FP Dilemma- need advice

[PattyN]

We will be in parks on April 30-May 2. We will be at HS on Saturday May 2. We thought we'd do the rides at HS, then hop to Epcot. Here's the question: We want to be sure to hit TSM, RRC, Tower, and Star Tours, and we'd like to hit Soarin' and Test Track (we figure single rider on that). What to FP? We've never been at this time of year, so we aren't sure how the crowds go. So, FP Studio rides and take our chances on Soarin', or spend the extra time on line and FP Soarin' for later in the day?

 

[DisneyWisher]

Definitely FP Studios. Soarin' and TT are both tier 1 and you can only book one of them as a FP. Personally if me, I'd either go to Epcot in Morning and hit these rides first thing. If thats not a possibility FP Tower of Terror, Toy Story, and Star Tours. Toy story will have a longer standby time than RnR. Go to RnR first, then ToT, and then other 2 as best fits your schedule. Once you get to Epcot you can always go to a FP kiosk and see if they have availability for Soarin or Test Track.

 

[agavegirl1]

Concur with DisneyWisher. FP+ DHS

 

[Angel Ariel]

We will be in parks on April 30-May 2. We will be at HS on Saturday May 2. We thought we'd do the rides at HS, then hop to Epcot. Here's the question: We want to be sure to hit TSM, RRC, Tower, and Star Tours, and we'd like to hit Soarin' and Test Track (we figure single rider on that). What to FP? We've never been at this time of year, so we aren't sure how the crowds go. So, FP Studio rides and take our chances on Soarin', or spend the extra time on line and FP Soarin' for later in the day?

I would FP the studios. FP TSMM, TOT and Star Tours, then do single rider for RNRC. Make the studios your second park, though. Hit Epcot at RD, do Soarin' first and then TT (SB or single rider). Reports are that getting 4th FPs for Fantasmic is possible (if not likely sometimes), so if you make DHS your second park you could stay and see that nighttime show.

I would not count on same day availability for soarin and TT. I'd be happy if we got it, but I wouldn't go in assuming it would be available...so if short waits for those attractions are very important to me, I'd do Epcot at RD.

If you'd be OK with waiting standby for Soarin and TT if there wasn't same day availability in the early afternoon when you'd get there, then I'd do DHS first and hit RNRC at RD and then FP+ the rest.

 

[minnie mum]

DHS has morning EMH that day. Are you staying on site? If not, I would NOT recommend going to DHS that morning. By the time you entered the park all of the rides you want to hit will already have substantial lines.

If you are staying on site, then you need to be waiting at the turnstiles at least 30 minutes before they start letting people in so around 7:15. If you do this you will be near the front of the crowd that will be quick marching to TSM. After that you can do RNRC via single rider if standby is building and then ToT and SW. Theoretically you could be done. by 10:00.

You can book your Epcot FPs for the afternoon ( ride TT single rider).

If you choose to use your FPs for DHS, by the time you get to Epcot FPs for Soarin and TT will be gone, most likely.

 

[lovndisney12]

We went in November and used the FP+ for the first time. Loved the old fastpass system as it worked better for park hopping. We started at HS and hit RRC several times at rope drop (that was #1 on my DS list and it was just the two of us) and then used FP+ for TSM, ST and Muppets (needed to use another fastpass and he didn't think he wanted to do TOT - but ended up doing anyways and just waiting in the short standby line in the AM. Would not have needed fasts for Muppets). Caught a few other rides / shows in between. Park hopped to MK by 1 PM and there wasn't a single fastpass available for anything we wanted so we just waited in lines - but not SDMT as the wait was around 90 minutes. My experience is that TSM and Soarin are the two that tend to get the longest lines. Rope drop one and then make sure to get fast passes for the other (of course that will then determine what your other fast passes are as they have to be at the same park). For what it is worth, we usually have not had very long lines at TOT and ST in the morning at DHS.

 

[g-dad66]

DHS has morning EMH that day. Are you staying on site? If not, I would NOT recommend going to DHS that morning. By the time you entered the park all of the rides you want to hit will already have substantial lines.

If you are staying on site, then you need to be waiting at the turnstiles at least 30 minutes before they start letting people in so around 7:15. If you do this you will be near the front of the crowd that will be quick marching to TSM. After that you can do RNRC via single rider if standby is building and then ToT and SW. Theoretically you could be done. by 10:00.

You can book your Epcot FPs for the afternoon ( ride TT single rider).

If you choose to use your FPs for DHS, by the time you get to Epcot FPs for Soarin and TT will be gone, most likely.

Agree with this 99.5% (only disagree with the 7:15 arrival time, which would mean a 30-minute wait for park to open, and we don't like waiting that long for any attraction).

We did morning EMH at Studios in mid-March, arrived 10 minutes before turnstiles opened (at 7:40), and had TSM, RnRC, ToT and Star Tours done before 10:00. Save your FP+ for Soarin'.

 

[soniam]

Someone mentioned F! for 4th FP+. We did this two weeks ago; however, I did get it at RD. We did the second F! show. It really wasn't necessary. There was no line and tons of seats. There wasn't even a special section for FP+, only for dining package. First show may be different though.

 

[siskaren]

Agree with this 99.5% (only disagree with the 7:15 arrival time, which would mean a 30-minute wait for park to open, and we don't like waiting that long for any attraction.)

EasyWDW has posted pictures showing how far behind the pack you'll be if you wait too long to show up for rope drop.

 

[PattyN]

Thanks for the advice! We are staying at the Pop so we will take advantage of EMH that morning. Sounds like the consensus is to take our chances on the HS rides at rope drop with no FP and save them for Soarin' later in the afternoon. We have lunch res at the Sci-Fi and then onto Epcot. At the end of April, all the calendars show a fairly low crowd (compared to what we are used to in June) so we'll try it. 24 days!! Thanks!

 

[mullysisters]

Last trip I arrived at DHS at 730 for 8am EMH. I rode RnR 6 times in a row before I tired of it. Then I went on Tot standby, could have gotten on again fairly quickly. Rode every other ride I wanted at DHS. Left went to Epcot where I had FP+ for Soarin' SE (surprisingly busy) and Mission Space . I then rode TT many times as a SR, just walked on.
I definitely love FP+!!! I never FP+ my morning park unless it is MK. I know people say to use them in the am and get 4+ FP later but that just doesn't work for me. The headliners are not available and the others are usually shorter lines.