Rope drop strategy question

[mtemm]

I have a one day solo trip in mid November. I will not be staying on site so no ee but plan to be there by rope drop. I pre-bought genie+ because my time is limited. I would love to hit all the fantasyland rides, pirates (2x), haunted mansion (2x), and both Rise of the Resistance and Smugglers run (likely will ILL Rise). Indy will be closed so will miss that. I doubt I will do splash, thunder, space on this trip so am not prioritizing them. Not sure I care enough about Matterhorn to risk the sore neck. Lol.

So my question is how should I tackle things? Should I still try to head to fantasyland first, or should I head left and do my first pirates and hm (since I want those twice over the course of the day) then head to fantasyland?

I haven’t been to DL in ages, but was just at wdw last month. Is DL Fantasyland mobbed like wdw?

 

[Lisa24jks]

If Fantasyland is a priority, I would hit that first. There are no LLs there, so if you get there in the morning, the lines will be shorter and you can check it off your list while booking your LLs for the other lands. It absolutely does get mobbed later in the morning, and while some of the lines stay around 30 minutes or so, Peter Pan will be longer, and just the crowds of people and children and SO MANY strollers is always a turn off for me.

Also, even if you don't want to ride Splash/Space/Thunder/Matterhorn, maybe during the day try to book LLs for them anyway and fish for a Multi-Experience Pass. I did Haunted Mansion three times in one day, because I got MEPs from other rides breaking down, so that could get you the extra HM ride if one of them breaks down. (And you can always cancel them if it doesn't give you an MEP.)

 

[mtemm]

If Fantasyland is a priority, I would hit that first. There are no LLs there, so if you get there in the morning, the lines will be shorter and you can check it off your list while booking your LLs for the other lands. It absolutely does get mobbed later in the morning, and while some of the lines stay around 30 minutes or so, Peter Pan will be longer, and just the crowds of people and children and SO MANY strollers is always a turn off for me.

Also, even if you don't want to ride Splash/Space/Thunder/Matterhorn, maybe during the day try to book LLs for them anyway and fish for a Multi-Experience Pass. I did Haunted Mansion three times in one day, because I got MEPs from other rides breaking down, so that could get you the extra HM ride if one of them breaks down. (And you can always cancel them if it doesn't give you an MEP.)

Thank you! Great tips!

 

[jbh275]

Definitely rope drop Peter-Pan, Smugglers has a single rider, so that will be quick. I would look up the other single rider rides. Plan around those. Pirates is never longer than 20 min.

 

[mtemm]

Definitely rope drop Peter-Pan, Smugglers has a single rider, so that will be quick. I would look up the other single rider rides. Plan around those. Pirates is never longer than 20 min.

Thanks! I am thinking rope drop Peter Pan (although will it help since I won’t have ee?) and then head to HM and pirates since I really do want to prioritize those. Then head back to fantasyland and hit some of the rides with slower waits. Will ILL rise and single rider or genie + smugglers.

This is a totally unexpected trip (am tagging along to my husband’s work trip) and have never done a Disney park alone. I grew up in So CA and loved DL so much as a kid/teen. Honestly the best part will likely be just being there and enjoying the day. Trying to just be chill about it all, but also don’t expect to be back at DL for a long time so want to get some of the special DL rides in.

 

[By-Tor and Snow Pup]

FYI: Haunted Mansion is getting bombed like I have never seen it before. It's been like Rise of the Resistance since the holiday overlay has gone up.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

FYI: Haunted Mansion is getting bombed like I have never seen it before. It's been like Rise of the Resistance since the holiday overlay has gone up.

Yes, I would rope drop HMH. Unfortunately, it’s sometimes down at park opening.

 

[mtemm]

FYI: Haunted Mansion is getting bombed like I have never seen it before. It's been like Rise of the Resistance since the holiday overlay has gone up.

Thanks! I have been watching wait times over the last few days and noticing that! I think at first I was thinking I could do fantasyland first and then wander over, then thought I should do Peter Pan then head over. Now I am thinking maybe I should just head to HM and hit that and Pirates first. At the end of the day, I was just at wdw and I love Peter Pan but I’m more interested in the DL only rides so if I end up missing it will be ok. But I would be bummed if I didn’t get a couple of rides on HM. Will rope drop one and genie + the other.

 

[mtemm]

Yes, I would rope drop HMH. Unfortunately, it’s sometimes down at park opening.

I noticed that yesterday. I am wondering if it will show as down when the ee people are in? Since I won’t have ee that would help and I would just head to fantasyland

 

[V.I.N.CENT.]

FYI: Haunted Mansion is getting bombed like I have never seen it before. It's been like Rise of the Resistance since the holiday overlay has gone up.

That's what it was like last year during Halloween. We were there for 5 days and never rode it

 

[DisneylandFan22]

FYI: Haunted Mansion is getting bombed like I have never seen it before. It's been like Rise of the Resistance since the holiday overlay has gone up.

We rope dropped it on Wednesday to make sure we could ride it. It was the only time the wait was under an hour until the parked closed.

 

[By-Tor and Snow Pup]

That's what it was like last year during Halloween. We were there for 5 days and never rode it

Interesting. We didn't have that experience at all last year.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Interesting. We didn't have that experience at all last year.

Last year attendance was still restricted.

 

[Dr. G]

Option One: Rope drop Fantasyland and start at Peter Pan then hit as many as you can there. While in line for Peter Pan (or better yet, while waiting at rope drop, get a LL for Haunted Mansion (since a huge priority) since you've already bought Genie. If you've finished Fantasyland (probably won't) by the time your LL is ready for Haunted Mansion (half-way through the open window to near the end) then head over to Haunted Mansion. Otherwise, go hit HM with your LL then ride Pirates once since you want to do it twice. Then return to Fantasyland to finish up before the crowds get too bad. This guarantees much of Fantasyland and your first ride each on HM and Pirates.

Option Two: Rope drop Fantasyland starting at Peter Pan. When you just have a couple Fantasyland rides left, get a Haunted Mansion LL so your return time is later in the morning (watch times closely in the app for your ideal open window). Finish Fantasyland then go hit HM (if window open) or Pirates (if not). Then do the other one: Pirates or HM. After scanning into HM you can pick up a Falcon LL, or just plan on single-rider.

Get a Rise LL as soon as you can and go use it regardless. That ride can go down and the lines stay longer than anything in Fantasyland (including Peter) most of the day. With LL at Rise you should be fine.

2nd ride on Pirates shouldn't be a problem since it doesn't have LL and it moves so quickly. 2nd ride on HM may take a bit of time unless you rope drop it once and LL it once.

You'll have to go with the flow of course depending on ride closures. What time of day does the park open on your date, and how late is it open? Regardless, if you rope drop, have Genie+, and buy LL for Rise, I think you will be just fine and with time to spare to get everything done that you want to. Haunted Mansion twice may be the only tricky part, but I don't think I'd rope drop HM. Others may have better input.

 

[twodogs]

We are flying home today from DLR. HMH was mobbed the entire weekend. When the ride goes down, then the LL line can be 25 or more minutes when the ride reopens. And if something big like Splash goes down and the weather isn’t hot (or it goes down in the late afternoon and doesn’t reopen until evening when temps are cooler and folks don’t want to ride it), then they can use that MEP (multi-experience pass) for HMH (that is what happened yesterday night, per the CMs at HMH). The waits build very quickly at RD if you don’t have Early Entry (it is not open during EE but as hotel guests, we were able to ride SM x 2 in EE and then be ready to go straight to HMH without the mobs on Main Street waiting for RD- we were in the second Doom Buggy of the day!). So you will likely have to decide if you want to hit FL at RD and then LL for HMH x 1 and stand by for HMH x 2nd ride (expect a minimum of one hour in SB line) or RD HMH to get in one ride, then LL HMH for the other ride, and do FL SB later (expect 20-30 minute waits per ride if much after RD, PP will be even more than that). The parks were as crowded as I have ever seen them this weekend, and we go this holiday weekend every year. We also go over Easter, Christmas, Spring Break, etc and this was a lot of people.

I highly agree with ILL$ for ROTR and ride it as early as you can, as it goes down with some frequency and stays down an hour usually. It is just like the one in WDW so that is a consideration. SR will get you on Smugglers quickly.

I would not necessarily do Pirates first thing in the morning (though the wait will be the shortest at that time) because that chews up 15 minutes, even if you walk-on, of very precious first 1-2 hours of the park. But if it is a major top priority, then I would do it in the morning, but not until after PP and HMH.

Have fun!!!

 

[mtemm]

We are flying home today from DLR. HMH was mobbed the entire weekend. When the ride goes down, then the LL line can be 25 or more minutes when the ride reopens. And if something big like Splash goes down and the weather isn’t hot (or it goes down in the late afternoon and doesn’t reopen until evening when temps are cooler and folks don’t want to ride it), then they can use that MEP (multi-experience pass) for HMH (that is what happened yesterday night, per the CMs at HMH). The waits build very quickly at RD if you don’t have Early Entry (it is not open during EE but as hotel guests, we were able to ride SM x 2 in EE and then be ready to go straight to HMH without the mobs on Main Street waiting for RD- we were in the second Doom Buggy of the day!). So you will likely have to decide if you want to hit FL at RD and then LL for HMH x 1 and stand by for HMH x 2nd ride (expect a minimum of one hour in SB line) or RD HMH to get in one ride, then LL HMH for the other ride, and do FL SB later (expect 20-30 minute waits per ride if much after RD, PP will be even more than that). The parks were as crowded as I have ever seen them this weekend, and we go this holiday weekend every year. We also go over Easter, Christmas, Spring Break, etc and this was a lot of people.

I highly agree with ILL$ for ROTR and ride it as early as you can, as it goes down with some frequency and stays down an hour usually. It is just like the one in WDW so that is a consideration. SR will get you on Smugglers quickly.

I would not necessarily do Pirates first thing in the morning (though the wait will be the shortest at that time) because that chews up 15 minutes, even if you walk-on, of very precious first 1-2 hours of the park. But if it is a major top priority, then I would do it in the morning, but not until after PP and HMH.

Have fun!!!

Thank you! I have a lot to think about.

I’m especially taking into consideration that Indy will be closed when I go.

Also, DCA is closing early (5pm) that day. I am wondering what that means for DP