The Biggest Disappointment this trip...

[asmit4]

That will never happen.

While this is probably true- we are already very close to this. People are reporting reserving 8 FPs in 1 day. Ride a ride, get another FP, ride a ride, book another FP.

It's only a matter of time before 3/4 of your day is 'booked timing'.

 

[Sandy Fisher]

Our trip overlapped yours and we noticed the same thing. DH and I were both surprised when we arrived 20 minutes or more before entry and it was jammed full from the RR station underpass to the "gates". We've always done rope drop and never experienced that kind of early crowd. They weren't even letting people through because there was nowhere to go anyway. Add the slowness of the lines (those wonderful RFID gadgets!) and it just became very annoying. This was expected to be our last trip to Disney and after our experience, it likely will be.
We have a routine we do at MK and we managed to ride/do what we wanted, but the crowd was well above the posted numbers on the crowd prediction calendars. Also busier by far than we'd experienced in many other visits in early May.
Our buses (CBR) were often full with people standing when they got to our stop. Never in 20+ years did we stand on the way to the parks. Also saw evidence of longer lines more quickly at Epcot than we'd ever experienced. We avoided the EMH parks even though we were staying on property. Our experience has been that we didn't get to do what we normally would do. It was a tiring trip and I'm glad we went, but I'm sure DH won't suggest we go again. We were not impressed by the RFID system.
NO, we didn't use fastpass+. Really didn't use the legacy fastpass. But from many years experience, it was more crowded and lines built more quickly for things we never stood in line for.
Disney is succeeding.

 

[ArwenMarie]

That will never happen.

True never 100%. But moving towards in that direction...definitely.

While this is probably true- we are already very close to this. People are reporting reserving 8 FPs in 1 day. Ride a ride, get another FP, ride a ride, book another FP.

It's only a matter of time before 3/4 of your day is 'booked timing'.

Exactly...the more FPs everyone gets with the new rolling 4th, the more and more this will happen.

 

[JimmyV]

It is actually fairly easy to explain at the MK because FP+ was designed to do exactly what the OP is observing.

• More people are using FPs.
• FPs are usable from the moment the park opens instead of about an hour after park operation.
• People who have FPs for popular attractions later in the day are spreading out in the early hours to ride secondary attractions that they might otherwise have gone to later in the day.

Add all these things up and what you have are more people at Haunted Mansion (just as one example) at 9:10 then you had in the past. Many of those people have FPs for Space Mountain (or, what have you) later in the day and no longer see the need to run to their favorite "E" Ticket ride at RD like they used to. And several of those people have FPs for HM and get priority boarding thus causing the person who arrives in the SB line at 9:15 to wait longer than they had to in the past. Before FP+, you might have had 80% of all RD'ers heading to the same 5 attractions leaving the rest of the park as a walk-on. Now, people are spreading all over the park. A&E and 7DMT might re-configure the crowd. But until the Mine Train opens, you will see a much more spread out crowd.

All that said, the lines in the first 90 minutes of park operation will still be the lowest of the day. Instead of walk-ons, you might have 5-7 minute waits. Tough to complain.

 

[cavepig]

I was there the exact same dates but found rope drop to be great getting on rides as any other trip in I've done at anytime of the year.

Sunday May 4 was very crowded in MK, Everest Race was the night before and it seemed lots of racers were at MK Sunday along with locals.

Otherwise our other MK mornings we got a lot done using our 3 FPs and booking additional after they were used. Our last morning May 6 at MK we had our FPs for Studios that night, and still did lots in the morning at MK with minimal waits, I think we waited a max of 20 for anything the whole trip.

Sorry it didn't go as well for you.

 

[BusterCat]

We were at WDW last week and did notice a different dynamic with rope drop at magic kingdom. In the past we've been able stroll in roughly 20-15 minutes before opening, watch the preshow, and then hit the rides. This trip there were so many folks waiting to get in we couldn't get through the scanners at 8:40am. Never seen such a busy rope drop. I'm assuming the crowds were due to Frozen mania.

Of two MK rope days we had one highly successful day (also a EMH day) and a not so good day -- when we showed up latish (840ish).

With Frozen and the soon to be mine roller coaster I would suggest showing up early.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

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.

I can see them getting up earlier because now the "incentive" is to book your 3 FP first thing in the day so you can get more FP later in the day. And it only makes sense that the earlier you hit FP 4 bonus period the better options you are going to have. Disney is moving the crowds "up" in the day

Now it may be that they need to go to "if you want to see Anna and Elsa STAY in line" Years ago for special events it was that way. Everyone got in line and stayed there. (And honestly that would probably cut down on the 5 hour waits. People wouldn't all jump in that line if they knew that ALL of them had to stay there for at least MOST of the time!)

 

[LSUfan4444]

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

Easily the best post in this thread.

 

[HeidiAnna]

We were there last week. Magic Kingdom was totally mobbed. It was a seriously unpleasant experience. The 3 fast passes worked great, but after that it was longer lines than I've ever experienced and the crowds were awful. With the Downtown Disney construction fiasco, I doubt we will make a trip back for 3-5 years.

 

[Daddy Mack]

I had a different experience on May 5th. In the first hour and ten minutes after RD, we rode BTMR (twice), Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion, and IASW. I think that is as good as can be expected.

It was not crowded at the end of that day, either. We walked onto Under the Sea at 9:40 and met Ariel without waiting at all at Ariel's Grotto at 9:55. After the fireworks, we walked onto Barnstormer, played in Dumbo's playground for 10 minutes, and walked onto Space Mountain twice before closing.

 

[Disneylover99]

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?

You're right, the people standing in the A & E line shouldn't impact the standby lines.

But I'm guessing that when families enter MK together at rope drop, moms and daughters might head for A & E, while fathers and sons might hit other rides and plan to meet up with their families later.

 

[Princess_Nikki]

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.

WOW!!!

We plan to hit MK early, but not rope drop early. We have Fast Passes for the exact rides we want to ride, then plan to head back to our resort! Since we are Florida Resident passholders, we always go with the expectation that when the parks are too crowded, we go find fun somewhere else. Then try again later if we feel up to it.

I don't know if I could handle WDW these days with a regular Season single day ticket.

 

[dramadrew]

I did Mk from open to close and did 85% attractions and met some characters too. Each morning I was at opening I found I got a lot done the first couple of hours.

 

[daisyx3]

Bummer! We haven't been since 2012, but we usually get almost all of Fantasyland done in the first hour--Dumbo, then Peter Pan and Pooh, then philharmagic and small world. We have a FP for the mine train our second day of the trip. I hope it still works next month! We don't care about characters.
Daisyx3

 

[JimmyV]

Bummer! We haven't been since 2012, but we usually get almost all of Fantasyland done in the first hour--Dumbo, then Peter Pan and Pooh, then philharmagic and small world. We have a FP for the mine train our second day of the trip. I hope it still works next month! We don't care about characters.
Daisyx3

You will still be able to do what you used to do. A&E and the Mine Train will be people magnets leaving most of FL free for you. But you should alter your order and do PP first. Dumbo is no longer the "must run to" attraction it once was. Waits at the new Dumbo are very different than at Dumbo1.0.

 

[kkayluvsdis]

Our trip overlapped yours and we noticed the same thing. DH and I were both surprised when we arrived 20 minutes or more before entry and it was jammed full from the RR station underpass to the "gates". We've always done rope drop and never experienced that kind of early crowd. They weren't even letting people through because there was nowhere to go anyway. :

Exactly!!

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

While this strategy seemed to work at AK, HS, and EPCOT it did NOT hold true for MK.
-Kelly

Sure A&E has something to do with it(along with FP+)...but the horrendous congestion at the MK could be GREATLY reduced if they would make their other three parks more enticing to the average guest. Epcot used to get 14 million guests a year...now it struggles to get 11 million. Spreading the guests out around their 48 square miles of property should be a no-brainer.

Instead, everyone is crammed into the MK while the other three parks are half-empty. Bring more Headliner attractions to the three non-MK parks, Disney!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Sure A&E has something to do with it(along with FP+)...but the horrendous congestion at the MK could be GREATLY reduced if they would make their other three parks more enticing to the average guest. Epcot used to get 14 million guests a year...now it struggles to get 11 million. Spreading the guests out around their 48 square miles of property should be a no-brainer.

Instead, everyone is crammed into the MK while the other three parks are half-empty. Bring more Headliner attractions to the three non-MK parks, Disney!

And who was the brainchild that thought putting A&E right next door to the newest e-ride was a good idea?

They totally should have either kept A&E in Epcot (maybe used one of the large empty pavilions?) or moved them to HS.

 

[katt789]

I definitely think the crowds had picked up that time of year, and while the fp+ does have some negative effect on getting to rides right at rope drop, I've still found the lines to be fairly short.

We would usually head for Pooh, PPF, or even Rapunzel right at rope drop, and go to Frontierland right after that, and it still worked out wonderfully.

Sorry you had a disappointment in the rope dropping!

 

[Meech Loves Mickey]

We were there last week too. Hit MK rope drop on 5/3, it was pouring down rain so it was not too terribly crowded. We were able to do everything in FL with the exception of Peter Pan. We rode Dumbo & Barnstormer multiple times.

We had lunch at Pinnochio's and by that time the rain had stopped & the sun was coming out. It was literally like the park exploded with people. We had timed our FP+ perfectly & were able to ride Splash & BTM. We had a FP+ for HM, but the ride was down & we were not able to use.

The rest of the week we had other plans during the day, but would go to MK in the late afternoon, evenings & it was always packed. Lines to get in at 6pm were unbelievable. I was amazed at how crowded it was.

We went back to MK for rope drop on 5/10, arriving at 8:30 for a 9 am opening & the entire area beyond the turnstiles was full. Ppl we're trying to come in behind us but the was no were for anyone to go. We alway arrive at rope drop and are normally one of the first ppl there,but this was ridiculous, I have never seen anything like it.

Touring Plans predicted last week to be a low crowd week, but they couldn't have been more wrong.

And it wasn't just the MK, the other parks were just as bad.