Magic Kingdom Rope Drop Procedure: Provide Updates Here Please (since June 2014)

[BridgetBordeaux]

I received a phone call from WDW in response to an email I sent them regarding the modified rope drop procedure we experienced the last Thursday of May. The cast member agreed with me that the new procedure actually reduces guest safety...............opposite of their intention. He said he would pass my comments on to the operation folks.

Here is most of my original email:

Hello,


I am an annual pass holder and have been present for the opening of the Magic Kingdom over 20 times since 2008. I have never experienced the chaos and crushing crowd that I experienced during our recent visit on May 29th 2014.


The "pacing" of the crowd by using a rope actually caused the greatest risk to guest safety I have ever experienced.


Here are the reasons why:


1. While the tightly packed group is walking together as one large mass, it is almost impossible to ensure that I was able to take my steps on the asphalt as opposed on the trolley tracks or the gaps between them. I twisted my ankle several times while walking down Main Street. Although I did not injure myself, it was very uncomfortable.


2. Trying to fit all of the Main Street group through the center of the castle (after splitting them up to go up the ramp on each side) was also very chaotic. I witnessed parents and children become seperated due to the nature of the crowd movement.


3. My own daughter had her hand clinging to my backpack as we progressed towards the castle when an unknown adult placed their hand around my daughter's wrist and physically removed her hand from my backpack so that they could then fall in place behind me...........thereby seperating the two of us for the duration of the walk to the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.


4. I witnessed for the first time ever an "angry mob" mentality as the group pushed and pulled left and right (and forward and back) for most of the time as we made our way around the hub. The anger and tension continued all the way to the attraction.


5. I experienced a genuine concern for the safety of anyone that might have fallen down during this procedure. They would have been literally trampled by the crowd.



So..............please provide updates here as to your recent MK rope drop experiences. We may return for a quick trip in July and would like to have an idea on what to expect.

Thanks!

 

[kcbutterfly]

Oh my goodness - Is rope drop really that chaotic and dangerous? I really hope they have changed some procedures! We are planning on doing rope drop on June 30th.

 

[bless7ings]

I just read an article on the new frozen princesses and new rope drop. Is this in response to that?

 

[AmyB2006]

They changed it recently due to the Anna and Elsa craze, yes. I'm sure they figured they'd stick with it once 7DMT was open, but OP... that is crazy!!!! So glad I'm not a RDer after reading this. You couldn't pay me enough money to experience this. LOL I give you guys credit.

 

[rangebob]

Maybe they are handling this whole thing the wrong way. I know that they booted several of the other princesses from the Snow White building. Maybe they need to boot the frozen girls and move them to the front of the park so the mob only needs to move 200 feet to get to the area for them.

 

[KCSherri]

I was at MK yesterday for Rope Drop, and they are still doing it the way the OP said…we followed the rope down Main Street, and as you said in your email, it was difficult to dodge the trolley tracks and not twist an ankle, as there was no space in the massive mob to dodge. We then split into two sides to go either way up the ramp to the castle, leading to a massive clog of congestion to go through the castle doorway. Gah. What a mess.

 

[ajwolfe]

When we were there in May, we had an early appointment for the Pirates League and it was an EMH morning for MK. Made it all the way to Adventureland before we encountered a rope of any kind. At that point there was staff explaining how the procedure would work. Admittedly it all seemed kind of silly to me, but I can't say there was any mass chaos or anger amongst the group. Everyone just waited around until they "dropped the rope" and led us thru the Adventureland area. No pushing or shoving....
So I'm going to guess it's not always an angry mob.

 

[Dan Murphy]

They should just let the park open, as they did at the Studios to alleviate the running of the bulls mentality to the Toy Story ride, about 30 to 45 minutes prior to 'official' park opening. And let people in as they arrive, not en masse. And a good suggestion earlier here, put the Frozen ladies up front in the park. Or maybe in the parking lot or Richard Petty's race track infield.

 

[Altoqueenkelly]

When we were there in May, we had an early appointment for the Pirates League and it was an EMH morning for MK. Made it all the way to Adventureland before we encountered a rope of any kind. At that point there was staff explaining how the procedure would work. Admittedly it all seemed kind of silly to me, but I can't say there was any mass chaos or anger amongst the group. Everyone just waited around until they "dropped the rope" and led us thru the Adventureland area. No pushing or shoving....
So I'm going to guess it's not always an angry mob.

This is not the same thing as the OP. They are referring to the people who are let in exactly at opening and escorted UP main street with CMS guiding, literally holding a rope as they walk.

Your experience was being let into the park early for your ADR and having to wait to get into the land you needed to be in...

Two totally different things.

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

Haven't been to MK since the new RD procedure but this sounds awful. I assume when the rope is actually dropped people go sprinting in every direction to get where they want to. Sounds very risky. If this is all because of the Frozen characters, move them to Town Square Theater so the mouth breathing adults who would remove a child's hand from her parent's backpack only have to go a few feet.

 

[texhanddoc]

This is just a rehash of the old TSM and Soarin' stampede.

There definitely was some close quarters (we did this last week). But my family was able to stay together. We just held hands.

If you want to do 7DMT, you need to follow the path that ends at the Tea Cups and dont go through the castle.

I agree that this would be better if MK had an opening like DHS and Ep, but that would be difficult with the opening show. The crowd would easily envelope the bag check if they couldnt get through the "turnstiles" thus making the bag check hard to enforce.

What might work (thinking out loud) is the first 200 or so people to arrive at the gates have the option of skipping the show and proceeding to 7DMT where they would stand in the standby line until official opening. People might not be so mercenary to 7DMT if they know they will already be waiting 45+ minutes.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

They should just let the park open, as they did at the Studios to alleviate the running of the bulls mentality to the Toy Story ride, about 30 to 45 minutes prior to 'official' park opening.

Yes!! I was so surprised that they changed things in the MK to go back to something that clearly wasn't working at both the Studios and Epcot. Frankly, it was a terribly way to start the mornings in both of those parks, and I hope it doesn't stick around long at the MK.

 

[kcbutterfly]

Can we somehow avoid going through the castle if we want to go to Ariel's Grotto at rope drop?

 

[bcinohio]

What is it like if you want to go to Tomorrowland first? We usually take the short cut through the Noodle Station. We do not want to go to 7Darfs first or Anna & Elsa. Does anyone know if you can still go through the Noodle Station to get to Tomorrowland?

We leave in 17 days!!

 

[Tricia732]

And a good suggestion earlier here, put the Frozen ladies up front in the park. Or maybe in the parking lot or Richard Petty's race track infield.

LOL Love those ideas, Dan Murphy. I'm so glad we don't have anyone in our family with an inclination to see A & E.

Can you break away from the crowd if you're heading to another land?

 

[ciera321]

I'm not sure what the answer is, but they started the rope escort after many complaints about how the mass of people wanting to get in line for A & E' would literally run at full speed down Main Street. This put people, especially kids, in danger of getting knocked down and/or trampled. When we were there the end of May, I also thought it was very difficult to get across those tracks! Hope they can get it straitened out soon.

 

[BrianL]

Can we somehow avoid going through the castle if we want to go to Ariel's Grotto at rope drop?

I would go on the path to the right (the one suggested for 7DMT) but instead of making the first left toward the 7DMT entrance, go straight, then bear left to Ariel's place.

Then again, that route might be crowded with 7DMT bound people, but you won't have to split and merge like at the castle.

Honestly, the Anna/Elsa Fever has gotten SO bad that I don't really know what they can do. Before the guided walk, people were running, cutting through stores, etc. all to get in line for it. MK has become a victim of its own popularity! Can't we all just act civil about these things?

 

[HopperFan]

Was there on May 29th for park opening. We were just outside the tunnel under the train station so while not up front, not near the middle or back. We walked down Main Street in a very large group but with no issues from seeing where we were stepping. Our only issue was the mother screaming at her husband and child already while wildly pushing her stroller. At the Hub the rope dropped and guests headed to each land including many going through the castle to the Frozen girls. We went by the Rose Garden and Teacups to get in line for the mine train. Within 20 minutes the line for Anna & Elsa was 300 minutes so I guess most were heading there. After hearing horror stories we were very pleased and comfortable with the procedure.

Sending everyone through the castle makes no sense whatsoever when many who were there were going elsewhere.

 

[dramadrew]

I went at the beginning of May and it was the same procedure. It was definitely packed and it helped to hold on to someone in your party, but I had no problems walking on Main Street. However, I was more off to the side by the sidewalk so maybe I avoided the tracks.

Until things settle down, maybe the best way to avoid it is to stay back by the entrance a couple minutes after the welcome show and let the majority of the crowd pass through. I know then you won't be first in line for your desired attraction, but maybe you can FP it. Or being RD, it shouldn't be that bad to come up to it a few minutes late (unless it's a very popular attraction).

 

[Shrimp332]

I haven't been since I was a kid more the 15 years ago. How is it if you do EMH? Please tell me it is better because we have 3 young kids 7,5, & 3 and will have a single stroller.