FP timing after magical express arrival day?

[justme0729]

Our flight is supposed to land at 10:50am in Orlando. Do you think we could make it for a 12:30-1:30 fastpass at dinosaur in animal kingdom? This is on NYE so the buses could be busy. We plan to grab a quick lunch at captain cooks before getting on the bus. We are staying at the polynesian . It wouldn't kill us if we didn't end up making it but I'm wondering of there is a high probability we could?

 

[wisblue]

The probability of making that would be extremely low on any day, but especially on NYE. You have to figure about 90 minutes to get to the resort unless you are really lucky hitting the bus. Checking in, going to your room, and grabbing something to eat would take another 30 minutes or so at least and that would already take you to close to 1 PM.

Last year on NYE, the traffic on World Drive was so bad that the bus from DAK to the Grand Floridian went all the way around past Pop Century and Fort Wilderness to avoid it. You would have to anticipate that both the MDE bus and the bus from Poly to DAK would take longer than usual.

 

[CoP I Love You]

not gonna happen at all in my opinion.

think about it... you're trying to exit your plane, get to DME, arrive at your hotel, check in, eat lunch, wait for a bus to AK, go through bag check (if needed), enter the park, and get to the ride all within 2hrs40mins at the max in order to use your FP+ before the window ends.
and on NYE of all days.

 

[purple figment]

On an average day it will take about 3 hours from landing at MCO to walking into a park so 2 hours 40 minutes is cutting it close on any day. Since you are asking about a day during the busiest week of the year plus planning to eat at the resort first, I would allow about 4.5 - 5 hours from MCO --> Poly --> AK.

 

[pmaurer74]

The past two times we have used MDE it took 2 hours to get from the time we landed to the resort so we missed ours. It also took longer than expected for a bus to the park.

 

[patty57]

On Monday, December 1st, it took us just over two hours from landing to get to our resort on DME.

 

[maxiesmom]

Our flight is supposed to land at 10:50am in Orlando. Do you think we could make it for a 12:30-1:30 fastpass at dinosaur in animal kingdom? This is on NYE so the buses could be busy. We plan to grab a quick lunch at captain cooks before getting on the bus. We are staying at the polynesian . It wouldn't kill us if we didn't end up making it but I'm wondering of there is a high probability we could?

Unfortunately the probability of making it is very low.

 

[davkata]

We arrived last year on President's Day another busy time, (although not as busy as NYE). Per advice on these boards, we allowed at least 3 hours from landing to park entrance/FP time. We landed at 2:30 and booked TOT for 6 pm. We got to DHS and had time to grab a quick dinner before our ride. We had done the advance/pre-check in on line and our room was ready so check in was only like 5 minutes.

 

[Nancyg56]

On arrival day, any arrival day, I always think it is best to schedule later rather than earlier. I know that during planning, you want to make the most of every minute, but a travel day can be stressful under the best of conditions. Add trying to rush through every step of the process in order to make it to an attraction on time, and you may be setting up your family. I have watched those folks running from one thing to the next, never giving each other a moment to soak up the magic, and it seems to be a disaster.

I would make my FP as late as possible so that you have time to enjoy your arrival in the Happiest Place on Earth.

 

[Alesia]

I would put your chances at about 5%.

 

[jerseygal]

Our flight is supposed to land at 10:50am in Orlando. Do you think we could make it for a 12:30-1:30 fastpass at dinosaur in animal kingdom? This is on NYE so the buses could be busy. We plan to grab a quick lunch at captain cooks before getting on the bus. We are staying at the polynesian . It wouldn't kill us if we didn't end up making it but I'm wondering of there is a high probability we could?

Hope that your experience with ME is better than ours!
We got on line on Sat.Dec.6th at 12:30 and arrived to Jambo at 2:45! It was a madhouse that day for some reason...This was our FIRST experience on ME as we always rent a car...Guessing that mid day on a Saturday is certainly not the best to arrive at MCO and try to get the ME! GOOD LUCK!

 

[maxiesmom]

Hope that your experience with ME is better than ours!
We got on line on Sat.Dec.6th at 12:30 and arrived to Jambo at 2:45! It was a madhouse that day for some reason...This was our FIRST experience on ME as we always rent a car...Guessing that mid day on a Saturday is certainly not the best to arrive at MCO and try to get the ME! GOOD LUCK!

Truthfully that is not outside of normal, in my experience. For me, if it takes less than 2 hours I'm a happy camper!

 

[drea21]

I would also unfortunately say no way. We do DTD our first day now and start the parks fresh on our first full day because I couldn't handle worrying about making it somewhere for FP or ADR's. I don't want to start my trip in a foul mood

 

[ktlm]

I would put your chances at about 5%.

I think I would put them more like 1%. On the best luck, you would not be at the Poly (the 2nd stop on ME) until probably 11:50 or 12. More likely it will be between 12:20 and 1:00. By the time you check in and eat at Captain Cooks, your FP+ time may be gone. Even if not, then you have the bus wait and a 20 minute bus ride to AK, as well as getting through the gates and to the ride. It is highly unlikely you will make it. We've stayed at the Poly a few times and even going straight to the nearby MK after dropping the carry one in the room, it is usually 2 to 3 hours after landing that we get into the park.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

We've timed this on our last 3 trips just for fun. Our fastest result was Coronado Springs but we hit the jackpot that day. We were in row 3 on the plane. We were the last people on the DME bus right before it left. When we were dropped off at CSR I went in to check in immediately (first one in line) and my wife waited for the stroller and handled checking our carry on bags. Then we walked up to the bus stop and the MK bus pulls up. With all of that luck we were still at 1 hour 45 minutes from unbuckling our seat belts on the plane until we first viewed the castle.

KEEP IN MIND: This was arriving in value season early February on a weekday. Even if you had all of the luck we had there...lunch would cause you to miss your FP.

Your other problem is the Polynesian and Animal Kingdom are basically the two of the furthest points on property and longest travel time for a Disney Bus. The person that said 1% chance was being generous in my opionion!

 

[justme0729]

Thanks everyone! Just wondered if we had a shot! We will make them for later.. Just trying to make them as early as possible since we have a dinner to get to after animal kingdom. Thank you

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

If the cast members are still allowing for grace periods you can actually use 3 fastpasses within 40 minutes.

Say you have a 2-3, 3-4, and 4-5

If they allow 15 min grace period you can use the first one as late as 3:15, the middle one at 3:30 and then use the last one 5 minutes early at 3:55. Obviously that's extreme and assumes grace periods are allowed.

Without Grace periods you could still do 2:59, 3:30 and 4:01 and use three fastpasses within 62 minutes. I'd just make sure whichever one you schedule first is the least important one.