My experience with HS rope drop emh vs regular [Saturday 3/16/19 & Sunday 3/17/19]

[CaLuCa]

We rope dropped HS on Saturday and Sunday. We had planned to get up for RD at AK, but we were dragging and didn't make it. So we opted for HS twice. On both days, we got to the park around 50 minutes early and were quickly through bag check. We stood waiting at the tap stiles by quarter after (8:15 for regular, 7:15 for emh). We were about 4 families back for both at the tap stiles. We were let into the park around 8:30 for regular and 7:25 for rope drop (we had a tapstile with a family that had ticket issues and eventually were sent back to the ticket booth.). After getting into the park, we had to have our bands scanned again for emh, and this pushed us a little back.

We were walked slowly around 8:45 to the entrance of TLM and Disney Junior. While this rope drop technique is better than the stairs and walkway by the Chinese Theatre, there were still people, especially college age kids, running and jumping over planters. Lots of pushing, but it did not feel as unsafe as previous rope drops. We were qued up in the SDD line around 8:50 and off the ride by 9:05. We hit TSMM, which had a wait time of 50, but we were done by 25 minutes. Then to Star Tours and left the park for breakfast at 1030.

For emh, we were walked back at 7:45 after being held at the turn for ToT and RnRC. Lots of CMs telling people to get off the sidewalks. Again, slow walking with people jumping planters and running crossways through the crowd. Brief pause at TLM where people from the side of Brown Derby joined up. More people rushed ahead when we got past One Man's Dream and attempted to jump back into the SDD line as it narrowed along the fence. We spent more time in line during EMH than we did regular opening. Still, we were off by 8:12, and headed to TSMM. Line was all the way out the ride and curved toward the stroller parking. I believe we were in line around 30-40 minutes. Then headed to Star Tours a bit after 9. Did 2 ST back to back and left for Epcot around 1015.

I have had better experience with emh RD at HS when NOT spring break, like getting 2 TSMM after SDD or both TSMM and AS. I like the new method that blocks the stairs and ramp by the Chinese Theater. I always felt like that was a hazard waiting to happen. People are still being very aggressive, but I did not witness any outright rude or dangerous behavior.

 

[FallsChurchDad]

Your post is very helpful, thanks. But my main takeaway is to feel sad at how unpleasant (and borderline unsafe) rope drops have become for the last few years. They used to be so fun!

Counting from after you went through security, you rode 3 rides in 135 minutes at regular open, and 4 rides in 180 minutes with EMH (half of which was Star Tours back-to-back).

And wow, if this is SDD, whether at regular or EMH rope drop, then Galaxy's Edge is going to be a cluster - and maybe it will never stop being terrible at rope drop, ever?

 

[DisneyMomma930]

We rope dropped HS on Saturday and Sunday. We had planned to get up for RD at AK, but we were dragging and didn't make it. So we opted for HS twice. On both days, we got to the park around 50 minutes early and were quickly through bag check. We stood waiting at the tap stiles by quarter after (8:15 for regular, 7:15 for emh). We were about 4 families back for both at the tap stiles. We were let into the park around 8:30 for regular and 7:25 for rope drop (we had a tapstile with a family that had ticket issues and eventually were sent back to the ticket booth.). After getting into the park, we had to have our bands scanned again for emh, and this pushed us a little back.

We were walked slowly around 8:45 to the entrance of TLM and Disney Junior. While this rope drop technique is better than the stairs and walkway by the Chinese Theatre, there were still people, especially college age kids, running and jumping over planters. Lots of pushing, but it did not feel as unsafe as previous rope drops. We were qued up in the SDD line around 8:50 and off the ride by 9:05. We hit TSMM, which had a wait time of 50, but we were done by 25 minutes. Then to Star Tours and left the park for breakfast at 1030.

For emh, we were walked back at 7:45 after being held at the turn for ToT and RnRC. Lots of CMs telling people to get off the sidewalks. Again, slow walking with people jumping planters and running crossways through the crowd. Brief pause at TLM where people from the side of Brown Derby joined up. More people rushed ahead when we got past One Man's Dream and attempted to jump back into the SDD line as it narrowed along the fence. We spent more time in line during EMH than we did regular opening. Still, we were off by 8:12, and headed to TSMM. Line was all the way out the ride and curved toward the stroller parking. I believe we were in line around 30-40 minutes. Then headed to Star Tours a bit after 9. Did 2 ST back to back and left for Epcot around 1015.

I have had better experience with emh RD at HS when NOT spring break, like getting 2 TSMM after SDD or both TSMM and AS. I like the new method that blocks the stairs and ramp by the Chinese Theater. I always felt like that was a hazard waiting to happen. People are still being very aggressive, but I did not witness any outright rude or dangerous behavior.

Thanks for your detailed report. This scares me though. I have 3 children, 1 in a stroller and I fear for our safety just thinking about the masses trying to rush to TSL at RD. I dont like large crowds to begin with and I know some people just dont have manners or common courtesy. Some teens/college kids seem to have no concern for others around them. This is why we are booking EMM at HS. It will give us time to experience TSL without RD crowds. I think that will be our only time we do SDD because I dont want to be part of the RD chaos. With that said, Im not sure what we would even do on our second HS (non EMM) day. Maybe we would try to do a few rides "leisurely" with FP+...along with dinner and Fantasmic. I am trying to make this trip the least bit stressful as possible. With doing both EMM at HS/MK and a HEA dessert party w/fireworks and dinner with VIP fantasmic viewing. The extra cost is totally worth it IMO.

 

[CaLuCa]

Thanks for your detailed report. This scares me though. I have 3 children, 1 in a stroller and I fear for our safety just thinking about the masses trying to rush to TSL at RD. I dont like large crowds to begin with and I know some people just dont have manners or common courtesy. Some teens/college kids seem to have no concern for others around them. This is why we are booking EMM at HS. It will give us time to experience TSL without RD crowds. I think that will be our only time we do SDD because I dont want to be part of the RD chaos. With that said, Im not sure what we would even do on our second HS (non EMM) day. Maybe we would try to do a few rides "leisurely" with FP+...along with dinner and Fantasmic. I am trying to make this trip the least bit stressful as possible. With doing both EMM at HS/MK and a HEA dessert party w/fireworks and dinner with VIP fantasmic viewing. The extra cost is totally worth it IMO.

I completely agree with you. If we weren't local and go often, I would definitely do EMM, or even a plaid! (depending on how much was in the budget)

I have 4 kids, but we gave up the stroller last year. I held tightly to two kids hands and my other two held hands and kept up. It was tight, but everything was slow moving. Except for the college kids jumping over the planters.

We were close to the front of the pack when we started, but many people passed us. Much more aggressive than I was willing to be. I'd rather wait the extra 5 minutes in line than lose a child in the rush. I noticed that the first group off SDD was all adults, except for a tween girl.

 

[Laura527]

RD at DHS is a very frustrating and dismaying experience IMO. If you are not willing to be aggressive and push other people out of the way (I'm not!), you will fall behind in the 'line' (which quickly becomes non-existent). People with little ones, strollers and in ECVs are at a distinct disadvantage no matter how early they arrive. There's got to be a better way for Disney to manage RD at DHS.

 

[DisneyMomma930]

I completely agree with you. If we weren't local and go often, I would definitely do EMM, or even a plaid! (depending on how much was in the budget)

I have 4 kids, but we gave up the stroller last year. I held tightly to two kids hands and my other two held hands and kept up. It was tight, but everything was slow moving. Except for the college kids jumping over the planters.

We were close to the front of the pack when we started, but many people passed us. Much more aggressive than I was willing to be. I'd rather wait the extra 5 minutes in line than lose a child in the rush. I noticed that the first group off SDD was all adults, except for a tween girl.

It’s kind of silly that grown adults are the ones rushing to the ride. How about we consider that people are going with their children and not push them out of the way. Crazy notion I know lol

 

[DisneyMomma930]

RD at DHS is a very frustrating and dismaying experience IMO. If you are not willing to be aggressive and push other people out of the way (I'm not!), you will fall behind in the 'line' (which quickly becomes non-existent). People with little ones, strollers and in ECVs are at a distinct disadvantage no matter how early they arrive. There's got to be a better way for Disney to manage RD at DHS.

I was thinking that same thing to myself. There’s got to be a better way. Can’t they do some sort of system that keeps the general order of those that were waiting at the gate prior to RD? I mean people wait for over an hour before opening just to have crazies rush past them during the RD chaos.

 

[CaLuCa]

I do have to say, this IS an improvement! We have been RD TSL on a regular basis since Christmas when we got our APs. We LOVE SDD and TSMM. I always expected to see someone fall down those stairs and then just mayhem as people landed on top of them. I very much like the new paths. Disney is trying to fix the situation and make it better. It is hard to control people who have a disregard for the decency of others.

 

[Laura527]

Maybe Disney should institute mandatory training to people buying tickets about RD etiquette, decency and good manners??? ... yeah, right lol

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I do have to say, this IS an improvement! We have been RD TSL on a regular basis since Christmas when we got our APs. We LOVE SDD and TSMM. I always expected to see someone fall down those stairs and then just mayhem as people landed on top of them. I very much like the new paths. Disney is trying to fix the situation and make it better. It is hard to control people who have a disregard for the decency of others.

I haven't been to HS since 2001....whoa..18 years! Why do you guys think HS rope drop isn't as good or "safe" as the other 3 parks. I will return though for SWGE....but that's not going to be for another 3 or 4 years from now.

 

[anorman]

What kind of crowd level was predicted for the day you went to HS without the morning EMH?

We have a trip coming up in August and will be staying offsite. The chances of getting a FP to SDD is next to nil so we will likely follow your plan if at all possible; avoiding EMH and being there for rope drop. It sounds like you had a good experience with it.

 

[gharter]

Thanks for the report. We generally skip the parks with EMH for the reasons you noted.
I feel sorry for the families with small kids or strollers trying to go through RD as there is an incredible amount of pushing and shoving going on. Even when there were plenty of CMs leading the pack, it still was going on behind them. I'm not sure how you can fix that.
It does worry me alot of what that will be like when SWGE opens. Much worse, I fear.

 

[abuck75]

Thanks for your detailed report. This scares me though. I have 3 children, 1 in a stroller and I fear for our safety just thinking about the masses trying to rush to TSL at RD. I dont like large crowds to begin with and I know some people just dont have manners or common courtesy. Some teens/college kids seem to have no concern for others around them. This is why we are booking EMM at HS. It will give us time to experience TSL without RD crowds. I think that will be our only time we do SDD because I dont want to be part of the RD chaos. With that said, Im not sure what we would even do on our second HS (non EMM) day. Maybe we would try to do a few rides "leisurely" with FP+...along with dinner and Fantasmic. I am trying to make this trip the least bit stressful as possible. With doing both EMM at HS/MK and a HEA dessert party w/fireworks and dinner with VIP fantasmic viewing. The extra cost is totally worth it IMO.

I assume I'm not missing anything but it looks to me like EMM at HS is booked for every time it's offered. Has it now become a 180 day first call item? Are there any websites that will let you know if there are cancellations (like *********** does for ADR's)?

 

[abuck75]

I haven't been to HS since 2001....whoa..18 years! Why do you guys think HS rope drop isn't as good or "safe" as the other 3 parks. I will return though for SWGE....but that's not going to be for another 3 or 4 years from now.

I think it comes down to 2 issues:

First is the pressure point of the narrow gate to get back to TSL (and previously TSMM).
Second is the lack of of dispersion of guests with all going to TSL.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I think it comes down to 2 issues:

First is the pressure point of the narrow gate to get back to TSL (and previously TSMM).
Second is the lack of of dispersion of guests with all going to TSL.

I understand! To where at EPCOT, you have 3 tier 1s most are heading to in different areas and at MK where yes, most are going to Mine Train, but those with that FP or visiting another day, heads towards Tomorrowland, Frontierland, Adventureland, or Liberty Square. I cannot IMAGINE what that park is going to look like for SWGE! I won't be going for another 3 or 4 years, but I'm staying on these boards for awhile after my trip to follow the madness!

 

[DisneyMomma930]

I assume I'm not missing anything but it looks to me like EMM at HS is booked for every time it's offered. Has it now become a 180 day first call item? Are there any websites that will let you know if there are cancellations (like *********** does for ADR's)?

I am going to book EMM tomorrow for 8/14. As of today it was still available. I’m hoping it’s still there tomorrow because I know other dates have been disappearing quickly. Maybe it’s bc it’s before the opening of SWGE...

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I am going to book EMM tomorrow for 8/14. As of today it was still available. I’m hoping it’s still there tomorrow because I know other dates have been disappearing quickly. Maybe it’s bc it’s before the opening of SWGE...

On the EMM thread, there's talk that SWGE might be "slowing things down" for September release dates. You have to figure...would then need to do EMM at HS with SWGE in place?