The Biggest Disappointment this trip...

[kkayluvsdis]

had to be decreased benefit to rope drop at Magic Kingdom! We were in WDW from April 29-May 7, our first trip since the implementation of FP+. We have always been a family that is up early to utilize rope drop. When planning our trips it has always been a given to me that we would get a LOT done by being at the parks at opening. While this strategy seemed to work at AK, HS, and EPCOT it did NOT hold true for MK. Is this a direct result of FP+?? We have never traveled this time of year before. Could it just be increased crowds?? My husband was so frustrated with the congestion in MK that he's ready to take a break from WDW vacations

Anyone else noticing this trend?

-Kelly

 

[Praying Colonel]

had to be decreased benefit to rope drop at Magic Kingdom! We were in WDW from April 29-May 7, our first trip since the implementation of FP+. We have always been a family that is up early to utilize rope drop. When planning our trips it has always been a given to me that we would get a LOT done by being at the parks at opening. While this strategy seemed to work at AK, HS, and EPCOT it did NOT hold true for MK. Is this a direct result of FP+?? We have never traveled this time of year before. Could it just be increased crowds?? My husband was so frustrated with the congestion in MK that he's ready to take a break from WDW vacations

Anyone else noticing this trend?

-Kelly

We felt that way during our March trip. Under the legacy system FP return times weren't until 40-45 minutes after rope drop, so we could get about 4 MK attractions done in that first hour. With immediate FP returns, it seemed standby waits were building sooner, resulting in being able to do less in the hour or so after rope drop.

 

[JanaDee]

had to be decreased benefit to rope drop at Magic Kingdom! We were in WDW from April 29-May 7, our first trip since the implementation of FP+. We have always been a family that is up early to utilize rope drop. When planning our trips it has always been a given to me that we would get a LOT done by being at the parks at opening. While this strategy seemed to work at AK, HS, and EPCOT it did NOT hold true for MK. Is this a direct result of FP+?? We have never traveled this time of year before. Could it just be increased crowds?? My husband was so frustrated with the congestion in MK that he's ready to take a break from WDW vacations Anyone else noticing this trend? -Kelly

Now that FP "return" times start at opening, RD does not have the advantage it used to before FP+.

 

[DebbieB]

There were increased crowds during that time. Someone had posted that MK had a phase 2 close on May 4 or 5.

 

[margaret07013]

I kind of disagree - I was there May 4th to 10th - did MK on May 5th and morning EMH on May 8th - and it worked like magic both days. I think you just need to plan better --- for example for whatever reason Peter Pan ride is always mobbed so I would do Pooh, Mermaid, SW in the first hour and move to Frontier Land at 9am to do BMTR an Splash and than move to Pirates and JC.

We didnt do Peter Pan but from 8 to 9am we did LM, Pooh and SW x2, than at 9am BMTR x 3, Pirates, JC, Carpets by 11am with no or minimal wait times. after that we hit street parade at 11, show at 11:40am and lunch at CP at noon.

 

[LSUfan4444]

While RD is a great tool, the park it is implemented at and the attractions are ride first can be factors.

Hitting Animal Kingdom on a recommended day and doing Safari, Everest, Triceratops Spin all first will yield a different result than hitting MK first and doing Space, Buzz and People Mover first. Not saying that is what you did, but like previously mentioned crowd size can play a big role.

In any event, rope drop will still produce some of the shortest wait times of the day; that hasn't changed.

 

[devonsmommy]

I totally agree! We were in MK on 5/6, 5/7, and 5/9. I honestly think alot of it has to do with Anna and Elsa being there now for the meet and greet. That's where a majority went at rope drop. At 9:10, the wait was already 5 hours. So one person would stand in line while the rest of the group toured around...mostly in Fantasyland. I think it's bringing more people out for rope drop than before.

 

[luisov]

Crowds are much bigger this time of the year. Plus, many people want to take advantage of RD to visit A&E early in the morning. I don't think FP+ has a big impact on RD crowds, but maybe I'm just ignoring something important.

 

[Reddog1134]

I might not be thinking this all the way through, but I wouldn't think that FP+ wouldn't have that much affect on the rope drop advantage. Those people with FP+ reservations STILL have to get up early and go to the park.

I don't see FP+ MAKING people get up any earlier than they would have. Unless they could only get an early Anna and Else FP.

 

[photo_chick]

How much does the A&E meet and greet factor into rope drop? We know there are larger RD crowds and procedure has changed a bit during RD because of the stampede. How many of those people come in for A&E, see the line already built up then decide to go ride something else? Or how many run in at RD to get to a kiosk and get a FP for A&E before they're gone that day? And is it FP start times that are altering things or are just more people doing RD because of FP+ in general?

I think there are too many questions that cannot be answered to pinpoint one cause. More than likely it's a combination of factors anyway.

 

[Dis703]

Well we didn't do rope drop officially as there were EMH hours but we were at MK on May 1st close to it and feel we got a lot done. We focused on Fantasyland and nothing had long lines except maybe Peter Pan which even that was only 30 minutes as I recall. We had an A&E and PP FP we used during that time and did plenty of other rides.

We were there April 30 to May 8 and I was pleasantly surprised than other than the top attractions lines were much shorter than I expected all around. Everything I was reading here lead me to believe everything would have a terrible wait but that wasn't what we experienced at all.

 

[lugnut33]

Also, now that one can schedule more than 3 fastpasses after you have used the first 3 up I'm sure people are using them first thing in the morning. Why wait in line when you don't have to? Surely that would make the SB line build much quicker.

 

[cruisingmom1977]

I totally agree! We were in MK on 5/6, 5/7, and 5/9. I honestly think alot of it has to do with Anna and Elsa being there now for the meet and greet. That's where a majority went at rope drop. At 9:10, the wait was already 5 hours. So one person would stand in line while the rest of the group toured around...mostly in Fantasyland. I think it's bringing more people out for rope drop than before.

I thought your entire party now has to stand in line since the M&G moved to MK? If this is the case then all of the people standing in line for A&E wouldn't have any impact on the standy lines for the other rides...right?

 

[ttintagel]

Yeah, it seems like strategizing used to give you an actual advantage, whereas now it's like a baseline requirement for doing anything at all (even the stuff we used to consider backup/plan B).

 

[MaryKatesMom]

While RD is a great tool, the park it is implemented at and the attractions are ride first can be factors.

Hitting Animal Kingdom on a recommended day and doing Safari, Everest, Triceratops Spin all first will yield a different result than hitting MK first and doing Space, Buzz and People Mover first. Not saying that is what you did, but like previously mentioned crowd size can play a big role.

In any event, rope drop will still produce some of the shortest wait times of the day; that hasn't changed.

Yes RD will give you the shortest lines of the day but FP+ has made the SB lines get longer faster. We've always used a customized touring plan that gives you the best order in which to do what you want to minimize waits and we did less our last trip also.

Crowds are much bigger this time of the year. Plus, many people want to take advantage of RD to visit A&E early in the morning. I don't think FP+ has a big impact on RD crowds, but maybe I'm just ignoring something important.

We were there over Easter with a crowd level of 9 and we were at Maelstrom at opening and I would have never thought FP+ would make a difference there, because who would use it at 11 AM but I was wrong. It was the longest I've ever waited and right at opening the line FP+ line was a constant stream of people.

 

[luisov]

Yes RD will give you the shortest lines of the day but FP+ has made the SB lines get longer faster. We've always used a customized touring plan that gives you the best order in which to do what you want to minimize waits and we did less our last trip also.



We were there over Easter with a crowd level of 9 and we were at Maelstrom at opening and I would have never thought FP+ would make a difference there, because who would use it at 11 AM but I was wrong. It was the longest I've ever waited and right at opening the line FP+ line was a constant stream of people.

I think there are a couple of different factors involved. WDW's attendance has been growing over the last couple of years with more people going for RD to maximize their time, as well as FP+ making SB waiting time longer.

FP+ was designed to deal with the overwhelming crowds though, so I guess we'll have to wait a little longer to see actual results, with more recent reports being mostly positive.

 

[twinsouvenirs]

I am thrilled to finally understand what A&E stands for

 

[ArwenMarie]

Also, now that one can schedule more than 3 fastpasses after you have used the first 3 up I'm sure people are using them first thing in the morning. Why wait in line when you don't have to? Surely that would make the SB line build much quicker.

Yep. And the 4th FP will also cause longer standby lines in the afternoons and evenings by the same logic.

As it moves more and more to a 100% ride reservation system...

 

[PlutoMars]

As it moves more and more to a 100% ride reservation system...

That will never happen.

 

[asmit4]

I'm interested to see how bad SB lines are when we go in October. I think it's hard because the dates you are talking about (early May) had a phase 2 closure at MK. This to me means that the lines would be CRAZY no matter what. I head to MK on 'level 3/4/5' days and I feel that's too busy!
I cannot fathom doing an 8/9/10 day!