So you want to ride Soarin well...

[Drcell01]

...arrive early at EPCOT!!!

My daughter and I were visiting WDW for three days this week (Tues. to Thurs.) and decided to visit EPCOT on Wednesday morning for rope drop (official opening). When we arrived we found ourselves and about 700+ others all huddled together in the center of Future World (right in front of the fountain and EPCOT Pin Central) waiting for the 9:00am opening of the park. As 9am aproached the characters came out to greet the croud but quickly retreated as the 9 o'clock hour grew near. By now the crowd had grown to over about 1000 people and the croud huddled up close to the rope.

At the 9am mark the anouncement was made welcoming guests to EPCOT and the rope dropped and the mad dash had begun. The entire croud ran like it was the start of the NY marathon only it was a shorter distance, the Land pavilon, and destination Soarin! If you were slow to move I am sure you got carried away like you would with a fast moving river flow!

We were one of the first group to ride and there were so many people in line just after we exited the attraction that the wait was already at 60 minutes and by noon time the wait in the standby line was 120 minutes!

My suggestion would be to get to EPCOT early and either get in line as soon as possible or pick up a fast pass within the first hour of EPCOT opening (the days fast passes ran out early). If you get there at rope drop make sure that you have your running shoes on or stand back from the rope as far as possible! LOL

 

[Stacerita]

Knowing that may change our game plan a little. We are planning on riding Soarin, but weren't planning on making it our first stop of the day. Although we have been on Soarin out here at DCA, we are planning on riding it at Epcot as well. THe sweetpea gets a kick out of riding rides that are at both WDW and DLR.

 

[Lucky4me]

Thanks for the advice.
One thing I'd note is that you were there during one of the busiest weeks of the year. I do believe only Christmas and Easter is busier.
It may not be quite as bad the next few weeks, but I guess we'll see.

 

[DISNEYDOOD]

thanks for the advise but what time of the year did you go i am going at the end of jan and i hope its not that bad

 

[Lizzybee]

When we went in August, we arrived at Epcot in the afternoon (1pm or so). The fastpasses were gone by then so we decided to wait in the line. It said 120 mins on the sign, but I timed it and it was more like 70 mins. Given the fact that it was blazing hot outside, we welcomed the cool indoor line with pictures, decor, and nice people around us in line to chat with, the wait didn't seem long at all. It was definitely worth it. I must say though, we have season passes to Great America by us and if you ride coasters, waits over an hour are pretty standard.

 

[nannon16]

Thanks for the advice.
One thing I'd note is that you were there during one of the busiest weeks of the year. I do believe only Christmas and Easter is busier.
It may not be quite as bad the next few weeks, but I guess we'll see.

Well, it may not be *AS* bad, but I was there the week before Thanksgiving when crowds were on the lighter side (walked onto Splash Mtn at MK!) and by 10am there was already an 70 minute wait for Soarin!!! We saw how long the line was and got fastpasses for 12:30...and boy was I glad we had them because there was a 120 minute wait when we came back!!! Even with the fast pass we waited almost 20 minutes, but it was so worth it, it's a great ride!

 

[Tina]

We were just in the WORLD 11/13-11/17. We went to EPCOT on the 14th, the day AFTER the Food & Wine Festival ended. We went over to ride Soarin' around 4pm (we had spent the earlier part of the day in MGM). There was a 40 minute standby line, so we grabbed Fastpasses. We then rode Figment and had a quick snack then returned to ride Soarin'. By then, the standby line was only 20 minutes. This was around 5pm on a Monday. By the way, we were also able to walk right onto Test Track this same evening with no wait at all.

 

[bicker]

Glad to read that they've got FastPass set up for Soarin'. That'll be our approach.

 

[liamsaunt]

Yes, you definitely have to fatspass soarin. I was there at the same time as the OP and the wait time was 100 minutes and the fastpasses ran out early. On Tuesday we got a fast pass at 9:45 AM and the return time was 2 PM. Overall the parks were super busy though, I told my DH it reminded me of Christmas week! I am going back on Wednesday for another trip and am hoping for lighter crowds and shorter waits at Soarin. We only got on it twice this past trip because we refused to wait in the standby lane.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I think fastpass is the way to go for Soaring.

We were able to ride three times using Fastpass during our trip last April. (regular season)

 

[czycropper]

I was there on Friday, November 25th and the wait was 60 minutes at 9:15 am. There was even a line for getting a fast pass. I got one for 2 hours later and when we got in with no wait It was definitely worth it. My DDs 7 & 5 wanted to ride it again but the fast pass were out by that time.

Quick question, is Soarin' staying there after the 50th celebration? I hope so since I'm starting to plan our big WDW vacation for 2007 - cruise & another Poly stay for 5 days

 

[mill4023]

Quick question, is Soarin' staying there after the 50th celebration? I hope so since I'm starting to plan our big WDW vacation for 2007 - cruise & another Poly stay for 5 days

I think it's a pretty good bet that Soarin isn't going anywhere for at least 20 years. Maybe they'll replace the California movie with a new one by the time you go back though.

 

[qman]

Without a doubt the most popular, and most crowded, attraction during our recent visit (11/4 to 11/12) was Soarin. On the bus ride over the two mornings we started the day at Epcot the "buzz" was all about Soarin. On the walk/speed walk into the park most of the conversations I heard in passing were about getting over to that attraction. On our second visit fastpasses were gone by early afternoon.

 

[Lizzybee]

I asked a CM when we were there if this was an attraction that was going to stay and the answer was yes but they would have a different movie experience awhile after the Celebration is over.

 

[byoung]

In Oct one morning on opening we got on 3 times in the first Hour. Got fast past first then got in line, after ride 20 monute wait so we got on again. after second ride used fastpass which was good 9:42 on.

 

[KittieKat]

haha so obviously this is what you do. Plan on getting there early. Run and get fastpasses for Soarin. For whatever time later (as long as i get to ride and not wait in line, i could care less )Then since everyone and their mom is in line for Soarin go hit up all the other rides and come back. But when you do make sure you laugh at all the fools standing in line. I never did understand why ppl would stand in line for hours when they could get a fastpass...

 

[GAKoch]

We were there 11/17 and went first thing with no wait. We then went and rode Test Track twice with no wait. In fact, I don't think we waited more than 10 mins for anything else at EPCOT that day. But, when we thought to go get fast passes for Soarin about 1:00, they were all gone and the wait was 60 mins or so. DD and I went back during EMH because she really wanted to and we waited 55 minutes. It was the only ride that you really needed a FP for.

 

[ILuvTinkerbelle]

I wasn't planning to go over that way until our lunch ressie at Le Cellier at noon time. Would there be fastpasses left by then?

 

[offtheice]

...arrive early at EPCOT!!!

My daughter and I were visiting WDW for three days this week (Tues. to Thurs.) and decided to visit EPCOT on Wednesday morning for rope drop (official opening). When we arrived we found ourselves and about 700+ others all huddled together in the center of Future World (right in front of the fountain and EPCOT Pin Central) waiting for the 9:00am opening of the park. As 9am aproached the characters came out to greet the croud but quickly retreated as the 9 o'clock hour grew near. By now the crowd had grown to over about 1000 people and the croud huddled up close to the rope.

At the 9am mark the anouncement was made welcoming guests to EPCOT and the rope dropped and the mad dash had begun. The entire croud ran like it was the start of the NY marathon only it was a shorter distance, the Land pavilon, and destination Soarin! If you were slow to move I am sure you got carried away like you would with a fast moving river flow!

We were one of the first group to ride and there were so many people in line just after we exited the attraction that the wait was already at 60 minutes and by noon time the wait in the standby line was 120 minutes!

My suggestion would be to get to EPCOT early and either get in line as soon as possible or pick up a fast pass within the first hour of EPCOT opening (the days fast passes ran out early). If you get there at rope drop make sure that you have your running shoes on or stand back from the rope as far as possible! LOL

I was one of the lucky ones to ride soarin back in april when they did test runs. Infact road it 5 times in a row. Its a nice ride,but not worth ever standing for 6o min or running to it.

 

[DrTomorrow]

I'm with offtheice - we went in early May (before Soarin' was officially on the maps) and went 4 times in a row - waiting for the coveted 1st row center.

I'm surprised that they have a rope drop with mad dash. At MGM - where the runners go for ToT/RnRC, the do "drop" the rope, but a couple of HWH bellboys (one of whom is absolutely great in character!!!) walk the group down Sunset Blvd. I seem to remember something similar in MK for Spl & Space Mtns. I also remember waaaay back when there was the run - highly unpleasant....