does TSMM always open prior to official park opening?

[disney world dreamer]

some have told me that when HS starts allowing people to enter at about 8:40am TSMM is already open to ride.

generally i head to RNRC and TOT at RD but i did notice during my last trip in july that we were held up half way down sunset blvd and then were not allowed to enter the RNRC line until 9am or even after that.

if TSMM opens before RNRC then i'd consider switching my FP+ from TSMM to RNRC and RD TSMM and then head over to sunset blvd.

so what would you suggest?

 

[wisblue]

I would hesitate to say always, but on our recent visits it has been the norm for guests to be allowed through the gate before the posted open ing time. Not necessarily 20 minutes early, but usually 10-15 minutes early. It seems to depend on how long the lines at the gates are.

Whenever we have gotten in early and gone directly to TSMM it has been operating, except for one time when it was down.

On more than one occasion, we have gotten on and off TSMM and over to TOT and RNRC just as they were starting to let people in.

So, if you are sure you are going to be in the first wave of guests arriving at TSMM (which may involve getting to the park at about 8:15 for a posted 9 AM opening) it does make sense to go there first.

 

[Farps]

They try to open it everyday for RD, but being that it is a mechanical ride with plenty of electronics it sometimes is delayed a bit. There have been days when it was down when we were there and some of the cast members let us know when they saw us heading in that direction.

 

[GrumpyDad1974]

We are rope droppers and that is our first stop, it has always been open with early rope drop.