Update on Radiator Springs fast pass line?

[guynhawaii]

Aloha,

If your phone will allow it, recommend to get a DLR App which provides all of the rides waiting times. The DLR App will provide the RSR waiting times plus all of the other rides. It's awesome!

 

[8lovesmickey]

I am still trying to get a handle on how much of EMH to use for RSR FPs. I have gathered that it is best to get in the FP line by 7:45AM. Is it the same physical FP line as the non-EMH guests - in other words, are you mixed in with them? Or do the EMH folks get a different FP line that goes in front of the non-EMH people?

We were there last Friday for EMH and it appeared that everyone was mixed together.

 

[quantumottle]

One big difference for some is that you can have a single person wait in the FP line (while other in the group do something else) but the regular line requires everyone in your group to wait.

Without early entry, this is most likely what we will end up doing. I certainly envy those who have the option to enter DCA early.

That would work if you were there for early entry, but it does not when you are there at regular time. Last Saturday, we were let in for rope drop at 7:30, got in the FP line and has FPs by 8:15. At 8:20, the line for RSR was 210 minutes. Yes, we waited in line for 45 minutes for FP, but 30 minutes of that time was pre-opening.

The one recommendation I would make is to use your FPs as soon as your time comes up, which we normally never do. We went at 12:30, waited less than 5 minutes before we were on the ride. Later that night, though, people were waiting much longer in the FP line.

Excellent points, thank you!

 

[MsDisATC]

I did very similar to prncssmel. My group did not have early entry, but we lined up at the regular entry gate at 7:15 on Friday 6/29. We were let through the turnstiles just around 7:30. I took my groups tickets and was able to get right into the FP line. There were CMs everywhere directing people to it and all of us were able to line up immediately albeit behind all the early entry people who were already lined up. If you weren't lining up for those FPs, though, you were held at a rope drop in in front of whichever area of the park you were trying to head to.

At 7:30 I was at the far corner of the CCT building and I waited there until distribution started at 8. I had my group's FP by 8:15 with a return time for 11:30am!

I went straight to the single rider line from there and I did wait a good 45 minutes to get on at that time. But that includes about a 10 minute ride break down. The standby line was about 2 hours already, though.

We used our FPs all together later right within our hour window and waited barely 5 minutes to get on the ride. Plus this way I got to ride twice!

 

[DarthMole]

So the standby line was roughly 1.5 - 2 hours long 15-20 minutes after rope drop. How long was the standby line at rope drop? That's more relevant to people who are thinking about heading straight for the ride.

It's great you guys got on with your FP after only 5 minutes but that's not normal.

 

[KCmike]

At 9am the standby line was 270 minutes and the single rider was 75 minutes on a Thursday. To our surprise the crowds seem to decrease as the days went on and got closer to the 4th of July. We did single rider everytime and were able to ride within 30 min or so. I never saw a standby line lower than 240 minutes when we were there. We never had early entry to DCA when we were there but saw lines wrap around Carthay Circle on to Animation Academy and then wrap around like it was going to Tower of Terror. Ridiculous. We simply walked through bugs land and went single rider and had a blast.

 

[Breyean]

This is my thinking exactly abbie13_15. Why wait in the ridiculously long line twice (once to get fastpasses, then later, in the fastpass line itself to ride). If you can't do the SR line, it seems to me the regular line - first thing in the morning, is the way to go.

We just got back today. Did early entry on Monday and Wednesday, July 2 and 4.

On Monday we checked into the VGC at around 5:45a, then headed to the main gate. Went through security as soon as it opened and were first in line in front of an entry turnstile. When the park opened we did the processional to Carsland and rode RSR twice within 30 minutes.

Then we did the other 2 new rides, basically just to say we did them.

The fp line for RSR was around the Carthay Circle by the time we were done and I bet those people didn't get fp.

Yesterday we wised up. Got the gate again around 6a, rode once. Then went to the fp line. My wife went for coffee, my son waited for fp and I waited until about 7:50a to go back to the RSR line.

Timing is the key if you have early entry. They let guests w/o it into the park and have a rope set right before the fp distribution for RSR. Once 8a comes, the lines for the rides and the fp become enormous right away.

But before 8a, things are a lot more sane. We got fp within minutes of the 8a opening of the line. My family then met me on the line and we had about a 20 minute wait. By the time they came and met up with me, the wait time was posted as 90 minutes, and that was at about 8:10a.

We rode a second time that morning and pocketed the fp.

Here's why people get fps in the morning, I think. The ride is beautiful at night. We rode it just as the July 4th fireworks were going off in the other park, and even w/o that, the lighting and experience at night is much different from during the day.

But the lines are tremendous at night. So I bet lots of people get the fps intending to use them at night. If not, they should be, because the ride is tremendous looking at night.

 

[profa]

I too was there on June 26th. We were in the park and waiting to get in the FP line at rope drop. By this time the line was already all the way around the corner and then some to bugs land by the time I figured it out. CM's were not directing people at all. However, it moved quickly. I was probably in the line at 8:10 and had my FPs 30 min later for 6pm. I believe the FPs were out by around 9:15.
The problem we had is the ride was down all morning so we couldn't even send the rest of the family to go ride first thing. SR line is often closed when it gets past 60 min.
We returned and used our FP on time and waited in line maybe 15-20min.

 

[HydroGuy]

We just got back today. Did early entry on Monday and Wednesday, July 2 and 4.

On Monday we checked into the VGC at around 5:45a, then headed to the main gate. Went through security as soon as it opened and were first in line in front of an entry turnstile. When the park opened we did the processional to Carsland and rode RSR twice within 30 minutes.

Then we did the other 2 new rides, basically just to say we did them.

The fp line for RSR was around the Carthay Circle by the time we were done and I bet those people didn't get fp.

Yesterday we wised up. Got the gate again around 6a, rode once. Then went to the fp line. My wife went for coffee, my son waited for fp and I waited until about 7:50a to go back to the RSR line.

Timing is the key if you have early entry. They let guests w/o it into the park and have a rope set right before the fp distribution for RSR. Once 8a comes, the lines for the rides and the fp become enormous right away.

But before 8a, things are a lot more sane. We got fp within minutes of the 8a opening of the line. My family then met me on the line and we had about a 20 minute wait. By the time they came and met up with me, the wait time was posted as 90 minutes, and that was at about 8:10a.

We rode a second time that morning and pocketed the fp.

Here's why people get fps in the morning, I think. The ride is beautiful at night. We rode it just as the July 4th fireworks were going off in the other park, and even w/o that, the lighting and experience at night is much different from during the day.

But the lines are tremendous at night. So I bet lots of people get the fps intending to use them at night. If not, they should be, because the ride is tremendous looking at night.

Thanks for the report.

To you or anyone else, I am still trying to figure out when to leave the EMH and get in the RSR FP line. We will have two EMHs at DCA and so far the best info I have received is - since Disney is letting non-EMH guests in at 7:30AM to the RSR FP line - to get in line at around 7:45AM. Obviously I would prefer to get in line closer to 8AM so as to burn any extra EMH time.

Anyone have more thoughts on this? From everything I read it still looks like 7:45 is the way to go.

 

[Breyean]

Thanks for the report.

To you or anyone else, I am still trying to figure out when to leave the EMH and get in the RSR FP line. We will have two EMHs at DCA and so far the best info I have received is - since Disney is letting non-EMH guests in at 7:30AM to the RSR FP line - to get in line at around 7:45AM. Obviously I would prefer to get in line closer to 8AM so as to burn any extra EMH time.

Anyone have more thoughts on this? From everything I read it still looks like 7:45 is the way to go.

At 7:30a the non EMH people are still held back from getting on the fp line that's accessible to EMH types and from the ride itself, of course. They are behind a rope up by Carthay.

When we finished our first ride on July 4, we decided to try for a fp to use in the evening. We had seen the incredibly long line on Monday, and as we got to the line Wednesday we almost walked past the end of it because only the EMH people were on it and it was really short.

I got off that line at about 7:55a aor so and walked back to the RSR line. As long as you are ahead of the non EMH crowd, which doesn't get released from the holding area until 8a, you are OK.

When I got to the RSR line the SRL was 10 minutes (but it was shorter than that) and standby was 60, but we waited about 30. When my family joined me maybe 15 minutes after I got on line, but AFTER they had gotten the fp, and the non EMH people were released, the line had jumped to 90 minutes.

Just beat the 8a surge and you'll be fine. All you have to do is be on the line for the fp before they let the non EMH people merge their line with the EMH line.

 

[HydroGuy]

At 7:30a the non EMH people are still held back from getting on the fp line that's accessible to EMH types and from the ride itself, of course. They are behind a rope up by Carthay.

When we finished our first ride on July 4, we decided to try for a fp to use in the evening. We had seen the incredibly long line on Monday, and as we got to the line Wednesday we almost walked past the end of it because only the EMH people were on it and it was really short.

I got off that line at about 7:55a aor so and walked back to the RSR line. As long as you are ahead of the non EMH crowd, which doesn't get released from the holding area until 8a, you are OK.

When I got to the RSR line the SRL was 10 minutes (but it was shorter than that) and standby was 60, but we waited about 30. When my family joined me maybe 15 minutes after I got on line, but AFTER they had gotten the fp, and the non EMH people were released, the line had jumped to 90 minutes.

Just beat the 8a surge and you'll be fine. All you have to do is be on the line for the fp before they let the non EMH people merge their line with the EMH line.

Thanks so much! Maybe they changed the procedure but each time I have asked about this so far on this forum I was told that the non-EMH people are allowed to get in the RSR FP line at 7:30 and are mixed in with the EMH folks trying to get FPs. In other words EMH guests were competing for FPs with non-EMH after 7:30.

But it does sound like from your post there are two lines: 1. The regular FP line that EMH guests can get in before 8AM (and non-EMH after 8AM) and 2. a pre-FP line for non-EMH guests held somewhere near the CCT prior to 8AM.

Since I have heard conflicting reports I am interested in more reports from this who have been in the last week. Anyone?