Fastest route to RotR at HS

[glocon]

Is there only one way to get to RotR at HS at rope drop?

If there is more than one way to get there, what is the fastest to be at the front of the pack?

Thanks for any tips!

 

[Genie+]

It’s a slow herd of zombies type walk. They kinda keep you corralled and CMs lead down past StarTours and Muppets, then into another side of this galaxy.

That’s really the only way to go in the morning. I think going thru Toystoryland is longer and not sure if that entrance is open yet at rope drop.

To be in front of rope drop as a priority, you need to get on first buses or Skyliners. Buses -they usually start arriving about 40 minutes before EE and sometimes earlier. Skyliner not sure, I think 30 minutes. Driving - they’ve let us in 30 minutes before EEH, though others have gotten in earlier.
Eta- sometimes a lot of guests are trying to catch that first bus. It’s not uncommon people arrive to the stop 50-70 mines before EE. Sometimes many people are also waiting, sometimes not.

Get walking thru security (hold your phone out in front of you when going through scanner) and get to the lowest line tapstyle.

Pro tip - if lines already bad try getting on a line next to unattended closed tapstyle. Often a CM will come open and you can jockey for a position on this new line.

From there is follow the CMs and herd off to Batuu. You’re almost there. Great job! If the stars align you’ll be boarding even before official Early Entry time. MTFBWY

 

[scrappinginontario]

To be towards the front of the group for ETPE at any park, it is recommended you arrive at transportation 90 mins before ETPE begins.

As @Genie+ shared, there won’t really be a ‘faster’ way, you will just be positioned towards the front of the group behind the CMs.

 

[jimim]

To be towards the front of the group for ETPE at any park, it is recommended you arrive at transportation 90 mins before ETPE begins.

This is the way.

 

[jimim]

Personally I’m a big fan of being herded like slow moving zombies to any ride at rope drop like over in France at Epcot. Keeps control cause a lot of people are nut bags.

 

[tigertides]

To be towards the front of the group for ETPE at any park, it is recommended you arrive at transportation 90 mins before ETPE begins.

As @Genie+ shared, there won’t really be a ‘faster’ way, you will just be positioned towards the front of the group behind the CMs.

I’ve never understood getting to park 90 MINUTES EARLY to “save time” in line.

I have rope dropped before, and walked from Dolphin. I would recommend just paying the ILL+, and forgoing a table service meal instead.

For $80-$100 in ILL fees, I think it’s worth it for a 20-25min ride experience

 

[scrappinginontario]

I’ve never understood getting to park 90 MINUTES EARLY to “save time” in line.

I have rope dropped before, and walked from Dolphin. I would recommend just paying the ILL+, and forgoing a table service meal instead.

For $80-$100 in ILL fees, I think it’s worth it for a 20-25min ride experience

Each family is different. $100 is A LOT of money to us. We also cannot ‘forego a table service meal’ as those are normally out of budget for us too.

Each person should do what works for them without judgement from others. Your family is welcome to purchase ILL$ while our family sets an alarm a little earlier and arrives at transportation (not arrive at the park), 90 Mins before ETPE.

 

[jimim]

I’ve never understood getting to park 90 MINUTES EARLY to “save time” in line.

I have rope dropped before, and walked from Dolphin. I would recommend just paying the ILL+, and forgoing a table service meal instead.

For $80-$100 in ILL fees, I think it’s worth it for a 20-25min ride experience

I do not concur. Everyone is different. I want my nice table service meal at all our places each night. We have been doing the whole rope drop in early out by 12 and back in at night for 20 plus years and it just works. Plus when you are in line at those tap points you meet some really nice people and also get to see some really whacked out stuff. lol

 

[glocon]

This is our first trip back since the before times and so our first trip to GE.
We want to RD as well as get an ILL$.

Only one day at HS so we want to maximize our rides.

We’ll see about skipping F! as well if we love Rise and ride again at end of night if it is up and running!

Thanks all

 

[jimim]

Rise at night is cool due to how the ride is laid out. First time we rode it was at night then the next day in the morning. I said "yah nights only like btmr" some rides just need to be done at night.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

I’ve never understood getting to park 90 MINUTES EARLY to “save time” in line.

I have rope dropped before, and walked from Dolphin. I would recommend just paying the ILL+, and forgoing a table service meal instead.

For $80-$100 in ILL fees, I think it’s worth it for a 20-25min ride experience

Another option is just waiting until later in the evening when the lines are naturally shorter.

On our most recent visit, we arrived at Rise 80 minutes before closing time are were able to ride 3 times. The longest wait was 20 minutes, no $ILL fees required.

Just keep in mind that the posted wait times are intentionally inflated at night to discourage late riders.

 

[DavidNYC]

I’ve never understood getting to park 90 MINUTES EARLY to “save time” in line.

I have rope dropped before, and walked from Dolphin. I would recommend just paying the ILL+, and forgoing a table service meal instead.

For $80-$100 in ILL fees, I think it’s worth it for a 20-25min ride experience

It's not to save time in line - it's to save time period. If you're going to wait 90 minutes - I'd rather do it prior to park opening rather than once the park has opened and I could be doing other things with my time. That being said - I've almost never felt a need to arrive more than 30 minutes prior to opening to get close enough to the front.

 

[georgina]

My plan was to get in line at end of the night. Problem was the ride was down all afternoon and evening. Since I didn't get up early enough on another day to rope drop, I just paid the $20. At least all the parts were working.

 

[BamaGuy44]

It's not to save time in line - it's to save time period. If you're going to wait 90 minutes - I'd rather do it prior to park opening rather than once the park has opened and I could be doing other things with my time. That being said - I've almost never felt a need to arrive more than 30 minutes prior to opening to get close enough to the front.

Exactly. I’ve never understood people not understanding it.

We shoot for 30-45 minutes before opening and it’s close enough. We don’t have to be touching the rope. Nowadays we will generally use ride share in the am on days we rope drop. Much more predictable than Disney transport and we can sleep a little later.

 

[Nick6300]

So for RD, I always go a little different way than most. They are all about the same distance if you study a map, but some directions have more weaving/more people to go around.

My preference is to of course be at one of the taps first, preferably towards the middle left without a group of CMs to have to walk around. Essentially so that I have directly straight walking path. But I'd rather be first at tap on the far right then 2nd position in the middle.

I hug the left side of the street and head straight all the way to the Chinese Theater when everyone goes left either at the first divergence or left towards lake echo. I turn left on that street that goes by ABC Commissary. Then turn right at end of street towards the Galaxy's Edge entrance/tunnel.

The only time I run is if someone runs by me, but generally, I'm off by myself on this path and I walk extremely fast. I've never not been the very first person, including a few weeks ago.

There are several points in the evening when wait times are low (30 ish or less) for our typical Fall trip... and not necessary all the way right at the very end of the night.

 

[glamdring269]

A couple of questions here:

We'll be walking to DHS from BCV so no need to queue up for transportation. Should we target arriving at the gate around 60 minutes before posted open time in order to beat normal transportation?

@Nick6300, I thought they basically herded everyone. Are you saying you somehow leave the herd and get to Galaxy's Edge ahead of it? Or you just diverge from everyone and then merge back into the herd further down the line?

 

[Nick6300]

A couple of questions here:

We'll be walking to DHS from BCV so no need to queue up for transportation. Should we target arriving at the gate around 60 minutes before posted open time in order to beat normal transportation?

@Nick6300, I thought they basically herded everyone. Are you saying you somehow leave the herd and get to Galaxy's Edge ahead of it? Or you just diverge from everyone and then merge back into the herd further down the line?

Not been herded to Rise, and I've averaged 3 trips/yr. and have been there since opening day when VQ only. Now, many of my trips are in Sept, Nov, May, and typically not there during busier times and obviously rope drop plans can change. For instance, I thought it was super strange that when I was speed walking as the 1st guest to FoP earlier this month... instead of holding everyone at the bridge, they actually took 2 CMs to walk just me to the queue, and left the other CMs to walk the guests in pursuit. That has never happened before and even the CMs thought it was different.

For us at HS, it's just a free for all once they let early entry folks in. Generally only 7DMT and FoP has been a herd all the way to the start of the queue. Rat/FEA/TT they have you line up until EE and then it's a very long race to France... where a lot of people try to run (and realize it's a long way).

Been times where they used to hold you at the cross road with Sunset Blvd., but it's been a while since then.

 

[glamdring269]

Not been herded to Rise, and I've averaged 3 trips/yr. and have been there since opening day when VQ only. Now, many of my trips are in Sept, Nov, May, and typically not there during busier times and obviously rope drop plans can change. For instance, I thought it was super strange that when I was speed walking as the 1st guest to FoP earlier this month... instead of holding everyone at the bridge, they actually took 2 CMs to walk just me to the queue, and left the other CMs to walk the guests in pursuit. That has never happened before and even the CMs thought it was different.

For us at HS, it's just a free for all once they let early entry folks in. Generally only 7DMT and FoP has been a herd all the way to the start of the queue. Rat/FEA/TT they have you line up until EE and then it's a very long race to France... where a lot of people try to run (and realize it's a long way).

Been times where they used to hold you at the cross road with Sunset Blvd., but it's been a while since then.

Got it. I remember back in our last trip, Oct 2019, rise wasn’t even open yet and they still walked us back there for smugglers run. Would be nice if we’re not getting herded. I’ll let runners pass but most people aren’t going to our walk us (or run if we decided to go that route hah).

 

[Genie+]

https://www.disneytouristblog.com/every-ride-hollywood-studios-morning-no-genie-lightning-lanes/

New article from Bricker over at disneytouristblog explaining important details for ropedrop at HS.

Some highlights-

I got to Disney’s Hollywood Studios at 7:13 am, and breezed through bag check.

…we recommend arriving to Disney’s Hollywood Studios at least 45 minutes before Early Entry starts. It’s common for DHS to open the turnstiles and attractions prior to the official start of Early Theme Park Entry,…

Since this is unadvertised, there are no guarantees and the timing can be off by a few minutes, but the park usually starts admitting guests around 30 minutes before Early Entry starts, and it’s best to be at the front of the pack for obvious reasons. On this day, the first guests were admitted at 7:30 am. I was on Hollywood Boulevard by 7:35 am.

I arrived to the entrance of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at 7:41 am.

I was off just after 8 am, right as Early Entry officially started.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

So for RD, I always go a little different way than most. They are all about the same distance if you study a map, but some directions have more weaving/more people to go around.

My preference is to of course be at one of the taps first, preferably towards the middle left without a group of CMs to have to walk around. Essentially so that I have directly straight walking path. But I'd rather be first at tap on the far right then 2nd position in the middle.

I hug the left side of the street and head straight all the way to the Chinese Theater when everyone goes left either at the first divergence or left towards lake echo. I turn left on that street that goes by ABC Commissary. Then turn right at end of street towards the Galaxy's Edge entrance/tunnel.

The only time I run is if someone runs by me, but generally, I'm off by myself on this path and I walk extremely fast. I've never not been the very first person, including a few weeks ago.

There are several points in the evening when wait times are low (30 ish or less) for our typical Fall trip... and not necessary all the way right at the very end of the night.

Nick - a couple of questions:

How long did you wait in advance in order to be first in line, and how long was the wait after you got off the ride just in case you wanted to do it again.