BWV arrival and time to Epcot for FP

[daisyx3]

I tried to ask this on the planning board but it was not well received. Guess compared to some people with 74,000 posts, I am an idiot.
I can make my FPs tomorrow for our trip. We arrive to MCO at 11:15 AM and head to BWV via Magical Express. The plan is to head to Epcot for a few hours before our 5:45 dinner at Cape May. And I need some time at the gate to activate our PAP vouchers and buy a TIW card.
I wanted to get at least a Test Track FP for the afternoon. I really don't care about the tier 2 stuff and I can save Soarin' for our full Epcot day. Would I be OK time-wise booking a fastpass for 2PM? Or am I being optimistic about the time from MCO to BWV? Maybe 3PM would be better?
Thanks.
Daisyx3

 

[nalajms]

Would I be OK time-wise booking a fastpass for 2PM? Or am I being optimistic about the time from MCO to BWV? Maybe 3PM would be better?

I'd go for 3pm just to be safe! I usually allow for 2 hours min for DME. Just because you get to the line by 11:30 doesn't mean the bus will leave at 11:30. We've waited as long as 45mins, with 20 of them on the bus I believe the actual ride to Disney is 30-45min. The last few trips to BWV, we stopped at CBR first. Then you'll want to check in, maybe drop stuff at bell services...walk to the gateway...get PAP - assuming they can find your tickets on their system ...then walk to the front.


That's just my estimate ... and I've only go 500ish posts

 

[nkosiek]

I agree about the 3pm. I had similar timing back in January but was headed to HS instead of EPCOT. I was glad I was more cautious about FP because we were running behind with what felt like a longish wait for the bus as well as a bit of time in line at BWV.

The other way to look at it is that if you're running early you can stop off and do Figment or something in Innoventions.

 

[tjkraz]

What if your flight is delayed?

For what it's worth, scheduling ANYTHING on your arrival day is very risky. That Cape May ADR is even more of a gamble. If there are any significant delays in your travel plans, you could end up paying that $10 per person no-show fee.

If you hope to get into your hotel room and freshen-up before dinner, you could also run into problems. Rooms may not be ready when you expect, there could be delays in luggage delivery and/or the airline could lose your luggage entirely.

I don't have 74,000 posts but I've read enough comments over the years from frustrated travelers who had anticipated a much smoother arrival process than they experienced. Remember Murphy's Law.

No harm in booking FastPasses but an attraction breakdown could also scuttle those plans.

Good luck.

 

[daisyx3]

Thanks! Those are the thought-out rational responses I was looking for. I might book a 3pm test track FP but if things get bogged down it's not the end of the world. In my mind I see that whole Epcot/Boardwalk area as being so close, but a million things could go wrong. Maybe I will book preferred Illuminations seating instead and just take it slow before dinner!
Daisyx3

 

[drusba]

You can choose three FP+. If there is anything else you might want to try to do, you might want to line up the FP+ for 2-3, 3-4.and 4-5 or thereabouts. Make Test Track the last one, and make at least the first one something you won't mind missing if you do not get there in time. I personally think with the time for getting off the plane, getting to the bus, waiting possibly for the bus, the trip to BWV which may include other stops, checking in, walking to Epcot, getting PAP and then getting to Future World, the earliest you are likely to make it is the 3 p.m. mentioned above, but there is a risk it could even be later like closer to 4 and a chance it could be earlier like 2. Thus, if you want to assure you will get Test Track make it later than 3 but also give yourself something to do if you do get there early.

 

[nalajms]

Maybe I will book preferred Illuminations seating instead and just take it slow before dinner!

DH usually needs a nap in the BC lobby after dinner at Cape May

Make sure you are ok with the FP+ location for Illuminations. We were there for CP once and did not care for it.

 

[automaticsoap]

You can choose three FP+. If there is anything else you might want to try to do, you might want to line up the FP+ for 2-3, 3-4.and 4-5 or thereabouts. Make Test Track the last one, and make at least the first one something you won't mind missing if you do not get there in time.

I agree with this, and it's similar to my arrival day plan for next month (except Soarin' instead of Test Track).

 

[daisyx3]

I did that. I booked Spaceship Earth at 2 and TT at 3. I left the rest of the day open. Figured we will aimlessly walk around World Showcase after dinner and try to catch Illuminations from BWV.
It was easy to book the FP+ I wanted for the first 6 days (day 7 is TL with Ohana dinner and day 8 is checkout so either Epcot, DHS or DD--we'll decide then) . I did book Peter Pan for one of our MK days but fully intend to replace it with the Mine Train as soon as it becomes an option. Anna and Elsa were already standby by 12:15 AM, but my I just looked at it for grins; my son doesn't need to meet any characters and if I try to see Mickey at the Art of Animation at DHS.

 

[AmyB2006]

If your dinner at CMC is not until 5:45 I'd book FP for TT at 4 to be honest. Allow as much time as possible. 2 is really optimistic. LOL 3 is slightly better. I don't think you'll have a problem with a 4 to 5 window.

 

[daisyx3]

Oh I won't mind if we miss the first one. I am confident we can make TT at least by the end of the 3-4 time.
If history serves, our room won't be ready when we get there so I want to make sure we can go back to BWV and check in before dinner. On our last trip we checked into BLT and went to MK. We came back at 3:30--no, not ready. We crash in the Contemporary lobby like bums surrounded by luggage. At 4 I went back to the desk--why yes, it's been ready for an hour, didn't someone text you? That's how our checkins usually go.
Daisyx3

 

[drusba]

Anna and Elsa were already standby by 12:15 AM, but my I just looked at it for grins; my son doesn't need to meet any characters and if I try to see Mickey at the Art of Animation at DHS.

If you want Anna and Elsa via FP+, try doing the fastpasses for the day separately for each person. We found that when we went to book three at once, like we would normally do for FP+ for the day, you could not even check off Anna and Elsa. However, when I tried just booking one person at a time for FP+, I was able to separately get times for each 10 or fewer minutes apart, meaning 2-3, 2:10 tp 3:10, and 2:15 to 3:15, giving us a a 45 minute window, 2:15 to 3 for all to go at the same time.

 

[daisyx3]

No I don't want Anna and Elsa; I was posting the information about it already being gone in case anyone else was curious. Thank God my kids are too old for the current craze! Mickey is the only one I'd get a picture with and he's easy to find without a FP.