Help with AK plan

[Mrspeaks]

Hi. I wanted to get some thoughts and suggestions on my plan for animal kingdom. We are scheduled to go on Sunday, September 3. The hours that they are listed as 9-9:00.

1- if we want to be there for rope drop, what time should we arrive?

2- we plan to head to Pandora and first ride the river ride. We then will go to FOP. What time should schedule a FP for FOP? 9:30-10:30? We will be doing rider swap because my daughters are too small for the ride.

3- could we save the FP and do the single rider line? What are the wait times for single rider line then around this time? Can we still do rider swap if we do single rider line? We would be OK with riding as singles.

4- we have an 1115 adr at Tusker House. Would the time between FOP and the ADR be a sufficient time to look around Pandora?

5- after our ADR we plan to see the lion King and ride the Safari. I have usually rope dropped the Safari. Will I need a fp for the Safari midday?

after that we plan to tour clockwise. Ride the rapid's, see Nemo, play at the dig site, eat dinner at flame tree and if we can make it see Pandora at dark.

 

[Robo]

Hi. I wanted to get some thoughts and suggestions on my plan for animal kingdom. We are scheduled to go on Sunday, September 3. The hours that they are listed as 9-9:00.

1- if we want to be there for rope drop, what time should we arrive?

2- we plan to head to Pandora and first ride the river ride. We then will go to FOP. What time should schedule a FP for FOP? 9:30-10:30? We will be doing rider swap because my daughters are too small for the ride.

3- could we save the FP and do the single rider line? What are the wait times for single rider line then around this time? Can we still do rider swap if we do single rider line? We would be OK with riding as singles.

4- we have an 1115 adr at Tusker House. Would the time between FOP and the ADR be a sufficient time to look around Pandora?

5- after our ADR we plan to see the lion King and ride the Safari. I have usually rope dropped the Safari. Will I need a fp for the Safari midday?

after that we plan to tour clockwise. Ride the rapid's, see Nemo, play at the dig site, eat dinner at flame tree and if we can make it see Pandora at dark.

1- With the new Pandora drawing huge crowds, arrive about an hour before opening time.
2- Yes. Or later.
3- If that's what you prefer. As far as "how much time..." that can vary so much as time passes and crowds change as to be just idle speculation.
4- Yes.
5- Couldn't hurt.

 

[Mrspeaks]

Another thought, would I have time to do the safari between fop and the 11:15 ADR?

 

[Robo]

Another thought, would I have time to do the safari between fop and the 11:15 ADR?

You can certainly do so, if the rest of your timing works out.
Assume that the Safari ride can take between 15-25 minutes, depending on if there are some
stubborn animals who decide to lie down in the path of the trucks.

Again, even careful planning can't account for exactly what will or won't happen on YOUR day.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Here are my thoughts - I was there opening day. I wanted more time to spend in Pandora itself during the day.

We entered the area on a 4:15pm FOP fast pass. We rode that which took around 40 minutes from the time we entered the fast pass line until the ride was over and we were pulled up front past several other groups because they were looking for a group of 2 - without that, it would have been another 15 minutes or so before getting in to the ride.
Single rider wasn't running on opening day so I don't know how long it would take to go through it. I would stick with your plan of getting a FP and doing child swap.

We had a 6pm KS Fast pass scheduled. Yes, if I were you I would book a FP for Safari at mid-day.

After flight of passage, we spent 45 minutes in line to get our Banshee Puppets. At that point, it only left about 25 minutes to walk around the area before the start of our next FP - so we ended up not leaving the area until about 10 minutes before our KS expired to give us extra time and still felt like we didn't have enough time. We didn't get to try any of the food and felt like we barely looked around.

We went back for evening EMH to ride the River Ride and look around at all the night stuff. It was really cool.

I would think you wouldn't have time between riding FOP and your 11:15am ADR to squeeze in KS - you never know how long it will take on KS so I'd book that for after your ADR.

Overestimate the amount of time you think you will need in Pandora - probably an hour for the River Ride and then another 45 minutes even with the FP for FOP. And if you want to walk around Pandora, take pictures, buy anything in the gift shop that's going to add another good hour unless you are really fast.

Happy Planning!

 

[Mrspeaks]

I changed my ADR to 11:45 - I think this will give me some extra time to view Pandora or maybe catch the 11 FOTLK before ear.