Flight of Passage at Rope Drop

[mbtohill]

What's the latest on getting to Flight of Passage at rope drop? Couldn't get FP at the 30 day mark so we are going to get there early on a couple mornings and try our best. Should we expect chaos?? CM's doing a good job of handling crowds??? If we are middle of the pack how long will the wait be??

We're heading down 8/13-8/23 with a couple full AK days planned.

Thanks

 

[rellabee]

Touring Plans shows the wait time there right now (Tuesday 7/18 at 9:35 ET) at a posted wait of 135 minutes and an expected wait of 117 minutes.

 

[jade1]

Just did both by 920 today.

 

[pitpat]

https://www.disboards.com/threads/we-did-rope-drop-fop-w-no-fp-today.3618900/

 

[jade1]

8 at the gate, 820 they opened. 838 opened Pandora bridge. About 40 ahead of us. On FoP at 845 off at 9. 15 min wait for NRJ.

 

[vinotinto]

8 at the gate, 820 they opened. 838 opened Pandora bridge. About 40 ahead of us. On FoP at 845 off at 9. 15 min wait for NRJ.

At that time, were you sent by the CMs through the queau or the FP+ line? I saw a report of someone who was there at rope drop and they were sent through the FP+ line instead of the queau. I want to see the queau, so trying to figure out the timing (early, but not *too* early)!

 

[jenhelgren]

8 at the gate, 820 they opened. 838 opened Pandora bridge. About 40 ahead of us. On FoP at 845 off at 9. 15 min wait for NRJ.

Was this today? I am trying to decide on our park days and wondering how much more crowded Saturday will be with EMH. Has anyone done FoP and Na'vi at rope drop on a Saturday EMH and non EMH day recently?

 

[jade1]

They brought us in SB (left) and we did not have FP at 845 and we weaved up the mountain until just inside, then they took us through a hall to the right which I assume is FP.

Yes today.

 

[jade1]

We left at 930 as this was a last min decision and the front gate was mobbed yet, and 135 min for FoP which had to increase further. Other things to do today but what a fantastic morning.

Well done Disney.

 

[jade1]

At that time, were you sent by the CMs through the queau or the FP+ line? I saw a report of someone who was there at rope drop and they were sent through the FP+ line instead of the queau. I want to see the queau, so trying to figure out the timing (early, but not *too* early)!

That's a good point. We had done the queue and it is super cool.

Not sure when they switch over.

IMO, if your not going at RD, may as well be after 11.

 

[jade1]

We went Saturday at about 6PM to FoP and it was about an hour wait. I think it said longer.

 

[BigredNole]

It really depends on where you want to wait. Do you want to spend an hour not being consumed by people or do you want to be in a pack to wait an hour or more to get on?

For us, being at the front, waiting with no one pushing (for the most part), and getting on early was the most important. I prefer waiting an hour before park opening rather than an hour while the park is already open. 99.999% of the people are perfectly fine at the front. Nothing but accidental bump here and there. Then, there is that 0.001% that throws everyone out of the way from 1,000 people back to get to the front. Trust me, I encountered them and they sadly thought they could push me out of the way. All the people they pushed out of the way wound up passing them again while one of them went down thinking they could knock me over or out of the way. I waved back to them as they were still down at the entrance with the times as people kept going past them. The CM that was in front of me had a good smirk on his face. The little eye motion and look back was in appreciation because he knows he is not allowed to do anything to stop those people.

I recommend getting to AK an hour before opening. Wait in line at the baggage check or the no bag line. Get to the check-in turnstiles at the front and then just go with the flow. At worst, you would be on the second ride and out of the area 20 minutes after park opening.

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

I am gonna try for a FP for our October trip, but we plan on AK the 2nd day so if I don't get it we must do opening! Thanks for all the tips...We are staying at AKV and so I planned to be on the bus by 7:30 and the park is opening time the day we are going is 9 am.

I would rather get there early then wait in an hour line after it opens and I made sure I did not pick an EMH day!

We must ride FOP!

 

[Brer Shay]

Thank you for this input! We couldn't get FP and are planning to try it at rope drop. We have no problem arriving early and it sounds like we'll be able to get it in pretty easily.

 

[BigredNole]

We did EMH when it opened at 7AM. We were there at 6AM and first with the Security bag check. It was great going in. Unlike the previous day when the park opened at 8AM, AK was not opening early that day. The day it opened at 8AM, we were on the ride at 7:45AM. It opened at 7:30AM that day.

 

[NavyDad]

You can easily do both rides but you need to be at the gate at least 1 hour before park's official open time. 1.5 hours even better whether it's a regular morning or EMH morning. If you do that you should be able to do both rides and be done with Pandora right around the official opening time of the park.

We have found that it is less crazy on non EMH mornings.

 

[sbrost13]

We did rope drop for the 8:00 AM EMH opening on this past Monday. We arrived by uber at 6:45 and there were only a few people there at that time, however, by probably 7:15 the resort busses started unloading so it got more crowded. The bag check was disorganized and it seemed like they didn't know what they were doing. They didn't start checking bags and letting the bagless line go through until about 7:30- I think. We were let into the park a little before 8:00 then held well before the Pandora entrance. I think it was at the end of the Oasis. One we were led to FOP, we waited maybe 5 minutes before we got to the pre-show rooms and were off the ride around 8:25. By then it was a 2 hour wait.

We rope dropped Tuesday and this morning for the 9:00 openings. This morning we got there a smidge later than yesterday, 8:00, but were still near the front of the crowd. For these 2 openings they seemed way more organized and ready. They had already started letting people through the bag check and we waited at the turnstiles. At around 8:20 they let us start scanning into the park. Then we were held at the entrance to Pandora until 8:40 at this time a cast member walked us to the FOP queue. Both mornings we were done with the ride around 9:05.

I'd highly recommend getting there 60 minutes before park opening and you'll be in good shape. The main negative is that this was by far the most intense rope drop and this morning there were 2 different tense situations between guests that involved some cussing. It's ridiculous. I mean you're all getting on the same ride within minutes of each other so there's no reason to lose your mind over moving up 3 feet!

Sorry for the long post!!! Needless to say, my family is obsessed with FOP! It's awesome!

 

[Beer Me]

We did rope drop for the 8:00 AM EMH opening on this past Monday. We arrived by uber at 6:45 and there were only a few people there at that time, however, by probably 7:15 the resort busses started unloading so it got more crowded. The bag check was disorganized and it seemed like they didn't know what they were doing. They didn't start checking bags and letting the bagless line go through until about 7:30- I think. We were let into the park a little before 8:00 then held well before the Pandora entrance. I think it was at the end of the Oasis. One we were led to FOP, we waited maybe 5 minutes before we got to the pre-show rooms and were off the ride around 8:25. By then it was a 2 hour wait.

We rope dropped Tuesday and this morning for the 9:00 openings. This morning we got there a smidge later than yesterday, 8:00, but were still near the front of the crowd. For these 2 openings they seemed way more organized and ready. They had already started letting people through the bag check and we waited at the turnstiles. At around 8:20 they let us start scanning into the park. Then we were held at the entrance to Pandora until 8:40 at this time a cast member walked us to the FOP queue. Both mornings we were done with the ride around 9:05.

I'd highly recommend getting there 60 minutes before park opening and you'll be in good shape. The main negative is that this was by far the most intense rope drop and this morning there were 2 different tense situations between guests that involved some cussing. It's ridiculous. I mean you're all getting on the same ride within minutes of each other so there's no reason to lose your mind over moving up 3 feet!

Sorry for the long post!!! Needless to say, my family is obsessed with FOP! It's awesome!

We rope dropped Monday 7/10 for early EMH. Sounds exactly like our experience. We got there a little before 7am. I was first in one of the bag check lines and just stood there chatting with different guards for 30 minutes. Eventually we made it in and were in the first wave of people for fop and walked right through to the preshow room.

 

[msk]

On Sunday afternoon we waited 120 minutes to ride FOP. We enjoyed all of the cue and were very happy waiting in line. The ride really is worth the wait. We went back Monday morning around 7:45. I enjoyed talking with people before the park opened. We did not run or walk that fast from the opening of the park to Pandora, although many guests did. We bypassed the pre-show rooms which meant we had finished the ride and were in the gift shop by 9:15. It is such a fabulous ride!