Splash Mountain & Big Thunder Mountain at Rope Drop - Fastest Route?

[FirstTripEver]

We'll be visiting next month. We want to do Splash Mountain & Big Thunder Mountain right after rope drop.

We haven't visited since the renovations to the "hub" area.

Is it faster to go left & past the Crystal Palace & past Swiss Family Treehouse/ Jungle Cruise and around?
Or faster to go across the bridge & into Liberty square (past the Hall of Presidents) and around?

Ideally, we'd like to ride both Splash Mt and Big Thunder Mt a few times right after rope drop before the lines get long. Any advice on which one we should start with or does it matter?

THANKS!

 

[supersnoop]

Yes, go past Crystal Palace and then cut through the Frontierland bathrooms. I think the BTMR line builds faster because people don't want to get wet that early. We can usually get two SM and one BTMR in before lines start building.

 

[nilla]

We've typically gone through Adventureland. I don't think there's a big difference between either strategy, since you will be walking behind a line of CMs anyway.

 

[ddavev3]

I think going left through Adventureland is a little faster, but not by much.

 

[Robo]

Going back to the original idea...
You should have virtually no problem riding BTM or Splash at Rope Drop... likely multiple times.
No need to "hurry" there.

The bulk of guests don't build in that area until an hour or more after the park opens.

 

[kj2mom]

Not sure of the ideal route but I wanted to share that on the 4th of July we entered at RD, rode Peter Pan, IASW and Haunted Mansion before heading over to BTMR. It was still a walk on and we could have walked on a number of times (we decided to move along because at the time we were trying to experience as many different experiences as we could before it got crowded).

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Going back to the original idea...
You should have virtually no problem riding BTM or Splash at Rope Drop... likely multiple times.
No need to "hurry" there.

The bulk of guests don't build in that area until an hour or more after the park opens.

Ditto. In December, we rode BTMRR 4 times and Splash twice in the first 90 minutes, and Splash is a long ride that takes awhile.

To answer your question, OP, I'd just go through the Hub and cut through Liberty Square. Everyone will be running for Fantasyland and you'll be surprised at how little "traffic" you encounter. We've been the only people in sight in Liberty Square in the mornings before.

 

[FirstTripEver]

AWESOME! Thanks, everyone!

 

[gap2368]

yep I was just there a little over a week ago I went over that area about an hour after the park opened and I got on BTMR in 10 minutes I think most go to see the Frozzen princes or to 7DMT

 

[Marthasor]

Actually, we've found taking the train to be the fastest way to get there. It drops you off right between BTMRR and Splash. We've done this and ridden both rides multiple times at RD.

 

[Robo]

Actually, we've found taking the train to be the fastest way to get there. It drops you off right between BTMRR and Splash. We've done this and ridden both rides multiple times at RD.

Yup. Depending on how soon a "real" train comes in to the Main Street Station following the rope drop show.

The steam trains will be closed for refurb Oct 12, 2015 to Nov 20, 2015.

 

[FirstTripEver]

Actually, we've found taking the train to be the fastest way to get there. It drops you off right between BTMRR and Splash. We've done this and ridden both rides multiple times at RD.

I didn't even think of the train! Does a train usually arrive pretty quickly after the "rope drop" show? It might make sense to save our feet and take the train!

 

[FirstTripEver]

Yup. Depending on how soon a "real" train comes in to the Main Street Station following the rope drop show.

The steam trains will be closed for refurb Oct 12, 2015 to Nov 20, 2015.

Robo, your map is pure AWESOMENESS! Thank you!

 

[Robo]

I didn't even think of the train! Does a train usually arrive pretty quickly after the "rope drop" show? It might make sense to save our feet and take the train!

It'll be there soon enough (maybe 10 minutes, give or take.)