Strategies for riding FoP without a FP

[ddluvsdisney]

Just in case we won’t be able to get a FP for FoP, I’m wondering what ( if any ) are the better times to do standby. Morning or really late?
We are a family of 4 with APs (well 3 of us) but we stay offsite, so can’t usually get a FP during busy weeks like Easter.
My oldest DS has never been on it and this might be his last time going for a while. Hoping someone can help.

 

[MooseBucks]

Rope drop or park closing

 

[mckennarose]

We had great luck with getting same day FP for FOP twice on two separate trips and another time we rode at park close with about a 45-ish minute wait. Posted wait time was 85 minutes.

 

[Mome Rath]

Get there an hour before rope drop (this is my preferred method; ride FoP and then straight on to NRJ), or get in line right before closing (make sure to get in line with at least one official minute to spare, as they close the line right at closing time). As mentioned, same day fast passes can happen, but if you are there during a really busy time I wouldn't count on it. You can also try to keep checking MDX up until your trip.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

We rode in early June near the end of the evening. It was a 17 minute wait to the first pre-show.

The posted wait was 110 minutes.

 

[Mome Rath]

But, OP, know that at the end of the night there is no way to predict the exact time you will really wait; I've seen probably an average of 45 min to an hour.

 

[mamamelody2]

We got in line about 15 minutes before close. Wait was about 60 minutes to pre-show. This was in September. It's worth it. Then when we got out we could see Pandora in the dark with very few people around.

We had no interest in standing in a mob of people waiting for RD, then participating in the running of the bulls. Gives me anxiety just thinking about it! LOL.

 

[Laura527]

If you plan to RD, you should plan to arrive 90 minutes before official park opening. We got through security at 8:00 AM for a 9:00 AM park opening, and the lines were already backed up to security! Fortunately, we had a FOP FP and headed straight to Navi; otherwise, by the time we got to Pandora, the standby wait was 60 minutes.

 

[cakebaker]

We’re intentionally getting in line at closing. We should have FPS for it, but I want to see Pandora in the dark, so might as well do FOP standby. I wouldn’t attempt it at rope drop unless you have nothing to slow you down and you don’t mind getting there an hour or more before opening.

 

[Disneypro1]

without a FP?

 

[Mome Rath]

If you plan to RD, you should plan to arrive 90 minutes before official park opening. We got through security at 8:00 AM for a 9:00 AM park opening, and the lines were already backed up to security! Fortunately, we had a FOP FP and headed straight to Navi; otherwise, by the time we got to Pandora, the standby wait was 60 minutes.

Just like at night, the posted wait time at rope drop is not the actual wait time. People see the line and the posted wait time and leave, I've observed it first hand. In reality the wait was about 15 minutes. If you are at the park about an hour early and head straight to FoP the key is just to stay in line; it snakes through the FP line, not the standby and they are just letting people in so it moves really fast.

 

[mckennarose]

One thing I would keep an eye on if you do decide to try to ride it at the end of the night is DAH dates in AK. I don't know if or how it would affect riding FOP at park close because there is a "clearing out" of day guests before the official start time of DAH and they possibly could close the line earlier. Currently there are no dates past April for DAH, but its a big seller and I would be surprised if they don't continue it.

 

[cmwade77]

Just get in line about 5 to 10 minutes before park closing, this tends to work with any super popular ride and even if the line is as long as the wait time that is posted, no big deal, you are just getting extra time in the park.

 

[Remy is Up]

Do rope drop. Be there 45 minutes before open. In line make fps for Everest, dinosaur, navi starting 30-45 minutes after park opening. Go do fop right away, then to safari. In line for safari, should only be about 5 minutes, move Everest up to now and move the other two to match safari and go to Everest. In line for everest move dinosaur and navi up. In line for dino move navi up. Do navi AMD see if you can grab an fop. If not then grab whatever or leave the park and make an fp for another park later. I've done this the past 4 times at ak and always gotten another fop and then went to another park later in the day.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

One thing I would keep an eye on if you do decide to try to ride it at the end of the night is DAH dates in AK. I don't know if or how it would affect riding FOP at park close because there is a "clearing out" of day guests before the official start time of DAH and they possibly could close the line earlier. Currently there are no dates past April for DAH, but its a big seller and I would be surprised if they don't continue it.

They haven’t closed the FoP line early since the first couple of months of operation.

They do have processes in place to make the line appear longer than it really is which is intended to discourage late riders.

The posted wait is often 4x the actual wait near the end of the evening.

 

[davish562]

Do rope drop. Be there 45 minutes before open. In line make fps for Everest, dinosaur, navi starting 30-45 minutes after park opening. Go do fop right away, then to safari. In line for safari, should only be about 5 minutes, move Everest up to now and move the other two to match safari and go to Everest. In line for everest move dinosaur and navi up. In line for dino move navi up. Do navi AMD see if you can grab an fop. If not then grab whatever or leave the park and make an fp for another park later. I've done this the past 4 times at ak and always gotten another fop and then went to another park later in the day.

Do you think I will be able to do this for my trip from March 14 to 20th with a party of 4?

 

[emily nicole]

Twice now, we have gotten in line just before park close (5 minutes or less before) and both times it was around a 45 minute wait. It even worked for us last month when we park hopped over to Animal Kingdom one night, not realizing it was a Disney After Hours event night until we arrived there. Oops. The posted wait was 125 minutes and my family balked, but it was only 50 minutes from entering the line to exiting.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

There seems to be multiple ways to measure wait times for FoP.

I measure to the first pre-show. Others measure the time until entering the ride vehicles. Some count the time until exiting the attraction.

What is the standard for this ride? We’ve never been asked to carry a red lanyard on FoP so I guess I don’t know where those get turned in.

 

[Remy is Up]

Do you think I will be able to do this for my trip from March 14 to 20th with a party of 4?

Yes. We do this regularly with 2-6 people

 

[davish562]

Yes. We do this regularly with 2-6 people

Good to know!