Rope drop crowds at Hollywood Studios this week?

[jbish]

With the latest info above my RD plan is looking like this for my Summer trip..

Show up at least 67min before park open (a large number of RD people target to show up 60min before HS/AK park open)

Good plan! But I took note of this start time - are you planning on being *just ahead* of the crowd for RD - i.e. 7 minutes? I plan on doing the same here in April but trying to figure out how much earlier I need to be to be at the front of the pack.

 

[WhitneyMB]

We are also going the week before Easter. The boarding group isn't really hard to get as long as your in the park at opening. We did it twice Christmas week and even made it through a total boarding group system meltdown when they let us in the park without the finger scan. When boarding groups opened everyone started freaking out because people in their party were not showing as "in the park". It was crazy! We were near the entrance so I had my wife and kids scan again and it added them. Even with Christmas crowds we managed just fine. I think the week before Easter will be cake compared to Christmas.

Just FYI - I believe the data shows that it's much harder now to get a boarding group than it was at Christmas. When everything first opened, people didn't understand the system and so it took 5-10 minutes for the boarding passes to all be gone. Recently they've all been gone in about the first 30 seconds There are a lot of people posting this past week who got to the the park at 7, had their phones open at 8am and still didn't get a boarding group.

 

[ILovePixieDust]

Just FYI - I believe the data shows that it's much harder now to get a boarding group than it was at Christmas. When everything first opened, people didn't understand the system and so it took 5-10 minutes for the boarding passes to all be gone. Recently they've all been gone in about the first 30 seconds There are a lot of people posting this past week who got to the the park at 7, had their phones open at 8am and still didn't get a boarding group.

it definitely seems to be getting harder to get boarding passes than it was those first couple of weeks. Very disheartening. And so disappointing for those who made the effort and lost the phone lottery.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

Just FYI - I believe the data shows that it's much harder now to get a boarding group than it was at Christmas. When everything first opened, people didn't understand the system and so it took 5-10 minutes for the boarding passes to all be gone. Recently they've all been gone in about the first 30 seconds There are a lot of people posting this past week who got to the the park at 7, had their phones open at 8am and still didn't get a boarding group.

When did you try for a boarding group? was it a weekend or weekday?

 

[WhitneyMB]

When did you try for a boarding group? was it a weekend or weekday?

I’m getting ready to go, but there are websites all over the place tracking this with pretty good data. I’ve been reading them for the past few months. Here’s a current one for example:
https://blogmickey.com/2020/02/rise...ith-8am-openings-at-disneys-hollywood-studios
(In case the url doesn’t work, search Blog Mickey, 8am opening etc)

 

[lisa cameron]

Maybe they will go back to 7am for awhile after MMRR opens? I feel like they need to. Sounds like crowds are worse with the 8am opening.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I just saw this on Twitter and thought I would share:

https://blogmickey.com/2020/02/new-slinky-dog-dash-rope-drop-procedure-in-effect-today

 

[bethannie203]

Here is our experience this week:

Sunday- went down sunset. I would say we were middle of the pack maybe closer to the front. RD Tot. Showed 30 minute wait as we entered @8:05 ish. Of course only half the ride was up and ended up being 55 minutes plus.
Today:

RD toy story land. Was ahead of the bend in the straightaway in line with the GET umbrella

8:03- started moving forward
8:06- walk on to TSM

we then hit Alien saucer with 10 minute wait. This wait was probably closer to 15 and was 40 by the time we got off.
We then FP SDD and headed to our BG

we are done with rides today due to the waits. Just hitting shows and then Olgas. Then back to the resort.

Thank you for this info! Approximately what time did you guys get to the park and when did they let you scan your MB for entry through the tapstiles? We are trying to decide what time to get there. Was the official park opening at 8:00 am on the day you were there, or 9:00 officially, and they just let everyone in early?

 

[Freshman]

Thank you for this info! Approximately what time did you guys get to the park and when did they let you scan your MB for entry through the tapstiles? We are trying to decide what time to get there. Was the official park opening at 8:00 am on the day you were there, or 9:00 officially, and they just let everyone in early?

Sunday& Thursday we got to park @ 7:10-7:15. I believe they started letting people in at 7 for the 8am opening.
We also went Friday morning just to get a BG and then meet characters until FP kicked in. We arrived. Around 7:30 and it was pretty quick getting through bag check and tapstyles since there was a mass of humanity in front of us. We went over to the benches on the other side of the arches. the line to rope drop TSL wrapped around little mermaid and in front of the shop that was there.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Wow. I think we’ve made a grave error planning our vacation for WDW. This all sounds like a horror. All of it. I’d rather go to work.

 

[DL1WDW2]

VEry funny

 

[GeneralTso]

I am not even worried about this. Not even a little bit. We will be there next week. We plan to be at HS at 6:15 to click in at 7. Since it is random, we may or may not get a boarding pass. I think we will but I'm an optimist. Our plan was to be at HS that day anyway with Prime Time Cafe lunch reservations and other FP for rides. It'll be a fun day no matter what.

 

[lisa cameron]

Sunday& Thursday we got to park @ 7:10-7:15. I believe they started letting people in at 7 for the 8am opening.
We also went Friday morning just to get a BG and then meet characters until FP kicked in. We arrived. Around 7:30 and it was pretty quick getting through bag check and tapstyles since there was a mass of humanity in front of us. We went over to the benches on the other side of the arches. the line to rope drop TSL wrapped around little mermaid and in front of the shop that was there.

What are the TSL character meet and greet lines like first thing at 8am? Maybe we will “rope drop” them instead...

 

[Freshman]

What are the TSL character meet and greet lines like first thing at 8am? Maybe we will “rope drop” them instead...

We did the Star Wars characters first. Did all 3 in about 15 minutes. We then had a fast pass for star tours and our BG was called. We did do Mike and Sulley when they opened at ten and the wait was 40 minutes already.

 

[DWillowBay]

This was February 5th at around 7am.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I am not even worried about this. Not even a little bit. We will be there next week. We plan to be at HS at 6:15 to click in at 7. Since it is random, we may or may not get a boarding pass. I think we will but I'm an optimist. Our plan was to be at HS that day anyway with Prime Time Cafe lunch reservations and other FP for rides. It'll be a fun day no matter what.

You may have your legitimate reasons for being there that early, but just noting the park now opens at 8am (and they’ve been opening the tapstyles 45-60’ish mins prior).

 

[HuskieJohn]

Good plan! But I took note of this start time - are you planning on being *just ahead* of the crowd for RD - i.e. 7 minutes? I plan on doing the same here in April but trying to figure out how much earlier I need to be to be at the front of the pack.

I mainly use Josh at EasyWDW RD blog articles which basically show that arriving at the gate any more than 70min has greatly diminishing returns on your rope drop and subsequent rides...and when you cut it to less than 60min it hurts your RD plan. Of course this changes every day with all the variables but I use it as a guide.

 

[HuskieJohn]

I just saw this on Twitter and thought I would share:

https://blogmickey.com/2020/02/new-slinky-dog-dash-rope-drop-procedure-in-effect-today

I like this

I wish they preloaded the FOP line through the lab and forrest QUE first thing in the morning.

 

[Isabelle12345]

What are the TSL character meet and greet lines like first thing at 8am? Maybe we will “rope drop” them instead...

I am wondering the same thing
But worried we will run into crazy lines
Has anyone seen what they look like in the beginning?

 

[jbish]

I mainly use Josh at EasyWDW RD blog articles which basically show that arriving at the gate any more than 70min has greatly diminishing returns on your rope drop and subsequent rides...and when you cut it to less than 60min it hurts your RD plan. Of course this changes every day with all the variables but I use it as a guide.

Love Josh. So plan for 60-70 minutes is the latest guidance? Done.