HS LLMP, no LLSP - advice needed

[gzmtlock]

DH and I will be at Hollywood Studios week after next, so my LL booking time is approaching. We'll be spending the whole day there and getting LLMP. Really want to ride RotR, really don't want to purchase LLSP for it. If we rope drop and head straight to RotR, how would we adjust our LLMP strategy? I've got a general strategy from Ear Scouts' Youtubes, which includes booking your first LL ride as close to opening as possible. Should I continue with that strategy, book Frozen Singalong for 9 am, and if we don't get there in time (which wouldn't be the end of the world), then we could book a "new" 3rd LL when that window expires? Or take a different approach?

 

[Dave006]

Should I continue with that strategy, book Frozen Singalong for 9 am, and if we don't get there in time (which wouldn't be the end of the world), then we could book a "new" 3rd LL when that window expires?

This stately will simply not work the way you think it works. If you let your first LLMP attraction to expire all you can do it to replace it with another LLMP in the same Tier. The strategy that Ear Scouts highlights is that you actually want to get there, and tap in as close to park open as possible.

In your example; Frozen Singalong is a Tier 2 attraction so you are only able to book another Tier 2 attraction, you will not be able to book a Tier 1 attraction until you actually tap in at one of your LLMP attractions. This step unlocks the tiers.

Dave

 

[gzmtlock]

This stately will simply not work the way you think it works. If you let your first LLMP attraction to expire all you can do it to replace it with another LLMP in the same Tier. The strategy that Ear Scouts highlights is that you actually want to get there, and tap in as close to park open as possible.

In your example; Frozen Singalong is a Tier 2 attraction so you are only able to book another Tier 2 attraction, you will not be able to book a Tier 1 attraction until you actually tap in at one of your LLMP attractions. This step unlocks the tiers.

Dave

Thank you for the clarification! So if we head to RotR at rope drop and are near the head of the pack, how long will it take? When should we book our first LL for? Maybe Star Tours, since it's not that far from RotR and may still be near park opening time?

 

[kylenne]

Thank you for the clarification! So if we head to RotR at rope drop and are near the head of the pack, how long will it take?

The main problem with trying to rope drop Rise imo is its poor reliability during EE. If you luck out you’re fine, but if it’s on a delayed opening you’re basically screwed. To give you anecdotal data, I’ve rope dropped HS upwards of half a dozen times since the end of May over 3 trips this summer, the last being over Labor Day weekend, and it was down quite literally 3 of 6 times during EE. I wasn’t affected at all because I just buy the SP and rope drop Sunset instead. But I was very much reminded of why on these last few trips. The other issue is that more recently even when Rise is up and running they are not running it nearly as early as they used to. It used to be like FoP where if you were front of pack you could be off it before EE even officially started. Not so anymore. And with as long as the preshows are, even being front of pack by the time you get out and pop to TSL now Slinky’s line will have built considerably. You just get less done than if you do Sunset.

Personally I would just buy SP and save yourself the headache of the gamble. Walking in with LLs for the 2 worst rides in terms of waits and rope dropping Sunset instead while 95% of the park is elsewhere makes for a far less stressful and more productive EE, and tbh one far easier to pivot from in the event of downtime or delays. It’s what I advocate every time. The worst that happens with Tower at EE is only one side running at times but if you’re front of pack (something far easier to do with far fewer people rope dropping it), it won’t affect you because you’ll be in the first couple of loads anyway. I hit Tower, RNRC, and MMRR in that order. RNRC sometimes gets a delay but it’s so easy to just skip over to MMRR if that’s the case.

You mentioned EarScouts and Rob has an older HS EE video where he does this strategy as a Skyliner guest and seeing how leisurely his morning goes despite being extremely productive will sell this better than I can with words tbh.

When should we book our first LL for? Maybe Star Tours, since it's not that far from RotR and may still be near park opening time?

Gonna be 100% real with you, burners are not at all necessary at HS the way they are at MK and Epcot. I find that of the T1s only Slinky is hard to pull day of, and you should have already it prebooked as you walk in. The other Tier 1s are extra easy to pull day of and don’t sell out nearly as fast. TSM and Tower are easy prebooks for early AM slots, much easier to land than the equivalent high value T2s at MK. As long as one of those 2 are somewhere in the first hour of opening you’ll be fine. imo those slots are better used on things you’ll actually ride at an early hour, because TSM specifically tends to sell out fast and can be tricky to pull same day without later times even if you’re searching earlier in the morning. It can take a lot of refreshing IME.

 

[marmentrout85]

I'll say that during our past three trips (June/July 2025, January 2025, September 2024) we've been able to get very short waits (anywhere from a walk-on to I want to say 20 minutes MAX) for RotR during the last hour or so that the park is open.

I've never rope-dropped it but I'd have to imagine the wait would be longer first thing in the morning.

 

[M SH]

DH and I will be at Hollywood Studios week after next, so my LL booking time is approaching. We'll be spending the whole day there and getting LLMP. Really want to ride RotR, really don't want to purchase LLSP for it. If we rope drop and head straight to RotR, how would we adjust our LLMP strategy? I've got a general strategy from Ear Scouts' Youtubes, which includes booking your first LL ride as close to opening as possible. Should I continue with that strategy, book Frozen Singalong for 9 am, and if we don't get there in time (which wouldn't be the end of the world), then we could book a "new" 3rd LL when that window expires? Or take a different approach?

On my trip last week i rope dropped HS 2 times and headed to Rise first thing. I lucked out both times as it was up and running in the morning. I was off the ride before EE even started (8:25 AM), and headed to sunset where we looped RNC 3 times as walkons and did ToT once walkon too. on the second day after RotR we headed to slinky and we were on in abt 15 mins. it was a slow day, so not saying Slinky would be a short wait always after Rise.
If you want to Rope Drop HS for Rise or Slinky, be at your bus stop at 7am (for 8:30AM EE time). or plan to be at the park at 7:30AM if you are using your own transportation. (parking plaza opens at 7:30 AM)
your alternative is to get in queue before close time. this is also risky because the ride might go down during that time and if that happens you don't have a fall back anymore.

as for LLMP, as previous poster mentioned, you do not need to burn a LL at 9am for HS. you should have Slinky, TSM, and ToT already. you can pull everything else day of. you can even pull slinky if you do not have it by just refreshing at the right time (see thrilldata website for LL drops for Slinky). So i would not worry about having to tap in at 9am to burn a LL here.

enjoy your trip!

 

[gzmtlock]

On my trip last week i rope dropped HS 2 times and headed to Rise first thing. I lucked out both times as it was up and running in the morning. I was off the ride before EE even started (8:25 AM), and headed to sunset where we looped RNC 3 times as walkons and did ToT once walkon too. on the second day after RotR we headed to slinky and we were on in abt 15 mins. it was a slow day, so not saying Slinky would be a short wait always after Rise.
If you want to Rope Drop HS for Rise or Slinky, be at your bus stop at 7am (for 8:30AM EE time). or plan to be at the park at 7:30AM if you are using your own transportation. (parking plaza opens at 7:30 AM)
your alternative is to get in queue before close time. this is also risky because the ride might go down during that time and if that happens you don't have a fall back anymore.

as for LLMP, as previous poster mentioned, you do not need to burn a LL at 9am for HS. you should have Slinky, TSM, and ToT already. you can pull everything else day of. you can even pull slinky if you do not have it by just refreshing at the right time (see thrilldata website for LL drops for Slinky). So i would not worry about having to tap in at 9am to burn a LL here.

enjoy your trip!

Thanks for all the helpful info! We're staying at BWV, so will be able to walk to rope drop. We're early risers, so 7:30 is no problem!

We got Slinky for early evening, so we're set on that. Other than rope drop, we're not wanting to rush around to maximize rides first thing in the morning. It's helpful to know how soon we'll likely be out of RotR; likely head over to ride Toy Story a time or two and knock that one out. I won't ride Rock 'n Roller, so DH can single rider line that one later in the day, around the same time we do ToT.

I'm feeling pretty good about having (relatively) lower crowds. Should be a lot of fun!!