Strategy for Maelstrom without FP?

[stormer]

We were there a little after noon today. The posted wait said 15 minutes but the line was out of the building up to Akerhaus ( no clue how to spell it) so we asked a CM and she said it was probably closer to 30 min. We got on line and it took exactly 14 minutes climb into a boat even with the line that long!

 

[fla4fun]

Wow - 120 minutes! With the new m&g line and the check in for the restaurant, I'm not sure where they would put a line that big now.

I don't get in any standby line with a posted time over 20 minutes, so I certainly wouldn't have waited 120 for Maelstrom.

I did end up using a FP+ there on my last trip though, when the ride I had scheduled broke down. I was surprised it gave me the option, since it's a tier one ride and the one I couldn't go on was a tier two. I was the only person in the FP+ line, as I'm sure you could guess - but it was better than the 40 minute line I bypassed.

 

[cavepig]

Agree with others go at World Showcase at ropedrop 11:00 or right before & during Illuminations.

We've seen posed wait times of 45 minutes last October & May and once got in it when it said 30 minutes but it really only took 15 minutes maybe. At those times we saw the queue filled up to where people were almost out the door, but it's not a huge queue at least & seems to keep moving when we did get in the line. During Illuminations we had no wait at all!

 

[skater]

I've waited about 20 minutes - even in non-peak times. I love this ride for some reason. Think its nostalgia.

 

[kellyg403]

Ride first thing or late late in the day. We have never waited more than 15 minutes. The line moves fairly quickly actually. We ride it because its a tradition in a way.

And no, we have only seen the movie once.

I would say about 8 years ago!

Kelly

 

[stinkpickle]

That's one of those weird attractions that I've seen swap between 10 and 40 minutes every other hour, even during low crowd dates.