FoP w/ or w/o FP+?

[ShayBells]

Okay I have been trying to decide this, and my dates to make FastPasses is almost upon me, so I would like your opinion.

I have a before park opening at 8:15 a.m. reservation for Tusker House. My plan was to go right to safari after eating (since it's so close) then Fastpass flight of passage and do na'vi river journey after safari then use the FoP fastpass.

But now after reading up on it I have heard the stand by line for FoP is not to be missed, and this is my only AK day. (I am going towards the end of September.)

I guess my question is what would you do? Use a fastpass and go with my original plan, or once we are done eating go straight to FoP then use a fast pass for na'vi river, than go do safari, than walk all the way back to pandora area for lunch (because we really want to eat in that area for lunch.)

The second option seems like ALOT of walking (which crisscrossing the parks is usually something I avoid at all costs), but would it be worth it to experience the stand by line? We could also head straight for FoP after the safari, but I don't know if the stand by line is worth waiting an hour or more. Would you rather walk alot, or wait a long time in a ride line, or miss a cool stand by line all together?

What are your opinions and experiences? Thanks!

 

[CAS239]

The standby line is amazing. Easily the best out of any of the parks. However I rode the ride twice during my passholder preview so first ride was a straight walk on and next one was about a 45 min wait. I wouldn't wait 60+ min for any ride.

In your case, keep an eye on hours and emh.. They very well could change your AK day to an 8am opening.

However if it remains a 9am opening, I'd FP FoP still. Eat breakfast and try to get on it early with standby. You'll love the ride and can use the FP later to ride it again. Get two rides with minimal wait. Then you can do River Journey standby which shouldn't be too bad.

This is what I would do
-Breakfast
-Try to get on FoP at park opening standby
-do river journey
-check out Pandora shop and the land
-FP safari
-Go back to FoP with FP

 

[ShayBells]

The standby line is amazing. Easily the best out of any of the parks. However I rode the ride twice during my passholder preview so first ride was a straight walk on and next one was about a 45 min wait. I wouldn't wait 60+ min for any ride.

In your case, keep an eye on hours and emh.. They very well could change your AK day to an 8am opening.

However if it remains a 9am opening, I'd FP FoP still. Eat breakfast and try to get on it early with standby. You'll love the ride and can use the FP later to ride it again. Get two rides with minimal wait. Then you can do River Journey standby which shouldn't be too bad.

This is what I would do
-Breakfast
-Try to get on FoP at park opening standby
-do river journey
-check out Pandora shop and the land
-FP safari
-Go back to FoP with FP

I didn't think about them changing times on me. Man will I be pissed lol. But thanks for your opinion.

I've only ever done safari in the morning cause I hear the animals tend to be fewer the closer you get to the afternoon.

Is this true do you know?

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Okay I have been trying to decide this, and my dates to make FastPasses is almost upon me, so I would like your opinion.

I have a before park opening at 8:15 a.m. reservation for Tusker House. My plan was to go right to safari after eating (since it's so close) then Fastpass flight of passage and do na'vi river journey after safari then use the FoP fastpass.

But now after reading up on it I have heard the stand by line for FoP is not to be missed, and this is my only AK day. (I am going towards the end of September.)

I guess my question is what would you do? Use a fastpass and go with my original plan, or once we are done eating go straight to FoP then use a fast pass for na'vi river, than go do safari, than walk all the way back to pandora area for lunch (because we really want to eat in that area for lunch.)

The second option seems like ALOT of walking (which crisscrossing the parks is usually something I avoid at all costs), but would it be worth it to experience the stand by line? We could also head straight for FoP after the safari, but I don't know if the stand by line is worth waiting an hour or more. Would you rather walk alot, or wait a long time in a ride line, or miss a cool stand by line all together?

What are your opinions and experiences? Thanks!

I am dying to see the que myself but I have to ask myself well it be to much for my autistic dh and does my group want to wait 120 min even at roap drop

 

[CAS239]

I didn't think about them changing times on me. Man will I be pissed lol. But thanks for your opinion.

I've only ever done safari in the morning cause I hear the animals tend to be fewer the closer you get to the afternoon.

Is this true do you know?

No that's not true at all about the safari.

It's different all during the day and no time is any better than the other. After riding it a bunch from what I've personally seen, the lion's tend to be the most active later in the afternoon around 5pm.

Safari is also another good ride to go on more than once since it's a new ride every time. Standby and FP for it later might be good because it's line can grow pretty lengthy

 

[CAS239]

I am dying to see the que myself but I have to ask myself well it be to much for my autistic dh and does my group want to wait 120 min even at roap drop

If you show up early enough you won't be waiting that long. If you show up to the park right at park opening then you might be waiting 2 hours, but get there early and you'll be on in likely under an hour

 

[hakepb]

I am doubting it's a constant 120 all day.
I had a 55 minute wait last night at 10p. I think it was over 100 at times.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I didn't think about them changing times on me. Man will I be pissed lol. But thanks for your opinion.

I've only ever done safari in the morning cause I hear the animals tend to be fewer the closer you get to the afternoon.

Is this true do you know?

DISers have long said morning safari rides are best, but this has not been our experience. Our best rides were late in the afternoon, though that was before they recently added more PM rides.

That said, I think with FP+ and summer heat, you probably want your 3 FP early in the day.

 

[AngiTN]

No that's not true at all about the safari.

It's different all during the day and no time is any better than the other. After riding it a bunch from what I've personally seen, the lion's tend to be the most active later in the afternoon around 5pm.

Safari is also another good ride to go on more than once since it's a new ride every time. Standby and FP for it later might be good because it's line can grow pretty lengthy

True, plus, the keepers bait them with food all during the day. So there is no time that is better than another for seeing the animals.
Other than I've never been pleased with one of the safari's at night.

 

[Blue32]

I struggle with doing the standby once or twice on 2 days with FP. We are going Thanksgiving week and I'm nervous about being able to complete FOP and NRJ at RD and then get to other attractions while the lines are short.

 

[Felicis]

I am pretty sure that as long as we secure a FP for FOP when we go, we will just you tube the queue rather than wait any length of time to go standby.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I think the latest strategy for my family is catch the first bus from pop to ak praying to catch to catch roap drop then fast pass the river ride

 

[jerzeystar09]

I'm in a similar spot bc I hate crossing back and forth over the park, but we were only able to secure a FP for FOP around noon. I'm thinking my plan may be to hit River Journey at rope drop, then safari and Everest before heading back to FOP on the way out.

 

[jdisnut]

A data point about the length of the queue, for what it's worth: During Extra Magic Hours on Saturday night, we joined the Flight of Passage line at approximately 10:45 p.m. The wait time was posted at 95 minutes. We entered the first preshow room after 50 minutes and were on the ride shortly thereafter. We exited the park about 12:05 a.m.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

A data point about the length of the queue, for what it's worth: During Extra Magic Hours on Saturday night, we joined the Flight of Passage line at approximately 10:45 p.m. The wait time was posted at 95 minutes. We entered the first preshow room after 50 minutes and were on the ride shortly thereafter. We exited the park about 12:05 a.m.

Thanks for the post. You make a good point.

Is the posted wait supposed to be
a.) where the standby queue joins the FP queue (where you hand off one of the red tickets)?
b.) when you'll enter preshow?
c.) when you start loading into ride vehicle? when it departs?
d.) total ride time?

In my experience, posted waits are often so far off -both under and over posted times- they could pretty much be any of the above, or none of the above.

I get that CM's only check waits every so often, but the differences are often pretty big.

The worst is when you try to use MDE. While standing 5min away, we see a 15min wait for BTMRR. Yet in the 5 minutes it takes us to walk over, the wait mysteriously jumps to 50minutes.

 

[ShayBells]

How much of a chance that wait times will drop by Sept? Lol

 

[ucfknight]

How much of a chance that wait times will drop by Sept? Lol

0.0000000000000001%

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Well, September is traditionally less crowded than June/early July, but the new area/new e-ride is always the busiest part of the 4 parks. The busiest I ever saw AK (prior to Pandora), was back when EE was new.

The newness of an e-ride attraction takes about a year before it starts to go down...sometimes longer. It depends what else opens after it. Eventually though, the newness wears off.