This Popular Disneyland Rope Drop Strategy Is Actually a Big Mistake

This popular Disneyland attraction creates large crowds in the mornings at rope drop, but we actually think going here first thing in the morning is a big mistake.

Here is why you are doing rope drop wrong if you are going to this ride at park opening and what you should be doing instead! Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including the first look at a new Disney attraction opening soon and why you should leave Disneyland for this restaurant.

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Stop Wasting Your Time at Rope Drop

Rise of the Resistance in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge remains one of Disneyland’s most popular attractions. This is also one of the most common choices for rope drop despite how far of a walk this attraction is from the central hub where guests begin lining up.

Guests also have the option of purchasing Lightning Lane Single Pass for Rise of the Resistance, but this averages around $25 per person and is not included in Lightning Lane Multi Pass. If you have a large group, or even a small group, that number adds up quickly.

We rope drop Disneyland often, and we always see those large crowds assembling at the entrance to Frontierland to prepare for the long walk to the back of the park to access Rise of the Resistance. Since this attraction is so far, it makes rope drop extremely tricky. This is even more difficult if you are pushing a stroller or have smaller kids with you.

Rather than deal with the Rise of the Resistance demand at rope drop, which can end up wasting most of your morning, save it for later in the day. The average time for the first hour of opening can range anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, often falling in the later part of that range. It’s also not uncommon for the attraction to break down in the mornings, and then guests are left waiting even longer in line.

Since Rise of the Resistance is located so far from other attractions in the park, it also consumes a large portion of your morning just with the walk there and back. There are far better rope drop options that help maximize the first hour of the day in a more effective way.

Save Rise of the Resistance for Night

The wait time for Rise of the Resistance remains pretty consistent throughout the afternoon, but once the evening starts, the wait time starts to go down. As guests head to dinner reservations, line up for Fantasmic! and the fireworks, that area of the park begins to clear out.

The best time to ride Rise of the Resistance is the last hour before the ride closes for the night, which most of the time is at 10 PM. If you see a queue as empty as the picture above, then you know you’ve come at the right time.

Our last few times attempting this strategy, we experienced no wait at all. The wait time was essentially just the walk through the queue to the first pre-show room. We like to time this so we’re going through around 9:15, and then we head over to watch the Star Wars projections (with fireworks on select nights) afterwards.

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This is truly the best method for riding Rise of the Resistance that also saves $20 per person. It’s worth it to wait for the end of the day to ride with no wait rather than spend that amount for your group. We have tried this hack during all times of the year, including the popular Halloween and holiday season, and have had great success with it.

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