Is Rope drop for getting on a ride still a good option?(staying offsite)

[Spally79]

On our last visit (2018) we managed to ride Flight of Passage by getting there for rope drop and legging it! There was still a wait but we were up early on our first morning and it was all quite fun. Is this still a viable option? I have read that the park opening hours are different if staying off site.

Many thanks

[loldis]

Only at MK and turning left (Adventureland, Frontierland or Liberty Square) as this section of the park isn't open during early entry. Aside from that, early entry is now every park, every day so the headliners will all have queues of onsite guests before you'll be allowed in as offsite guests.

[Spally79]

Ah ok, thank you.

[DisneyDose]

On site guests will still have the advantage, as they get 30 minutes early entry to the parks. Also many people who refuse to buy Genie+ will instead opt for rope drop instead. I should imagine that this will increase the numbers of people deciding to rope drop.

[Stitchesmumanddad]

Today Hollywood Studios let us resort guests in at 7.30am ( park opening official time was 9am ) so an hour and a half advantage. You can imagine how rammed it was by then ! Rise of the Resistance had 170 minute wait at 1pm. Mickey and Minni train similar.

[WindyMiller2]

Hollywood Studios was the same yesterday. Very busy. I kept putting my mask back on outside as I did not feel comfortable with the crowds, particularly in Toy Story Land where it was packed out.

I have overheard many American families talking about genie + and they seem to be very unhappy with the cost and I think more and more are queuing on standby as the standby lines appear much much longer than the good old fastpass days.

We have not purchased genie+ but it has certainly curtailed the number of rides we can get on in one visit. If staying offsite you might get a couple of rides in at rope drop before the queues get silly.

We have also had a few onsite days this trip and even onsite, the 30 mins really does not give you that much of an advantage either.

[YorkshireT]

Originally Posted by DisneyDose

On site guests will still have the advantage, as they get 30 minutes early entry to the parks. Also many people who refuse to buy Genie+ will instead opt for rope drop instead. I should imagine that this will increase the numbers of people deciding to rope drop.

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I can verify at Xmas at least rope drop for even EMH was crazy for the reason you give.
So it’s worth was drastically reduced and for offsite, even worse.
I think if we went again now, our rope drop strategy would have to change. When it’s busy it’s no longer working at all, and Genie+ doesn’t help either. Best way may be to buy Genie+, stack the rides in the day and go in about 3 and stay late. We have no interest in that though, so have booked Portofino for next Xmas and Disney won’t get our money.

Mine Train at 8am Extra morning hours, queue immediately 75 mins + this is right behind the back of the attraction, not the front!

Queue for Flight of Passage, EMH at 7am (yep 7am) this queue looped around outside of Pandora!

Queue in EMH for Test Track, having ran to the attraction one of the first through rope drop in UK, seconds after we joined queue at 45 mins wait, it extended back to the lake, 75 mins plus. When we got off, Soarin’ was 80 mins still in EMH (which was 1 hour over Xmas):

Yep, Genie+ really buggered up the parks experience for early morning rope droppers when it’s busy. Neither we adults or the kids have any interest in it now unfortunately.

Although the FOP queue was crazy that moved the quickest and we were off within an hour (you are inside for a long time with pre show etc) and due to the 1 hour EMH it took us 20 mins to get on Navi River. By then though crowds were building and heading mainly to FOP, so we ran over to Safari, Dinosaur and Everest. It was then mental busy but it was the only park we got all headliners done, but I think that’s because it was the only one open at 7am and there was an extra hour. Offsite wouldn’t have stood a chance. At Epcot, MK and HWS we basically got one ride done in EMH and then everything else was already long waits. First time ever we didn’t do the likes of Mine Train, Soarin’ and Frozen due to 75+ min waits early doors.

It took me nearly an hour to get coffee at Starbucks and another hour to get a waffle at Sleepy Hollow (mobile order no slots for about an hour). No apparent urgency at either venue to speed matter up. Infuriating really. The QS at Pandora was good though, you can probably gather AK was by far the best experience this trip, even given the shortcomings of Dinoland USA which would look run down even in Flamingoland.

[WindyMiller2]

Originally Posted by YorkshireT

I can verify at Xmas at least rope drop for even EMH was crazy for the reason you give.
So it’s worth was drastically reduced and for offsite, even worse.
I think if we went again now, our rope drop strategy would have to change. When it’s busy it’s no longer working at all, and Genie+ doesn’t help either. Best way may be to buy Genie+, stack the rides in the day and go in about 3 and stay late. We have no interest in that though, so have booked Portofino for next Xmas and Disney won’t get our money.

Mine Train at 8am Extra morning hours, queue immediately 75 mins + this is right behind the back of the attraction, not the front!

Queue for Flight of Passage, EMH at 7am (yep 7am) this queue looped around outside of Pandora!

Queue in EMH for Test Track, having ran to the attraction one of the first through rope drop in UK, seconds after we joined queue at 45 mins wait, it extended back to the lake, 75 mins plus. When we got off, Soarin’ was 80 mins still in EMH (which was 1 hour over Xmas):

Yep, Genie+ really buggered up the parks experience for early morning rope droppers when it’s busy. Neither we adults or the kids have any interest in it now unfortunately.

Although the FOP queue was crazy that moved the quickest and we were off within an hour (you are inside for a long time with pre show etc) and due to the 1 hour EMH it took us 20 mins to get on Navi River. By then though crowds were building and heading mainly to FOP, so we ran over to Safari, Dinosaur and Everest. It was then mental busy but it was the only park we got all headliners done, but I think that’s because it was the only one open at 7am and there was an extra hour. Offsite wouldn’t have stood a chance. At Epcot, MK and HWS we basically got one ride done in EMH and then everything else was already long waits. First time ever we didn’t do the likes of Mine Train, Soarin’ and Frozen due to 75+ min waits early doors.

It took me nearly an hour to get coffee at Starbucks and another hour to get a waffle at Sleepy Hollow (mobile order no slots for about an hour). No apparent urgency at either venue to speed matter up. Infuriating really. The QS at Pandora was good though, you can probably gather AK was by far the best experience this trip, even given the shortcomings of Dinoland USA which would look run down even in Flamingoland.

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Have to agree Yorkshire T, we were only saying today how Genie + has spoilt our usual early morning strategy completely. We have been here since 27th Dec and even after the xmas crowds have gone the lines are still really long. I have also heard people talking whilst in parks of genie + slots just running out. So if you reverse strategy you cant turn up after lunch and guarantee getting enough genie + slots to warrant cost as they are running out.

I hope its because there is so much pent up demand because of covid that things will calm down again in the future. Bring back fastpasses Disney genie + aint working!

[dan223]

It seems at the moment at least you are often better off to stay later in the park as the crowds leave and you can get quite a lot done in the last hour or so, plus hop on say ROTR just before the park closes and it can be a very short wait.

[jpy10]

Wow, is this a busy time for Disney or just the Genie+ problems (along with Covid)