Rope drop for FOP is a mob be warned

[turtlechick6]

I did all my research on here about FOP and rope drop. We were the second family to arrive at Animal Kingdom this morning. We were there at like 7am on the dot. They were not even taking parking fees yet we got there so early. So we lined up first. Yet the way Disney handles that rope drop somehow had hundreds of people madly pushing past us and jumping over us and knocking into my 66 year old mother to get to the front.

People that DID NOT get there nearly as early as us. So why get there early if any yahoo can mob you and run and jump over benches and push and smack their way to the front?!

I thought it was a mannerly walk by cast members to the line. Not a mad mob dash. If I had known I would have never taken my senior mother and my autistic son into that mob. I am really upset with Disney right now. Its a liability nightmare waiting to happen. A child or elderly person could easily be tramped in that mess.

People were running, pushing, smacking, jumping etc to get to the front and cast members did nothing.

We were not walking slow we were second in line and walking super fast and still had hundreds push past us. We still got on by 9 but I was not okay with how that went down at all. I don't go to concerts and festivals and stuff like that for a reason. I don't want to be smushed into mad mobs. That is not what I went to Disney for.

Disney needs a more organized way to handle that. Start an actual queue with a small line from the opening to the ride so there is not pushing ahead. Hand out numbers to people in line and go by that. Something besides the mad mob that it turned out to be. My mom was very upset.

So I just want others to know-rope drop for FOP works as far as getting there quick-but BE WARNED- you will be pushed, smacked, crowded and mobbed. People were running along the side jumping benches and stuff to run ahead of people and then pushing back into the crowd up ahead. I had people just pushing me and pushing me.

Its not okay. I am really disappointed in Disney for how they handled this. Its dangerous.

 

[iujen94]

That is really disappointing and honestly surprising. I've done FOP rope drop twice (both were EMH mornings, so maybe the crowds were a little lower?) and it was a relatively easy experience. The CMs walked in a line at the front of the "herd" so no one could pass by, and we experienced a pretty orderly crowd. You are definitely herded like cattle so we were packed in tight, but I think that actually helped with keeping the crowd under control - there wasn't anywhere to go! Sorry again that you had such a bad experience!

 

[hllb]

I'm sorry. That is totally the behavior I would expect. Obviously that doesn't make it right! You're absolutely right that it's dangerous. But people are animals and only care about themselves.

 

[turtlechick6]

That is really disappointing and honestly surprising. I've done FOP rope drop twice (both were EMH mornings, so maybe the crowds were a little lower?) and it was a relatively easy experience. The CMs walked in a line at the front of the "herd" so no one could pass by, and we experienced a pretty orderly crowd. You are definitely herded like cattle so we were packed in tight, but I think that actually helped with keeping the crowd under control - there wasn't anywhere to go! Sorry again that you had such a bad experience!

They did the herd thing but it was a free for all. No one passed the CMs up front but anywhere behind her was every man for himself. Like I said second family to arrive at AK and yet somehow 200 people seemed to somehow push past us with us walking as fast as we could.

 

[Wish Upon A Starbucks]

I’m not surprised at all. A few years ago we had this same experience at 7DMT and also at TSM. One girl lost a flip flop. It was ugly. Lots of people are just rude and inconsiderate.

 

[disneyvoice]

Holy cow!! That's sounds awful. Were there lots of big tour groups there or something that day? We do rope drop all the time and luckily we have never experienced anything like that. I agree with the PP that our experience is that everyone is kind of scrunched together so it makes it difficult for people to run. We also always experience people who manage their way to the front of the crowd, but I haven't ever actually been pushed or shoved before. We never worry about people "passing" us at rope drop, even if a bunch of people end up in front of you in line at rope you are STILL ending up better off than NOT doing rope drop. I'm glad no one in your group was hurt!

 

[b2k1121]

They did the herd thing but it was a free for all. No one passed the CMs up front but anywhere behind her was every man for himself. Like I said second family to arrive at AK and yet somehow 200 people seemed to somehow push past us with us walking as fast as we could.

The blame should be on the people that feel the need to act like that, not the CMs. They can only do so much. 1 or 2 CMs will not be able to direct 200 people to the back of the line when that free for all starts. If people just had some consideration for others, realized they will got on the ride too and don't need to be first, it would go pretty smoothly.

 

[BrianL]

My experience with this wasn't quite so bad. There were CM's every few feet repeating "Don't run" and keeping things in check. Sure, the front of the pack was keeping a brisk pace, and there were some areas where it split and some people got a little ahead (like cutting the path in front of the stores), but it was all civil. Disney really does need to keep an eye out for any bad behavior, including running and pushing. If they were to delay someone causing an infraction for 5 minutes or so, people wouldn't be so apt to do it.

 

[turtlechick6]

Holy cow!! That's sounds awful. Were there lots of big tour groups there or something that day? We do rope drop all the time and luckily we have never experienced anything like that. I agree with the PP that our experience is that everyone is kind of scrunched together so it makes it difficult for people to run. We also always experience people who manage their way to the front of the crowd, but I haven't ever actually been pushed or shoved before. We never worry about people "passing" us at rope drop, even if a bunch of people end up in front of you in line at rope you are STILL ending up better off than NOT doing rope drop. I'm glad no one in your group was hurt!

It was just a lot of I would say Millenial aged people that were without kids or older family members so they were fairly spry and were doing the running along the sides and then pushing in ahead of the people that were there first.

Then my husband had a man pushing a child in a wheelchair that kept trying to get between him and us and cutting our family off from each other. My husband was trying not to get cut off without being aggressive back toward a child in a wheelchair. He was using it like a battering ram almost. Then a middle aged woman tried to cut around me on the side and I kept telling her to not do that and she kept trying to squeeze past anyway.

Then my mom whom was not even trying to get to the ride just trying to move with the crowd to catch up with us later- had a guy smack her in the face with his backpack and shove into her and she got elbowed.

 

[turtlechick6]

The blame should be on the people that feel the need to act like that, not the CMs. They can only do so much. 1 or 2 CMs will not be able to direct 200 people to the back of the line when that free for all starts. If people just had some consideration for others, realized they will got on the ride too and don't need to be first, it would go pretty smoothly.

I still see it as Disney's responsibility. They know people do this so its up to Disney to find a way to manage it safely so no one gets hurt. All it would take is one elderly person or child to slip on that slick pavement (It was foggy and misty today so the pavement was wet and slick) and get hurt for a huge law suit to go down.

There has to be a better way to manage getting people onto that ride without people being put into a dangerous mob.

 

[Wubar]

Sorry this happened to you. Just because it is Rope Drop is no excuse for people to turn into idiots with mob mentality, let alone put their hands on you and shove you around. I'll be taking my family to a couple RD in January, and god help me if anyone runs over my son just so they can get on the ride 5 minutes earlier.

 

[AngiTN]

Unfortunately this is the same behavior that's been going on for years, first at HS for TSMM, then at MK for 7DMT. I'm sorry you got caught up in it. Disney has never stopped it so I don't see them stopping it now. We have always opted to stay out of it

 

[Dean1953]

Either handing out numbers for FOB (you don't need them for any other ride at Disneyworld except for 7 Dwarfs) would be the easiest solution. I'll be RD for December 17 at Animal Kingdom by myself and I can guarantee that I have rather long legs for tripping inconsiderate runners.

 

[turtlechick6]

Unfortunately this is the same behavior that's been going on for years, first at HS for TSMM, then at MK for 7DMT. I'm sorry you got caught up in it. Disney has never stopped it so I don't see them stopping it now. We have always opted to stay out of it

I guess I was just caught unawares. I had no idea it was going to be that aggressive. I expected the large amount of people. I did not expect pushing, cutting, running, leaping benches to cut around people etc.

I feel bad I put my family into that situation. The ride was good and glad we got on quick but its not worth someone getting hurt.

 

[smiths02]

I did all my research on here about FOP and rope drop. We were the second family to arrive at Animal Kingdom this morning. We were there at like 7am on the dot. They were not even taking parking fees yet we got there so early. So we lined up first. Yet the way Disney handles that rope drop somehow had hundreds of people madly pushing past us and jumping over us and knocking into my 66 year old mother to get to the front.

People that DID NOT get there nearly as early as us. So why get there early if any yahoo can mob you and run and jump over benches and push and smack their way to the front?!

I thought it was a mannerly walk by cast members to the line. Not a mad mob dash. If I had known I would have never taken my senior mother and my autistic son into that mob. I am really upset with Disney right now. Its a liability nightmare waiting to happen. A child or elderly person could easily be tramped in that mess.

People were running, pushing, smacking, jumping etc to get to the front and cast members did nothing.

We were not walking slow we were second in line and walking super fast and still had hundreds push past us. We still got on by 9 but I was not okay with how that went down at all. I don't go to concerts and festivals and stuff like that for a reason. I don't want to be smushed into mad mobs. That is not what I went to Disney for.

Disney needs a more organized way to handle that. Start an actual queue with a small line from the opening to the ride so there is not pushing ahead. Hand out numbers to people in line and go by that. Something besides the mad mob that it turned out to be. My mom was very upset.

So I just want others to know-rope drop for FOP works as far as getting there quick-but BE WARNED- you will be pushed, smacked, crowded and mobbed. People were running along the side jumping benches and stuff to run ahead of people and then pushing back into the crowd up ahead. I had people just pushing me and pushing me.

Its not okay. I am really disappointed in Disney for how they handled this. Its dangerous.

So you got there at 7 and didn't get on the ride until 9? So a 2 hour wait anyhow even after being in a mob situation.
We do rope drop, but we tend to head for attractions that will have a wait but that aren't "the" thing and honestly with our crowd (2 young children and another older child) will only do super popular attractions with a fast pass.

 

[AngiTN]

I guess I was just caught unawares. I had no idea it was going to be that aggressive. I expected the large amount of people. I did not expect pushing, cutting, running, leaping benches to cut around people etc.

I feel bad I put my family into that situation. The ride was good and glad we got on quick but its not worth someone getting hurt.

It is amazing that grown adults can behave in such a manner. Disney does do all they can but they can only do so much. People have to take responsibility for their own behavior after a point. At the point you were at, it was the people that were responsible for their actions, not Disney. The people who can't control themselves are who you should be angry with.

 

[turtlechick6]

So you got there at 7 and didn't get on the ride until 9? So a 2 hour wait anyhow even after being in a mob situation.
We do rope drop, but we tend to head for attractions that will have a wait but that aren't "the" thing and honestly with our crowd (2 young children and another older child) will only do super popular attractions with a fast pass.

Arrived at 7am. Did not have to pay to park as that was not even manned yet. Parked. Walked in. They had bag check going already. Went through that. Went and lined up at turnstiles to go in. Then they let everyone start going in and then held us at one point. Then walked us to another point while people started the cutting around, mobbing, running, pushing past etc. Then held at another place and then same thing again till we got to the actual kinda line forming and then went into the ride.

 

[turtlechick6]

So you got there at 7 and didn't get on the ride until 9? So a 2 hour wait anyhow even after being in a mob situation.
We do rope drop, but we tend to head for attractions that will have a wait but that aren't "the" thing and honestly with our crowd (2 young children and another older child) will only do super popular attractions with a fast pass.

we got on both Pandora rides by 9:15 and then was able to do Expedition Everest twice and the dinosaur land rides all by 12 and then we left as it was hot and I was over crowds at that point.

 

[Nebraska_Disney]

We saw the same thing in July when we went. After getting through the mob and being told the wait was 2+ hours at park opening, we went on our way to other attractions. Yes, we had a FP+ for later in the day, but we wanted to do it multiple times.

Maybe they should go to the model like the water parks and hand out "stand by" wristbands and number them? You would have to be wearing it upon return and make them so they could not be taken off and exchanged (sold?) in any way. If you get there that early, you should have a better spot in line than a 2 hr wait. At least they shut down the Tusker House line access. Back in July, there were two mobs converging from the two different directions. Not fun.

 

[turtlechick6]

We saw the same thing in July when we went. After getting through the mob and being told the wait was 2+ hours at park opening, we went on our way to other attractions. Yes, we had a FP+ for later in the day, but we wanted to do it multiple times.

Maybe they should go to the model like the water parks and hand out "stand by" wristbands and number them? You would have to be wearing it upon return and make them so they could not be taken off and exchanged (sold?) in any way. If you get there that early, you should have a better spot in line than a 2 hr wait. At least they shut down the Tusker House line access. Back in July, there were two mobs converging from the two different directions. Not fun.

A good way to handle it is go ahead and let the super early birds like us go ahead and walk to the ride and wait in an actual ride line. All they would have to do is staff a few CMs to just keep an eye on it. Then that prevents a mass mob.