Fastpass+ vs. Standby for "Queue Experience"?

[JenSinMA]

I feel like I have seen posts before commenting on which attractions have well-themed queues that you miss out on (or miss part of) if you use Fastpass+. But after many searches, I can't find anything. Is there an existing thread on this topic that I'm missing?

Or, does anyone have any opinions on which rides really should be done Standby in order to experience the full theming & backstory? For instance, I rode Expedition Everest once using the Single Rider line. On that day, it was really hot and the boring line moved really slowly through the narrow switchbacks and overall it was not a great experience. I'm looking forward to fully experiencing Everest (finally!!) on my trip next month, but will I get that if I Fastpass it?

I know the 7DMT has a cool, interactive queue and I haven't been able to get a FP+ for it anyway (using the offsite guest 30-day window), so I'm planning to hit it early when the standby line is 30 minutes or less. But if I did miraculously score a FP+ for it, would I be missing anything significant?

Another ride I'm concerned about is FEA in Epcot. RD or FP+? Thanks for any input!

 

[tex1989]

You want to do so much when you are there and get on the most rides you can but there is a part of me that says you should probably do standby at least once on each of the newer rides. I don't advocate standing in line for hours to do it, but if you can do it in 60 minutes or less it is always fun. I remember when Indiana Jones opened in DL we were there not long afterwards and there was no FP so to ride it was like almost 2 hours but they had so many things in the standby que to look at and see it was really cool. Likewise we were there last June right after Avatar and FOP opened and caught the standby line at about 90 minutes and said what the heck. I would not want to do it again but am glad we did once. The line has a lot of stuff that you never see in the FP+ line. FP at EE takes you through some of the exhibit so I don't think you sacrifice much there.

As to a FP to 7DMT, get the FP+ if you can. We have done standby and while we love the ride, in our opinion it does not justify the wait. FEA is okay but I would FP+ it as well. Not a whole lot in the standby line.

 

[kj2mom]

Peter Pan is one I wanted to be sure to do the standby line. We went at RD on an early open morning (it was 4th of July) and the line was almost too short still. We zipped through the room without seeing all of the effects. I have done 7DMT both standby and FP and standby is cute but I don't feel like I would have missed anything if I had not gone back and done standby (we did it as our last ride of the night, last ride of our vacation with a 1am closing). PP on the other hand, I just knew I HAD to see or I would feel like I missed something.

FEA was cute too but similar to 7DMT I don't think my vacation would have been incomplete if I only did FP. This is definitely something that will vary by guest, just my feelings!

 

[Miffy]

As someone who waited 90 minutes standby for FEA, this is my advice: Get a FP+! Unless the standby time is maybe 15 minutes. There's only one thing in the standby line that's worth seeing--and it's at the end of the line. It's cute, but it's nothing I'd wait in line 90 minutes for or even 20 minutes. The entire rest of the FEA standby line is just boring switchbacks. Very boring. Nothing at all to look at or do, except watching--or ignoring--the other people waiting in line. Unless something has changed in the last year, that is. Has it?

Now, PPF--that's another story. If you can swing it, definitely do the standby line there, because it's the Darlings' house, and it's super adorable. A good time to hit PPF on standby is during evening EMH.

HM standby is neat--as long as you don't have to wait a long time. If the standby there is 20 or 30 minutes, I'd do it. Especially if you've never seen the standby queue there.

The FoP standby queue, once you get inside, is pretty interesting. But NEVER give up a FP+ to FoP!

7DMT standby line is indeed entertaining, but not worth a wait if you can snag a FP+.

These are just my opinions! I'm sure plenty of people will disagree.

 

[JenSinMA]

Thank you to all who answered. As of now, I'm doing
PPF early while the standby wait is short but not quite a walk on,
7DMT standby with a predicted 30 minute wait (but I will keep checking for a FP+)
BTMR both with and without FP+ (my fave and I don't mind the standby line)
Space Mtn with FP+
HM as a walk on (I agree it's a cool line that moves fast and I've seen that one many times before)
EE with a FP+ and possibly another time in standby
Dinosaur with FP+
Navi River with FP+ unless I can ditch it for a FoP FP+. If I can't get a FP for FoP, I might have to wait until a future trip after the hype dies down because I'm not willing to wait more than an hour. I'm hoping to get lucky by refreshing the MDX app in the park.

Tomorrow I'll be at my computer at 7 trying for FEA. Thanks again for your opinions!