Seven Tips for Dealing with Rope Drop & Toy Story Mania

[MaxPower]

I've noticed several posts recently about the madness that is Toy Story Mania right after Rope Drop each day at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

I thought I would present a few tips for anyone interested in this daily morning experience.

Disney's Hollywood Studios typically opens at 9AM each day.

There is always a crowd of a couple hundred people waiting at the entry turnstiles.

They are spread out into nearly 15 lines.

TIP #1 The entry line on the far right is usually shorter. Why? There is a sign above it that says it's The Cast Member Entrance. However, any guest may use it as well. Many people avoid this line because they think they can't use it. Chances are you will get in a bit more quickly if you use this line.

Once you are in, you make your way down Hollywood Blvd. and you are told to stop at the intersection with Sunset Blvd. The crowd that gathers here will be huge and unorganized. I will refer to this large gathering group as The Mob. This is where the rope will drop to allow everyone into the park.

TIP#2 Try to stand on the far right side in The Mob as you wait for the rope drop. Once The Mob starts moving, you will be in a good spot once you reach Toy Story Mania.

Once the rope is dropped and the mass of people heads toward Toy Story Mania, you will see that you will generally have to walk across the park near all of those you just stood at the rope with because the entire mob will be lead by several Toy Story Mania cast members.

TIP#3 You may NOT try to get in front of the cast members. They will tell you to stop and get back into The Mob. They will not let anyone break away from the pack. So you will be forced to walk at the cast member pace to the attraction.

TIP#4 The stairs next to the Chinese Theater are a quicker way to get to Toy Story Mania, HOWEVER, you may not use them. You must stay with The Mob. There are cast members standing guard at the stairs to tell you to get back into The Mob if you try something clever.

Before you reach the entrance to Toy Story Mania, you will reach the Fast Pass machines on your right. There will be utter confusion at this point. People on the left of the Mob will try to cut across to the right side once they realize both the entrance and fast passes are on the right.

TIP#5 Get a Fast Pass immediately upon seeing the Fast Pass machines. It will only take you a minute or two if you are one of the first people there. Your Fast Pass will be good in one hour.

TIP#6 Don't forget that the Fast Pass Machine has an exit behind it. You can get your Fast Passes and then just take two steps forward to go behind the machine and then exit. Most people obtain their Fast Passes and then instictively turn around to fight their way back out through the people behind them.

TIP#7 After you get a fast pass, go directly into the regular standby entrance for Toy Story Mania. There may be a log jam right at the entrance, but once inside, you will walk through the entire queue with little to no wait. ( Well worth it because it is one of the best queues in Walt Disney World- and you do not see most of it when you enter as a Fast Pass rider.)

If you are at the Studios for Rope Drop and use these tip[s, you will be able to ride Toy Story Mania twice in the first hour of the day - and considering that only two hours later, the wait will be close to 90 minutes, it's worth the effort.

Hope this helped anyone who wanted a detailed description.

Now keep shootin!

3.....2......1......

[Rekenna]

Good tips! I will try this out on our next trip. It's just DH and I so we don't have to worry about a stroller or having any of our peeps run over. We will progress in a nice, orlderly and calm fashion!

[Dsnygirl]

I can verify that these tips are PERFECT, as it's exactly what we've done, and it's worked like a charm every time. Thanks for sharing -- it makes the morning at DHS a lot more enjoyable!!

[Suz36]

Thanks! We'll give this a try in May. When you exit behind the FP machines, do you go left or right? Is there a CM there directing you?

[Dsnygirl]

Thanks! We'll give this a try in May. When you exit behind the FP machines, do you go left or right? Is there a CM there directing you?

You'd go to your left... the machines are before the ride. And no, there's no CM directing you 'til you get over to the ride. But it's really clear -- you'll just walk "behind" the machines to the left, past the FP entrance, and continue on to the entrance to the line for the ride que.

Have fun!

[fielin]

Wow ! This is a great post !
Thank you so much !

[BigRedDad]

These are good tips and they do not pertain specifically for TSM. They can be used for ToT and RnRC as well. The first half of my trip, I will do this with TSM. When my DW joins the second half, we will FP RnRC, get in standby, then ToT, then ride FP RnRC, standby ToT, then get FP for TSM.

[clausjo]

Thanks for the tips! Me, my DS and DD will be there in 8 days (woo hoo!!) and we'll try this out. We've not done this ride yet and are very excited about trying it out. As people who generally don't do rope drops, what time should I plan on getting to the park to wait to go through the turnstiles?

[Giggy]

Thanks for the tips, Toy Story Mania is new since our last trip so it's a high priority for us this year.

Normally we've arrived after park opening, grabbed fastpasses for Rock & Rollercoaster and gone onto Tower of Terror. What we might do this time (aiming for rope drop) is just go into the standby for TSM right at the start, then proceed to our usual ToT/RnRC combo.

What are queues like for those two now (assuming it's morning, late August)? Are they worth fast passing at that time or if we decided we want to do TSM again would w ebe beter off getting a fastpass to go on this again later and just going into standby for ToT and RnRC?

[MOJoe]

This is very accurate information.
Of course everything depends upon being a part of the Mob that opens up the park. If you are able to do that, anything you want to do that day becomes much easier. You could, for example, go straight to Toy Story Mania, ride a couple of times, then get a fastpass for later. Or get a fastpass for TSM, ride or not ride, and make tracks to Rockin Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror. Concievably, you could ride all the big three in the first hour or so. But only if you are one of the first few in the park.

[g8rgirl29]

I would also like to add that the que that you are waiting in is awesome for photo's with your little ones and as much part of the ride for little ones. So, please refrain from loud groaning as parents try to obtain pics when there is clearly a line in front of said photo takers. Also no pushing said photo takers would be greatly appreciated!! If there were no line they would gladly let you fly by!! Remember we are at Disney and they have gone to great measures to make the ques enjoyable so let those that want to enjoy them do so.

[MNNHFLTX]

I would like to add that unless you are in the very front of the crowds at opening a better option might be to bypass the Fastpass lines at Toy Story Mania and go directly to the standby line. Within minutes after opening, the Fastpass lines are often longer than the standby line, so you if you go through the standby line by the time you get off the ride the Fastpass lines are usually much shorter and you can get a Fastpass for later in the day to ride again.

[hannahandkalebmom]

Thanks for all the great tips we are leaving for the world on friday.. We will use all the tips you gave. Thanks again!!

[Tink#64]

Excellent tips! TSM is also new for us this year & this will completely change our touring pattern of DHS! I love new stuff at WDW!

[tinksmom02]

I've noticed several posts recently about the madness that is Toy Story Mania right after Rope Drop each day at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

These were the exact steps I took on our last trip, and the plan executed itself brilliantly...

until we were in front of Mr. Potato Head and the ride had "technical difficulties" and we were forced to exit the queue.

TSM was shut down for the whole morning and into the early afternoon that day, so we never did get back to ride.

Figures, the ONE time we're at a park at rope drop, and I have my plan all laid our perfectly

[SBETigg]

I disagree with the tips, actually, as they are the sort of tips that would just add stress to my day. I would say to enter the park at or not long after opening and make your way to TSM at your own pace. Relax. Enjoy the atmosphere. Once you get to TSM, forget FP. The FP line is not worth rushing for-- unless you're one of the first in the crowd, the wait will be uselessly long. Just go to the Stand-By line.

At the beginning of the day, Stand By is usually 20-40 minutes- time which is much nicer spent with your family observing the queue atmosphere while waiting to ride then going crazy with separating and stressing out to be try to be first to the FP machine. Then you just go on with your day instead of worrying about waiting for FP and waiting in line again when everyone with the FP for your time shows up and your wait time is 20-40 minutes in the end anyway.

[Iluvpooh]

I would also like to add that the que that you are waiting in is awesome for photo's with your little ones and as much part of the ride for little ones. So, please refrain from loud groaning as parents try to obtain pics when there is clearly a line in front of said photo takers. Also no pushing said photo takers would be greatly appreciated!! If there were no line they would gladly let you fly by!! Remember we are at Disney and they have gone to great measures to make the ques enjoyable so let those that want to enjoy them do so.

I would like to point out as a family photo taker, that in my opinion-It is perfectly exceptable to "skip" (walk past) those people who do stop to take pictures.
I also agree that I found it better to get in line first and then get the FP after we had ridden.
Thanks for the thread.

[Imagineer1981]

Great tips, thanks for sharing!!!

[Joannelet]

I'd also like to say No running (cast members will stop you) and please KNOW how to get a fastpass before you get there. There is nothing like a person in front of you that has NO idea how to even retrieve a fastpass.
By the time they figure it out 5 15 minute increments have passed.

[Granny Jill A]

Love the tips! And I also love the fact that CM's now "walk" you to the popular attractions in the morning. It's so much better than being trampled by the crazies.

Each time a new attraction goes on line, I recall that it won't be long before it's old stuff and the lines will be manageable one day.