An AK / FOP Question as trip day approaches ...

[Moms]

We are heading to WDW for the upcoming President’s Day Weekend. We have our ADR’s, FP+’s, and have started packing. We are crossing our fingers that next Friday will not have similar weather issues as yesterday as we are flying out of Chicago early in the AM.

At any rate, we scored a FP for FOP on Monday at 3:30 PM. We additionally plan to head over to AK in the evening on Saturday, enjoy a dinner at Tiffins and queue up for FOP after 7:00. Assuming we stick it out on Saturday and have really enjoyed the ride as much as we think we will, we will have to decide how early we want to head to AK on Monday … we had originally planned to get there before rope drop and try for FOP at opening but they have changed the EMH time and it will now be opening for EMH at 7:00 AM. If we were to try to get there an hour before we would have to be there by 6:00 AM!! That is a bit early even for us “early birds” and of course that makes for a long day at AK assuming we wait for our 3:30 FP as well.

I guess the question is … is it worth it? Additionally … we will use our other FP’s by about 12:30 (both in Africa area). What would be a good way to spend the nearly three hours we will have as we wait for the 3:30 PM FOP fast pass? We don’t want to eat much as we have an ADR at California Grill at 7:15 PM (no sense not being hungry for an expensive meal!) … is there a ride or attraction not likely to have killer lines? A nice cocktail lounge to try? We haven’t been to the Rifiki Conservation area in many years … is it worth a trip for two adults?

 

[Robo]

we will use our other FP’s by about 12:30 (both in Africa area). What would be a good way to spend the nearly three hours we will have as we wait for the 3:30 PM FOP fast pass?

If you want to "focus" your day, you could move your other two FPs to times closer (before and/or after) FoP.

 

[subtchr]

The Nomad Lounge, next to Tiffins, is wonderful.

I'd make the early morning a night-before decision.

 

[iujen94]

What would be a good way to spend the nearly three hours we will have as we wait for the 3:30 PM FOP fast pass?

Festival of the Lion King show! Also the gorilla trails are right there in Africa, or the tiger trails aren’t too far away.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We are heading to WDW for the upcoming President’s Day Weekend. We have our ADR’s, FP+’s, and have started packing. We are crossing our fingers that next Friday will not have similar weather issues as yesterday as we are flying out of Chicago early in the AM.

At any rate, we scored a FP for FOP on Monday at 3:30 PM. We additionally plan to head over to AK in the evening on Saturday, enjoy a dinner at Tiffins and queue up for FOP after 7:00. Assuming we stick it out on Saturday and have really enjoyed the ride as much as we think we will, we will have to decide how early we want to head to AK on Monday … we had originally planned to get there before rope drop and try for FOP at opening but they have changed the EMH time and it will now be opening for EMH at 7:00 AM. If we were to try to get there an hour before we would have to be there by 6:00 AM!! That is a bit early even for us “early birds” and of course that makes for a long day at AK assuming we wait for our 3:30 FP as well.

I guess the question is … is it worth it? Additionally … we will use our other FP’s by about 12:30 (both in Africa area). What would be a good way to spend the nearly three hours we will have as we wait for the 3:30 PM FOP fast pass? We don’t want to eat much as we have an ADR at California Grill at 7:15 PM (no sense not being hungry for an expensive meal!) … is there a ride or attraction not likely to have killer lines? A nice cocktail lounge to try? We haven’t been to the Rifiki Conservation area in many years … is it worth a trip for two adults?

I'm a little confused. You plan on doing standby FoP on Saturday evening, have a FoP FP+ for 3:30 pm on Monday and your thinking of doing RD on Monday to do FoP again? I love FoP, but if I had a FP+, there's no way I would RD it and then do it again at 3:30 pm especially if I had already done it the night before. Personally, I would not RD AK on Monday just to wait in that massive RD FoP line.

I agree with Robo. Why not try moving your other FP+ closer to your FoP time so you don't feel like you have so much time to kill in AK. If that isn't possible, Nomad, as PP has suggested is a fantastic lounge. We killed at least an hour there on our last trip and we don't drink alcohol, LOL! The animal trails are wonderful - look for the new baby tigers! Both Nemo and Lion King are great shows and you don't need FP+ for them. You could also do single rider line at EE if you like the ride. We enjoy Rafiki's Planet Watch. You could also pick up a Wilderness Explorer's book and do the activities throughout the park. Primeval Whirl also, typically, doesn't have a terribly long standby line.

 

[subtchr]

Both Nemo and Lion King are great shows and you don't need FP+ for them.

Unfortunately, Nemo will still be closed at that time, or I would have suggested it, too.

And as much as I love FoP, I agree, I wouldn't get up at zero dark thirty to fight the rope drop crowd for a third ride. Have a relaxed morning, enjoy the empty non-Pandora areas of the park in the morning, and enjoy the day.