Test Track wait very first thing in the morning?

[JohnDaleswife]

If we head to Test Track first thing when Epcot opens, how long a a wait is there generally for stand by? (Not doing single rider the first ride, maybe later though) Pick Soarin for our FP+, so we want to head to TT, first thing. Going during a low crowd time, or lower I guess you could say.

 

[ottawamom]

Just got back. We did Test Track at RD (were at the park 20 min before park opening). We walked quickly to TT and were a walk on. Waited 3 min to get in to design car. By the time we walked out there was a 30 min wait posted. We walked over to Soarin' to use out FP and the wait time posted was 10 min so we decided to do standby and then use our FP for a second ride. The wait was more like 40 min and we almost missed our FP. Lesson learned.

TT first standby and then Soarin' FP is definitely the way to go.

 

[GC&S]

Same as pp - we were about the middle of the crowd waiting for rope drop and when we got to TT, was able to basically walk almost straight through to the design part. It was a 40 minute wait when we got out. Of course it was raining so the last test track part was a little weird getting pelted with rain.

Off topic but there was a group of about 15 people behind us in the TT line who were all together. One of their party had gotten ahead of them and was about 5 people ahead of us. She kept telling them to come up with her and they told her no, come back here with us. I thought that was pretty cool of them. She finally came back with them.

 

[JohnDaleswife]

Just got back. We did Test Track at RD (were at the park 20 min before park opening). We walked quickly to TT and were a walk on. Waited 3 min to get in to design car. By the time we walked out there was a 30 min wait posted. We walked over to Soarin' to use out FP and the wait time posted was 10 min so we decided to do standby and then use our FP for a second ride. The wait was more like 40 min and we almost missed our FP. Lesson learned.

TT first standby and then Soarin' FP is definitely the way to go.

You mean to tell me they posted a 10 minute wait and it was actually a 40 minute? Why would they do that?

 

[ottawamom]

It was about 9:15am. I was going to use our fastpass but when I saw the wait time I asked the gatekeeper if it was really 10 minutes. He said yes so we went ahead. The people behind us got the red ticket to check the time so they got a more accurate read after we went through.

I asked again on a ride in Magic Kingdom, again 10 minutes posted and the gatekeeper so I asked if it was 10 maybe 15 or 10 maybe 5 he said 10 probably more like 3. It was a walk on. So I guess it all depends just be careful.

 

[kalc12345]

We were there the week before Thanksgiving. It was suppose to be low crowds but a bit more crowded than we expected. One of our Epcot days we got there before rope drop. We were a couple families back in line. We walked briskly to Test Track and was able to walk right into the design area without any wait at all. After riding Test Track we headed to Soarin. We waited maybe 5 min. So it is very doable to do both without waits if you are there at rope drop and semi-low crowds.

 

[kalc12345]

You mean to tell me they posted a 10 minute wait and it was actually a 40 minute? Why would they do that?

We found the wait times to not be accurate first thing in the morning. We walked right on Test Track..no wait at all. Although it was posted as a 20 min wait.

 

[CanadianPaco]

TT first standby and then Soarin' FP is definitely the way to go.

EXCELLENT! This is my plan!

 

[ken2]

You mean to tell me they posted a 10 minute wait and it was actually a 40 minute? Why would they do that?

The time wait sign for Space Mountian said 45 minutes one evening and after 2 hours waiting we finally just left.Alot of time people keep the time cards on the lanyards they are giving that determine the time wait so it screws everything up.

 

[mountdew1]

You mean to tell me they posted a 10 minute wait and it was actually a 40 minute? Why would they do that?

Because the wait was how long it took someone who entered the line 10 minutes ago. The wait time is mostly updated off the FLIK cards they hand people as they enter the line. So when Person A gets a card and gets in line, their timer starts. Now Person A only takes 10 minutes a there is no one in front of them, but between then and Person B, everyone else (like 50 tour groups) finished up their breakfast and got in line. So Person B is still in line with the next card when you show up and see "Hey! 10 Minute wait". Shortly after you get in line Person B finally gets to load having waiting 40 minutes, and the time should update while you are in line.

It's kind of like a traffic report. You see that it's reported to take 30 minutes to get to work, so you leave at 8:30. But everyone else saw that as well, so they hop on the roads, and an accident occurred on your route. So your commute now takes 45 minutes because of the extra people on the road and the accident.

They may inflate the posted wait times for more popular attractions at the end of the night to keep people from getting in line (CMs can't leave til everyone in through) but they gain nothing from under reporting the wait time.

 

[Laketravis]

Because the wait was how long it took someone who entered the line 10 minutes ago. The wait time is mostly updated off the FLIK cards they hand people as they enter the line. So when Person A gets a card and gets in line, their timer starts. Now Person A only takes 10 minutes a there is no one in front of them, but between then and Person B, everyone else (like 50 tour groups) finished up their breakfast and got in line. So Person B is still in line with the next card when you show up and see "Hey! 10 Minute wait". Shortly after you get in line Person B finally gets to load having waiting 40 minutes, and the time should update while you are in line.

It's kind of like a traffic report. You see that it's reported to take 30 minutes to get to work, so you leave at 8:30. But everyone else saw that as well, so they hop on the roads, and an accident occurred on your route. So your commute now takes 45 minutes because of the extra people on the road and the accident.

They may inflate the posted wait times for more popular attractions at the end of the night to keep people from getting in line (CMs can't leave til everyone in through) but they gain nothing from under reporting the wait time.

Exactly. That's why it is inaccurate to go by "average" wait times. I can't tell you how many times we got in a line that said 20 minutes that actually turned out to be 30 or more because the 20 minutes was based on a previous measure. It can sometimes work in your favor, where the posted wait time might say 30 minutes and you only wait 15, but we found that happening less and less over time.

The fact is that lower posted wait times tend to increase wait times on their own - people see a low wait time and get in line.

Our experience at Epcot was the same as other posters - wait times for both TT and Soarin are low immediately after park opening but rise quickly. The window of opportunity for Rope Drop is not as long as it used to be. We found the best advantage to be morning EMH days when the Standby Line was not immediately competing with the FP line. If you are staying on site I would strongly recommend taking advantage of that first hour where no other guest has FP.