Frozen Ever After

[PlutoTheDog89]

I'm making a tentative schedule for our next trip and hit a bit of a fork in the road. We love Test Track and will for sure want to ride Frozen Ever After next trip (Christmas). With only one day set aside for EPCOT FP+, do we:

1) Plan for Test Track, Spaceship Earth and Character Spot, then head to the park for 10:30am and stand outside the Norway Pavilion? We'll be staying at BC so this should be pretty easy.

2) Plan for Frozen, Spaceship Earth and Character Spot, then hope to run over to EPCOT when we see a short wait time for Test Track?

I'm sure Frozen will be Tier 1, so it's making it a bit difficult. We already do two days (two half days) for DHS. One in the daytime for ToT, Frozen Show and Rock n Roller Coaster and one at nighttime for TSMM, Star Tours and ToT (again)... then end the night at Fantasmic.

Thoughts?

 

[erionm]

1) Plan for Test Track, Spaceship Earth and Character Spot, then head to the park for 10:30am and stand outside the Norway Pavilion? We'll be staying at BC so this should be pretty easy.

If you went with this plan, Frozen Ever After will have already been open for 1.5 hours (will open at 9 am).

2) Plan for Frozen, Spaceship Earth and Character Spot, then hope to run over to EPCOT when we see a short wait time for Test Track?

If Frozen Ever After is a priority, you will probably want to have a FP+ selection for it. And yes, it's a Tier 1 attraction.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

If you went with this plan, Frozen Ever After will have already been open for 1.5 hours (will open at 9 am).

If Frozen Ever After is a priority, you will probably want to have a FP+ selection for it. And yes, it's a Tier 1 attraction.

Ah, okay. Brain fart. I figured b/c the WS opens at 11 that the Frozen ride would as well.

 

[erionm]

Ah, okay. Brain fart. I figured b/c the WS opens at 11 that the Frozen ride would as well.

When Disney announced the opening date for Frozen Ever After, they also said the Norway Pavilion would open at 9 am. Previously, only the restaurant (Akershus) was open prior to 11.

 

[wareagle57]

I would not consider doing anything other than FPing Frozen. Test Track at RD should be relatively easy with the Soarin and FEA to compete with. What gets tricky is when you try to factor Soarin' in as a must ride.

You didn't mention it, but I'd imagine a lot of people reading this might be curious about it. I have a couple of thoughts and I'm curious what others think about this.

I think with FEA, Soarin' and TT all remaining tier 1, I have a feeling FP demand for TT will be very low. I think what I would do is book a FEA FP for first thing in the morning (normally something I would never suggest) but don't book a 2nd or 3rd for the day. Hit Soarin' at RD. Then go immediately to FEA, and after you ride it book your 2nd FP of the day for TT.

Another option would be to hit Soarin' at RD, and then go immediately to Test Track. It's POSSIBLE the waits won't be that bad 20 minutes after RD with most people heading to Norway and The Land first. But this remains to be seen. Then have your FEA FP and others booked later in the day at your convenience.

I am really curious how they are going to handle FEA at RD. It's normally not that big of a deal whether you enter from the IG or main entrance. But FEA will not absorb the crowds in the way TT and Soarin do. I doubt you can count on knocking FEA out at RD quickly, much the way you couldn't do this with 7DMT for the first year or so. But at least with 7DMT if you got there early enough and were willing to hold your position in the walk down MS you could be reasonably sure your wait would be minimal. At Epcot, you're going to have people coming from 2 directions and they don't always open one gate at the same time as the other. I assume they will lead people from the IG around to the right to Norway and people going to Soarin and TT to the left towards the UK. Will they somehow synchronize and merge the IG and main gate lines once they arrive at Norway?

 

[Mrs~Incredible]

I would not consider doing anything other than FPing Frozen. Test Track at RD should be relatively easy with the Soarin and FEA to compete with. What gets tricky is when you try to factor Soarin' in as a must ride.

You didn't mention it, but I'd imagine a lot of people reading this might be curious about it. I have a couple of thoughts and I'm curious what others think about this.

I think with FEA, Soarin' and TT all remaining tier 1, I have a feeling FP demand for TT will be very low. I think what I would do is book a FEA FP for first thing in the morning (normally something I would never suggest) but don't book a 2nd or 3rd for the day. Hit Soarin' at RD. Then go immediately to FEA, and after you ride it book your 2nd FP of the day for TT.

Another option would be to hit Soarin' at RD, and then go immediately to Test Track. It's POSSIBLE the waits won't be that bad 20 minutes after RD with most people heading to Norway and The Land first. But this remains to be seen. Then have your FEA FP and others booked later in the day at your convenience.

I am really curious how they are going to handle FEA at RD. It's normally not that big of a deal whether you enter from the IG or main entrance. But FEA will not absorb the crowds in the way TT and Soarin do. I doubt you can count on knocking FEA out at RD quickly, much the way you couldn't do this with 7DMT for the first year or so. But at least with 7DMT if you got there early enough and were willing to hold your position in the walk down MS you could be reasonably sure your wait would be minimal. At Epcot, you're going to have people coming from 2 directions and they don't always open one gate at the same time as the other. I assume they will lead people from the IG around to the right to Norway and people going to Soarin and TT to the left towards the UK. Will they somehow synchronize and merge the IG and main gate lines once they arrive at Norway?

Wait, I thought you couldn't do that- only book one FP (tier 1) and then try for a second Tier 1? Am I wrong? So much to learn!

 

[AFwifelife]

Wait, I thought you couldn't do that- only book one FP (tier 1) and then try for a second Tier 1? Am I wrong? So much to learn!

I believe you can but you will need to do it at a kiosk, not the MDE app.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

I would not consider doing anything other than FPing Frozen. Test Track at RD should be relatively easy with the Soarin and FEA to compete with. What gets tricky is when you try to factor Soarin' in as a must ride.

You didn't mention it, but I'd imagine a lot of people reading this might be curious about it. I have a couple of thoughts and I'm curious what others think about this.

I think with FEA, Soarin' and TT all remaining tier 1, I have a feeling FP demand for TT will be very low. I think what I would do is book a FEA FP for first thing in the morning (normally something I would never suggest) but don't book a 2nd or 3rd for the day. Hit Soarin' at RD. Then go immediately to FEA, and after you ride it book your 2nd FP of the day for TT.

Another option would be to hit Soarin' at RD, and then go immediately to Test Track. It's POSSIBLE the waits won't be that bad 20 minutes after RD with most people heading to Norway and The Land first. But this remains to be seen. Then have your FEA FP and others booked later in the day at your convenience.

I am really curious how they are going to handle FEA at RD. It's normally not that big of a deal whether you enter from the IG or main entrance. But FEA will not absorb the crowds in the way TT and Soarin do. I doubt you can count on knocking FEA out at RD quickly, much the way you couldn't do this with 7DMT for the first year or so. But at least with 7DMT if you got there early enough and were willing to hold your position in the walk down MS you could be reasonably sure your wait would be minimal. At Epcot, you're going to have people coming from 2 directions and they don't always open one gate at the same time as the other. I assume they will lead people from the IG around to the right to Norway and people going to Soarin and TT to the left towards the UK. Will they somehow synchronize and merge the IG and main gate lines once they arrive at Norway?

I know this is an unpopular opinion, but Soarin' is not a must-ride for my family. In fact, we'd prob skip it. Being at BC, we can easily keep an eye on Test Track and run over there when the wait time is low, I guess or get there for RD.

 

[gap2368]

I would do FP for FEA do TT RD if you want to add soaring to it do soaring first go over to TT if the line is too long do single rider then you have your FP for FEA

 

[nilla]

How old is the youngest in your party? You could always ride TT single-rider.

 

[gap2368]

Wait, I thought you couldn't do that- only book one FP (tier 1) and then try for a second Tier 1? Am I wrong? So much to learn!

if you could do this you would have to use your tier one fp before getting another FP and by that time I think all the tier 1 FP would be gone

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

How old is the youngest in your party? You could always ride TT single-rider.

We're an older family - the youngest is me (27) We're all kids at heard, though

I guess we can do single rider, but we like to go on together.

 

[nilla]

We're an older family - the youngest is me (27) We're all kids at heard, though

I guess we can do single rider, but we like to go on together.

Add me to the "rope drop TT" group, then!

 

[wareagle57]

if you could do this you would have to use your tier one fp before getting another FP and by that time I think all the tier 1 FP would be gone

You can book just a single FP now, so you could get your 2nd FP very soon after the park opens. We won't know until we get closer to the Frozen opening, but my theory is that TT same day FPs will be available in the mornings because most will book Soarin and FEA, since the are new, and also more time consuming to RD.

But I do think the "sure bet" and best way to do it is RD Soarin' and hit up Test Track if the line is short enough after that, which it may will be with a new RD contender in FEA.

 

[marciemi]

You can NOT do this. You must either use both Tier 2's or be past their windows before the new system will allow you to book another Tier 1 in the same park. I (and others on the FP subforum) have tested this many times since the changes on April 10.

Wait, I thought you couldn't do that- only book one FP (tier 1) and then try for a second Tier 1? Am I wrong? So much to learn!

I believe you can but you will need to do it at a kiosk, not the MDE app.

You can book just a single FP now, so you could get your 2nd FP very soon after the park opens.

 

[AFwifelife]

You can NOT do this. You must either use both Tier 2's or be past their windows before the new system will allow you to book another Tier 1 in the same park. I (and others on the FP subforum) have tested this many times since the changes on April 10.

I wasn't 100% sure. I only know the rules when using the app. Thanks for the info!

 

[richmo]

I'd do TT as single riders, unless the standby line is quite short. You're together until the actual ride, so you're only apart a few minutes.

 

[WEDWDW]

I'd also think about trying for an AM EMH morning and knock out FEA first thing and then move on from there.

Having that extra hour before the "regular" Guests can come in will be invaluable.

 

[wareagle57]

You can NOT do this. You must either use both Tier 2's or be past their windows before the new system will allow you to book another Tier 1 in the same park. I (and others on the FP subforum) have tested this many times since the changes on April 10.

That is extremely disappointing. I was under the impression that by allowing you to only book one FP in advance, using it would be just like using all 3. Once you're done with all your FPs you can book any FP.

This might be way too complicated and not worth it. But you could possibly then book tier 2 FPs with immediate return availability, scan in, and then just bail before you got on the ride and book your 2nd tier 2 for another immediate return time.

 

[Fastpassminus]

My plan is to book a pre RD ADR at Garden Grill ( we like eating there anyways. ) scoot out of there at 8:45 THEN do Soarin at RD and ride FEA as FP plus later. Your party could ride Test Track in the single rider. Test Track isn't a huge priority for us so we might hope for a 4th FP for it.