Soarin' FP booth - when does it open?

starshine514

DIS Veteran
Joined
Nov 21, 2010
Messages
3,164
My search skills must be lacking, because I can't seem to find the answer (and I'm pretty sure I saw something about it before...). I'm going to CA next Tuesday (:cool1::cool1::cool1:) and am working on my touring plan. I'm hoping to get to CA early and get our WOC FPs. I've read that Soarin' is also usually opens at 9:30. Two questions:
  1. Do you think the pre-opening line for Soarin' will be long (on this off-season Tuesday)? (Meaning, do we have time to ride it and still proceed with our RideMax plan commencing at 10 AM?)
  2. Will the FP booth for Soarin' be available before official park opening at 10 AM?

Thanks! :)
 
My search skills must be lacking, because I can't seem to find the answer (and I'm pretty sure I saw something about it before...). I'm going to CA next Tuesday (:cool1::cool1::cool1:) and am working on my touring plan. I'm hoping to get to CA early and get our WOC FPs. I've read that Soarin' is also usually opens at 9:30. Two questions:
  1. Do you think the pre-opening line for Soarin' will be long (on this off-season Tuesday)? (Meaning, do we have time to ride it and still proceed with our RideMax plan commencing at 10 AM?)
  2. Will the FP booth for Soarin' be available before official park opening at 10 AM?
Thanks! :)
1. It takes time to go through the Soarin queue, load the ride, ride the ride, and then exit. In my experience if you enter DCA at 9:30AM when it opens and go straight to Soarin, you will be off the ride at around 10AM - maybe a little after.

2. Soarin FP machines open at 9:30AM.
 
1. The wait should now be long, but the ride is long when you consider walking in the queue, loading, riding, and unloading.

It may be hard to grab two FP's and ride Soarin in 30 minutes. But shouldn't take much longer. It will just be lucky timing to get through Soarin Quickly.

2. Yes this is not a new situation or a special one based around a certain event. DCA has opened at 9:30 for a long time with Soarin and it's FP distribution open at 9:30.
 
We have done soarin first thing in the AM and we are always back to rope drop outside GGR prior to 10AM to watch the herd run for Toy Story.

Jack
 

We have done soarin first thing in the AM and we are always back to rope drop outside GGR prior to 10AM to watch the herd run for Toy Story.

Jack

RideMax seems to be indicating that we should be part of the herd...from what I've read on here, though, I'm not sure if that is correct... If we do Soarin' first, we'll be really far back in the herd, right? So much so, that we'll have a long wait immediately?
 
RideMax seems to be indicating that we should be part of the herd...from what I've read on here, though, I'm not sure if that is correct... If we do Soarin' first, we'll be really far back in the herd, right? So much so, that we'll have a long wait immediately?

At the most we have been two people back from the line. What gets me that even though the CM's are YELLING no running, the pack mentality takes over and a good number of folks start to run. Anyways, we have never missed rope drop by riding soarin, I suppose it could happen.

Jack
 
RideMax seems to be indicating that we should be part of the herd...from what I've read on here, though, I'm not sure if that is correct... If we do Soarin' first, we'll be really far back in the herd, right? So much so, that we'll have a long wait immediately?

Long wait for what?

At 9:30 the front gates open, some people go strait to one rope, some to the right. The people that go right meet with resort guests coming in from the GCH entrance so thier is already people there. Of all those people some will be getting WoC FPs, some riding Soarin and some going to the rope drop. So if you do either of the first two you will be behind the people that go to the rope drop ASAP. But then a huge group will wait at the rope until 10am.

That group will meet the other rope drop group because most of them will also head to TSMM. This will likely change with Little Mermaids opening.

So unless you are the very front of either rope drop group. You will get caught in the heard. TSMM goes very quickly from no wait, to 10 minutes to 15 minutes to 20 minute to a 30 minute wait. All it takes is those two group to do that and it fills the queue staying that way all day long. So basically you are either first and walking on, or not first and waiting.
 
Long wait for what?

The TSMM line - where BlackJackDelta watches the herd go. TSMM is the first ride on my RideMax plan, and I'm questioning whether that is the best if we attempt to ride Soarin' before park opening. I'm pretty sure we won't beat the herd (ECV, wheelchair, and stroller - yeah, we'll be a slow-moving group), so even if we forego Soarin' and stand at the rope, we'll probably get passed up by all the able-bodied people anyway...
 
The TSMM line - where BlackJackDelta watches the herd go. TSMM is the first ride on my RideMax plan, and I'm questioning whether that is the best if we attempt to ride Soarin' before park opening. I'm pretty sure we won't beat the herd (ECV, wheelchair, and stroller - yeah, we'll be a slow-moving group), so even if we forego Soarin' and stand at the rope, we'll probably get passed up by all the able-bodied people anyway...

Right so if at the back of the herd and follwing it in you will probably be there when the wait is 30 minutes. But if at the front of the heard 10 or 15 anyway.

Though do you have a ECV or wheel chair in your group?
 
Right so if at the back of the herd and follwing it in you will probably be there when the wait is 30 minutes. But if at the front of the heard 10 or 15 anyway.

Though do you have a ECV or wheel chair in your group?

We have both an ECV and a wheelchair, so we'll be really far back.
 
We have both an ECV and a wheelchair, so we'll be really far back.

This will really change how you tour. Less so in DCA but quite bit in DL. The reason is you will have to use alternate lines in many cases. I may be wrong but is ridemax accounting for that?
 
This will really change how you tour. Less so in DCA but quite bit in DL. The reason is you will have to use alternate lines in many cases. I may be wrong but is ridemax accounting for that?

No, RideMax doesn't have anything that lets you indicate you'll be using a HA entrance. There are some rides that neither of them will want to ride (Matterhorn, Indy, Screamin', ToT - and most of the fair-type kiddie rides). But, I think they'll both want to ride Soarin', TSMM, the track-type dark rides, HM, Pirates, Jungle Cruise.

We'll still be doing most of the other rides, in one subgroup or another...
 
I have always had time to ride Soarin, grab a fast pass and go in the line by GRR for TSMM. The herd is really not that bad. I think most people go to the herd in the center of the park. We are never in the front, but still pretty much walk on when we get to TSMM. The line moves pretty quickly to accomodate the first ones there.

I know this is not everyones experience, but I have done it about 5 times now and it has worked just great everytime.
 





Receive up to $1,000 in Onboard Credit and a Gift Basket!
That’s right — when you book your Disney Cruise with Dreams Unlimited Travel, you’ll receive incredible shipboard credits to spend during your vacation!
CLICK HERE









DIS Facebook DIS youtube DIS Instagram DIS Pinterest DIS Tiktok DIS Twitter DIS Bluesky

Back
Top Bottom