We plan on RD on our DHS day. My first thought was go directly to TSL to ride SDD and then Alien and then TSM. We have a FPP for SDD later in the day but I know my kids will want to ride it more than once. There is EMM and I have been reading some bad experiences with people going to SDD for rope drop. My other option is to go and sign up for Jedi Training before heading over to TSL and then skipping SDD and just doing Alien and TSM since we do not have FPP. Jedi Training is not a must since the kids have already done it but they do want to do it again. What are people’s recent experiences with TSL at RD with EMM? How fast do the wait times build? Thanks!
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I’d play around with a Touring Plan. But from a little bit of playing I’ve done, putting SDD first thing isn’t always the best decision. You might actually save overall wait time having it later in the day even if the line itself is longer, because of how much time you save in OTHER lines.
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Thanks that is a good point.
I would suggest you get over and sign up for the Jedi training if that is important, as they can fill up fast.
Agree with Dave. When I was there on a CL 8 day a little after 9 there was a line several dozens deep and spots were gone before 10am.
Reports of awful experiences at DHS RD on the chat today, Bad crowd management, shoving and aggression in the lines, people running to TSL. Horrible. Lots have vowed never do it again!
That was my experience in October as well. It was exhilarating, but we were a party of 3 adults. Not looking to repeat it though.
Wow–sounds like what we experienced at FOP. I thought RD for SDD seemed much calmer–maybe that’s changed.
Do you mean EMH where the park opens early for people staying at a Disney resort or EMM which a paid event?
EMM the paid event.
Okay, I’m confused. It’s very easy for me to become so… are you going to the paid event, or just RDing the regular park hours?
I am just doing regular park hours. I was just trying to lay out the scenario of the day. So there is EMM (not sure how that will affect me) but I am not taking part in that.
Trying to RD SDD is a challenge. The line builds very fast and unless you are there super early to be in the front of the pack the wait will be long fast. Also as others have said the crowds going to the land can be aggressive. Since you already have a SEC TO RD TSM. You won’t have to fight everyone going to SDD.
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Thanks everyone! I have updated my plan based off of people’s responses. We will sign up for Jedi Training first and then head over to TSL to asses the lines. According to my touring plan it saves the most time doing Alien and then TSM and then SDD (we will make the decision whether to ride this once we see the actual wait time since we have FPP for later on). I just know my kids, and they will want to ride SDD more than once.
FYI I was just at RD in AK this morning. By 8:45 the posted wait time for FOP was 90min and NRJ was 5mins. The park did not open till 9am.
January 30, we did the EMM paid event at TSL (highly recommend). The event is supposed to go until 9am for rides, 10 am for breakfast. At 8:45am they had already let the normal day crowds into the TSL area.
I was a bit surprised as the event is already so short. Was odd to see a mad rush to SDD that early. Prior to that SDD was maybe a 10-15 minute wait during the paid event.
I had the same experience. I was not expecting the mad rush into TSL so close to 8:45am. Really through off my plan for the rest of the morning because our family was queued up for one last ride on SDD at that time. By the time we finished close to 8:50ish, TSL was packed. As was jedi signups once we got there. By the time we gave up on jedi signups and made our way to ToT lines there were close to 30 minutes. Lesson learned - get the hell out of TSL at EMM before the hordes come.
I don’t think CM give much thought about EMM events at rope drop. IMO they could care less about letting crowds into TSL a few minutes early while EMM is still going on. Also had a bad CM crowd experience for MK EMM. The event started at 7:45 but we were held at the entrance of the park until 7:45, not getting to fantasyland until 7:50ish. And we were the first people to arrive at 7D. For these events 5-10 minutes means a lot.
We had just finished SDD at 8:45am. We were planning to hit TSMM one more time before 9am and event end. Once we saw that giant group though we left the area and went to RNR and got on that with no wait!
I guess moral of the story is leave EMM at TSL 15 minutes earlier than event end.
You may be right, which is kind of crappy given you pay good money for a short event.
That’s weird (and frustrating). We attended EMM in December and the non EMM crowd was there by 8:45 but they weren’t letting them ride. We rode SDD 5 times in the last 25 minutes and could have jumped on one last time around 8:58 but my DD felt nauseated.