven't been to HS in 7 years so I haven't done TSMM. I also need a good strategy to see all the characters since I have two 6 yr. olds. That article had good info.

 

[rock_doctor]

I keep misreading the title and thinking "Who's going topless??"

Me too.

Imho, it is a shame that are doing this. It is just one of those things that makes Disney special. They keep scrapping the special little things and they will be just like the rest...

the one year we went into EPCOT for RD they took us to the fountain and we waited until time...then the CM yelled "have at it" and jumped out of the way. And it was a mad dash to Soarin'.

 

[DisneyNic]

I did the same thing. Then I realized it was DRopless, and I started wondering if TOT was malfunctioning.

I did this, also!!

 

[CarrieR]

So weird, there was definitely no rope drop and we went through the turnstiles 30-35 minutes early at DHS over Christmas break. It would've been the... 29th(?) and 31st. There was no formal rope drop. I swear the same was true at AK, not only in Dec but also in Sept.

The lack of "rope drop" is soooo much better. For those yelling cutback, there IS still a show -- or well I guess I should say there was one in Dec -- although it was pretty minimal (someone inside the gates yelling directions, and the "director" outside with the camera, cueing us to "film a crowd promo" for an extra showing of LMA.) IIRC, they still had the truck out on the street, with somebody-or-other yelling stuff at us as we walked past, lol.

 

[kaligal]

The opening hoopla at DS sucked and they're well rid of it.

The "walk behind the rope" thing just created pushing and shoving. High time they ended that. I'm glad. Let the runners run. Let the slow pokes poke along. Much better.

 

[sissy_ib]

Me too.

Imho, it is a shame that are doing this. It is just one of those things that makes Disney special. They keep scrapping the special little things and they will be just like the rest...

the one year we went into EPCOT for RD they took us to the fountain and we waited until time...then the CM yelled "have at it" and jumped out of the way. And it was a mad dash to Soarin'.

I think this is because of the running and shoving not a general monetary cut back. I don't know how shoving up against hundreds of other people then running to be first makes something special or fun.

 

[captinhookedondisney]

I noticed this as well! I was at DHS 2 weeks ago, and def no rope drop I was there and they opened the gates 15 min early and everything was open.

 

[seashoreCM]

Someone needs to report back on how the Hollywood Studios public park opening went today (or any Saturday which is exra magic hours morning at DHS). (Did I get that right?)

 

[Robo]

Someone needs to report back on how the Hollywood Studios public park opening went today (or any Saturday which is exra magic hours morning at DHS). (Did I get that right?)

Yes. Saturdays, at least for now.

 

[Karnak]

It's a great idea.

Someone was going to trip and really get hurt plus just the stress of the whole crowd teaming with nervous energy before the drop. Not a great situation IMO and a soft staggered opening alleviates all that.

About three years ago, on a solo trip, I was among the herd rushing to Toy Story Mania from rope drop, I remember the lady carrying a small child just in front of me who triped on a curb and fell hard with the child. I stopped to assist her, while the rest of the mob surged around us. I heard a cast member yelling "Slow down! We're open for eleven hours today!" The mob paid as much attention to that as they did to the lady. She seemed to be alright, as we continued to the ride, aptly named "MANIA."

 

[rock_doctor]

I think this is because of the running and shoving not a general monetary cut back. I don't know how shoving up against hundreds of other people then running to be first makes something special or fun.

It is not the pushing and running that made it special. It was the fact that they did something special to celebrate the opening of the park. The pushing and shoving is human nature and there is not much you can do about that. As people get more ego centric the pushing and shoving will get much worse. Killing the opening ceremonies will not have an impact on that...

 

[disneyfantotheend]

Does this really make a huge difference? I couldn't imagine the couple of seconds it takes to run your card through the turnstyle really holds people back much.

 

[Robo]

Does this really make a huge difference? I couldn't imagine the couple of seconds it takes to run your card through the turnstyle really holds people back much.

The difference is that there won't be a thousand guests, all lined up at once, most heading directly to one particular attraction, who will be "released" at the exact same second (which IS the case with an internal Rope Drop.)

 

[Colleen27]

It is not the pushing and running that made it special. It was the fact that they did something special to celebrate the opening of the park. The pushing and shoving is human nature and there is not much you can do about that. As people get more ego centric the pushing and shoving will get much worse. Killing the opening ceremonies will not have an impact on that...

But not stacking people 10+ deep at the rope will; the turnstiles admit a steady but controlled flow of guests rather than the free for all of letting them collect at a rope that suddenly drops.

It is a shame it has meant the end of opening shows but I think this is a change that is well justified and long overdue, at least for Studios and Epcot where the crowds all head in one direction. I hated to see the end of the show at AK because rope drop there was never unmanageable or dangerous and I dread the elimination of the MK welcome show which really does add to the experience, but at Studios and Epcot the show has long been mostly ignored as people jockey for the best position to sprint to Soarin' or TSM when the rope drops.

 

[chimommy]

I was planning on doing the playhouse jr. breakfast early so we could get into the park early and get a fp for toy story mania (we have a 3yr old) but maybe I shouldn't do that now and just go early? We are going in sept so it will be slower, but last time in sept we showed up late and toy story mania was like a 2hr wait and no fast passes. i just want to make sure we get a fp this time. no way can I wait in a 2hr line with our son =)

 

[AprilRenee]

Oh boy! I hope this continues past the 20th! We go down on the 23rd and I have been dreading the TSM morning run. At 7 months pregnant I tend to avoid situations where I might get knocked down or hurt! And DH is one of the crazies who gets caught up in the adrenaline and wants to get to the front of the pack, he doesn't run, but he walks REALLY fast!
This sounds like a MUCH better solution. And even though I enjoyed seeing the opening shows at the parks, DHS's show was hard to hear and understand even if you were near the front of the crowd. If you were in the back, forget about it!

 

[daisyx3]

This sounds good, but I wonder how it will work with the bus system. If the busses start running a 8 for a 9AM opening, and we are at AKL, does that mean we will be at a disadvantage for people with cars?
Also, spring break....with those crowds, I don't see any kind of uncongested park opening at any park. I am the designated fastpass getter, and so I'm the one who speed walks to TSM (and Soarin at Epcot). I'll still be doing that, just maybe without a crowd, I guess.
Daisyx3