Some AK questions

[maddiebee]

I'm not totally sure how to handle our AK FPs. I'd like to do a safari first thing one day and we're huge EE fans, but we'll only be in AK for the beginning or end of the day. I'm wondering if its necessary to use FPs for these times, as we'll be hopping to another park for the heavier times of the day? Can I still rely on getting to AK early and being able to walk on the safari and EE, and riding EE multiple times with low waits at the end of the day?

Thanks!

 

[IamJBo]

I would recommend AK in the morning with you making a line straight for the safari since most of the animals are most active in the mornings. I would recommend then going to EE and waiting the hour - if that. Save your FPs for the other park if you're just wanting to do the safari and EE.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Can I still rely on getting to AK early and being able to walk on the safari and EE, and riding EE multiple times with low waits at the end of the day?

If you are there for rope drop you can hit Safari, then everest in the morning, both with low wait times. Especially if you use single rider.

 

[ZoZo]

OP, when are you going? During a busier time of year, or at a time of lower crowds? That might change your strategy somewhat.

If you're going when it's slow, you might have a good chance of walking on to the safari ride or EE first thing in the morning. But if you're going during a busy time, I'd FP both of those rides.

Or use the single rider line for EEE - I've had great success using the SRL and virtually walking onto EE, even during the afternoon when the crowds were heavier. People simply don't know about the single rider line (or don't want to use it because they want their group to stay together). I once rode EE four times in a row in October, without waiting at all. It was great!

 

[maddiebee]

OP, when are you going? During a busier time of year, or at a time of lower crowds? That might change your strategy somewhat. If you're going when it's slow, you might have a good chance of walking on to the safari ride or EE first thing in the morning. But if you're going during a busy time, I'd FP both of those rides. Or use the single rider line for EEE - I've had great success using the SRL and virtually walking onto EE, even during the afternoon when the crowds were heavier. People simply don't know about the single rider line (or don't want to use it because they want their group to stay together). I once rode EE four times in a row in October, without waiting at all. It was great!

Well be there the last week of August. Last year, second to last week of August, we were able to ride EE a ton of times in a row the last hour or so before close and they actually closed the FP like because people were just walking straight on, so I'm hoping that will still happen!

 

[OB1]

Well be there the last week of August. Last year, second to last week of August, we were able to ride EE a ton of times in a row the last hour or so before close and they actually closed the FP like because people were just walking straight on, so I'm hoping that will still happen!

That will certainly work for Everest. The issue will be the safari in the August heat. You may get lucky though as the animals start to stir a bit right before they are called in for the evening. So an end of the day safari may see better action than the middle of the day. AK is certainly an easy park late in the day, except for Kali River stays busy.

 

[BrianL]

On my May trip (before Memorial Day) we had AK FPs for the morning/midday, with plans to hop to Epcot around 2 or 3. Well, we found that we needed none of the FPs for AK as everything had been walk-on, pretty much. We switched all FPs to Epcot ones (even got Soarin'!), and got everything we wanted to do at AK done in plenty of time. Lines were just starting to inch upward as we left.

 

[katt789]

I would say use your fp's for the day for the park you're hopping to.

AK's crowds are usually manageable, especially first thing in the morning. I'd go straight to the safari, ride once, then over to EE to ride multiple times, if the wait picks up too long you can always use the single rider line!

 

[stschaefer]

We did rapids twice at rope drop with no wait. Went to Dino. Rode standby then used FP. Went to safari with fp. A giraffe blocked the way for about 5 minutes - poor guy just wanted a drink in a puddle. Went to Everest with standby (15 minutes) then used fp at Everest in morning. Went to Lion King and Tough to be a bug. After that headed to resort to cool off in pool.

 

[Winnowill]

When we went, we did rope drop and headed straight to EE first. We rode it twice in a row (could have done more with no more than a five minute wait), then did KS about half an hour after park open, also with no wait. This was the week after Easter, so pretty busy.