Timing for rope drop?

[ThreeMountains]

I will be visiting Disneyland solo first on Sunday and California Adventure first on Monday (park hoppers both days). I would like to be lined up for rope drop to do some key rides at DL with hopefully shorter lines (Peter Pan, Space Mountain, Matterhorn is my rough idea so far). I also intend to buy Genie Plus both days, but I’m looking for some rough guidance. If the questions below don’t make sense for what I should be doing, please let me know your thoughts and how you would approach it.

- What time will they typically begin letting people through the gates to walk up to the ”ropes”?
- What time should I line up at the gates?
- Similar questions for CA.

Also, what‘s the deal with Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway? How does the queue work and all that? I’d like to do it, if possible, since it’s different than the WDW version, but it’s not a deal breaker if I can’t make it work.

Sorry for the basic questions. I’m at a work conference and haven’t been able to do much research lately to plan for these two days in the parks.

Thank you for any advice or insights!

 

[DontSpamMe]

If you are riding the rides by yourself, you may want to look into single rider lines. I've had great success with them.

 

[sophy1996]

For 8:00 opening, security opens @7:00 on DTD side and, when we were there, a bit later on Harbor side. Gates open sometime before 7:30. If you are not staying at a DLR hotel, you are held at ropes at the Hub at DL and at a couple of locations in DCA, mainly by Avengers Campus, until opening at 8. If you do not have the benefit of early entry, you’ll find lines in Tomorrowland and Fantasyland at DL.

The queue for MMRR is a normal stand-by unless you buy an ILL.

 

[Bookworm82]

We were at rope drop at DL 4/1 and 4/3 and DCA 4/2 and 4/4.

Security on harbor opened up right at 7am. We got to security usually 5-10 minutes before it opened and we were first or second family at our gate. Gates opened about 7:20 with separate ropes for EE and non EE guests. Except for 4/3 when we were running a bit behind we were at the front of the rope each morning. This mostly* worked great to get us walking on our preferred rides and short waits after that.

*The exceptions: RSR was a 90 minute wait even with being front of the rope on 4/2. We bailed and walked on Incredicoaster and midway mania several times instead.

On 4/4, half of our party successfully rope dropped guardians, but the other half made a detour walking on monsters before heading to Web slingers. In the meantime, RSR, Incredicoaster AND TSMM went down, making our posted 15 minute wait balloon to an hour.

 

[JerrodDragon89]

I try to get into mainstreet with at least ten mins before the park opens (normally 8 am)

Disneyland it seems like you want to start with Pan and work your way to Toontown.

for DCA, I would just avoid racers unless your using single rider its a waste of time rope dropping

 

[chezcurrie]

As others have outlined RD I thought I’d chime in re: your preferred rides. At DL I would head to Peter Pan at Rope Drop and then do single rider for Matterhorn and Space Mountain. Mickey Runaway does not have a VQ anymore - normal standby or ILL. The queue is different from WDW but the ride the same, FWIW.

For DCA I would head to Incredicoaster first thing (if its running) as you can often re-ride it several times in the morning (save your G+ for repeat ride late at night, and it also has a single rider line, but it tends to get long mid day.) Then head to the Single Rider line for Racers - it is typically short early in the day but again can get longer mid day.

Have a great visit!

 

[monkeypat83]

As others have outlined RD I thought I’d chime in re: your preferred rides. At DL I would head to Peter Pan at Rope Drop and then do single rider for Matterhorn and Space Mountain. Mickey Runaway does not have a VQ anymore - normal standby or ILL. The queue is different from WDW but the ride the same, FWIW.

For DCA I would head to Incredicoaster first thing (if its running) as you can often re-ride it several times in the morning (save your G+ for repeat ride late at night, and it also has a single rider line, but it tends to get long mid day.) Then head to the Single Rider line for Racers - it is typically short early in the day but again can get longer mid day.

Have a great visit!

When I was in Disneyland 2 weeks ago Space Mountain single rider didn't open until 10 AM so you may need to do that a little later in the day if that is still the case. Matterhorn single rider was open by 9 AM when I tried to use it so I don't know if it opened at park opening or at 9 AM and I just happened to be there right after it opened.

 

[WonkaKid]

FWIW, a friend often arrives at the DL Hotel at around 6:00. This allows her to be the first in line at the park gates (she has her choice of gates at that point). I’m among the first into the parking structure at around 7:00 (when the structure opens, usually) and even then, I don’t arrive at the park gates until 7:15 at the earliest. By that point, there will be at least 20-30 people already ahead of me. It feels a bit unfair because there’s little I can do to be first in line. They come from the two Disney hotels, which allows them gate access earlier than non-Disney hotel guests. If it matters to you, it might be worth arriving early on that DL Hotel side. I believe my friend then walks through Downtown Disney. Hope this helps.

 

[WonkaKid]

P.S. If I were you, I’d do PP first. As you know, the line for that always gets crazy early. Then I’d make for M&MRR. I rope-dropped that last Sunday. It was virtually a walk-on at that point. I think it loads a bit faster than PP does so even if the line is longer than PP, it might not be as long of a wait. If you’re lucky, PP will be down at 7:30 at least until 8:00. Then you can wait for it to open. Since the early access was added, that’s the only way we’ve been able to be first (other than one freak accident).

 

[alleighboo]

Where is the rope drop crowd held if we want to head to Guardians first? (I am determined to finally get Jackson 5 this trip!) Is it on the Guardians side of Avengers Campus or the Webslingers side? We had EE last time but staying on Harbor this trip. Thanks!!

 

[ThreeMountains]

As others have outlined RD I thought I’d chime in re: your preferred rides. At DL I would head to Peter Pan at Rope Drop and then do single rider for Matterhorn and Space Mountain. Mickey Runaway does not have a VQ anymore - normal standby or ILL. The queue is different from WDW but the ride the same, FWIW.

For DCA I would head to Incredicoaster first thing (if its running) as you can often re-ride it several times in the morning (save your G+ for repeat ride late at night, and it also has a single rider line, but it tends to get long mid day.) Then head to the Single Rider line for Racers - it is typically short early in the day but again can get longer mid day.

Have a great visit!

I thought I heard Mickey and Minnie had one or two different scenes on the ride itself? Perhaps I misheard and they were talking about differences in the queue.

Thanks to everyone so far for the input! Sounds like PP should be first on my list for DL, then Matterhorn and SM.

I’ll be using single rider lines, Genie Plus, and ILLs when available, so hopefully that will help a little with the Dapper Day crowds. Luckily, I’ve done most of the rides at both parks in the past, so I won’t be too disappointed if I can’t get on every ride while still trying to relax and enjoy the atmosphere a bit.