Rope drop -affected by FP+??

[TammyC]

Rope drop has always been a good time to get a lot done for two reasons. Not everyone gets there early and the standby lines move quickly because there are no FP returns until 9:40 (when park opens at 9:00). With FP+ issuing times starting at opening, do you think that will have much impact on early morning riding?

T

 

[mesaboy2]

Hard to tell how much the impact has been or will be. But RD is still going to be the best time to ride the most rides possible.

 

[wisblue]

In theory, FP+ return times starting right at park opening could lead to standby lines at headliner attractions building up more quickly. But, the counter to that is that people holding FP+ reservations for major attractions may choose to arrive later, thereby reducing the crush right at park opening. It remains to be seen how that all balances out.

But, I think that getting to the park at opening will continue to be the best way to enjoy the most attractions with the least waiting. There are always going to be a lot of guests who cannot or will not get to the park early, no matter how much every guide book or website says that it is the best way to enjoy WDW.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Using an FP+ time at opening would be a DUMB strategy.

 

[ftballfan7]

I believe the affect of fp+ could go either way.

On the one hand many there are the people who know just enough about touring WDW to understand that if they want to ride the most popular rides with minimal wait they have to get up ealry and go to rope drop (where ironically they wait in line to get into the park and then take part in the running of the bulls). Many of these people who will now schedule those rides in advance, or at least one of those rides depending on how the fp+ rules finally play out, may sleep in and skip rope drop.

On the other hand, there are those who have been more informed and through some planning, but mostly a solid understading of the system, were able to maximize their ability to ride these popular attractions, often multiple times, getting alot more out of the fp system than what it appears they will be able to under the new system. It is likely that many of these people will see rope drop as even more critical now in order to make up for the loss of value from the newly revamped fp system. Granted many of these people already hit rope drop.

So I guess what I am trying to say in a long, rambling and not so coherent manner (in my defense I haven't finished my first cup of coffee yet) is I have no idea how much or in what way fp+ will end up affecting rope drop.

 

[pouncingpluto]

Using an FP+ time at opening would be a DUMB strategy.

Maybe if you're going to be at the park all day. But, for example, if you are going to AK, which is only open 9-5, and you have an ADR, are going to take your young child to the hotel for nap time afterward, and are going to just make it back in time to see the 3:45 parade, then there's not really much choice other than to take the 9 a.m. timeslot for one of your FP+. Or maybe you're only spending the morning at a park and want to see the headliners -- since the FP+ can't overlap with each other, that means you basically need the 9, 10, and 11 a.m. time slots. Then lunch and nap.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Using an FP+ time at opening would be a DUMB strategy.

Eh depends on the family. I have a bunch booked for our upcoming trip from 9-10. I'll probably get there more around 9:30 and it frees us up from having to get there before RD, giving us an extra hour to sleep .

 

[wisblue]

Using an FP+ time at opening would be a DUMB strategy.

It could also be perfect for people on their departure day if they want to get a few more rides in before heading to the airport. Get to a park at opening, go directly to one headliner, and then use a FP+ for 9-10, arriving before 10. Then repeat the same for the 10-11 and 11-12 slots and leave the park at or around noon.

 

[AuroraRora]

We have a few days of this trip where we've booked FP+ for the morning, because we want to get all the headliners done by noonish so that we can get out of there, go for lunch or back to the pool, and won't be back in the parks until just before the fireworks with no time for rides.

 

[wisblue]

there are the people who know just enough about touring WDW to understand that if they want to ride the most popular rides with minimal wait they have to get up ealry and go to rope drop (where ironically they wait in line to get into the park and then take part in the running of the bulls).

This is one of the common refrains from people who don't like to get to the parks early because you have to wait to get into the park.

But, if you are willing to wait 15-30 minutes for the gates to open, you will save a lot more than that as the day goes on.

Using DHS as the classic example. If you can be near the entry gates when they open up (now usually 15-30 minutes before official opening, you can head right to TSMM and get on and off the ride before 9 AM (and possibly get a FP for a reasonable return). Then you can go to TOT and RNRC and ride both of those before the lines get too long, and usually be done with both of them well before 10 AM. People who arrive at 9AM because they don't want to wait at the gates will be lucky to do one of those attractions by 10 AM.

With the major attractions accomplished, the early bird can move on to the second level attractions while the masses are still waiting for the big 3.

Also, the "running of the bulls" is really overblown. At DHS it has been pretty much eliminated by removing the ropes at the end of Hollywood Boulevard. At MK, once you get through the railroad arches, the crowd thins and spreads pretty quickly.

Sure, there are still some idiots who insist on running, but the handful of people who pass you aren't going to have a significant effect on your wait time for the first attraction and none at all on the rest of the day. We just watch them and laugh.

 

[princesshaley]

We just returned from out trip Oct 14th-24th. It was way more crowded then we have ever experienced in Oct. We found that IN, TN, OH was on fall break. We homeschool and didn't realize that so many were on fall break. I think for us Oct is out for now on. We have an AP and do not stay on property. We used the old FP system. At rope drop some rides like Soaring, TT, TSM were already at 8pm for FP or aleady gone. I think more people were using the FP+ and double dipping. Hopefully our next trip at the end of Feb/Mar will be better. (less crowds) We will be staying on Disney property and I will see if I can convert our AP to a magicband. ALSO we are looking at getting rid of our old flip phones and get something new to where we can do FP+ on the phone. This trip was OK but a lot different then our others. We even waited 130 min for TT, when the sign said 60 min. We have usually plann our day around our FP when we get the park, but we could not do that this time. I will try a different plan for our next one. We left feeling a little behind the times since we were not on Disney property or have the new technology. So better luck next Time!

 

[Eastern]

Using an FP+ time at opening would be a DUMB strategy.

It may be the only strategy if you book your times closer to your travel date and that is all that is left.

 

[Eastern]

We have an AP and do not stay on property. We used the old FP system. At rope drop some rides like Soaring, TT, TSM were already at 8pm for FP or aleady gone.

I know the FPs were gone or much later, but how were the standby lines on all of these rides at rope drop? Were they all really long waits?

 

[mom2rtk]

I have the feeling FP+ could make rope drop lines a little slower. But I still believe in human nature. And I still believe that a lot of people will decide at the last minute that they are on vacation and deserve their sleep, regardless of whether they have a 9 AM FP spot.

I also believe those who would be in a position of having a FP+ at rope drop are also the sort to not leave enough travel time to actually arrive at the park at rope drop.

Additionally, I think those who do end up taking the 9 AM slots will have the intention of not entering the line until 9:55.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I have the feeling FP+ could make rope drop lines a little slower. But I still believe in human nature. And I still believe that a lot of people will decide at the last minute that they are on vacation and deserve their sleep, regardless of whether they have a 9 AM FP spot.

I also believe those who would be in a position of having a FP+ at rope drop are also the sort to not leave enough travel time to actually arrive at the park at rope drop.

Additionally, I think those who do end up taking the 9 AM slots will have the intention of not entering the line until 9:55.

Not 9:55...9:30

 

[princesshaley]

We went straight to TSM at rope drop one morning and the wait was about 25 min. We did not get in the FP line because a couple of days before the FP's were gone after I waited in line and the standby line was at 60 min. When we did this in the spring I got a FP first thing for return time at 11:30 am, then stood in standby line for about 15 min. That way we got to ride twice and still have FP's to use for other rides. Hope this helps!

 

[Eastern]

I have the feeling FP+ could make rope drop lines a little slower. But I still believe in human nature. And I still believe that a lot of people will decide at the last minute that they are on vacation and deserve their sleep, regardless of whether they have a 9 AM FP spot.

I also believe those who would be in a position of having a FP+ at rope drop are also the sort to not leave enough travel time to actually arrive at the park at rope drop.

Additionally, I think those who do end up taking the 9 AM slots will have the intention of not entering the line until 9:55.

Good points. I travel with 4 family members and they always want to sleep just a little bit later, but I'm like, "no. get up now."

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

It could also be perfect for people on their departure day if they want to get a few more rides in before heading to the airport. Get to a park at opening, go directly to one headliner, and then use a FP+ for 9-10, arriving before 10. Then repeat the same for the 10-11 and 11-12 slots and leave the park at or around noon.

exactly what we're doing our last day of our upcoming November trip. Using FP+ for DHS starting around 9:15 am. We're hoping to hit the road by noon but can leave later as long as DH isn't traumatized (he's the one that has to work the next day)

So going to ride TSM standby a couple of times. Star Tours at 9:15 - 10:15 (just DD and DH) then either TSM or GMR (can't remember which one is next). Do a bit of this /that and then hit the road.

For the rest of our trip we scheduled FP+ for later in the day (starting around 3 /4 pm).

I agree with the poster that said it might lighten crowds (folks who want to sleep in and normally feel like they 'have' to get to RD might not be there) but might make longer lines earlier on.....

 

[jade1]

It could also be perfect for people on their departure day if they want to get a few more rides in before heading to the airport. Get to a park at opening, go directly to one headliner, and then use a FP+ for 9-10, arriving before 10. Then repeat the same for the 10-11 and 11-12 slots and leave the park at or around noon.

And arrival day-grab 3 for that afternoon or eve-used to be impossible to get anything good that day. No longer a wasted day in that regard.

We depart in the eve, so we will grab afternoon FP+ for departure day, then take our time checking out.

For us FP+ will add 2 days of of headliners we used to miss out on completely, not to mention every day we fished, golfed, IOA or slept in.

 

[preschoolmom]

Definitely. We just got back from a week. We are rope droppers - but with the FP+, we found rope drop at HS and EPCOT to be just another irritation. It used to be that the early bird caught the extra rides on TSM and Test Track/Soarin. This week, even with lower crowds, Those fast passes were GONE so early in the day - it wasn't even worth it. Two tries at RD for TSM = both times, the fast passes were to 4:00 by the time we got to the front of the line (at or before 9am!).

So, since the purpose of FP+ seems to be that everyone gets one ride on the popular attractions, why get up early and rush through the crowd? We could sleep in, catch a great breakfast, and show up to use our FP+...