Rope Dropping Epcot During Morning EMH - Staying Off-Site

[DanielNYC]

We're going to be visiting Epcot the week of August 21 during a day that has morning EMH (8:00 entry). We will be staying offsite that day so won't be able to enter the park until 9:00 or perhaps just before. Since onsite guests will have already entered the park, would it be possible for us to RD both Test Track and Soarin' before 10:15 (when our Spaceship Earth FP expires)? FWIW, that's the first week that Florida kids (and some other southern states) are back in school so hoping for less intense crowds. Also, my kids are 11 and 9 years old so I believe they would be able to do single rider at TT if needed.

 

[mousehockey37]

Don't count on less intense crowds. The kids from the North are still there with their parents.

Also, I doubt you'd be able to both rides before 10:15. All on-site guests will be there and being an EMH park, that normally pulls in more people. YMMV

 

[CAS239]

A lot of schools down here in South Florida went back this past week, but I wouldn't count on too low of crowds. And being that epcot will have EMH that would be the least recommended park to go to

I would expect tt to have close to a 60 min wait and Soarin to be around 30-45.

If you can I would swap that day with a different park and do epcot on a different day

 

[sharonabe]

We're going to be visiting Epcot the week of August 21 during a day that has morning EMH (8:00 entry). We will be staying offsite that day so won't be able to enter the park until 9:00 or perhaps just before. Since onsite guests will have already entered the park, would it be possible for us to RD both Test Track and Soarin' before 10:15 (when our Spaceship Earth FP expires)? FWIW, that's the first week that Florida kids (and some other southern states) are back in school so hoping for less intense crowds. Also, my kids are 11 and 9 years old so I believe they would be able to do single rider at TT if needed.

There's always a chance, but a lot of variables. Personally, I'd head to Soarin' first, but only after checking the wait times to be sure it wasn't already at an hour or more, then use your Spaceship Earth FP, then do the single rider at TT. That's a lot of walking back and forth, though. Can you/would you want to change that SE FP to a later time? With it being at the very front of the park, we usually hit SE on our way out for an afternoon break.

 

[DanielNYC]

Thanks for the input everyone. Unfortunately everything's kind of set at this point and I can't swap days. Regardless, it's good to have our expectations be a bit more realistic. I like the idea of doing Soarin', Spaceship Earth FP then single rider at TT if possible. We have a 10:05-11:05 FP at Mission Space which is next door so maybe with a little luck that'll all work out. Fingers crossed!

 

[CarrieR]

Nope. In essence, RD is at 8 and you're arriving at 9. So plan for 1hr-post-RD crowds.

 

[dreiwhit]

FWIW, we are RD Disney Commandos. We always avoid parks with morning EMHs. I would suggest going to Epcot on a different day if you want to RD.

BTW, every time i've been at Epcot, the CMs have always let folks in well before 9am. Last time, we were in line at the tapstiles at 8:40am and people were already in the parks (no EMH.) In fact, when we got to Joy & Sadness at 9:04am, the line was already 45 minutes. I would recommend getting in line at the tapstiles no later than 8:30am if you want to RD.