WWYD? Rope dropping strategy at DHS

[shortster]

Would love everyone's advice...

Heading to HS on a high crowd day. We plan to purchase RotR (crossing fingers for a good time at 7:17!) and don't really care to ride SDD.

We are staying on site and will rope drop EPTE but not sure what to hit first. I've ruled out rope dropping MFSR, because we're huge Star Wars fans and I want to take my time and actually *enter* GE...enjoy the ambiance, take it all in, etc vs feeling like I'm participating in the running of the (rope drop) bulls, LOL.

My initial thoughts:
ILL at 7:17 - RotR
Genie+ at 7 - MFSR
Standby at Rope Drop:
MMRR, then
ToT then
RnRc if the ride isn't insane

However, all three attractions are about the same on our list in importance.

If you were rope dropping, would this be the order you'd hit the attractions? Would you do it differently? Does one seem to open up earlier during ETPE?

 

[snikki]

I would do ToT, RNRC and then MMRR. ToT has crazy high waits since one side is closed down.

 

[pens4821]

I would also recommend tot, rnrc, mmrr. When we were there a couple weeks ago we did this and only waited about 30 minutes for mmrr at 845. We got to the park about 730 and were towards the front of the line for tot. We walked through the preshow for rnrc and only waited about 5 minutes.

 

[shortster]

I would do ToT, RNRC and then MMRR. ToT has crazy high waits since one side is closed down.

Good point! Definitely didn’t factor that in, initially

 

[shortster]

I would also recommend tot, rnrc, mmrr. When we were there a couple weeks ago we did this and only waited about 30 minutes for mmrr at 845. We got to the park about 730 and were towards the front of the line for tot. We walked through the preshow for rnrc and only waited about 5 minutes.

This is exactly the news I was hoping to hear! If we had a morning like that I’d feel like I was WINNING.

 

[wisblue]

I totally agree with the previous posters.

Last week we got a return time of 9:45-10:45 at ROTR (booked at 7:17) and a return time of 11-12 for MFSR at 7 after I had to make a few extra clicks because I absentmindedly had forgotten to buy Genie+ that morning.

We went to the bus stop at SSR (Congress Park) at 6:30 AM for an 8 AM ETPE. A bus came immediately and we were at the park just before the security lines opened. We got the LL for MFSR while still outside security and the LL for ROTR while waiting at a tapstile. We were first in line at a tapstile to the right.

When they let us into the park around 7:30 we went right to the line at TOT and would have been the first there except for some young girls who sprinted down the street to pass us.

They let us into the ride a little before 8 and we walked right through the library and into loading for the first elevator of the day. Then we walked right through the pre show at RNRC and were off that by 8:15.

After RNRC we went to MMRR (15 minute wait because offsite guests had been allowed in). Then we did TSMM (20 minute wait). Both rides had longer posted waits.

After that we used our LL for ROTR and MFSR and were done with those 6 rides by 11:15. We did not feel rushed and there was a break for my daughters to get coffee in there somewhere, I think after MMRR.

By then we were ready for lunch and a break. We knew we would be back to DHS during the late afternoon later in the week to do whatever we had missed (including SDD).

 

[shortster]

THANK YOU EVERYONE! We had an amazing morning at DHS. At the Skyliner at 6:40, about the 25th group in line. Breezed through security and were 2nd in line for the tapstiles to the right.

We booked MFSR for 8:30 at 7. But the best part was the 7:17 drop for ROTR, where we got 9:30a!

After booking we were let in around 7:30 and walked with purpose (didn’t have to run or elbow anyone, lol) to ToT. Held until almost exactly 8 then walked on to the second elevator. We went to RnRC - walked on, no preshow. FYI, the line for RnRC at rope drop was significantly shorter than ToT.

We headed to MMRR…walked right into the pre show. We exited at 8:35!

Then, we redeemed our LL for MFSR, enjoyed Batuu, had some blue & green milk, did RoT, ate at SciFi, then had a LL for TSM. All by noon! At that point it started to get really crowded and we thought it might storm so we headed back.

Had an amazing morning and I appreciate your advice and help with our plan!

 

[Nick_will]

Question about early Park entry. If we are staying on resort and get 30 minutes early why are they not letting anyone ride the rides but only get in line? That doesn't make sense a as a perk. I thought you could get in as a Disney resort guest and begin riding rides at that time.

 

[g-dad66]

The rides are operating during the 30-minute early entry.

The gates are opening to Disney resort guests before the 30-minute early entry, so when previous posters refer to waiting in line, it is during the time frame before early entry begins. And in fact, some rides will even start operating before the early opening time.

 

[pens4821]

Question about early Park entry. If we are staying on resort and get 30 minutes early why are they not letting anyone ride the rides but only get in line? That doesn't make sense a as a perk. I thought you could get in as a Disney resort guest and begin riding rides at that time.

From our experience last month they opened the gates 30 minutes before EE (EE started at 8 so they let us in at 730). So then you had to wait in line until EE starts (in our case 8 and they didn’t open early for tot or sdd twice). Then you get a half hour before offsite.

 

[DebLovesPooh]

We were there this past week and were let in right at the EE time, on the dot.