Epcot FP Tiers After Frozen Ride and Soarin Are Open

[WDWRook]

Can you fastpass the Sum of All Thrills ride?

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

My best guess is this:

Tier 1: soarin, test track and frozen ever after

I might argue that Epcot could get rid of tiering altogether. The reason behind tiering is that you need the tiers because there aren't enough headliners to go around.

With the new openings, I would argue that test track, soarin, frozen ever after, illuminations and the frozen meet and great could all be considered tier 1. This might be enough to finally go around. Remember too that soarin will have increased capacity leading to more fastpass availability.

 

[jhaig]

Will the Frozen ride open with the rest of WS at 11am? If so wouldn't that somewhat limit FP availability to begin with?

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Will the Frozen ride open with the rest of WS at 11am? If so wouldn't that somewhat limit FP availability to begin with?

There have been rumors that Mexico and Norway would open at 9 with future world.

 

[Tomh]

The lack of capacity is the entire reason for the tiering. If capacity were to reach a point where the headliners could really handle the crowds, then tiering would be unnecessary.

 

[cruisingtwins]

TT and soain will stay in the same tier no matter what the other ones we'll see.

 

[AngiTN]

I predict

They'll put Soarin' back in Tier 1,
Leave TT in Tier 1,
Put Frozen ride in Tier 1, (Malestrom was, so of course this will be)
The Sisters M&G will be Tier 1, which gives those who have to worry about HR an attraction
MS will move back to Tier 2 when Soarin' reopens
LwtL will no longer need to be Tier 1 with the added Norway attractions
Only one I'm unsure of is Illuminations. That may go the way of the DoDo Bird
Rest of Tier 2 rides will remain Tier 2

 

[Robo]

Can you fastpass the Sum of All Thrills ride?

Nope

 

[HopperFan]

The thought of what you just wrote sucks.

Yup.

- Both Frozen Ever After and the Meet & Greet are going to be mob scenes. Yeah, I don't care about meeting the sisters, again, but I do want to see the inside of their summer house. Everyone will want to get on the ride. I think they are going to make you pick between them, and wait in line for the other.
- Soarin' has always been a steady long line. Sure they are adding capacity but they are also adding a whole new movie, new quality and new experience. I think you'll have all those that have stood in line, those who are give or take will be back, and the new crowds now coming to Epcot because of the Frozen experiences.
- Test Track is the only thrill ride, I don't see it changing.
- Illuminations could drop because it is totally possible to see it without, the location is just popular. I would drop it to 2, but look at how many Tier 1 they have now.

It's not about the individual guest, it's about the mass of guests in the park and spreading the most popular attractions across the mass.

 

[Robo]

If I was seriously trying to accomodate more guests and attract a younger fanbase to Epcot... (A day spent by a family attracted to Epcot could relieve some pressure at MK)
I would build enough "capacity" into the brand new A&E Meet that the attraction could actually handle being Tier 2.

That "capacity" could be absolutely adjustable to accomodate anticipated needs.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

If I had to guess, I'd say they'd drop Living with the Land to tier 2 and eliminate Illuminations as a FP choice altogether. Test Track will stay where it is.

SSE gets mobbed in the morning but is basically a walk-on in the afternoons, except in the busiest times.

 

[tinkerbella16]

I am guessing they will put Living with the Land back to Tier 2 and Frozen will be Tier 1, since Maelstrom was tier 1 when it was opened. Soarin and Test Track will probably remain Tier 1. I'd be surprised if Test Track dropped to Tier 2, but then again, stranger things have happened. A&E meet and greet, tier 1. They'd probably drop Mission Space to Tier 2. I agree, I can see them putting Illuminations to tier 2 - the location is popular, but not many people would waste a tier 1 on something they can see from so many views.

 

[skateshome]

- Test Track is the only thrill ride, I don't see it changing.
.

Dang...no love for Mission Space. LOL!
MS is one of our favorites. I don't know why more people don't like that ride.
Oh well....easier for us. It will most certainly move back to tier 2 once another tier 1 ride opens/reopens.

 

[HopperFan]

Dang...no love for Mission Space. LOL!
MS is one of our favorites. I don't know why more people don't like that ride.
Oh well....easier for us. It will most certainly move back to tier 2 once another tier 1 ride opens/reopens.

HAHA, I consider that a "spill" ride.

I think it's a thrill for a minority as opposed to TT that is a thrill for the majority. I tried it, once. Day ruined. My family liked it but even they rarely venture over there.

 

[HopperFan]

If I was seriously trying to accomodate more guests and attract a younger fanbase to Epcot... (A day spent by a family attracted to Epcot could relieve some pressure at MK)
I would build enough "capacity" into the brand new A&E Meet that the attraction could actually handle being Tier 2.

That "capacity" could be absolutely adjustable to accomodate anticipated needs.

Agree.

If it were my doodle work, I would build 4 rooms for 4 sets of friends. Open anywhere from 2-4 based on crowd expectations. I don't think the casting is as much an issue now as many of the friends do not look the part like when they first started.

Then if down the road demand slipped, you could cut back to two sets of friends and then add friends of friends ... assuming they have built the summer house in a way that queue lines could have some changes made without a huge issue (aka 6 mos shutdown). They need to think flexibility on some of these new ventures.

 

[Jcon]

If I was seriously trying to accomodate more guests and attract a younger fanbase to Epcot... (A day spent by a family attracted to Epcot could relieve some pressure at MK)
I would build enough "capacity" into the brand new A&E Meet that the attraction could actually handle being Tier 2.

That "capacity" could be absolutely adjustable to accomodate anticipated needs.

I'm curious... How do you add capacity to a meet and greet? I can only imagine offering two A&Es at once in separate rooms.

 

[Jcon]

Agree.

If it were my doodle work, I would build 4 rooms for 4 sets of friends. Open anywhere from 2-4 based on crowd expectations. I don't think the casting is as much an issue now as many of the friends do not look the part like when they first started.

Then if down the road demand slipped, you could cut back to two sets of friends and then add friends of friends ... assuming they have built the summer house in a way that queue lines could have some changes made without a huge issue (aka 6 mos shutdown). They need to think flexibility on some of these new ventures.

Okay, this makes sense. I guess the capacity issue is handled by multiple A&Es.

 

[HopperFan]

Okay, this makes sense. I guess the capacity issue is handled by multiple A&Es.

They are building a decent size space that could have handled that ... I would hope they'd have the forethought to be efficient ...

 

[cigar95]

Can you fastpass the Sum of All Thrills ride?

SOAT can't be classified as an attraction, because of the contractual issues with the Kuka company. Giving it a FP option could create real problems in that regard.
Plus, it's so low in capacity that you don't want to call more attention to it than it has now. I suspect a big majority of guests never even see it, let alone get in line for the experience.

 

[smiths02]

Kind of a side question, will Anna and Elsa leave MK when the Epcot one opens?

We will have two days in Epcot, so no matter what the Tiers end up being, one day will be Frozen ride and one day will be A&E meet (at least for me and the toddlers). Guess we will have to rope drop Soarin'-even though I know that will be bad, we will use Rider Swap so at least the toddlers aren't waiting in a long line