Tiffins reservation recommendation/ trying to catch ROL with fast pass

[Carlymouse]

Hello everyone! My family is visiting WDW this coming spring, and March 25th, my 40th, we'll be in the Animal Kingdom. We'll have my parents (60s), DH, and DD4. We'll be going back on a subsequent day for Pandora, so my day 1 fast pass goals are Disney Pals Outpost (family photo), Kilimanjaro Safari and Festival of the Lion King. DD still does better with an afternoon nap and doesn't nap in strollers, so we're thinking of heading back to AKL for a quick nap and then returning for dinner at Tiffins.

I managed to snag the ROL meal package, but I couldn't get the meal time for later than 4:50PM. Not only is that early, I'm worried about getting back to AKL to nap and then getting back to the park. Alternatively, I have my original Tiffins reservation at 6:20PM, but I'm not sure if we could finish in time to catch ROL or get a rolling fast pass for it after our last morning one.

Anyone have experience/ recommendations with catching ROL after dinner at Tiffins? When do you usually have to get there? Is the fast pass worth it? (DD isn't great at waiting, which is why I'm drawn to the fast pass here).

Thanks!

 

[Gafnorin]

We did the dinner package and got amazing seats for lion king. The theater isn’t huge but seating is all the way around w the stage in the center, stadium seating etc so I’m not sure there are any really bad seats for it. So if you can’t get the schedule to work do it separate. You can probably snag a fp day of, not sure if you’d need it or if it’s helpful as we didn’t use them. I’d guess if you get there 30 min early you can get really good seats and the kid can goof around, maybe bring a toy or two while waiting. It’s pretty mellow inside so the waiting was kinda nice.

 

[jacknsally19]

I agree that you can easily swap out the FOTLK for ROL. You definitely don't need the dinner package, stick with the 620. Tiffins is amazing - you will love it!

That being said - I would not take a 4 year old to see ROL. Honestly, its a 'nice show' but its not amazing - like the other night shows. Frankly, I would make that your early night and keep the late nights for one of the other parks. Walking around Pandora or seeing the animals come alive on the Tree of Life are far more appealing in my opinion.
Just to totally mess with your plans - I'd suggest doing Navi River Journey as your FP instead of FOTLK. (Definitely, go see FOLTK but you don't need a FP) My 6 year DD LOVES that Navi River Journey.... Its a boat ride so its really gentle / not scary.... but very beautiful. Lots of bioluminescence flowers.....

 

[NYCgrrl]

I agree that you can easily swap out the FOTLK for ROL. You definitely don't need the dinner package, stick with the 620. Tiffins is amazing - you will love it!

That being said - I would not take a 4 year old to see ROL. Honestly, its a 'nice show' but its not amazing - like the other night shows. Frankly, I would make that your early night and keep the late nights for one of the other parks. Walking around Pandora or seeing the animals come alive on the Tree of Life are far more appealing in my opinion.
Just to totally mess with your plans - I'd suggest doing Navi River Journey as your FP instead of FOTLK. (Definitely, go see FOLTK but you don't need a FP) My 6 year DD LOVES that Navi River Journey.... Its a boat ride so its really gentle / not scary.... but very beautiful. Lots of bioluminescence flowers.....

Since OP is saving Pandora for another day (it is a big park) she can always use the FP for something else in the area of the park she's already in. Everytime we've seen FOTLK (twice) it was via standby with no wait to speak of. We saw the show at Thanksgiving and 4th of July visits, both heavy crowd periods.

 

[Carlymouse]

I agree that you can easily swap out the FOTLK for ROL. You definitely don't need the dinner package, stick with the 620. Tiffins is amazing - you will love it!

That being said - I would not take a 4 year old to see ROL. Honestly, its a 'nice show' but its not amazing - like the other night shows. Frankly, I would make that your early night and keep the late nights for one of the other parks. Walking around Pandora or seeing the animals come alive on the Tree of Life are far more appealing in my opinion.
Just to totally mess with your plans - I'd suggest doing Navi River Journey as your FP instead of FOTLK. (Definitely, go see FOLTK but you don't need a FP) My 6 year DD LOVES that Navi River Journey.... Its a boat ride so its really gentle / not scary.... but very beautiful. Lots of bioluminescence flowers.....

I had started toying around with that idea, including trying to do the Pandora rides twice during the week, if we can swing it.

 

[Carlymouse]

Since OP is saving Pandora for another day (it is a big park) she can always use the FP for something else in the area of the park she's already in. Everytime we've seen FOTLK (twice) it was via standby with no wait to speak of. We saw the show at Thanksgiving and 4th of July visits, both heavy crowd periods.

That's helpful to know about the crowds with that show. How early did you get in the standby line (before show start)?

 

[NYCgrrl]

That's helpful to know about the crowds with that show. How early did you get in the standby line (before show start)?

There was no line to speak of just how long it took to be seated. Both times we saw the show it was on a whim. UP! is pretty much the same way-FP not needed yet also a great show that we've seen twice.

HTH!

 

[jacknsally19]

On our last trip, we did the river journey four times. My daughter loves it!

 

[Gafnorin]

My 3.5 yo also loves the river journey. “Slow ride, hooray!”

 

[Carlymouse]

This is all really helpful . . . I was planning on trying to do Pandora on 1 day and this other stuff another day, but now I may try to hit Pandora twice, taking turns with who gets the fast pass to take my daughter on Na'vi (parents 1 day and grandparents another), and who gets to do FOP instead. I was definitely planning on UP! as well, but now it's nice to feel more confident with not using a fast pass for Lion King.

Did anyone wander through Pandora at night? with sunset projected around 7:45PM, I'm not sure how easy it is to wander through there when it get dark and also try to catch River of Light. I hear great things about Pandora at night, but sometimes it's hard to gauge the hype. We may try to do ROL one night and Pandora at night another night.

 

[jacknsally19]

This is all really helpful . . . I was planning on trying to do Pandora on 1 day and this other stuff another day, but now I may try to hit Pandora twice, taking turns with who gets the fast pass to take my daughter on Na'vi (parents 1 day and grandparents another), and who gets to do FOP instead. I was definitely planning on UP! as well, but now it's nice to feel more confident with not using a fast pass for Lion King.

Did anyone wander through Pandora at night? with sunset projected around 7:45PM, I'm not sure how easy it is to wander through there when it get dark and also try to catch River of Light. I hear great things about Pandora at night, but sometimes it's hard to gauge the hype. We may try to do ROL one night and Pandora at night another night.

I would pick wandering through Pandora at night over ROL. It’s very cool... and my DD loves it. We have been 3x and she always asks to see Pandora at night.

 

[Carlymouse]

I would pick wandering through Pandora at night over ROL. It’s very cool... and my DD loves it. We have been 3x and she always asks to see Pandora at night.

This is why I love the disboards! This is such valuable feedback to me! In your experience, how early did it get dark enough to experience it at night? (and what time of year did you go?)

 

[jacknsally19]

We went in Jan, Dec & Aug. Jan & Dec - it was dark by 5PM. When we went in August - it got dark around 8.

 

[jacknsally19]

You should be able to go to weather websites and check the sunset for the time of year you are going.