FOP at Rope drop?

[eeyoresmom]

How long have the wait times been at rope drop for FOP on a non busy day?

 

[Robo]

How long have the wait times been at rope drop for FOP on a non busy day?

If you find one of those, please post it.

(And, I am only just a little bit kidding.)

 

[Robo]

How long have the wait times been at rope drop for FOP on a non busy day?

Figure that if you arrive at DAK 60-100 min. before the posted opening time, and you walk quickly to Pandora when they first admit guests, you will have a 20-70 min. wait, give or take.

 

[eeyoresmom]

Thanks Robo!

 

[The Foolish Mortal]

I did it on a weekday last October (which I guess was non-busy by WDW standards) and I was on the ride after about 40 minutes. The line is so long, though, it moved continuously for about the first 35 minutes. So, FWIW, it didn't feel like a long wait because of the moving

 

[Tormania]

The other option people seem to have success with is jump in line 5 minutes before park close, might be a similar wait time as dealing with the "Rope Drop Dash" first thing in the morning but without the craziness that can be FOP Rope Drop. I might try this when we go in Dec.

 

[sharonabe]

I did it on a weekday last October (which I guess was non-busy by WDW standards) and I was on the ride after about 40 minutes. The line is so long, though, it moved continuously for about the first 35 minutes. So, FWIW, it didn't feel like a long wait because of the moving

What time did you arrive at the park?

 

[The Foolish Mortal]

What time did you arrive at the park?

Can't recall the time, but I got there about ten to fifteen minutes before they started letting guests in the park

 

[Freshman]

Did this today. Keep in mind it was an 8am EMH day and we are staying on site.

6:40- down to the bus stop and lucked out with a bus just about to leave.

6:55 ish pull up to AK

7:00-there are two lines. We are about 40-50 back in the left side.

7:05- they let the lines go to the tapstiles. Everyone in front of us went straight and I noticed uncovered ones to the right and ended up 1st in my row.

7:25ish-they let us through and let the games begin!

Held at the bridge until maybe 7:40 and then proceeded to go to the ride.

8:02- was off FOP and went to Na’vi with a 5 minute wait.

 

[gharter]

Our last trip was October.
It all depends on the time you get there.
You need to be toward the front of the line at the tapstiles.
That usually means getting there about 60 minutes before official opening time.
As pp noted, you will be let in about 30 minutes early and held at the bridge.
You need to move quickly as many will be rushing that way.
We have entered the line to FoP about 7:45 and off at 8. The standby line by that time was 90 minutes.
The line grows that quickly. 15 minutes can make a huge difference.

 

[allyn]

So is rope-dropping during EMH on a Saturday better or worse than a non-EMH Thursday for getting on FoP quickly? Last minute trip, no fastpasses available for FoP, staying on site so eligible for EMH. Thanks.

 

[brightlined]

The other option people seem to have success with is jump in line 5 minutes before park close, might be a similar wait time as dealing with the "Rope Drop Dash" first thing in the morning but without the craziness that can be FOP Rope Drop. I might try this when we go in Dec.

I'm a big fan of this. On various trips last year, the wait was about 60-75 minutes, but constantly moved because there weren't any FastPassers. (The 75 minute wait had a posted wait time of 155 minutes when we got in line.)

 

[Robo]

So is rope-dropping during EMH on a Saturday better or worse than a non-EMH Thursday for getting on FoP quickly? Last minute trip, no fastpasses available for FoP, staying on site so eligible for EMH. Thanks.

Far too many variables and unknowns for this to have a simple "A" or "B" type answer.
It's just not the case that "A" will always be "better" than "B" (or vice versa.)

Suffice it to say that if your plan is to ride in the morning, whichever morning you choose... go early.

 

[Beer Me]

An hour before open (taking emh into consideration) should be plenty safe. We have arrived about 45 minutes before EMH park opening at 8am and were off the ride about 8:15. If you’re closer to the front of the crowd (arriving 60+ minutes before open) you will save a few minutes but there is a point of diminishing returns right around one hour early.

 

[gharter]

So is rope-dropping during EMH on a Saturday better or worse than a non-EMH Thursday for getting on FoP quickly? Last minute trip, no fastpasses available for FoP, staying on site so eligible for EMH. Thanks.

In general, I don't think the crowds are quite as large for EMH day at starting EMH time as they are for a regular day at opening.
However, I also see far fewer people going anywhere but FoP at RD for EMH, so it probably evens out.
Again, the key is get there early, pay attention to the lines at the tapstiles.

 

[DisAg]

Did this today. Keep in mind it was an 8am EMH day and we are staying on site.

6:40- down to the bus stop and lucked out with a bus just about to leave.

6:55 ish pull up to AK

7:00-there are two lines. We are about 40-50 back in the left side.

7:05- they let the lines go to the tapstiles. Everyone in front of us went straight and I noticed uncovered ones to the right and ended up 1st in my row.

7:25ish-they let us through and let the games begin!

Held at the bridge until maybe 7:40 and then proceeded to go to the ride.

8:02- was off FOP and went to Na’vi with a 5 minute wait.

We went monday feb 3 and caught a bus around 7am so we were not as close to the front. The wait for fop was short but navi was closer to a 30 minute wait by the time we got off fop so we headed to safari (walk on) followed by everest. Assuming navi gets a good amount of people who are near front for fop as well as the people that came in later and headed to pandora finding the fop wait to be over an hour.

 

[rockinrollercoasters]

We went monday feb 3 and caught a bus around 7am so we were not as close to the front. The wait for fop was short but navi was closer to a 30 minute wait by the time we got off fop so we headed to safari (walk on) followed by everest. Assuming navi gets a good amount of people who are near front for fop as well as the people that came in later and headed to pandora finding the fop wait to be over an hour.

That’s what I was wondering. We have fastpasses for FOP but we’re going to rope drop Na’vi. As long as we are there before park opening I’m assuming we shouldn’t have TOO long a wait? Also do we just wait in the FOP crowds and then veer off in whatever direction once the line moves? Thanks.

 

[Ensusieasm]

That’s what I was wondering. We have fastpasses for FOP but we’re going to rope drop Na’vi. As long as we are there before park opening I’m assuming we shouldn’t have TOO long a wait? Also do we just wait in the FOP crowds and then veer off in whatever direction once the line moves?
Thanks.

Even though you have a FoP fast pass, if you have never experienced FoP, you will not want to waste the rope drop advantage on Navi. You will want to ride FoP twice.
Arrive at the park 75 minutes before scheduled opening. Rope drop FoP, then try for Navi and decide if the wait is too long. I usually do both without a huge Navi wait.

 

[MomOTwins]

Even though you have a FoP fast pass, if you have never experienced FoP, you will not want to waste the rope drop advantage on Navi. You will want to ride FoP twice.
Arrive at the park 75 minutes before scheduled opening. Rope drop FoP, then try for Navi and decide if the wait is too long. I usually do both without a huge Navi wait.

Except that ropedropping Navi means you don't really have to get there early. You can show up 30 minutes before park opening and have zero wait on Navi.

 

[rockinrollercoasters]

Thank you both! We haven’t been on FOP yet so I will leave it up to my boys to see how early they want to get up that day. After the stress of trying for a RoTR boarding group they may need to sleep in a bit that day!! I’m just hoping I don’t get motion sickness on this. After hearing how great FOP is that would be a real bummer if I closed my eyes through the whole thing