***Official*** Pandora: The World of Avatar Information Thread

[Pawpsicle]

I apologize if this has been answered, but if FOP can't be done at rd, is there a better time of day to do it? I don't want to waste the morning if it is 2 hrs consistently all day.

We lucked out and had some pretty bad late-afternoon thunderstorms come through. Almost everything in AK shut down due to weather and Dinosaur was also down. The park cleared out. We got in line at about 730pm with 90min posted, 60min actual wait. So keep an eye on the weather - it could benefit you!

 

[Practically.Perfect]

How crazy would we be to do rope drop at dak on am EMH am (7/31) as non resort guests? Will the line for FOP be long already when we get in? This is the only day we can go and will park hop after

 

[AngiTN]

How crazy would we be to do rope drop at dak on am EMH am (7/31) as non resort guests? Will the line for FOP be long already when we get in? This is the only day we can go and will park hop after

Yes, it would be pretty long by the time you got there. How crazy it is depends on how much open park time you want to spend in line. Most people want to minimize the time a park is open that is spent in line. Others have only 1 plan in mind, such as riding FoP and seeing Pandora, so amount of time spent in line won't matter as the aren't taking time away to do something else. If that makes sense. It's all about goals for the day and what your individual ones are

 

[rteetz]

I can guarantee to you Disney is NOT upset at all that there are POV videos available all over the internet of every single attraction

Free publicity for them.

Then why would they tell you no video photography? I don't think filming this ride is a good idea but that's just me I guess.

 

[Spridell]

Then why would they tell you no video photography? I don't think filming this ride is a good idea but that's just me I guess.

It's like a Catch 22

"Don't do it, but hey any publicity is not a bad thing."

Any business wants their product to be publicized as much as possible.

Could also be a danger too, not paying attention while on the ride. That is probably a big part of why they don't want people doing it also.

 

[rteetz]

It's like a Catch 22

"Don't do it, but hey any publicity is not a bad thing."

Any business wants their product to be publicized as much as possible.

Could also be a danger too, not paying attention while on the ride. That is probably a big part of why they don't want people doing it also.

The ride is getting plenty of publicity outside of ride videos.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Ride videos are always out there on every ride in every theme park. Suspect Disney knows this and isn't devastated. It doesn't replace the experience of being there -- if anything, it might entice some to visit. I don't personally see the big deal.

I don't watch ride videos ahead for NEW rides because I want to be surprised. But I HAVE used them in the past to show the kids when they were younger, so that they'd have an idea of what to expect. That seemed to be helpful to them.

I suspect the rules are more around safety, and discouraging people from having their phones out and ruining other people's views.

 

[Capang]

There is no way a FoP ride video would do it justice. Riding it is a totally different experience than watching it on video. I get why there are ride videos and they do serve a purpose for some but I wouldn't watch a FoP video. It would just cheapen the experience.

 

[Spridell]

There is no way a FoP ride video would do it justice. Riding it is a totally different experience than watching it on video. I get why there are ride videos and they do serve a purpose for some but I wouldn't watch a FoP video. It would just cheapen the experience.

I would NOT watch a FOP video BEFORE going on it. Video does not do it justice at all.

But after being on it now 3 times already I like looking back at the videos to relive it.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

This article and charts from Josh may be of some help.

http://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/pandora-wait-times-continue-to-drop-amidst-low-summer-crowds/

Cool. Looks like the same pattern from my late May/early June graphs help up throughout June -- good to know! I'll start looking closely again in late July before we heard to WDW 2nd week of Aug.

 

[SPOERLX3]

I apologize in advance if this is a duplicate question, I haven't had a chance to read through this entire thread.
Our trip is planned for December and our FP+ date isn't until 10/10 but I am just wondering, how difficult is it to get FP+ for FoP and NRJ. We will be either beginning or ending our park days at AK 3 different days of our trip but our trip is only 6 days only so I am afraid, even pushing our AK days to the last 3 days of our trip and scheduling our FP's for those days first once it opens, may not get us a FP.

TIA!

 

[RachelTori]

I apologize in advance if this is a duplicate question, I haven't had a chance to read through this entire thread.
Our trip is planned for December and our FP+ date isn't until 10/10 but I am just wondering, how difficult is it to get FP+ for FoP and NRJ. We will be either beginning or ending our park days at AK 3 different days of our trip but our trip is only 6 days only so I am afraid, even pushing our AK days to the last 3 days of our trip and scheduling our FP's for those days first once it opens, may not get us a FP.

TIA!

Go for FoP first -- NRJ isn't usually hard to get and worst case, it's not bad if you end up doing Navi standby. I have done both multiple times now so I am speaking from experience!

I just this morning had my 60 days open up for a 10 day trip. The first 2 days (for FoP) were already gone, but I had no trouble going further out into my trip dates and securing FoP on 3 separate days! I haven't even bothered to schedule the other FP+s for those days yet! All I cared about was securing FoP!

Good luck and please let us know how you do!

 

[SPOERLX3]

Go for FoP first -- NRJ isn't usually hard to get and worst case, it's not bad if you end up doing Navi standby. I have done both multiple times now so I am speaking from experience!

I just this morning had my 60 days open up for a 10 day trip. The first 2 days (for FoP) were already gone, but I had no trouble going further out into my trip dates and securing FoP on 3 separate days! I haven't even bothered to schedule the other FP+s for those days yet! All I cared about was securing FoP!

Good luck and please let us know how you do!

I sure will! Thank you so much! I am hoping to get FP for at least 2 of the days but will be happy for 1. I know my dates may be more crowded than yours so I hope I have as good of luck as you! Did you just take what was offered or did you have some choices or times, like morning/afternoon/evening? The reason I ask, We will have 2 afternoon/evenings and 1 morning on our last day. Also, once you saw that you couldn't get the first 2 days, did you go for the 3rd day next or did you go for your last day of your trip and work backwards? I am just trying to figure the best strategy.
Thank you for your help!

 

[DWFamilyof6]

Go for FoP first -- NRJ isn't usually hard to get and worst case, it's not bad if you end up doing Navi standby. I have done both multiple times now so I am speaking from experience!

I just this morning had my 60 days open up for a 10 day trip. The first 2 days (for FoP) were already gone, but I had no trouble going further out into my trip dates and securing FoP on 3 separate days! I haven't even bothered to schedule the other FP+s for those days yet! All I cared about was securing FoP!

Good luck and please let us know how you do!

Since you just had your FP window open.....My 60 day FP window opens tomorrow. We have 2 AK days planned, day 2 and day 7. For day 2 I'm going for NRJ FP early am and rope drop FOP. Day 7 going for FOP FP in the afternoon and try NRJ 4th FP (anyone done this???) or standby. Do you think the odds are in my favor tomorrow?

 

[DaniMoon]

Just back, 6/19-6/30. We got on FOP three times. Once with FP, two times first thing in the morning on an 8 am opening. We got to the bus stop at Pop by 7 am. Got to AK about 7:15-7:20, through bag check and they let guests in about 7:30. Held outside Pandora til about 7:40, went straight to FOP. One day we were off the ride by 8:05, another day 8:20. We also did the River ride back to back, it was pretty much walk on.

I am glad I followed this thread before our trip, having that morning strategy made all the difference in 3 times vs 1 time. My family loved it. I was a teeny bit nervous abut fit as a size 18/20, but no problem, locked every time without help from a CM.

 

[ThistleMae]

Just back, 6/19-6/30. We got on FOP three times. Once with FP, two times first thing in the morning on an 8 am opening. We got to the bus stop at Pop by 7 am. Got to AK about 7:15-7:20, through bag check and they let guests in about 7:30. Held outside Pandora til about 7:40, went straight to FOP. One day we were off the ride by 8:05, another day 8:20. We also did the River ride back to back, it was pretty much walk on.

I am glad I followed this thread before our trip, having that morning strategy made all the difference in 3 times vs 1 time. My family loved it. I was a teeny bit nervous abut fit as a size 18/20, but no problem, locked every time without help from a CM.

Wow....this was great for you! We can't do gate drop, so what do you think about trying for late afternoon or evening like other folks have said, did you notice the wait times while you were there?

 

[ChristineOH]

Since you just had your FP window open.....My 60 day FP window opens tomorrow. We have 2 AK days planned, day 2 and day 7. For day 2 I'm going for NRJ FP early am and rope drop FOP. Day 7 going for FOP FP in the afternoon and try NRJ 4th FP (anyone done this???) or standby. Do you think the odds are in my favor tomorrow?

We did get a 4th FP to Na'vi, in a group of three for 8:30ish (obtained around noon, after using our last FP) and then a group of two for 9:00ish (obtained around 1:30.) This was on Sunday, June 11. We all entered the FP line at 9:15 pm. It definitely involves some luck. I managed to get the first one without very much refreshing, but the second took some time. I tried for a minute here and there at lunch, and then got it while we were in line at guest services. I'd say it's harder than 7DMT, and maybe comparable to FEA?
I have seen some people luck into a FoP FP for a 4th, but I tried and have never, ever seen it pop up.
We loved FoP, but won't bother with Na'vi again unless it was close to a walk on. We enjoy PP and iasw, but for us, this is kind of like Nemo and Little Mermaid-- okay, but definitely not a must do now that we have experienced it once.

 

[dnllmz]

I'm in Pandora now. Navi River is down. FOP is open. Waiting for dh & ds to get off. Dd is too short but might be tall enough for our November trip.

 

[ThistleMae]

We did get a 4th FP to Na'vi, in a group of three for 8:30ish (obtained around noon, after using our last FP) and then a group of two for 9:00ish (obtained around 1:30.) This was on Sunday, June 11. We all entered the FP line at 9:15 pm. It definitely involves some luck. I managed to get the first one without very much refreshing, but the second took some time. I tried for a minute here and there at lunch, and then got it while we were in line at guest services. I'd say it's harder than 7DMT, and maybe comparable to FEA?
I have seen some people luck into a FoP FP for a 4th, but I tried and have never, ever seen it pop up.
We loved FoP, but won't bother with Na'vi again unless it was close to a walk on. We enjoy PP and iasw, but for us, this is kind of like Nemo and Little Mermaid-- okay, but definitely not a must do now that we have experienced it once.

Wow...someone got a 4th for FOP....that's amazing. We will do our best to get 4th FP's at any park at night. Can't wait till July 22nd!

 

[AngiTN]

Wow...someone got a 4th for FOP....that's amazing. We will do our best to get 4th FP's at any park at night. Can't wait till July 22nd!

Most common way to get them is when people who have FP for AK decide that day to go a different park so they'll move their FP to that one. In those cases, you may find a FP pop up. Obviously they are going to be very rare and take an extreme amount of good timing. But they'll be possible.