Please help with AK strategy

[MudQueen22]

Our family of four will be going in July and staying on property; however, our AK day is not an EMH day.

We have fast passes for FoP at 9:30 (rider swap since ds likely won't be tall enough), then Kilimanjaro Safaris at 10:40, and Kali River Rapids at 12:25. We might leave either for the day or for a break and return later.

Our plan is to get there before rope drop and ride Na'vi River Journey. What's next is where I'm a bit fuzzy. Ds likes characters, so I thought we could go from Na'vi to the Discovery Island since I noticed there is a Mickey and Minnie meet and greet. Would we have time to do that and get back in time for our fast pass to FoP?

I've never been to AK before, but dh has. I was thinking he could ride Expedition Everest with dd since they both like big coasters, but he thinks that will be pushing it since it's such a long walk. I would like to do as much as possible before all the crowds pour in.

Another thing making me a bit concerned--I'm reading that they only let so many people into Pandora at a time. If we leave and go to the Discovery Island and/or Asia, will they let us back in Pandora for our fast pass to FoP?

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

I would rope drop Navi River, then use your FP for FoP. Check out Pandora as time permits, there’s a lot to see and it’s very pretty.

You will have time to go to meet Mickey and Minnie and head back for your KS FP (you have to use the FP by 11:45, plenty of time). Then go on Kali. That way if you’re soaked on Kali you can leave and you won’t have to wait in an air conditioned line soaking wet to meet Mickey either.

This does have you crossing the park. From Kali or Mickey it’s not a very long walk to Everest.

In my last 3 visits (August, September, and just last week) I have never had an issue getting into pandora at any time of day, if that helps.

 

[StarSpeckledSky]

Our family of four will be going in July and staying on property; however, our AK day is not an EMH day.

We have fast passes for FoP at 9:30 (rider swap since ds likely won't be tall enough), then Kilimanjaro Safaris at 10:40, and Kali River Rapids at 12:25. We might leave either for the day or for a break and return later.

Our plan is to get there before rope drop and ride Na'vi River Journey. What's next is where I'm a bit fuzzy. Ds likes characters, so I thought we could go from Na'vi to the Discovery Island since I noticed there is a Mickey and Minnie meet and greet. Would we have time to do that and get back in time for our fast pass to FoP?

I've never been to AK before, but dh has. I was thinking he could ride Expedition Everest with dd since they both like big coasters, but he thinks that will be pushing it since it's such a long walk. I would like to do as much as possible before all the crowds pour in.

Another thing making me a bit concerned--I'm reading that they only let so many people into Pandora at a time. If we leave and go to the Discovery Island and/or Asia, will they let us back in Pandora for our fast pass to FoP?

Park opens 8am the day you go, right? Assuming because it'll be July. Rope drop Na'vi, check out Pandora and maybe eat a bite at a stand, then go to your 9:30am FP for FoP. After, go to the Mickey/Minnie meet and greet, crowds should still be relatively low, especially at the meet and greet (from my experience everyone stampedes to ride in the morning and not really the character stuff) so you'll have a pretty short wait. You should be out by 10:30am-11am. Next, use your KS FP - you'll have plenty of time to use it as it runs out at 11:40am. I'd recommend hopping on Everest right before or right after KS. After that use your Kali FP - bring ponchos!

I've never had an issue with entering Pandora...

 

[sharonabe]

Another thing making me a bit concerned--I'm reading that they only let so many people into Pandora at a time. If we leave and go to the Discovery Island and/or Asia, will they let us back in Pandora for our fast pass to FoP?

Not sure where you read this, but I don't recall it being true even when Pandora first opened. You'll be fine.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Park opens 8am the day you go, right? Assuming because it'll be July. Rope drop Na'vi, check out Pandora and maybe eat a bite at a stand, then go to your 9:30am FP for FoP. After, go to the Mickey/Minnie meet and greet, crowds should still be relatively low, especially at the meet and greet (from my experience everyone stampedes to ride in the morning and not really the character stuff) so you'll have a pretty short wait. You should be out by 10:30am-11am. Next, use your KS FP - you'll have plenty of time to use it as it runs out at 11:40am. I'd recommend hopping on Everest right before or right after KS. After that use your Kali FP - bring ponchos!

I've never had an issue with entering Pandora...

Or bring yourself a change of clothes and pack them in the lockers near the ride. Free for the first 2 hours. If you have a FP, you'll have no problem grabbing your stuff before you're charged. I always plan to ride Kali River last anyway. We drive to AK so that makes it a little more tolerable being wet if I'm in my own vehicle. We'll have towels to sit on just in case.

 

[MudQueen22]

I think we will be in our own vehicle. I wanted to take the buses, but we're staying at Fort Wilderness, and I hear they are more unpredictable there. We also wanted to pack a cooler to leave in the vehicle with extra waters for when we leave the park since I'm concerned about sufficient water intake (but that's another story).
Glad to hear it will be easy to get back into Pandora if we leave for the Oasis or Asia.

I would really like to take a mid-day break and then return, but we'll see how my younger child does. If he's too wiped out, I'm not going to push it.

 

[MudQueen22]

Park opens 8am the day you go, right? Assuming because it'll be July. Rope drop Na'vi, check out Pandora and maybe eat a bite at a stand, then go to your 9:30am FP for FoP. After, go to the Mickey/Minnie meet and greet, crowds should still be relatively low, especially at the meet and greet (from my experience everyone stampedes to ride in the morning and not really the character stuff) so you'll have a pretty short wait. You should be out by 10:30am-11am. Next, use your KS FP - you'll have plenty of time to use it as it runs out at 11:40am. I'd recommend hopping on Everest right before or right after KS. After that use your Kali FP - bring ponchos!

I've never had an issue with entering Pandora...

It says it opens at 9:00 that morning, but I asked dh if he thinks they might change it, and he said it's possible. For now, it's 9:00.

 

[g-dad66]

Navi will be a walk-on (or very short wait) at Rope Drop. That should give you plenty of time to do either Everest or the Mickey-Minnie greet (maybe even both!) before your Flight of Passage Fast Pass expires at 10:30 (actually 10:45 because of the 15-minute grace period).

It's true that it's a long walk from Pandora to Everest (and back again), but time shouldn't be a problem. However, the extra walking could be an issue (particularly if little ones are not in a stroller).

 

[StarSpeckledSky]

It says it opens at 9:00 that morning, but I asked dh if he thinks they might change it, and he said it's possible. For now, it's 9:00.

Oh okay, either way the plan I gave should still work - rope drop Na'vi then head to your FOP reservation before doing the meet/greet.