Non rope drop ppl - what’s it like??

[Wild4Walt]

I can't remember the last time I was at the park before noon. My husband is a 3rd shifter so when we vacation we have to find a balance between having fun and his getting rest.

We're typically leaving our room around 1130a and getting some food - that may mean at the resort ( TS or QS ) or at the park. I bring meal bars with because he often eats in off hours as his lunch hour at work is usually around 2a. So he has something in the room to tide him over but them it's off to get a real meal.

Then I usually plan my 1st FP for around 130p. We usually start in Adventureland and make our way round. The pace is slower and it suits us fine. I don't usually try for the coveted 4th FP because we're not going for the E Ticket rides either. We typically stay until the end of the night and take Disney transportation back to the resort.

 

[MyTwoPrincesses]

We aren’t rope drop people. We did it one time this past week, for FoP because we didn’t have a fastpass and we were exhausted by 2:30 and had to take a break. It was worth it because we were off FoP by 9:20 and then could ride other rides with no wait but we can’t do it often. We prefer to get to the parks between 10 and 11 and stay until close. We manage with FP+ for popular rides. We waited in 2 lines that I consider long - 40 minutes for frozen and 55 minutes for slinky dog. We did frozen because we chose Test Track for our fastpass and were able to get a second fastpass for Soarin. We waited for slinky dog because we wanted to ride it twice and managed to slip into line as the ride reopened after a storm.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

You're right about the decrease in late night hours. ALL due to the extra parties WDW has created and the cost involved to do them. That said, I usually find the late nights I want to see Fireworks in the MK or do TOT in Hollywood studios ( nothing like a nighttime drop on that ride) and then one or 2 rope drops. I can't do a late night and turn around for a RD so planning in involved.

 

[SaintsManiac]

The sticky point is that you're going at a time when they're still running the EEMH, so nobody knows how things will shake out as far as crowd levels mid morning. You'll also have early closes at MK for halloween parties that throw things off. I would definitely do MK on those days (if you have hoppers) as single park admission holders won't want to "waste" an admission to MK on a day it closes at 6.

This x100. I would not be doing things as I normally would if traveling during that time.

 

[Shughart]

We are not rope droppers. There would be a mutiny in my family. It may be Disney but this is still supposed to be a VACATION and in my house that does not mean getting up at the crack of dawn. We roll in around lunch time and close the park. You'll be totally fine.

 

[_19disnA]

^^ Same here. We view it as a vacation where we aren't on a rigid schedule and getting up at the crack of dawn to race to the parks is NOT our idea of fun. We get up, get dressed, eat breakfast and then head to the parks. There is still plenty of time to do what you want. Parks involve a LOT of walking, generally in the heat/humidity, so it isn't something we are going to do for an entire day.

 

[SaintsManiac]

We are not rope droppers. There would be a mutiny in my family. It may be Disney but this is still supposed to be a VACATION and in my house that does not mean getting up at the crack of dawn. We roll in around lunch time and close the park. You'll be totally fine.

This is how I feel, which is why I refuse to travel during MK party season. OP will be there at that time.

 

[ayz75]

We were just at MK (and HS) last week with 3 kids - ages 6,3 and 10 months. We are not early risers so we did t get to MK until about 10. That said, we did a ton of rides - FPs for Peter Pan, Dwarf mine train (only the oldest one), space ranger (sp), and then we lined up for it’s a small world, speedway, dumbo twice (you absolutely need to bring the 2y! The playground is so fun too), Aladdin, little mermaid, carousel, etc. Definitely never lined up for more than 20 min for anything!

For HS, I rope dropped with my 6y to get on the sling dog and we still waited about an hour - turns out she hated it (she hated the dwarf train ride at MK too)

 

[MilitaryMouse]

We arrive at the parking lot at opening time or just after (we used to arrive 1 hour after opening or just after before more recent years), and it's not as bad as rope drop reports by any means

That’s one thing I never liked about RD was getting there early and just waiting for them to let us in. Stressed me out for some reason - haha. I’m looking forward to getting there midday and having short lines to get in (hopefully) or at least lines that are moving.

 

[MilitaryMouse]

I can't remember the last time I was at the park before noon. My husband is a 3rd shifter so when we vacation we have to find a balance between having fun and his getting rest.

We're typically leaving our room around 1130a and getting some food - that may mean at the resort ( TS or QS ) or at the park. I bring meal bars with because he often eats in off hours as his lunch hour at work is usually around 2a. So he has something in the room to tide him over but them it's off to get a real meal.

Then I usually plan my 1st FP for around 130p. We usually start in Adventureland and make our way round. The pace is slower and it suits us fine. I don't usually try for the coveted 4th FP because we're not going for the E Ticket rides either. We typically stay until the end of the night and take Disney transportation back to the resort.

Thank you for sharing! That sounds exactly like what our plans this trip will be and actually sounds really nice and relaxing.

 

[MilitaryMouse]

We aren’t rope drop people. We did it one time this past week, for FoP because we didn’t have a fastpass and we were exhausted by 2:30 and had to take a break. It was worth it because we were off FoP by 9:20 and then could ride other rides with no wait but we can’t do it often. We prefer to get to the parks between 10 and 11 and stay until close. We manage with FP+ for popular rides. We waited in 2 lines that I consider long - 40 minutes for frozen and 55 minutes for slinky dog. We did frozen because we chose Test Track for our fastpass and were able to get a second fastpass for Soarin. We waited for slinky dog because we wanted to ride it twice and managed to slip into line as the ride reopened after a storm.

55 mins for Slinky Dog doesn’t sound too bad! DH will probably want to ride that one. I’m looking forward to closing the parks. We rarely did when we were rope dropping but the times we did, I remember it being relatively empty and pretty peace. A great time to enjoy the atmosphere. Hope that’s still the case with the earlier closing times!

 

[MilitaryMouse]

You're right about the decrease in late night hours. ALL due to the extra parties WDW has created and the cost involved to do them. That said, I usually find the late nights I want to see Fireworks in the MK or do TOT in Hollywood studios ( nothing like a nighttime drop on that ride) and then one or 2 rope drops. I can't do a late night and turn around for a RD so planning in involved.

I’m definitely looking forward to closing the parks - even without our toddler, I probably don’t have the energy to ED and close the parks anymore

 

[MilitaryMouse]

We are not rope droppers. There would be a mutiny in my family. It may be Disney but this is still supposed to be a VACATION and in my house that does not mean getting up at the crack of dawn. We roll in around lunch time and close the park. You'll be totally fine.

Thank you! That’s encouraging to hear. DH is not so secretly very excited about our new style of doing the parks. He was never a go go go person but just went with what I wanted I think he’ll especially enjoy this trip

 

[MilitaryMouse]

We were just at MK (and HS) last week with 3 kids - ages 6,3 and 10 months. We are not early risers so we did t get to MK until about 10. That said, we did a ton of rides - FPs for Peter Pan, Dwarf mine train (only the oldest one), space ranger (sp), and then we lined up for it’s a small world, speedway, dumbo twice (you absolutely need to bring the 2y! The playground is so fun too), Aladdin, little mermaid, carousel, etc. Definitely never lined up for more than 20 min for anything!

For HS, I rope dropped with my 6y to get on the sling dog and we still waited about an hour - turns out she hated it (she hated the dwarf train ride at MK too)

I totally forgot about the playground! So excited, thanks for the tip!

 

[YawningDodo]

You're right about the decrease in late night hours. ALL due to the extra parties WDW has created and the cost involved to do them. That said, I usually find the late nights I want to see Fireworks in the MK or do TOT in Hollywood studios ( nothing like a nighttime drop on that ride) and then one or 2 rope drops. I can't do a late night and turn around for a RD so planning in involved.

I used to be totally commando about park touring...and I used to get sick from my Disney trips every time. My problem is that I can push through and do a RD after a late night, but I'll pay for it later. I'm trying to be better about it on this upcoming trip; I do have one short night like that planned (DAH on my last evening and then EMH rope drop for a couple hours the next morning before I go to the airport), but I'm trying to make it a single exception. Right now the plan is to do RD for a maximum of half my park days and sleep in the rest of the time--and all but one day has either a late start or a midday break to address the need for rest (on my Universal day I'm going early and staying until close since it's my only shot at those parks, but then the next morning is scheduled for a very late start).

Fingers crossed I don't freak myself out with FOMO on the days when I go late...but I have got to start sleeping more on these trips.

 

[bootlord9000]

For longer, warmer trips, we typically make it to the park in time for an 11AM FP, make it through lunch and the other FPs (getting as many additional ones as we can), then head back to the room for a shower and a nap during the heat of the day. Then we go back out for dinner and any remaining FPs and usually stay for the evening shows/fireworks. We go to WDW nearly every year, so we're not in a rush because there will always be next year.

 

[snoopy5386]

We are also not a rope drop family. My husband and kids are good for about 8 hours in the park give or take.

I’d love to be one of those rope drop - mid day nap and pool break - back in the evening families, but after years of trying and failing I realized this is not us.

I prefer the atmosphere of the parks at night and enjoy the evening shows so we tend to hit the parks up starting 8 or 9 hours from closing. We’ll do our 3 FPs, MK it is always easy to score 4th and beyond FPs and easy to modify them to almost immediately. Epcot - we either do the world showcase after our 3 FPs or the tier 2 attractions that don’t ever have a long wait. HS and AK there are plenty of shows, animal trails, etc to fill the time. I always look for 4th and beyond FPs, sometimes have luck, sometimes not. We generally jump in line for a headliner at park close (epcot being the exception cause I want to see illuminations) and wait 30-40 mins for rides like FOP and SDD. This works well for us. Then back to the hotel late and don’t wake anyone up in the am as much as it kills me. Swimming happens before we go into the parks for the day.

 

[Katiegrose]

I haven't rope dropped in YEARS. My last trip (2 weeks ago) I did FoP 4 times one day and 5 the next AK day... There is plenty opportunity to do the "must-do's". I love missing the "rush" into the parks and not fighting for space on the bus. Going at an off time helps. A lot of people leave around noon if it is hot. The only downside is often in the middle of summer the lunchtime is prime time for storms so hopefully this isn't your case. Good luck!

 

[fla4fun]

I usually set my first FP for 12-1, and sometimes that gets pushed back. I just got back yesterday from a ten day trip and the hardest day was getting to DHS for my AP preview window of 9-1 for SWGE. At 1:00, I was going back to the hotel for a nap. I think for me it depends a lot on the crowds and temperatures. If either one are bad, I just can’t get up early.

 

[Wild4Walt]

Thank you for sharing! That sounds exactly like what our plans this trip will be and actually sounds really nice and relaxing.

It really was - it's like a whole new world.