Changing Touring Strategy from Rope Drop to Afternoon/Evenings--Thoughts/Experience?

[GeorgiaHoo]

Planning a trip in May 2020 and thinking about completely revamping our touring approach. This will be maybe our 5th or 6th trip and we've always been rope drop folks and usually accomplished a lot and were able to ride everything we wanted. But I don't find that terribly relaxing and other family members don't like it. So instead of getting to the park when the sun rises we are probably going to sleep in each morning, maybe grab a breakfast at the resort (we usually just get snacks at the park in the morning), hang out at the pool then head over to a park later in the afternoon, use our FPs, grab dinner, then enjoy the nights at the parks. Another reason for the change is I hope to do DAH at both MK and HS and there's just no way we'll got to a park till midnight or 1 am then make a rope drop the next day.

Anyway, if you've done something similar or always been an evening tour family I'd be interested in your thoughts. I don't think we'll get to do as many rides but the parks are wonderful at night.

 

[natfrac]

We also stopped rope dropping when I lost control of the adult children But our vacations are much more relaxed now--no stressing about everyone getting up on time. We head to the parks in the afternoon and stay until closing, and we can usually hit several rides in the last hour--especially if there's a parade or fireworks to distract the masses. We loved DAH and will always pay for that going forward. So worth the money.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

We’ve done a mix the past 2 trips. But it’s definitely more pleasant with the teenager when we do the late touring plan! This upcoming trip we aren’t doing any rope drop at all. Some days we’ll get there around 11 and some not until 3.

 

[djc9699]

We are rope dropping the first three days for our trip in June, with EMM at MK and HS the first two days, then switching to late nights with DAH at 3 parks and EMH the rest of the trip. We did this last trip and it worked well because we are better prepared to rise early at the start of a trip. We used to be rope drop to close most days but with DAH and EMH it gets harder to rope drop and stay till after DAH and then do it again. We will enter the parks late morning or early afternoon though. We are not really pool people.

 

[cakebaker]

We’re doing DAH’s for this trip and trying out evening touring with slower mornings. I only have 1 day where we’re going to be at a park at opening and considering changing that up as well.

Our tried and true method has always been to open one park, then afternoon break and hop to another park and close it. I’m tired of having to hit the ground running and want to see how it works this way. I’m not sure I’d do it though if it weren’t for the after hours.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

We’re doing DAH’s for this trip and trying out evening touring with slower mornings. I only have 1 day where we’re going to be at a park at opening and considering changing that up as well.

Our tried and true method has always been to open one park, then afternoon break and hop to another park and close it. I’m tired of having to hit the ground running and want to see how it works this way. I’m not sure I’d do it though if it weren’t for the after hours.

"Our tried and true method has always been to open one park, then afternoon break and hop to another park and close it."

Yep, us too. But after taking a couple of vacations to the Caribbean that were simply much more relaxing than a Disney vacation that is always go, go, go and requires us to get up way earlier than I might otherwise, I feel like it's time to try something new. I'm a bit concerned we'll miss out on rides we like to do without getting to a park at rope drop but I'm hoping DAH makes up for that.

From what I've read here, maybe mornings aren't as great as they used to be? It seems like it wasn't that long ago that we could ride all of the headliners several times without much of a wait before it got too busy, but maybe not the case anymore.

In any event, we'll get up when we get up in the morning, grab a bite to eat, hit the pool for a few hours and grab lunch at some point, then head over to the parks/dinner and see how it goes.

 

[Disneylover99]

"Our tried and true method has always been to open one park, then afternoon break and hop to another park and close it."

Yep, us too. But after taking a couple of vacations to the Caribbean that were simply much more relaxing than a Disney vacation that is always go, go, go and requires us to get up way earlier than I might otherwise I feel like it's time to try something new. I'm a bit concerned we'll miss out on rides we like to do without getting to a park at rope drop but I'm hoping DAH makes up for that.

From what I've read here, maybe mornings aren't as great as they used to be? It seems like it wasn't that long ago that we could ride all of the headliners several times without much of a wait before it got too busy, but maybe not the case anymore.

In any event, we'll get up when we get up in the morning, grab a bite to eat, hit the pool for a few hours and grab lunch at some point, then head over to the parks/dinner and see how it goes.

We used to always rope drop when the kids were young because they got up early and went to bed early and it just made sense. But it was still stressful. We always felt the need to go full on and stay ahead of the crowds. Yes, we accomplished a lot.

But now we just go with the flow. My family likes to sleep in. We get to the parks whenever. It’s so much more relaxing. No, we don’t accomplish as much, but we enjoy our vacations so much more and that’s what counts.

I never make morning fp’s anymore, because I know I’ll just end up cancelling since I can’t get anyone out of bed. Lol.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

I don't think we'll get to do as many rides but the parks are wonderful at night.

You may just find the opposite to be true. Rope drop is becoming way too crowded and stressful, but a lot of those early arrivers do tire out and leave well before closing time. It is often very easy to ride headliners with little to no wait with a good plan.

Read up on the Refresh strategy if you’re not familiar with it. Also be aware that the posted wait times are intentionally exaggerated at night to discourage late riders.

We’ve done thing at night that could never be accomplished in the morning, no matter how early you arrive.

 

[Klayfish]

We stopped doing rope drop with the advent of FP+ (which we LOVE). I never liked rope drop, but felt it necessary with the old paper system. Now, we think rope drop is completely unnecessary. If you're an early riser and want to do it, go for it. But you don't need to in order to be "productive". Sleep in, relax, enjoy yourself. As noted by Babe above, read up on refresh. Also note that right before the park closes, the lines go WAY down for almost everything. You can walk right onto attractions. I'll never forget riding IaSM nearly by ourselves. Nobody in the boat ahead of us or behind us...it was actually kinda creepy.

We also like to time our FP+ just right. Let's say we're going to arrive at the park at roughly 11am. We have our first FP+ window for 10:15am to 11:15am. We arrive and hit the very end of that window. By time we get off, it's already time for FP+ #2, which we set for 11:15am to 12:15pm. We tap into that, and then modify #3 to be for a time right after that. If we arrive at 11am, we can easily use all 3 FP+ before noon and start grabbing more. I feel we can do as many attractions as a rope drop person, regardless of what time we show up.

We're also not fans of planned mid-day breaks. To us, it's time wasted "commuting" (this is true if you're on property or off). We stay until we're done, regardless of time. Then head back to our resort and chill. If we spontaneously feel like returning, we will. If not...and we usually don't...we call it a night and relax.

 

[Selket]

My family likes to sleep in. We get to the parks whenever. It’s so much more relaxing. No, we don’t accomplish as much, but we enjoy our vacations so much more and that’s what counts. I never make morning fp’s anymore, because I know I’ll just end up cancelling since I can’t get anyone out of bed. Lol.

This is us now. Everyone is free to get up and head out early if they want and one of my sons will still do that sometimes. However we often sleep in and do our FP's and then try to get more FP's as the day goes on and just ride whatever we can get a FP for. I think with little kids or those who haven't been in awhile, they very much want to ride certain things or everything they can and the best way to do that without paying extra (for special ticketed events) is the rope drop. If you go into it with the right expectations then it's a great way to vacation.

 

[SaintsManiac]

We mix it up and will continue to do so.

 

[Heluvsme]

We also do a mix. Epcot is hard to skip Rope Drop because the tier 1's are all favorites so we have a better chance of getting on if we RD and then standby.
Afternoons and evenings are great though, it's a completely different feel!

 

[ChrisParker]

This time, we are arriving afternoon and spending that afternoon at AK - I will try to get FP for FOP

July 3rd we are doing Keys to the Kingdom which will get us into the park before opening which might get me my rope drop fix, finishing with HEA at MK with a break in the middle.

July 4 we will be at Epcot but I'm planning to start late - book FP for mid morning and stay through the day

The other days, I have dinner booked and will try to get morning fast passes for 10 or so so we can have relaxing mornings. That leaves the middle of most days open to play it by ear and relax.

I think it's likely different if you have gone or can go multiple multiple times...there's less rope drop desperation

That said, last year I rope dropped every morning when dh was at a conference...

I think FP+ makes it easier to have lazy mornings and not worry about what rides you will snag.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We mixed it up last trip and it was great. We did a few RD mornings (RD to us is arriving 5 minutes before park opening, not 45-60) and the rest sleep in, some mornings we did room service breakfast, hit the pool and then hit a park around 3 pm. It was fabulous! We felt so refreshed going to the park after some pool time. With FP+ it's really not a big deal. Lines die down a lot at night. The wait times are inflated. Get the TP app and go by their wait times. The parks are gorgeous at night too. Rides during HEA are practically walk on. We did this a few nights in MK and even watched HEA while riding BTMRR. It was amazing.