Epcot FP help!! Frozen, Soarin, Test Track, Baymax, Joy and Sadness at rope drop

[superman007]

I'll have to check it out again soon. I've been 3 times this year during Feb-may.

All 3 times we got to the park at 8am for regular 9am opening. Two times got to the ride ahead of the crowd and just had about a 10-15 min wait, meanwhile the line behind us filled the rest of the queue within minutes and extended outside. Both times we got off and the line by 9:30 was a posted 45-60 min wait. Could've been slightly inflated but when the line fills the queue and reaches the door or outside, I know it's a lengthy wait.

3rd time we tried..8am for 9am opening. Power walked there to beat the crowd, arrived to frozen about the 15th person in line and we were being held outside. Ride down due to technical difficulties. After waiting in that line about 30 min a CM came out and said anyone can continue to wait but the ride would be down at least another hour or maybe even 2. So we left. So the ride not even working first thing in the morning is another thing to take into consideration

I'm not doubting anyone saying the ride is a short wait for the first hour or so.. But I'm wondering where all the crowds are going to that I've experienced when I've been there. Each of those 3 times this year it's hundreds of people just quickly walking to Norway. You could be passing spaceship earth and just see the trail of people go toward the showcase and turn left.

I've been interested in this as well as I'm setting up my plan for next week. Touring plans showed a 20 minute wait last Thursday around 9am and the app suggested to wait to ride as the line would soon get shorter...Maybe Moana took some of the heat off Frozen?

 

[Klayfish]

If we have FP from 9-10, 10-11, and 11-12 what kind of chance would we have of pulling at 4th FP for Soarin or Frozen shortly after noon?

For both of them, it'll be somewhat difficult if you're looking to get it right away. What I'd suggest is that as soon as you tap in for your 11am FP+, jump on MDE and start hitting refresh. If you're persistent, you'll have a somewhat decent chance at TT for early afternoon. For FEA, unlikely, but not totally impossible. **Ooops - EDIT - you asked about Soarin', not TT. Sorry. Yes, you'll have a shot at Soarin', but not a sure thing. **

I'm not doubting anyone saying the ride is a short wait for the first hour or so.. But I'm wondering where all the crowds are going to that I've experienced when I've been there. Each of those 3 times this year it's hundreds of people just quickly walking to Norway. You could be passing spaceship earth and just see the trail of people go toward the showcase and turn left.

Frankly, we wondered the same thing. From what we saw on the trip, a lot of people were heading to TT, or to Soarin' (you see a big group heading right after passing SE). In the 3 times we did FEA early morning this trip, once the line stopped about 1/2 through the queue. However, since it was 100% standby, the line moved non-stop...a slow steady progression and within about 10 minutes we were boarding. The other two times, we walked through the entire queue and only stopped right before the boarding area. One of those two times, when we got off, the line was still very short, we could have walked right back on if we wanted. The other time, the line was still short, but we could see a large group of 15s walking in, so that may have slowed it down.

We didn't expect to have that short of a line, but we certainly were happy to have it each time. In fact, one of the times, it was the one and only time all trip we bought our kids breakfast (we always eat in our rental condo). We stopped at the Joffreys near the twin gift shops and they got huge donuts. We thought we'd have time in the standby line for them to eat. Nope...they had to eat fast.

 

[ChristineOH]

Thanks to everyone with advice! I hadn't heard about Frozen lines being that short--so that is encouraging!!

I wonder how our Sunday will be crowd wise in the morning with EMH evening hours and F & W. Is it wishful thinking that it may be quiet in the morning because the masses will wait until late morning/early afternoon to stay through EMH?

If we have FP from 9-10, 10-11, and 11-12 what kind of chance would we have of pulling at 4th FP for Soarin or Frozen shortly after noon?

If you are going on an evening EMH day, you will have a harder time pulling a 4th FP. It's just anecdotal for me, but there is noticeably less availability for "day of" FP on an evening EMH day. It won't make things impossible, you just will have less selection of times.

FEA is harder to get as a 4th than Soarin', by far. For Soarin', it helps to look early. For FEA, you're looking for cancellations, so it's more luck than timing. You can find them for FEA, but you'll have to do some refreshing and look for groups of two (or one) and modify to get overlapping times. We found Soarin' extremely easy to get as a 4th, so do that one if you have a choice.

I've also heard that FEA has recently had low waits if you hit it after the RD crush and before FP+ times start at 11:00. I am sure it's a pain to walk over there around 9:30 or 10:00, because WS isn't open yet, so once you're done, you might have to walk back or wait around till WS opens, but it might be worth it.

I've heard that while Joy and Sadness can have long waits, Baymax usually is only 10-15 minutes.

If you can be right at the front of the crowds, you might RD Joy and Sadness and then do Baymax while you're there, head over to FEA, do TT and M:S and ??? with a FP+, and then look for a 4th for Soarin'. Maybe throw in a 9:00 FP for SE after Joy and Sadness just to help get your FP in so you can look for a 4th early.

 

[Klayfish]

I've also heard that FEA has recently had low waits if you hit it after the RD crush and before FP+ times start at 11:00

Hmmmm...I don't know if that's right or not, but logically speaking that makes a ton of sense. Perhaps that's why we've been so successful early in the morning. We're just not rope drop people. The earliest we'd show up at the gates is 9:05am or 9:15am. By time we tap in and walk back to FEA, it's going to be closer to 9:30am...if we don't go to another ride first. Perhaps that's the sweet spot between the rope drop crowd and the start of FP+?

 

[ChristineOH]

Hmmmm...I don't know if that's right or not, but logically speaking that makes a ton of sense. Perhaps that's why we've been so successful early in the morning. We're just not rope drop people. The earliest we'd show up at the gates is 9:05am or 9:15am. By time we tap in and walk back to FEA, it's going to be closer to 9:30am...if we don't go to another ride first. Perhaps that's the sweet spot between the rope drop crowd and the start of FP+?

You might get on the app in the mornings and just check out wait times.

This blog post from July has loads of data (maybe too much) but it shows how morning wait times have dropped as we have gotten further into summer. I haven't looked at those days with long waits in the morning, but they may be EMH, so that would be a consideration that I didn't consider in my previous post.

http://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/fr...nd-fastpass-availability-summer-2017-edition/

 

[CAS239]

Frozen right now at 9:25am is a 35 minute wait. Not bad

 

[Klayfish]

You might get on the app in the mornings and just check out wait times.

This blog post from July has loads of data (maybe too much) but it shows how morning wait times have dropped as we have gotten further into summer. I haven't looked at those days with long waits in the morning, but they may be EMH, so that would be a consideration that I didn't consider in my previous post.

http://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/fr...nd-fastpass-availability-summer-2017-edition/

Yeah, that is a ton of data. If I missed it, I apologize, I only got to skim read it, but is that posted wait times or actual wait times based on guests input? If it's posted wait times, then we all know how accurate the posted times are for the e-ticket rides right at park open and park close. I honestly don't know what the posted wait time was when we rode it. I want to say it was around 30 minutes, but not 100% sure. I know it wasn't 10 minutes, because that would have stood out to me. I think they default post it as 30 or more as soon as they open??

 

[REEREEG]

Thanks! That would be amazing and still be before our FP date so I could make up my mind on which way to go first! We usually visit in October and have spent the morning at Epcot during F & W and it was very quiet until the booths started opening but we have not been since FEA!

So this is how our morning went:
8:50 left breakfast at akershus & lined up for frozen (8th in line)
9:00 on ride - photo taken at 9:03 - when we walked out of the ride the crowd was just getting to the door into the ride - we were going to ride again but weren't really sure where the line ended and where the crowd from rope drop started so we headed towards joy & sadness
9:17 got in line for joy and sadness - had photo taken at 9:33 - this line looked ~2x as long as baymax
9:42 went into line at soarin - there was an announcement that there was a problem while we were in line and there would be longer than usual waits - we walked into the flight room at 10:20

We weren't going to do test track but at 10am touring plans said 55 min for expected wait at test track

The walk from frozen to joy and sadness was kind of long - if I wanted to do joy & sadness, baymax, soarin & test track, and frozen, I'd probably save frozen for later...

 

[jenhelgren]

So this is how our morning went:
8:50 left breakfast at akershus & lined up for frozen (8th in line)
9:00 on ride - photo taken at 9:03 - when we walked out of the ride the crowd was just getting to the door into the ride - we were going to ride again but weren't really sure where the line ended and where the crowd from rope drop started so we headed towards joy & sadness
9:17 got in line for joy and sadness - had photo taken at 9:33 - this line looked ~2x as long as baymax
9:42 went into line at soarin - there was an announcement that there was a problem while we were in line and there would be longer than usual waits - we walked into the flight room at 10:20

We weren't going to do test track but at 10am touring plans said 55 min for expected wait at test track

The walk from frozen to joy and sadness was kind of long - if I wanted to do joy & sadness, baymax, soarin & test track, and frozen, I'd probably save frozen for later...

Thank you so much for taking precious vacay time to report back!

I am rethinking the FEA FP after checking ride times on Touring Plans today also. Both Soarin and Test Track had waits almost double FEA this morning during our time frame.

The plan I made a few days ago was:

Joy and Sadness and Baymax first at rope drop then head straight to TT as we don't want single rider. Go back to FEA after TT and hopefully ride standby before our FP window opens at 11 (of course-if we get it) so my DD can ride twice and soak it all in. After FEA-head to Soarin which should be between 11 and 12. Character Spot has been 40+ mins every time I check so I want to get a FP around noon and then use the 3rd FP for Mission Space.

I would love any advice or critique on this plan. As I posted earlier-Epcot is my least familiar park so I don't trust my planning yet

 

[IceQueen182]

On our most recent Epcot trip, we rope dropped and got to the park around 8:15 a.m., so we were fairly close to the front of the line. The line became massive by 8:45 a.m.

We headed straight for Test Track and were some of the first people riding. By the time we left the ride, the wait had skyrocketed to 45 minutes. (We can't do single rider b/c we have small kids.) We cut directly to Soarin' and were able to ride that with about a 15 minute wait. FEA already had a significant wait by this time, so I was glad we had a Fastpass.

We didn't do Joy/Sadness or Baymax, but I think depending on your priority I would hit that or Test Track first, then whichever one you didn't visit, followed by Soarin' third. I'd Fastpass FEA. You'd also have a pretty good chance in my experience of getting a 4th FP for Soarin' in the afternoon.

I think the plan you posted makes good sense- except I'd consider hitting Soarin' to ride standby before your FEA FP, unless the FEA wait was fairly short. Epcot is our favorite park- have a wonderful time!

 

[REEREEG]

Thank you so much for taking precious vacay time to report back!

I am rethinking the FEA FP after checking ride times on Touring Plans today also. Both Soarin and Test Track had waits almost double FEA this morning during our time frame.

The plan I made a few days ago was:

Joy and Sadness and Baymax first at rope drop then head straight to TT as we don't want single rider. Go back to FEA after TT and hopefully ride standby before our FP window opens at 11 (of course-if we get it) so my DD can ride twice and soak it all in. After FEA-head to Soarin which should be between 11 and 12. Character Spot has been 40+ mins every time I check so I want to get a FP around noon and then use the 3rd FP for Mission Space.

I would love any advice or critique on this plan. As I posted earlier-Epcot is my least familiar park so I don't trust my planning yet

That sounds good - we could only book fast passes on Saturday at so had soarin for 5:50. We loved it and so wanted to go again using the fast pass. I did "modify" and refreshed over and over again for less than a minute at 1:40 and was able to switch fast passes to 2pm and as soon as we swiped in at 2pm I did refresh a few times and got another for 2:20pm. Frozen and test track were popping up as fast pass options as well but not til 7 or 8 pm so I would try to do all three fast passes before 12/1 so you can get another one later...We are only a party of 2 so easier but still might help.

I like your plan bc you could meet Anna & Elsa around the same time as doing the frozen ride.

 

[mustinjourney]

For those that constantly suggest 'single rider' lines, keep in mind that many, many posters will have young children, so single rider may not be a viable option.

then i would suggest single rider for the first person and they grab a rider switch so the kid can ride with the other adult.

 

[Tmom5]

Thanks for this thread, I am planning for our October trip...Sunday in Epcot with FP+ for FEA later in day (as it stands right now). We want to do Joy, Sadness, BAymax, TT and Soarin in the morning...My hope was RD Joy and Sadness, go to Soarin, then TT, FP for MS, then Baymax...in general would it be better to go to TT before Soarin, but still after Joy and Sadness...WE DO NOT WANT TO USE SINGLE RIDER, We have 6 kids with us!

 

[talocaca]

It is definitely possible to be under 20 minutes, in fact under 10. We were there from June 30 to July 16 and did FEA on 3 different mornings, all roughly between 9:30 and 10am (we don't rope drop). Never once waited more than 10 minutes...one time it was literally 3 minutes...including the time it took us to walk through the entire empty queue. It's all standby that early in the morning. We had the same experience in summer 2016 too, though we only tried it once, and the wait then was 25 minutes (the ride had it's grand opening only a week prior). Not saying you didn't have a long wait, but all of our experiences are that the line is quite short early in the morning.

OP, your wish list is quite easy. I'd do it like this...

Rope drop Test Track. Then head back to Frozen and do standby. Then FP+ Soarin' (it's Tier 1), then FP+ Spaceship. Standby for the characters...Baymax line is usually short. J&S isn't as short, but it is what it is. Alternative would be...but would require more walking...

Rope drop Soarin'. Standby Frozen. FP+ TT, FP+ Spaceship. Standby characters (you could do the characters between the FP+ for Spaceship and TT)

We have done Epcot from about 9:15am to 1pm and get on everything, some rides multiple times.

It is definitely possible to be under 20 minutes, in fact under 10. We were there from June 30 to July 16 and did FEA on 3 different mornings, all roughly between 9:30 and 10am (we don't rope drop). Never once waited more than 10 minutes...one time it was literally 3 minutes...including the time it took us to walk through the entire empty queue. It's all standby that early in the morning. We had the same experience in summer 2016 too, though we only tried it once, and the wait then was 25 minutes (the ride had it's grand opening only a week prior). Not saying you didn't have a long wait, but all of our experiences are that the line is quite short early in the morning.

OP, your wish list is quite easy. I'd do it like this...

Rope drop Test Track. Then head back to Frozen and do standby. Then FP+ Soarin' (it's Tier 1), then FP+ Spaceship. Standby for the characters...Baymax line is usually short. J&S isn't as short, but it is what it is. Alternative would be...but would require more walking...

Rope drop Soarin'. Standby Frozen. FP+ TT, FP+ Spaceship. Standby characters (you could do the characters between the FP+ for Spaceship and TT)

We have done Epcot from about 9:15am to 1pm and get on everything, some rides multiple times.

Yo

It is definitely possible to be under 20 minutes, in fact under 10. We were there from June 30 to July 16 and did FEA on 3 different mornings, all roughly between 9:30 and 10am (we don't rope drop). Never once waited more than 10 minutes...one time it was literally 3 minutes...including the time it took us to walk through the entire empty queue. It's all standby that early in the morning. We had the same experience in summer 2016 too, though we only tried it once, and the wait then was 25 minutes (the ride had it's grand opening only a week prior). Not saying you didn't have a long wait, but all of our experiences are that the line is quite short early in the morning.

OP, your wish list is quite easy. I'd do it like this...

Rope drop Test Track. Then head back to Frozen and do standby. Then FP+ Soarin' (it's Tier 1), then FP+ Spaceship. Standby for the characters...Baymax line is usually short. J&S isn't as short, but it is what it is. Alternative would be...but would require more walking...

Rope drop Soarin'. Standby Frozen. FP+ TT, FP+ Spaceship. Standby characters (you could do the characters between the FP+ for Spaceship and TT)

We have done Epcot from about 9:15am to 1pm and get on everything, some rides multiple times.

Your plan sounds good.

Currently planning to Rope Drop: Soarin', Frozen, Test Track Single Rider.

I have a FP for Frozen but it's at 8:15PM...and the ride seems somewhat unreliable. If I show up and they say it's broken and won't open for the day I would be pissed. I would much rather miss Soarin' than Frozen (since I've tried the California version anyway).

Do you think it would be better to start with Frozen (though the international Getaway entrance) then head to Test Track and then Soarin'?

Seems like less walking

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

We get to make our FP+ on Sunday, but so far our plan is this:

9:00am-9:20am – Rope Drop: Test Track (single rider available)
9:20am-9:40am – Mission Space (mild and intense rides)
9:40am-10:30am – Soarin’ (3 theatres available)
12:00pm-1:00pm – FP #1: Spaceship Earth
1:00pm-2:00pm – FP #2: Epcot Character Spot
2:00pm-3:00pm – FP #3: Frozen Ever After

We are planning on doing MS ride after TT since it's right there. Do you think I allowed enough time for each ride?
Are Joy and Sadness near the Character Spot?