Welcome to Ask The Duchess – Vol. 107, a monthly Q&A post covering a variety of resort-related topics. Ask The Duchess answers questions submitted by readers. If you have a question you’d like answered, send me a message here.
1. How early should I arrive at the parking structures to make it for rope drop in the morning? (submitted by Fred)
For a typical park day, arriving at the structure 1 hour before opening should give you plenty of time to get to the gates before rope drop. But during the holidays or with peak summer crowds, you may want to bake an extra 30 minutes into that time to be cautious.
2. What happens if a ride breaks down while you’re waiting in line? (submitted by Patrick)
Cast members will tell you if they have any information about how long the ride will be down. Sometimes, they encourage you to stay in line if the ride will be up again soon. But if it’s likely a longer closure, they’ll advise you to come back later. For major issues with an attraction, they may evacuate everyone waiting in line, but that’s not common.
3. Which rides are not worth using a Lightning Lane on? (submitted by Eloise)
My #1 answer to this is Radiator Springs Racers. Half the time, you end up in the same vehicle or racing against your group if you go single rider, and you wait for a much shorter time!
4. What quick service restaurants have a nice enough seating area that it feels like a real spot to relax vs. just hover at a table and eat? (submitted by Danae)
I love this question. Here are my favorite quick service spots for a nice sitting area to decompress:
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- Flo’s V8 Café (the back patio in particular)
- Rancho del Zocalo
- Golden Horseshoe
5. How late do rides actually run compared to park closing time? (submitted by Nina)
If you are in line for a ride at park close, you can stay in that line until you get to ride. Generally cast members will start to close off lines as closing time nears. The longest I’ve ever stayed past closing to ride something was one hour, but I’m not sure if they would go much beyond that.