Rope drop vs mid day arrival

[Three cats]

We normally get to the parks for rope drop and only last until early afternoon. We find we are able to get a lot done in the morning.

For our next trip (last week of October) we are planning on going into HS and AK around 2pm to stay for the nighttime activities.

My question is this....how crowded are the parks that late in the day? Will we be at a huge disadvantage arriving that late? I'm kind of thinking that our 3 Fastpasses is all we will really be able to count on ride wise.

Anyone have any insight?

 

[ChloesDaddy]

I don't think you'll have much trouble at those two parks. There aren't that many rides at either, you can get preselected FP for 3, and one ride at each park has a single rider option if needed.

 

[Disneylover99]

It can be a much more relaxing day, arriving mid afternoon because at rope drop, you're rushing around trying to get as much done as possible. So while you may not do as much ride wise, it's always nice to slow down a bit and check out shops that you wiz by.

 

[Moms]

I agree with ChloesDaddy ... with judicious use of FP+ you will have a fine time. That is also a time of year when the crowd levels are more civilized in general.

 

[maxiesmom]

You won't be able to get on as many rides, no doubt. Park opening is still the best for that. Arriving late you will get your 3 FP rides, and then maybe a few others, but wait times will be longer. Could you go early, retreat for a nap, and then go back for fireworks?

 

[anniemae]

We like to do it this way and get lots done. We are just not rope drop people. We have done RD, but it feels like so much pressure and racing. Its nicer to go later, rather than running back and forth to the hotel for a break, which we would have to do if we did rd since we would never make it the whole day. We never find the mid day break very relaxing, too much travel time, and it seems housekeeping is always in the room whenever we do decide to do a mid day break.

Its nice to sleep in a bit, have a nice breakfast and linger over coffee, maybe go for a swim then head out later.

 

[LSUfan4444]

My question is this....how crowded are the parks that late in the day? Will we be at a huge disadvantage arriving that late? I'm kind of thinking that our 3 Fastpasses is all we will really be able to count on ride wise.

Anyone have any insight?

Nobody will be able to say until the night time activities start. How busy they are (and have been) doesn't really mean much when considering how busy they will be.

For me, our strategy is to still hit AK (or some other park) for rope drop, head to the resort, lunch at Sanaa then back to AK in the evening where our FPs will be waiting for us and to close out our night with the night time activities.

Events at Disney pull guests and increase crowds so you can reasonably assume it will be busy, how busy nobody knows.

 

[LSUfan4444]

It can be a much more relaxing day, arriving mid afternoon because at rope drop, you're rushing around trying to get as much done as possible. So while you may not do as much ride wise, it's always nice to slow down a bit and check out shops that you wiz by.

Regardless of when you arrive you can rush around or slow down a bit. The difference is if you arrive at rope drop when you arrive there are less people then when you arrive mid day. Rope drop doesn't (and doesn't have to) dictate how you tour...only when you tour and how many people are there when you do.

 

[Ensusieasm]

We normally get to the parks for rope drop and only last until early afternoon. We find we are able to get a lot done in the morning.

For our next trip (last week of October) we are planning on going into HS and AK around 2pm to stay for the nighttime activities.

My question is this....how crowded are the parks that late in the day? Will we be at a huge disadvantage arriving that late? I'm kind of thinking that our 3 Fastpasses is all we will really be able to count on ride wise.

Anyone have any insight?

For AK go at rope drop. The Pangani Forest trail to see the amazing Gorillas is AWSOME for that first hour, followed by Safari as your first fast pass. Leave at around 1pm when it gets hot and crowded. Enjoy your resort pool, take a nap, then go back for ROL.
HS would probably be a better choice to arrive in the afternoon.

 

[Disneylover99]

Regardless of when you arrive you can rush around or slow down a bit. The difference is if you arrive at rope drop when you arrive there are less people then when you arrive mid day. Rope drop doesn't (and doesn't have to) dictate how you tour...only when you tour and how many people are there when you do.

Generally, if you're there at rope drop, you're going to be rushing around for the first hour or two before crowds build. It starts as soon as you arrive. Find the quickest bag check line, get in the shortest MB scanning line, walk briskly to your first attraction. Sure there are some people who are not in a hurry to get anywhere. But if you've made the effort to be amongst the first into the park at opening, you probably haven't had a relaxing morning with your family getting there.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Arrival time does not dictate touring style. They are independent of each other. If you want to say that other people rushing around at rope drop may impact his day, okay. But just because others rush around at rope drop doesn't mean OP does. Arriving later does not ensure a more relaxing experience, it only means OP arrives later.

If a relaxing touring style is what you want, why couldn't it be just as easily achieved (if not more so) at rope drop when there are fewer people in the park? Again, jus because other people are rushing doesn't mean OP has to.

ESPECIALLY at Animal Kingdom, rope drop offers a very relaxing option while still getting alot done even without FP+.

If you start with the Safari, then move to Kali/Everest and hit the 10am Lion King then 11 am Finding Nemo you've had alot of down time and don't have to rush at all.

 

[Nancyg56]

I think that RD and mid afternoon are just different, not better or worse. WE will always schedule a later arrival at some parks during our trip so that we can kick back in the morning. We know that if we have FP booked we will at least get the three attractions that may have long lines in, and then we simply work our way around as we look towards the evening entertainment.

One of the ways we manage our expectations is to look at the parks as a total experience, and not just attractions that must be gotten out of the way. For us, this changes how we tour. I know that for us, if we want to enjoy the evening hours, we cannot be there for RD, nap or not, so we have to be reasonable in our expectations and simply enjoy what we get done.

 

[Disneylover99]

Arrival time does not dictate touring style.

It does for me. And I would argue that it probably does dictate touring style for others - or at least it should if they are interested in maximizing what they do at the parks.

If I go at rope drop, I'm going to be riding the most popular rides multiple times if I wish and using my fp's later. If I arrive mid afternoon, I'm probably going to use my fp's right away, and not line up to ride popular rides, but save them for later in the evening if possible.

 

[LSUfan4444]

It may for you, but it doesn't have to. You choose to rush at RD, but that's your choice not a result of RD. The same does not need to be said for the OP or anyone else.

 

[sdomino11]

Can you get a touring plans subscription? It costs $10-15. You could build two schedules on the same day- put all your desired attractions in, beginning at rope drop for schedule 1. Then put all those same attractions in beginning at 1 pm and evaluate the difference.

I did this exact thing to try to convince my family that rope drop would be far superior than arriving in the afternoon and closing the parks... BUT what I found was that the difference was minimal! We follow our TP schedule and don't arrive at parks until about 1 pm and we get a lot done!

 

[Disneylover99]

It may for you, but it doesn't have to. You choose to rush at RD, but that's your choice not a result of RD. The same does not need to be said for the OP or anyone else.

I think the point is, you'll get more done at rope drop if you move quickly towards an attraction rather then stop and smell the roses at a leisurely pace. I don't think the same is true for arriving mid day.

Since the op asked about being at a disadvantage for rides by arriving mid day, she's probably in the camp of riding popular rides first thing where being a few minutes behind others can mean the difference between riding your favourite ride a few times with little to no wait, and riding once with some wait. For most people, the key to rope drop is keeping ahead of the crowds.

 

[gap2368]

You may want to do rope drop then go back to your hotel for a break rest swim do what every then head back to the park and have your FP for when you get back

Just an idea

 

[Three cats]

"I know that for us, if we want to enjoy the evening hours, we cannot be there for RD, nap or not, so we have to be reasonable in our expectations and simply enjoy what we get done.

This is us too exactly. I could do it but my husband...not so much...lol

 

[Nancyg56]

This is us too exactly. I could do it but my husband...not so much...lol

Me too, but j think I'm the only one in our crew. We would have a mutiny!

 

[Three cats]

You won't be able to get on as many rides, no doubt. Park opening is still the best for that. Arriving late you will get your 3 FP rides, and then maybe a few others, but wait times will be longer. Could you go early, retreat for a nap, and then go back for fireworks?

That would definitely be ideal but unfortunately won't work for my husband. Me? I could be there open to close...lol

We like to do it this way and get lots done. We are just not rope drop people. We have done RD, but it feels like so much pressure and racing. Its nicer to go later, rather than running back and forth to the hotel for a break, which we would have to do if we did rd since we would never make it the whole day. We never find the mid day break very relaxing, too much travel time, and it seems housekeeping is always in the room whenever we do decide to do a mid day break.
Its nice to sleep in a bit, have a nice breakfast and linger over coffee, maybe go for a swim then head out later.

I've had the same experience with housekeeping in the afternoon! No matter what time we'd get back to the room they were there.

Can you get a touring plans subscription? It costs $10-15. You could build two schedules on the same day- put all your desired attractions in, beginning at rope drop for schedule 1. Then put all those same attractions in beginning at 1 pm and evaluate the difference.
I did this exact thing to try to convince my family that rope drop would be far superior than arriving in the afternoon and closing the parks... BUT what I found was that the difference was minimal! We follow our TP schedule and don't arrive at parks until about 1 pm and we get a lot done!

Yes! I am definitely going to do this. I've always been curious what they would come up with for us - even on the usual days we do rope drop.