How NoT to Rope Drop?

[dizneedoll]

Rope dropping is getting me stressed out. I don’t do well in the early morning due to a health condition and it takes me awhile to get going nowadays. I’m thinking of backing off the whole RD thing for our trip next week. What are some advantages and/or strategies to NOT rope drop with how things are now? We do like doing the headliner attractions at all the parks.

 

[tinkerbelletreasure]

Right now there is no “rope drop” ceremony going on. And rides have been starting prior to opening, but not at a specified time. If you get there early, you can get some of the longest lines of the day done early, but on the flip side, the parks also seem to clear out in the afternoon and some of those same lines are just as short towards the end of the day. Go when it feels most comfortable for you.

 

[maryj11]

Following along. I hate rope dropping, but will if I have to.

 

[Marionnette]

Rope dropping is getting me stressed out. I don’t do well in the early morning due to a health condition and it takes me awhile to get going nowadays. I’m thinking of backing off the whole RD thing for our trip next week. What are some advantages and/or strategies to NOT rope drop with how things are now? We do like doing the headliner attractions at all the parks.

Headliners tend to get busy early and remain busy most of the day. There seems to be a brief period about an hour after rope drop when the rope drop crowds thin out to less popular attractions and before the late comers arrive. Or if you can make it to the last 90 minutes of the day at a park, your wait time will be reduced. Just accept that it's not going to be a short wait regardless.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

I think if you're not an early bird, the best strategy for the headliners is to get in line close to park close. We also use the Lines app as the real wait times for rides are usually more accurate than the MDE or posted wait times and we have found even one hour waits are really only 20 min sometimes. That app is a great resource. However, sometimes we do end up waiting for the popular rides if we really love them. Sometimes there is no way to avoid a wait.

 

[EsmeCullen]

Following. I have found that the older I get the less of a morning person I become especially further into my stay when all of the walking catches up with me.

 

[CarolynFH]

Our family gave up rope dropping years ago, when we realized that, coming from Central Time, we’d be getting up earlier for the parks than we do at home for work & school. Now DH and I are retired, and we get to the parks when we feel like it. As others have said, the advantage of rope drop is that queues will be shorter for the first hour or so, but they also tend to be shorter as closing time approaches, and the posted wait times for headliners in the last 15 minutes or so are usually significantly inflated. So go late, start with the shorter queues, then get in the headliner line just before closing.

 

[dizneedoll]

Headliners tend to get busy early and remain busy most of the day. There seems to be a brief period about an hour after rope drop when the rope drop crowds thin out to less popular attractions and before the late comers arrive. Or if you can make it to the last 90 minutes of the day at a park, your wait time will be reduced. Just accept that it's not going to be a short wait regardless.

Yeah, I’ve been reading here on the boards that the low waits don’t last too long in the mornings now so the evening seems like a better plan.

Our family gave up rope dropping years ago, when we realized that, coming from Central Time, we’d be getting up earlier for the parks than we do at home for work & school. Now DH and I are retired, and we get to the parks when we feel like it. As others have said, the advantage of rope drop is that queues will be shorter for the first hour or so, but they also tend to be shorter as closing time approaches, and the posted wait times for headliners in the last 15 minutes or so are usually significantly inflated. So go late, start with the shorter queues, then get in the headliner line just before closing.

We are coming from California so that 3 hour time difference is another reason I don’t want to get up that early this time.
I’m glad the afternoon and evening hours are good times to try and ride. I do better in the evenings.

 

[dizneedoll]

I think if you're not an early bird, the best strategy for the headliners is to get in line close to park close. We also use the Lines app as the real wait times for rides are usually more accurate than the MDE or posted wait times and we have found even one hour waits are really only 20 min sometimes. That app is a great resource. However, sometimes we do end up waiting for the popular rides if we really love them. Sometimes there is no way to avoid a wait.

I have been using Lines for Disneyland for years. This will be my first time using it at WDW. And you’re right about avoiding waits. We are going in this coming week knowing there will be waits and that’s ok. It is what it is.

 

[chicagodisneyguy]

While I hate getting up early on vacations, at certain parks it really does save time. We went to HS early in March on a 9am open. We walked over from Boardwalk around 745am as we knew there were opening early. We walked thru the gates at 810am and by official opening we rode MMRR, Slinky Dog, and ToT. RnR was then another 20 minutes at 9am. After we got off that and grabbed a snack, at 930am everything was 60 minutes.

I think your AK day and EP day you can probably sleep in still get things done with shorter waits if you tour smart. But I'd try and rope drop if you can for HS and MK.

 

[CarolynFH]

Yeah, I’ve been reading here on the boards that the low waits don’t last too long in the mornings now so the evening seems like a better plan.


We are coming from California so that 3 hour time difference is another reason I don’t want to get up that early this time.
I’m glad the afternoon and evening hours are good times to try and ride. I do better in the evenings.

BTW, when we were there in November, December and March, it seemed that the wait times for MMRR were much lower in the late afternoon. For Slinky, the difference wasn’t quite as much until very late. We didn’t watch wait times for Smugglers Run.

 

[Blanco]

It is easy. Don’t. Do not wake up early.

Go to the park at your convenient time. Easy.

 

[lovethattink]

I’m the only bird gets the worm in my family. The guys are night owls. DS needs 12 hours of sleep a night, so we rarely rope drop. We’ve found the last 3 hours a park is open to be the best for us.

 

[lnR_Texas]

in the afternoons, wait times definitely start to wind down. If you can’t get there at RD, then it makes more sense to arrive mid afternoon than at 10 am. If you check out the thrill data website you can see how the average wait times for each park (and each ride) evolve through the day. This can help you decide when to arrive in the afternoon. For example, DHS waits peak between 10-12 and then start to come down. For MK it’s between 11-2. When looking at the graph make sure to display Previous Day, as the long term averages don’t seem to fully reflect the current crowds since March.

Have a great trip!!

 

[maryj11]

While I hate getting up early on vacations, at certain parks it really does save time. We went to HS early in March on a 9am open. We walked over from Boardwalk around 745am as we knew there were opening early. We walked thru the gates at 810am and by official opening we rode MMRR, Slinky Dog, and ToT. RnR was then another 20 minutes at 9am. After we got off that and grabbed a snack, at 930am everything was 60 minutes.

I think your AK day and EP day you can probably sleep in still get things done with shorter waits if you tour smart. But I'd try and rope drop if you can for HS and MK.

I think rope drop at animal kingdom would probably be a good idea. Because they close early and it’s super hot in the afternoon. If they start staying open til after dark we will go in the evening.

 

[maryj11]

I think if you're not an early bird, the best strategy for the headliners is to get in line close to park close. We also use the Lines app as the real wait times for rides are usually more accurate than the MDE or posted wait times and we have found even one hour waits are really only 20 min sometimes. That app is a great resource. However, sometimes we do end up waiting for the popular rides if we really love them. Sometimes there is no way to avoid a wait.

What is the lines app?

 

[2minny]

Rope dropping is getting me stressed out. I don’t do well in the early morning due to a health condition and it takes me awhile to get going nowadays. I’m thinking of backing off the whole RD thing for our trip next week. What are some advantages and/or strategies to NOT rope drop with how things are now? We do like doing the headliner attractions at all the parks.

If at all possible, I would rope drop a few days. It just makes the day so much better. Yes, it's hard to get up and moving and yes it's hard to get your group all out the door, but it just makes the day much better. Otherwise, you'll just need to plan what you want to ride and be ready to wait in long lines in the heat. The only other option is hoping the lines go down at the very end of the day. With shorter park hours, it won't be easy to ride all the headliners without rope drop (arriving early).

 

[dizneedoll]

What is the lines app?

It is Touring Plans app. They list both Disney’s current wait time and then the expected wait time which can often be quite different. There is also the crowd calendar, maps, dining menu’s and touring plans available. They do charge a subscription fee but I think you can just view wait times without the extras for free but I think the annual subscription is worth it. Lots of perks on the website too with subscription like they will send room requests for you.

 

[dizneedoll]

If at all possible, I would rope drop a few days. It just makes the day so much better. Yes, it's hard to get up and moving and yes it's hard to get your group all out the door, but it just makes the day much better. Otherwise, you'll just need to plan what you want to ride and be ready to wait in long lines in the heat. The only other option is hoping the lines go down at the very end of the day. With shorter park hours, it won't be easy to ride all the headliners without rope drop (arriving early).

I think we will RD our AK day and one of our MK days. Epcot is opening later anyways and we can plan to be there about one before 11:00 and we can do HS later and plan to stay till close.

Thanks everyone for your help! We leave tomorrow!!

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

What is the lines app?

Touring Plans, you pay for the membership and you get access to their Lines up. It's only $12/year. Well worth the subscription as I also use it for room research and park planning.