Need some expert strategy advice!

[I-4Bound]

We are planning to visit the parks on June 16 with a park hopper pass. I REALLY want to see Pandora and Rivers of Light, but I can't convince my crew to spend the whole day at AK. We will be offsite, so I'm not holding my breath for fastpasses.

With that being said...

Should I try to hit Pandora at rope drop and just forego Rivers of Light, or should we try to hit AK in the evening to see Pandora and hopefully Rivers of Light? I think the other half of the day will be spent at Epcot. Ideally, we would see Pandora at rope drop, leave for Epcot, and return that night for Rivers of Light, but I'm concerned about my MIL, who is elderly and will be in an ECV.

Can't wait to hear what ya'll think! Thanks!

 

[disneyvoice]

Personally, I would do Epcot in the morning and then head to AK later in the day. AK is so incredibly hot that a lot of people get really tired and leave by mid afternoon, plus some people go only for the rides and then head somewhere else instead of seeing shows and animals. I think it's really hard at this point to decide which is the better strategy though. ROL is bringing more people into the park later already but who knows what Pandora will do to attendance.

 

[hakepb]

In the summer, I would think a family that doesn't want to spend a day at AK would decide it was too hot in the am (after rope drop) and would refuse to return.

I'm guessing that the Banshee ride will be the impossible FP+, but you may still have a chance at the boat ride.

If you had an AK evening of a ROL dinner package, sunset safari (FP) , early ROL, then over to Pandora for a boat ride FP and possibly a late Banshee it might work OK? (Depending on park hours)

 

[capegirl]

I agree that getting a FP for these new attractions may not be possible. If you really want to do both rides your only hope would be standby at RD, or get in line just before park closing.
Would it be possible for your party to split up? Those who are interested could go to AK for RD, while the others go to EPCOT; you could meet up afterwards. As the pp suggested, the RoL dining package, if available on your night, would solve one problem.

 

[DSLRuser]

I find best splitting parks up into multiple stint. It is hard to stay at the same park all day. Each park is different in the morning then it is at night, and you have to experience both.

Day 1 - AK rope drop - EPCOT at night
Day 2 - MK rope drop - Studios night
Day 3 - EPCOT rope drop - MK night
Day 4 - Studios rope drop - AK night
Day 5 - open for what you miss
Day 6 - open for what you miss

Do fast passes at night each park, take your chances on rope drop low crowds.