Test track at rope drop while Soarin is down

[lawboysam]

You might consider single rider. In September, we made it through the single rider line and all the way around on the ride before the normal line had even filled the queue, so we not only all got to ride together, but we got to ride it twice.

 

[NYHeel]

I plan to be at RD for TT on 1/20. we have fast passes already for TT later in the day but I want to get in 2 rides since Soarin is gone. My first thought is that RD might actually be less crazy after Soarin is down since everyone will just fast pass TT. Before you had to decide on one of them. Now you don't.

Second, realistically, I won't be able to get to the Epcot gates until about 8:30. Where does that put me. I don't think I ever did RD at Epcot (or really any Disney park). On our last trip during January 2012 we generally got there within 30 minutes of opening and we were fine. But we never made RD. Is it insanely full with people? Where will we be if we're at the gates at about 8:30?

 

[nkereina]

I was also going to suggest single rider. You won't sit together, but you may at least end up in the same car (won't be guaranteed). You could take your chances showing up before rope drop and if the crowd of people making their way towards TT looks bad to you, just divert to the single rider line.

I'd also question whether Epcot's rope drop procedures will change once Soarin goes down and it's clear most (if not all) people will be making their way towards Test Track. At DHS, everyone makes their way to Toy Story and they do things a little differently at opening. They open the gates around 8:30, and hold everyone at the back of the park until 8:45. They then have CMs walk the massive crowd of people to Toy Story and it's just chaotic. Because of this, it doesn't matter how early you get to the gates because once all the large groups merge into one as they are walking you to the queue, it's very easy to get pushed to the back. I wouldn't be surprised if something like it were implemented at Epcot for crowd control, or whatever reason they do this for.

 

[KEVD]

For what it's worth, we were at WDW several years back when TT was closed for refurb. We did not find it any more difficult getting on Soarin' with minimal wait when we arrived at rope drop. That was before FP+ (not sure if it will be diff w/FP+).
I would say that as long as you arrive at the gates plenty early so you're close to the front at rope drop, it won't make much diff with Soarin' being closed. The difference will be that the standby lines for TT will build much faster and the wait times will be much longer once the park is open and the first wave of rope droppers are in.

 

[DavidNYC]

Just did TT rope drop this morning. I would NOT do that with small kids. The wall of people rope dropping it was scary. We had an early ADR and were already inside waiting when they came at us. The wait was over 75 minutes at 9:15 when we got out of the ride. 90 minutes soon after.

Later in the day the crowd for it is not as bad, I'd actually go to it in the evening instead.

Wow - wonder if something happened. We did this just a few weeks ago and actually did Soarin at Rope Drop - got into that immediately and off at about 9:15 and then headed to TT to do standby. At 9:20 it still only said 45 minutes and we were actually through the line and off the ride in under 40.

 

[wisblue]

You and 5,000 of your closest friends.

If this becomes Epcot's equivalent of MK's "A&E Meet" FP+ or "Wishes" FP+
all bets are off.

Given the much higher capacity of TT compared to a character meeting or Wishes, and the fact that a lot more people go to MK than Epcot, I really doubt that it will be that bad. Maybe it will be like 7DMT, but again the lower attendance at Epcot could prevent that.

If we were going to be at Epcot early, we would also opt for single rider.

 

[PSULion]

OP here... We can't do single rider as my boys are only 4 and 6. We've done TT at rope drop many times and never had an issue, even with small kids. Just really curious to see how it all plays out once Soarin is closed...