Slinky dog dash strategy?

[jvz82]

Hello everyone! Our Disney trip is fast approaching and I'm trying to figure out the best way to tackle Hollywood Studios.

We were not able to get a SDD fast pass at 60+ days out. We got TSM, RNR, and TOT for late morning/early afternoon. My kids (ages 3,5,7,9) have informed me that SDD is important enough that they want to wait in line for it. I am wondering if getting to the park early and then rope dropping the ride is the best strategy or if we're better off waiting until evening? Or even the possibility of getting a FP for it later in the day.

There is an added element of EMM the morning we are at the park. I tried to get us tickets for it but it's been sold out for quite some time. I am unsure of how that will impact our rope drop time, which is technically 9 am but Toy Story Land will have been open since 7.

Thank you for any feedback!! We plan to be there the Monday after Thanksgiving and the crowds are predicted to be fairly low.

 

[FCDub]

Arrive at least an hour before park opening to ride early. EMM should not impact it too much, since those people want to get the heck out of TSL before rope drop crowds arrive.

You could also wait until right before closing. A lot of people prefer it at night.

Keep looking for a FP, too.

 

[gharter]

The 2 strategies seem to be :
1. RD, arrive at least 1 hour before park opening.
2.Ride it about 30 minutes before park closing.

Similar strategies for FoP.
As noted, keep checking for FPs, they do become available at times.

 

[bwang123]

In October, we arrived about 20 min early to the park and they had already let people in but held everyone just inside the park. When they let everyone head to the rides, we stayed to the right and didn't run. It was less than 30min from getting in line to off of slinky dog.

 

[Mikey15]

My $0.02, it’s easy enough to get the other FPs (as you already did) that if SDD is the only line you wait in all day, so be it.

We went on an EMH (so probably busier than other days) morning last week. Didn’t rush. Left Pop room about 7:30, waited for bus, bus dropped us off by 8:00 (EMH start), then there’s a nearly half-mile walk from Pop bus stop to the gates, so we were through bag check and in around 8:20. At this point, SDD line was “65 minutes” and back by the GMR, but I swear we were done and getting a table at Woody’s by 9:15. They kept it moving nicely.

And that was really our only “line” we were in that day. After our Alien FP, ToT and RnR (which came up midday), we did a 4th FP for ToT and a 5th FP for TSM. Worked out great really.

 

[jscottnc]

Pitching in my two pence, SDD track looks very cool at night.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

I checked Touring Plan one day last week for a similar request. Slinky had a 140 wait within a few minutes after the park opened. The wait was down to 30 minutes about a half hour before the park closed.

Keep in mind that you can get in line up until the moment before the park closes and you will be allowed to ride. This is also when you'll find the shortest line of the day. Just remember that the posted wait times are intentionally inflated at night to discourage late riders.

 

[shocker]

3 Strategies for riding any headliner to reduce (not eliminate) wait times

1) Ride early
2) Ride late
3) Get a FP

For #1, it usually means arriving well before posted opening times. I'm usually boarding that ride or getting off at the posted opening time. I'm simply trading my wait time for before park opening time when no one is riding anything else either, instead of doing it while the rest of the park is open.

For #2, arrive 5 minutes before posted closing. In about 15 minutes, no more FP holders can join the line to cut in front of you. And yes, the wait times are inflated before closing to deter you from walking over to join the line. (I've seen Toy Story posted at 90 minutes at closing, to walk in and find it 10 minutes, since you can't see the line).

For #3, look for FP's the night before and the morning of your visit as many will shuffle their plans during this time frame. My last trip resulted in FP's for EVERY hard to get FP, even FOP and 7DMT and SDD on my way to the park that morning. Grab any available time shown to you, then you can modify it and quickly refresh your search until the time you want comes up. This has never not worked.

If you do find yourself in a long line and not able to use one of these strategies, try to accomplish 2 things at once, like mobile ordering for a meal later on, or finding FP's for a later ride, make this your snack eating time, and be sure to have those line games ready!

Have a good time!

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

We have a 7 day trip planned soon. SDD was gone for all the days we tried at 60 days out. Finally, I was able to get a FP for the day we check out. So we will go to Hollywood Studios, ride the 2 new rides, and then drive halfway home. Normally we would have driven all the way home in one day.

 

[EddieValiant]

I did Slinky Dog at rope drop today 11/12. Didn't have great rope drop position, but was done by 940. Rope drop started at 845.

 

[Rach3975]

We rode SDD at park opening on 11/7. We weren't as early to the park as we'd planned; we arrived around 8:25, but between the long walk from the buses, bag check, etc. we reached the rope drop area around 8:40. They did rope drop at least 10 minutes before the 9 am opening. We rushed to SDD, and cast members were lined up along the route to TSL to prevent anyone in the rope drop line from taking shortcuts. We were in line by 8:52, and my phone showed a 15 minute wait. Within a few minutes the estimate had jumped to 65 minutes. Our position in line was near the TSL entrance at that point, just before the giant Woody. I could see a lot of people in line behind us when the 65 was posted, so I hoped our real wait would be less than that. No such luck--we were off the ride at 9:53. I can't say for sure what real waits were later in the day, but the few times we were in and out of TSL (around 10 am, 2 pm, and 5 pm) the lines were much shorter, never coming anywhere close to Woody.

 

[Erica_Haley]

Don't give up on FP as well. I did a last minute trip yesterday. I was planning less than a week in advance. I got FP for SDD and FoP the day before my trip, Monday. Once I used those FP, I was able to use the app in park and get FP for ToT and RnR. FP were also showing up for Toy Story Mania and Alien Swirling Saucers. I tapped my MB at 3:29 at the entrance to SDD and it was 3:34 when I sat down on SDD!