How important is rope drop?

[c&b'smom]

We are going to disneyworld from 11/7-11/14 with our ds who is 3. How important is it to get to the parks at rope drop? We are staying off site and dh is not a morning person. However,we don't want to spend all our time in line. Advice please...

 

[CarnotaurDad]

This is just our experience, but if you are going to MK, you can hit at least five things in Fantasyland with a 3 year old before the first hour is up. Trying to hit those same five things starting at 10 AM might take 2 - 3 hours. If you try to do those same five starting at 12 PM, it could take 4 + hours.

Personally, I think it is easier to get up earlier for one morning and enjoy the non-crowdness of the early hours. JMHO.

 

[Alesia]

you can do more in the first 2-1/2 to 3 hours than you can the entire rest of the day. To me, that's invaluable. Only you can decide how important that is to you.

 

[PoohsFan1]

you can do more in the first 2-1/2 to 3 hours than you can the entire rest of the day. To me, that's invaluable. Only you can decide how important that is to you.

Absolutely agree.

My DH is not a morning person either, but when we are in Disney he is up at the crack of dawn with me and he is the one that is pushing us to keep going when the girls and I are starting to get tired. His motto is "There is no sleeping in Disney" ....I think I created a monster. With that said, I think if you want to hit all of the popular rides in Fantasyland (Dumbo and PP) then going to Rope Drop is a must because you can always go back to your resort to rest during the day. Good luck

 

[LowesChevy]

We hit rope drop for each park at least once and were able to get in all of our favorites and the major rides before the crowds really started packing in at 10:30-11:00 AM. It seriously made the day more enjoyable because by about 1-2 PM we could head back to the room and relax before heading out later in the afternoon.

 

[tggrrstarr]

My husband and I went last year with some friends and were unable to make rope drop all trip to any park. We really felt like we were fighting to get stuff done. Our first day at MK that trip was Sunday with extra evening hours.
We were back about two weeks ago and went to MK on Sunday with extra evening hours. It's amazing how much more we got done just because we got there at rope drop this year.

 

[redheadx3]

Make it to rope drop if you can. You will get more done with less waits in the 1st 2 hours the park is open. If you DH can't manage to many early mornings, make MK the one you will make rope drop. Since your child is only 3, Mk will have the most for you to do.

 

[mjkacmom]

We went in November 2 years ago with my parents. We used to go every year when I was a child, when it was just MK. After my research, I told everyone we had to be there at rope drop (my parents are morning people, not a problem). By the time we were leaving the parks (around 1 - 2), my mom was astounded at the crowds that were there and pouring in. She now tells anyone who mentions going to WDW to get there at rope drop!

 

[WillCAD]

Hitting the most popular attractions is easiest if you're there at rope drop and RUN to those attractions.

In MK, most of Fantasyland get crowded and mobbed fairly early, so the Rope Drop Rushlets you hit those most popular attractions with shorter lines for an hour or so, until the rest of the crowds filter back.

At Epcot, Soarin' has the longest line in the park, so the Rope Drop Rush is very important if you want to ride it without a long line. TIP: Rush to the attraction, grab a FastPass, then get into the Standby line, which should be 20 minutes or less during the first few minutes that the park is open. After the first ride, your FP time will have arrived, and you can get into the FP line (if it's not time yet, grab a snack or drink in the food court and relax till the time arrives).

At DHS, Toy Story Midway Mania is the most opoular attraction; use the same strategy as at Soarin'.

At AK, the Rope Drop Rush will get you into either Expedition Everest (whihc typically has long lines but not as bad as Soarin' ot TSMM), or into Kilamanjaro Safari. KS generally has manageable lines, but riding it early in the morning is said to be a better experience due to more active animals. Not being a morning person myself, I've only ridden KS at rope drop once and the animals did seem a bit more active than other times of day, but I have only one experience to judge, so it's not conclusive.

There is no rope drop at Downtown Disney, per se, but if you are there when the stores open in the morning, you'll have the place to yourself for the first 30-60 minutes, which can be helpful to power shoppers since DTD crowds can get pretty crazy.

Personally, I rarely do rope drop at any park because I'm not a morning person, but when I do, I find it much easier to do those popular attractions that it is later in the day when the crowds reach their zenith.

 

[WillCAD]

Hitting the most popular attractions is easiest if you're there at rope drop and RUN to those attractions.

In MK, most of Fantasyland get crowded and mobbed fairly early, so the Rope Drop Rushlets you hit those most popular attractions with shorter lines for an hour or so, until the rest of the crowds filter back.

At Epcot, Soarin' has the longest line in the park, so the Rope Drop Rush is very important if you want to ride it without a long line. TIP: Rush to the attraction, grab a FastPass, then get into the Standby line, which should be 20 minutes or less during the first few minutes that the park is open. After the first ride, your FP time will have arrived, and you can get into the FP line (if it's not time yet, grab a snack or drink in the food court and relax till the time arrives).

At DHS, Toy Story Midway Mania is the most opoular attraction; use the same strategy as at Soarin'.

At AK, the Rope Drop Rush will get you into either Expedition Everest (whihc typically has long lines but not as bad as Soarin' ot TSMM), or into Kilamanjaro Safari. KS generally has manageable lines, but riding it early in the morning is said to be a better experience due to more active animals. Not being a morning person myself, I've only ridden KS at rope drop once and the animals did seem a bit more active than other times of day, but I have only one experience to judge, so it's not conclusive.

There is no rope drop at Downtown Disney, per se, but if you are there when the stores open in the morning, you'll have the place to yourself for the first 30-60 minutes, which can be helpful to power shoppers since DTD crowds can get pretty crazy.

Personally, I rarely do rope drop at any park because I'm not a morning person, but when I do, I find it much easier to do those popular attractions that it is later in the day when the crowds reach their zenith.

 

[SenoiaDawg]

I would definately suggest doing rope drop. In 2005, on our last day we decided to do MK for a couple of hours before we drove back home. We made it to rope drop and in two hours rode Dumbo twice, Peter Pan, IASW twice and Mickey's Philharmagic. That's 6 attractions with a 2 yo and a 4 yo; and we were in our car in the parking lot before 11 AM. What a wonderful way to end our first family WDW vacation!!!

 

[jb01]

I would definately recommend it for the first few days you are there. Get in YOUR must see popular attractions. Then for the rest of your stay take it easy and enjoy everything. You'll be glad you did.

 

[rie'smom]

My daughter and her friends are teenagers -you know how they love to sleep. On WDW trips, they get up early because my daughter tells them it's the ony way to ride everything
and still have time to layout by the pool.

 

[lisadam]

Rope drop is key to having an hour or so of less-crowded times. I have to get up really early to get to work and HATE having to do that on vacation - but it's so worth it.

If you find yourself running a little late - don't dispair about missing the exact moment of rope drop - getting to the park 15 minutes after rope drop is still better than 2 hours later. In fact, sometimes your "getting through the turnstiles" process is faster because the ropedroppers have all fed through.

 

[Praying Colonel]

We are going to disneyworld from 11/7-11/14 with our ds who is 3. How important is it to get to the parks at rope drop? We are staying off site and dh is not a morning person. However,we don't want to spend all our time in line. Advice please...

Crowd levels on touringplans.com are now free for the dates you'll be there. You've got an interesting mix--some days are 4s and 5s, others are 6s and 7s.

For a 4 day, getting there at rope drop may not be as important. But for a 7 day, you may have to make that choice you mention of being at rope drop or spending your time in line.

Maybe a good compromise is to plan on being at rope drop for the days that will be 6s and 7s (11/7, 11/8, 11/11 and 11/14) and get a later start on the other days.

 

[SarahD]

We did not do rope drop one day this past January at Hollywood Studios and did not not get much accomplished. Lines for TSM were 2 hours long, all fast passes long gone for the day. Also, we realized when we sat to eat lunch that the stunt show was only being performed twice that day - we had missed the first and by the time we got to the second (1/2 hour early) it was full. We ended up having to change around the rest of the week's plan (we don't do hoppers) and come back to DHS. We were there at rope drop, I can tell you that!

 

[TheTXTaylors5]

We are NOT morning people, however being at WDW always gets us moving faster in the mornings. We've been to rope drop at MK, DHS and Epcot. I have rope drop for DAK scheduled for our upcoming trip. We don't go to rope drop EVERY morning. I usually pick one or two mornings. We are on vacation afterall. I will agree with the other posts, we get ALLOT accomplished the first two hours a park is open. It is surreal. I recommend trying rope drop at least once during your vacation.

You are traveling during an off-peak week. So, getting to rope drop is not essential. However, even during "slow times" (Okay, insert roll of the eyes here, because there truly is not a slow time anymore due to Free Dining all year long and the room discounts 4/3. ) rides like Toy Story Mania, Soarin', Expedition Everest and the slow-loading rides in Fantasyland like Dumbo WILL have a line. On a non-rope drop morning you still need to get to the park before 10:30 am. You can grab a Fastpass for rides like TSM, EE, Soarin', etc ... However, just be warned your return time could be in the early evening. Since you are staying off-site, I would avoid parks with Extra Magic Hours all together and visit those parks the next day. I read somewhere that the best time to visit a park is the next morning after it had an EMH Evening. We tried it last trip and it really was true!

To recap:
I would recommend you try rope drop at least once during your vacation. Get together with your family and pick the one park they are willing to get up early to visit. I would do it early in your trip in case they liked the experience and want to do it again. Also, if you do it early in your trip you are not too exhausted from touring the parks just yet. It will make getting up early easier.

Have a magical trip!

Jennifer

 

[Chelley00]

I insist on rope drop at least every other day of our trip. We usually don't make it right for rope drop, but we are there within 30-45 minutes of opening. On the days we go later, I can tell a big difference in wait times, but I can't always convince 2 teenage boys and a DD who loves to sleep in that we need to get going so early on vacation. Every other day is a good compromise

 

[CandleontheWater]

I guess you have to decide what would make your family less happy, waking up early or waiting in longer lines. Since you are going at a less crowded time of year, rope drop isn't as essential, but like another poster said, less crowded is a relative term now a days with all the discounts and incentives. It also depends on what time you are planning on getting to the parks, if you arrive around 10, that would make it much easier to get things done than if you arrive around lunchtime. If you are planning on going back to the hotel for breaks in the afternoon, I would highly suggest getting to rope drop, because you'll want to maximize your time since more of it will be spent in transit.

If do decide to sleep in but stay all day, you have a good chance of getting things done with the exception of TSM. Even if you show at at 11, you still have a good chance of getting a late fastpass for Soarin', EE, and the MK mountains, but TSM is a different animal. The fastpasses could very well be gone by 11 am, and the standby line could be 2 hours long. If you were going to make rope drop for any park, I would suggest DHS, because of TSM and the set schedules for the shows.

 

[TennHokies]

I agree with most others that you should take advantage of rope drop at least a few days because you'll be able to hit the most popular rides with much shorter waits. However, I think you can compromise with you're DH and not do RD every day as there are many other rides that will have short lines all day long. You don't have to overplan (like I do ) but have that short list of popular rides in mind on you're RD mornings.

Last thing, my family hit RD almost every day on our trip to avoid long lines with DD4 and DS2. Some days we got to the park 30 minutes early to line up, as I've seen recommended, but some days we arrived 10 minutes after RD and we found little difference in the wait times. For us, being able to sleep in 30-40 minutes more or taking more time for breakfast was worth it. When you think about you can really tack that 30 minutes waiting out front time onto you're 5 minute first ride wait anyway. The only exception to that rule I would say is TSM - which is always insane - for good reason