DHS Rope-Drop Morning Routine?

Elias1901

Suitcase and a Dream
Joined
Mar 7, 2014
Hey all,

During our brief upcoming trip to WDW, we will have only one day to spend at DHS. On the day we are attending, the park will be opening for Extra Magic Hours at 7 AM, with park opening at 8 AM and closing at 10 PM.

I'm just wondering with Galaxy's Edge now in the mix, how the rope drop procedure should go, particularly with EMH in the works. Does it make most sense to make the mad dash to Smuggler's Run first to get it out of the way? Or is it still recommended to make Slinky Dog Dash the top priority (we were not successful in getting a FastPass for this one when we checked at the 60-day mark).

I'm also wondering what the next few rides should be after the first rope drop ride of the day? We have a breakfast ADR at Oga's for 9:55 AM, so that gives us a bit more than 2 and a half hours in the morning to experience attractions non-stop (though we are considering quickly mobile ordering and grabbing a Ronto Wrap before leaving Galaxy's Edge for a bit of a breakfast snack that morning as we are just going to get some Blue Bantha's at Oga's). Following that, we do have FP+ in place for Star Tours, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! in the morning/early afternoon. Would The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror still have day-of FastPass selections available?

But, yes... just mainly wondering what the queue priorities should be for an early morning at DHS. How does Toy Story Mania! fair these days? Still something to prioritize?? I know the queue for Rock 'n' Roller Coaster can be horrendous at times and I'm sure we'd like to ride it more than just the once with our FP...

Thoughts?? :)
 
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while it doesn't make sense, looking at wait times, SDD is still the big draw. Smugglers run looks to have a big line at RD, but then get less as the day goes on. SDD is busy at RD as well and stays there.
When I have checked Smuggles run wait time in the afternoon is about 30 minutes, SDD wait time at the same time is 60-80 minutes.
If you can't get FP for SDD, I would get RnRC or ToT.
If you can RD SDD, then do TSMM and AS2 in that order, the lines shouldn't be too bad. They use your FP for either RnRC or ToT, You may have a longer wait for whatever your last attraction is.
 
while it doesn't make sense, looking at wait times, SDD is still the big draw. Smugglers run looks to have a big line at RD, but then get less as the day goes on. SDD is busy at RD as well and stays there.
When I have checked Smuggles run wait time in the afternoon is about 30 minutes, SDD wait time at the same time is 60-80 minutes.
If you can't get FP for SDD, I would get RnRC or ToT.
If you can RD SDD, then do TSMM and AS2 in that order, the lines shouldn't be too bad. They use your FP for either RnRC or ToT, You may have a longer wait for whatever your last attraction is.

We'll be there, unfortunately, the day after Thanksgiving and I expect a madhouse during our trip dates... we just didn't want to wait in a stupidly long queue for Smuggler's Run since we've done it a few times out in California already. We want to ride it, for sure... but we definitely aren't interested in waiting more than an hour to do that.

I got most of what you were saying there... but what exactly does RD stand for? I'm trying to think of the attraction based on those initials but I cannot come up with anything... did you just simply mean to say "ride" there?? Heh...

ALSO...

For anyone with experience of seeing Sunset Season's Greetings on the Tower of Terror and such... how does that all work? I hear there are various "show themes" that happen. What is there... three? I an just wondering if there are specific showtimes or if it is something that'll just happen periodically and you just kinda have to be there for it on Sunset Blvd. or what??
 
I think we need to see how DHS rope drop goes in the post EEMH era past 11/2. That’s three super-early hours every day that are about go go poof - and all of those people are going to go somewhere.

Not sure when your trip is, but I’d keep a close eye on reports / an eye on the app from 11/3 on. We’ll learn things such as when they’ll open the park (for either an EMH morning or regular morning), how rope drop crowds behave, etc.

I think that first week of November is going to be telling.
 


I got most of what you were saying there... but what exactly does RD stand for? I'm trying to think of the attraction based on those initials but I cannot come up with anything... did you just simply mean to say "ride" there??
Sorry RD- rope drop
 
So, after rope dropping Slinky Dog Dash, is it really preferred to hit the other Toy Story Land attractions rather than, say, heading to do Smugger’s Run or Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster instead? I just don’t want to screw this up puttering around on Alien Swirling Saucers and then encounter queue wait times for Smuggler’s Run, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster that are outrageous, just because we didn’t head over there early in the morning to do them... I’m going with a first timer, so my goal is to get on all the attractions in one day.
 
I don't know if it's the best plan but we are there for EMH (8am) and are planning on getting there one hour before that (7am.) I have young kiddies and the big draw is Toy Story Land. I don't have a FP for SDD so we're heading quickly there first. Once we're there, I plan on just letting them enjoy TSL and spending as much time there as they need. I also have to sign up our youngest for Jedi Training so I might send hubby with the other two to TSL to line up and then take the small one to sign up for Jedi Training before we join them.

Once they're finished TSL we'll do Smugglers Run I think.
 


I'm just not sure if rushing over to Smuggler's Run after rope-dropping Slinky Dog Dash would be the right move for us, or if waiting til later in the day to do that would be best. Mind you, we can't wait until later in evening or anything as we plan to be seeing the shows (Sunset Seasons Greetings, Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!, etc.)...
 
We are kind of in the same boat as you the day before Thanksgiving at DHS. Here is my recommendation for what it is worth...RD SDD and then hit some of the other rides in TSL; TSMM should be your next priority followed by AS2. At about 7:50 (10 minutes before regular admission to DHS starts) check the wait at Smuggler's Run. Under an hour? I would get in line before the masses converge. Over an hour? Enjoy the rest of the day at DHS and watch Jingle Bell Jingle Bam in a position from which you can head through TSL fairly easily after it ends and make a beeline for Smugglers Run as DHS will be open for about 45 more minutes after JBJB ends. Or you could wait until 9:59:59 and get in line for Smugglers Run.

ToT is probably the easiest 4th Fastpass to get of the Tier I attractions; not super easy but doable.

Josh from easywdw.com is doing a good blog on rope dropping DHS from his visit on Monday. While he is not there on a EMH day, I am going to guess EMH the day after Thanksgiving (in the only park offering morning EMH) will be eerily similar to what he encountered. He is also planning to go to SDD first so there may be some great tips for you. It is so in-depth that Part I only covered arriving, tips on lining up through security and tapstyles and the very start of the rope drop movement.

Good luck.
 

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