Pandora rope drop 2020 question

[Katiaz]

My first visit to Animal Kingdom is coming up on Feb 24, 2020! I have heard that Disney used to open Pandora rides before official park open but that now they are starting closer to official park open like the other rides in AK. Can anyone who has been recently (December 2019, January 2020) confirm?

My strategy was to get to the park at 7:30 for extra magic hour 8-9am and go to Navi River because we scored a fastpass for Flight of Passage by obsessively refreshing the app! (Keep trying for that elusive fastpass because it happened for us!)

I’m planning to hit rides in this order (suggestions welcome) at rope drop.
-Navi River
-Everest
-Everest again if the line is short!
-Dinosaur
-It’s Tough to be a Bug

Is it reasonable to complete these rides by 10am-ish (given that 8-9am is extra magic hour)? Primeval Whirl will not be operating I guess otherwise I would add that in. I’m hoping to finish up with Dinoland and Asia by 11:30 by doing Up! at 10:30 and the Asia trails before heading to Africa for my safari fastpass, lunch at Tusker House, Festival of the Lion King and Conservative station in the afternoon.

That leaves only Flight of Passage (FP at 5pm) and River of Lights. Feeling pretty good about my plan but open to suggestions for a first time visitor! Thanks

 

[HuskieJohn]

Without RD FOP 7:30 is good for an 8am opening but you will still be fairly far back of the crowd. Good news is 99% of the people infront of you will be going to FOP.

Your AM plan by 10am seems good.

 

[Unvoiced_Apollo]

I would say it's pretty reasonable for the rides you want to do. I went back in Dec 1. NRJ was a walk on, dinosaur was a 10 minute wait. EE was down so we did it's tough to be a bug instead. After, we went straight to KJS where standby was marked at around I think the 40min mark just as EMH ended but the line moved relatively continuously (although a little slow) and was on the vehicle in 20 minutes.

I honestly feel doing DInosaur first might be better but YMMV.

 

[Katiaz]

I honestly feel doing DInosaur first might be better but YMMV.

So you think Dinosaur and then Navi River? I am also trying to minimize walking and backtracking because I’m with my mom and 8 yr old daughter who might not make it until park close otherwise.

 

[Unvoiced_Apollo]

I honestly feel doing DInosaur first might be better but YMMV.

So you think Dinosaur and then Navi River? I am also trying to minimize walking and backtracking because I’m with my mom and 8 yr old daughter who might not make it until park close otherwise.

I meant NRJ>Dinosaur>Everest. I see what you mean by the back tracking though.

 

[MMSM]

I’m going in April and have never seen festival of lion king. What are the chances of seeing this without a a fast pass?

 

[lvt]

Yes, there is a line just have to wait. I have never used FP for this. Love the show.

 

[Gus V.]

My first visit to Animal Kingdom is coming up on Feb 24, 2020! I have heard that Disney used to open Pandora rides before official park open but that now they are starting closer to official park open like the other rides in AK. Can anyone who has been recently (December 2019, January 2020) confirm?

My strategy was to get to the park at 7:30 for extra magic hour 8-9am and go to Navi River because we scored a fastpass for Flight of Passage by obsessively refreshing the app! (Keep trying for that elusive fastpass because it happened for us!)

I’m planning to hit rides in this order (suggestions welcome) at rope drop.
-Navi River
-Everest
-Everest again if the line is short!
-Dinosaur
-It’s Tough to be a Bug

Is it reasonable to complete these rides by 10am-ish (given that 8-9am is extra magic hour)? Primeval Whirl will not be operating I guess otherwise I would add that in. I’m hoping to finish up with Dinoland and Asia by 11:30 by doing Up! at 10:30 and the Asia trails before heading to Africa for my safari fastpass, lunch at Tusker House, Festival of the Lion King and Conservative station in the afternoon.

That leaves only Flight of Passage (FP at 5pm) and River of Lights. Feeling pretty good about my plan but open to suggestions for a first time visitor! Thanks

We just rope dropped FoP on Monday(8-9EMH) January 27th. We were in line by 7:15 and I believe it was 7:30 when the let us in the park. They let us on FoP at 7:45. We were done with FoP and Navi by 8:15...and on safari by 8:30.

 

[QueenElinor]

I honestly feel doing DInosaur first might be better but YMMV.

Better check the opening time for Dinosaur. It often opens later than the other rides, which really messed up my best-laid plans!

 

[Unvoiced_Apollo]

Better check the opening time for Dinosaur. It often opens later than the other rides, which really messed up my best-laid plans!

If that's the case that makes Animal Kingdom really hard to schedule since KJS also sometimes doesn't open with the park. But that's usually weather related.

I really can't fathom any reason beyond technical issues as to why it wouldn't open when all other ride attractions open.

 

[QueenElinor]

If that's the case that makes Animal Kingdom really hard to schedule since KJS also sometimes doesn't open with the park. But that's usually weather related.

I really can't fathom any reason beyond technical issues as to why it wouldn't open when all other ride attractions open.

Me, neither, but when we were there in May it opened later, at 9:30. It was scheduled. Months before the trip, I was making a touring plan over at TP and it kept flipping my rides around, making Dinosaur later than I wanted it to be. Finally I actually checked the schedule and yup, it really did open later.

As I recall, it was that way for a while, I remember checking it and that seemed to be the way they were running it at that time. I don't think it was just for that week.

 

[Katiaz]

Hmm thanks for the replies about different ride opening times. That would really screw up my plans if either Dinosaur or Safari is closed during EMH. If Everest is down for weather or whatever, that leaves very little to ride, and no shows to see that early
All I have to go on is the app: for today for example, EMH 8-9am and both Dinosaur and Safari are listed as having extended hours so opening at 8am.
I guess I’ll have to check closer to the day. Maybe I should try to RD FoP if other rides are closed. I’ve heard it’s great to ride standby AND use a fastpass if you can

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Hmm thanks for the replies about different ride opening times. That would really screw up my plans if either Dinosaur or Safari is closed during EMH. If Everest is down for weather or whatever, that leaves very little to ride, and no shows to see that early
All I have to go on is the app: for today for example, EMH 8-9am and both Dinosaur and Safari are listed as having extended hours so opening at 8am.
I guess I’ll have to check closer to the day. Maybe I should try to RD FoP if other rides are closed. I’ve heard it’s great to ride standby AND use a fastpass if you can

Disney has tinkered with keeping some rides closed during EMH or opening rides past park opening at times in the past, but FWIW, on your day (2/24), Dinosaur and Safari are currently listed as operating during 8-9am EMHs that morning. With exceptions of course, you're generally more likely to see rides like this close prior to park closing vs opening past park opening time.

FYI, you can go to each attraction page and toggle dates to see current published times:

KS - https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/animal-kingdom/kilimanjaro-safaris/

Dino - https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/animal-kingdom/dinosaur/

 

[DavidNYC]

We were there last week for an 8am EMH and started off like your schedule - Na’vi and Everest twice (first time standby and second time single rider). We were off 2nd Everest by 9am. (We actually didn’t make it to the turnstiles until right at 8 - otherwise we could have done Navi twice too. I’d expect you’d have no trouble doing that plus the other 2 by 10 if you’re in the park at 7:30.

 

[cgattis]

Maybe I should try to RD FoP if other rides are closed. I’ve heard it’s grea

That’s exactly what I’d do. I think you’re going to want to ride it twice. Then do Navi (don’t think you’ll be clamoring for a second ride on that), then head to Everest. Even if you wait a bit, if you’ve never ridden it, you’ll want to spend a little time checking out that queue. You could always ride it again single rider if your 8YO is ok with that.

 

[Katiaz]

We were there last week for an 8am EMH and started off like your schedule - Na’vi and Everest twice (first time standby and second time single rider). We were off 2nd Everest by 9am. (We actually didn’t make it to the turnstiles until right at 8 - otherwise we could have done Navi twice too. I’d expect you’d have no trouble doing that plus the other 2 by 10 if you’re in the park at 7:30.

Thank you so much for confirming the timing

 

[Katiaz]

That’s exactly what I’d do. I think you’re going to want to ride it twice. Then do Navi (don’t think you’ll be clamoring for a second ride on that), then head to Everest. Even if you wait a bit, if you’ve never ridden it, you’ll want to spend a little time checking out that queue. You could always ride it again single rider if your 8YO is ok with that.

I will definitely consider doing FoP RD! I will have my mom with us and I don’t want to put her through a crazy WDW rope drop since we do have the fastpass later, but it would be awesome...

 

[Isabelle12345]

Sorry to high jack this thread, but if we want to Rd the safari on that same day (EMH 8-9), can we safely arrive around 8:15 to avoid the FoP craziness?

 

[QueenElinor]

Sorry to high jack this thread, but if we want to Rd the safari on that same day (EMH 8-9), can we safely arrive around 8:15 to avoid the FoP craziness?

I would arrive at 8, maybe a tad earlier. You'll be behind the pack and in no danger of being trampled.

 

[MinnierellaMama]

I think your current strategy sounds great — hit all the Asia/Dinoland rides first while most are doing FoP. (I personally would only do the rope drop FoP if I didn’t have a FP... but to each his own!) It will really free up the rest of your day to relax a bit and enjoy the safari and the rest of AK before your FoP fast pass.