No Epcot FEA fastpasses available

[themeparkcomando]

We are going to be at Epcot on 12/29 (staying offsite). I was up at 6am to get fast passes 30 days before, but they were already gone What's the best strategy for riding it now? The World Showcase opens at 11, but will people already be in line? I'm willing to wait, as it's the only thing that's new since our last visit.

Advice?

 

[Robo]

FEA opens when Future World opens.

Morning guests can head directly to FEA after the Epcot rope drop.

 

[themeparkcomando]

Thanks! That will be our plan -

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

Robo listed the best option since the crowds will be insane on that day since it is between Christmas-New Years. I will be at EPCOT the same day as you. I also want to warn you that 12/29 has early entry for those staying at Disney Resorts at EPCOT. FEA does open for that as well, so by the time you will be allowed to get in line at 8 a.m, the wait will most likely be an hour+ already. I recommend getting to the park as soon as you can that morning.

 

[disdreamer7]

Robo listed the best option since the crowds will be insane on that day since it is between Christmas-New Years. I will be at EPCOT the same day as you. I also want to warn you that 12/29 has early entry for those staying at Disney Resorts at EPCOT. FEA does open for that as well, so by the time you will be allowed to get in line at 8 a.m, the wait will most likely be an hour+ already. I recommend getting to the park as soon as you can that morning.

There were several evening ones when I got mine, Tuesday. I was frankly shocked.

 

[AngiTN]

The other option is to get in line just before closing. That means missing Illuminations and it can have a longish wait but the FP line will empty fast and the stand by line will move faster.

 

[themeparkcomando]

DisDreamer7 - I was on at 6AM Tuesday and tried to book a 9:55 FP for FEA, but it wouldn't go through. When I tried again, they were gone.

Our first FP window starts at 9:45, so we'll be able to wait if we head over there ASAP.

AMusicLifeForMe - About the crowds - I know it will be July 4th crazy and then some (yeah we have done July 4th), but I'm a teacher and it's my only time available to be there for Christmas until I retire

Thanks so much for the advice!

 

[ArielSRL]

DisDreamer7 - I was on at 6AM Tuesday and tried to book a 9:55 FP for FEA, but it wouldn't go through. When I tried again, they were gone.

Our first FP window starts at 9:45, so we'll be able to wait if we head over there ASAP.

AMusicLifeForMe - About the crowds - I know it will be July 4th crazy and then some (yeah we have done July 4th), but I'm a teacher and it's my only time available to be there for Christmas until I retire

Thanks so much for the advice!

I thought FEA FP was not available until 11am. They may have changed that though. Anyone know?

 

[jaysmom4285]

Also, just keep trying, especially as the date gets closer. People often change their plans and decide to go to other parks and may cancel their FP+ at MK to go somewhere else.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

I thought FEA FP was not available until 11am. They may have changed that though. Anyone know?

Fastpass is available when the ride opens. There were people who entered the fastpass line when I was at WDW this summer before World Showcase opened.

AMusicLifeForMe - About the crowds - I know it will be July 4th crazy and then some (yeah we have done July 4th), but I'm a teacher and it's my only time available to be there for Christmas until I retire

Thanks so much for the advice!

I totally understand. I have my education degree and my Mom was a teacher, so i'm used to the crowds. We have done July 4th several times. We usually end up at EPCOT on BIG Holiday days, because EPCOT handles the crowds the best in our opinion. Enjoy your trip!

 

[AngiTN]

Fastpass is available when the ride opens. There were people who entered the fastpass line when I was at WDW this summer before World Showcase opened.

Unless something changed in the past few days, they don't have them until 11:00. They did for about a week when the ride first opened and since then they only start at 11:00

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

Unless something changed in the past few days, they don't have them until 11:00. They did for about a week when the ride first opened and since then they only start at 11:00

I was there in September, and I saw people going in the fastpass line at park opening as well. I don't know why Disney wouldn't have fastpasses until 11 a.m. for one of their biggest attractions.

 

[BrianL]

I would keep checking for the FastPass availability between now and then too. You never know, it might come up.

 

[drea21]

We were there on Tuesday and it was a pretty busy day for Epcot. Park opened at 9, we got in around 9:45 and checked the wait time and it said 75 minutes. We waited about 30 minutes and checked again, it said 50 so we figured it wasn't going to get any better and got in line. We waiting MAYBE 25 minutes, pretty sure it was less. I think we hit the sweet spot of after the rope drop crowds but before the park gets busy and the rest of world showcase opens.

 

[ArielSRL]

Unless something changed in the past few days, they don't have them until 11:00. They did for about a week when the ride first opened and since then they only start at 11:00

This is most definitely what I've read here on the Dis many times.

 

[alliecat523]

We were there on Tuesday and it was a pretty busy day for Epcot. Park opened at 9, we got in around 9:45 and checked the wait time and it said 75 minutes. We waited about 30 minutes and checked again, it said 50 so we figured it wasn't going to get any better and got in line. We waiting MAYBE 25 minutes, pretty sure it was less. I think we hit the sweet spot of after the rope drop crowds but before the park gets busy and the rest of world showcase opens.

We had a similar experience in September. The ride kept breaking down the day we were there. We went over at 7pm as it finally opened again. It said 2 hour wait so we thought we would hop in line just to see how fast it moved. Took 45 minutes.

 

[xApril]

I went at closing the other day (9:30pm) and was in and out before 10pm. It was posted at a 60 outside and a 25 in the app. No fastpass, so the line flew.

 

[drdrowsy]

keep checking, checking, checking.

And/or if you are willing, a better strategy seems to riding very late in the day. Would/could mean missing illuminations, but remember if you're in line when the park closes, you still get to ride

 

[AnnaKat]

We were there on Tuesday and it was a pretty busy day for Epcot. Park opened at 9, we got in around 9:45 and checked the wait time and it said 75 minutes. We waited about 30 minutes and checked again, it said 50 so we figured it wasn't going to get any better and got in line. We waiting MAYBE 25 minutes, pretty sure it was less. I think we hit the sweet spot of after the rope drop crowds but before the park gets busy and the rest of world showcase opens.

You definitely hit the sweet spot!
We rode FEA with FPs on
Nov. 13th, @ 9:15pm
(WS closed @ 10 that night).

We waited 25 minutes
in the FP line!!!;

Standby line was 120 minutes,
YET Guests were entering the StandBY line @ 9:15,
WHEN the Park closed @ 10!!

Guests must have been still riding until 11 pm!!!!


We had FEA FPs for Multiple Other Days,
but NEVER DID go again,
as we didn't! want to wait a half-hour
in the FP Line!!!!!

 

[Missyrose]

Unless something changed in the past few days, they don't have them until 11:00. They did for about a week when the ride first opened and since then they only start at 11:00

I was there in September, and I saw people going in the fastpass line at park opening as well. I don't know why Disney wouldn't have fastpasses until 11 a.m. for one of their biggest attractions.

People might have been using a DAS return time.