We have been doing WDW all wrong!!

[FLSarah]

MK at night is my favourite! (

Mine too!

I'm not a morning person at all and I have to get up really, really early in my day to day life, so I want to sleep in when I can. I kept reading about rope drop, so we decided to try it on our last trip. We are officially converted. We rode BTMRR 9 times in around an hour. We just kept getting off and going back through the line. Then we hit a couple other rides before it got too crowded. It was great.

 

[Networth]

Does anyone alternate RD days with late EMH's or other night outings(Jellyrolls, DTD)? I love evening EMH particular MK and Epcot but their is no way I could do those or a night at Jellyrolls and RD the next morning. The more and more I think about it the more I would like to try to RD at least MK once next trip.

 

[Bullseye]

We're rope droppers and park closers - but it helps that we are child free. We hit the parks first thing, head out when it reaches the mid afternoon madness and go relax a while, maybe nap, have a swim. We're then back in the parks until they make us leave works perfectly for us, and even better with FP+.

Both times of day are wonderful, I love the early morning thrill of rope drop & dashing of to ride our favourites, but we also love nighttime in the parks. There is something so magical about the twinkling lights, dwindling crowds plus the outdoor rides are generally better at night. Big Thunder Mountain is 100% better once the lights go down... not to mention those gorgeous hot
Florida nights, grab an icecream and wait for the MSEP. Thats my idea of heaven

This is pretty much us also. We alternate between early and late. Early mornings are great for getting you rides in but I love MK and Epcot at night. It's so nice being in the hub late, late at night when everything is calm and the crowds are gone.

 

[novice101]

For those who do RD and head back to the hotel in the afternoon when it gets too busy/hot, what time do you book your FP+ for?

 

[lizzyb]

We have never done rope drop but hope to do it this year.

 

[jillian01520]

We leave in 3 days....I am hoping to do at least 3 rope drops! I know AK will be a definate RD...hoping for MK RD on the 23rd!

 

[MaryKatesMom]

That is when you hit RD and have MIL meet you when she gets up. She shouldn't be forced to go early if she wants to sleep in and you shouldn't have to wait for her to get up if you want to hit RD.

For our family, RD is the only way to go. And we are NOT morning people. We figure we can sleep when we get home! Nothing line crossing headliners off of the list while everyone else is still asleep. (It used to be a great time to stock up on FP's, but those days are gone....)

I had completely forgotten about this until now!

My parents are older and very much morning people. No problem getting them to rope drop. After the little show when Mickey opened AK as we are walking to Safari at the head of this enormous crowd, my father grabs my mother and tells her he wants to use the restroom while the rest of us are still walking! We are with the crowd, my mom can't catch us (there were 11 of us) and we are looking around the line in Safari saying "Where are they?" we do the ride and there at the exit are my parents now mad we didn't stay together.

They were not happy but neither was I, did he really think we would stand outside the mens room watching that huge crowd walk past us onto the ride? What the heck was the point of getting there so early if not to be on one of the first rides? If memory serves this was before EE and absolutely everyone walked to Safari at the time.

 

[Mcneil516]

The only way I'm making rope drop is by either dragging my husband out of bed moaning and whining or going without him!

 

[mickyzzzzz05]

For years we have done the rope drop. We see more in those first 2 hours than we do the rest of day it seems. We have some friends who have toured and they do not get up early. They know the price they pay for sleeping in is waiting in longer lines and that is ok with them.

I am glad that my DH is onboard with getting up early and heading to the parks AND ready to go back for our mid day rest and then back to the park for the evening!

 

[Mcneil516]

I am glad that my DH is onboard with getting up early and heading to the parks AND ready to go back for our mid day rest and then back to the park for the evening!

Lol. Oh my hubby is all over the mid day nap part!

 

[leebee]

We don't rope drop, because I can't get people out of bed. Of course, when you close MK at 3am, rope drop the next morning is a little hard to make! It was worth every single second in MK that night, though. At one point, DD and I were the only people we saw, all the way from the stocks in Liberty Square to Splash Mountain!

I am not sure how FP+ will mess with our touring style. We might have to rope drop, leave the park and nap, and go back for dinner/FP+/fireworks. Usually we arrive around 11am and stay straight through, but I don't think that's going to work very well anymore- the degenerated disc in my back and 90 minute standby lines are not a happy combo!

 

[Mcneil516]

We don't rope drop, because I can't get people out of bed. Of course, when you close MK at 3am, rope drop the next morning is a little hard to make! It was worth every single second in MK that night, though. At one point, DD and I were the only people we saw, all the way from the stocks in Liberty Square to Splash Mountain!

I am not sure how FP+ will mess with our touring style. We might have to rope drop, leave the park and nap, and go back for dinner/FP+/fireworks. Usually we arrive around 11am and stay straight through, but I don't think that's going to work very well anymore- the degenerated disc in my back and 90 minute standby lines are not a happy combo!

So do you think that maybe being able to schedule your rides in advance may help? You'd be able to do your rides then maybe just walk the park and sit down to rest as your back allows? Also, have you found that with the back issues, you're not able to do the rides you wanted to in the past?

 

[happymomof1]

Is the rope drop "show ", or, whatever happens, fun to watch? I've seen the trolley of Main Street singers/dancers, but that's about as early as we 'be ever been.

 

[PinkBudgie]

For those who do RD and head back to the hotel in the afternoon when it gets too busy/hot, what time do you book your FP+ for?

This is what I want to know too! We plan to do this like we do at DLR, but wondering about the FP+. Maybe 12-2? Depending on lunch? Maybe even on at 11am? I'd love to hear people's suggestions!

 

[Magpie]

This is what I want to know too! We plan to do this like we do at DLR, but wondering about the FP+. Maybe 12-2? Depending on lunch? Maybe even on at 11am? I'd love to hear people's suggestions!

When we do rope drop, with a nap in the middle of the day, I book our FP+ for any time after 5 in our evening park. 6, 7 and 8pm is perfect.

Of course, we don't book more than 3 or 4 table service meals a trip, so if you're working around an ADR, you might have to manage things a bit differently.

 

[Skjhjb]

Is the rope drop "show ", or, whatever happens, fun to watch? I've seen the trolley of Main Street singers/dancers, but that's about as early as we 'be ever been.

Our first family trip was in August 2012. Before that, it was about 1975 when I went with my parents.

When we took our kids, I insisted on rope drop for MK open our first day. It was so fun to watch! Of course, I was an absolute puddle of tears - my Dad's dream had always been to take his grandchildren to Disney. Sadly, he passed away before he was able to do it. It had been 7 years since he passed when we took the kids, but all I could think of at rope drop was "dad should be here" and I was done for. But it was a magical first impression for us, and when we go in May, rope drop at MK is going to be our first day!