Wait times for Soarin' in the morning

[VirginiaMom]

I keep reading about getting a FastPass for Soarin' first thing in the morning.

If I am waiting at Epcot the second it opens (granted- this is during the busy Easter time), and I go straight to Soarin' and wait in line, how long is the wait?

I was there at Easter last year and never had lines for the first ride of the day when the park first opened. Thus, I'm trying to figure out how long of a wait Soarin' will have at 9:10 in the morning! Is it really that bad?????

I want to know if I can:
go in at 9 when the park opens,
ride Soarin,
then get a FP to Test Track,
go to the Princess Breakfast in Norway at 9:50,
get out of the breakfast around 11:00,
walk around until our Test Track time is up.

Any thoughts?????

 

[stellablue]

It is VERY wise to go to Soarin' first, as soon as the park opens.
Wait time will likely be very reasonable-15 minutes maybe?

If I were you, I would also grab a FP for it on your way out, but that's just because Soarin' is my absolute favorite ride!

Just so you know, there is a big electronic board with current wait times listed for all attractions when you walk in. You should check that when you get there.

 

[DLR29]

While your plan might work, I think it is best to always grab a FP first thing and not use stand-by. For this reason:

-If you grab the first "time frame" of FPs, then you can get your second set of FPs earlier. If you wait until 9:30 or later to grab your first set of FPs, the time that you can get your second set of FP might be farther away. Does that make any sense?

 

[VirginiaMom]

While your plan might work, I think it is best to always grab a FP first thing and not use stand-by. For this reason:

-If you grab the first "time frame" of FPs, then you can get your second set of FPs earlier. If you wait until 9:30 or later to grab your first set of FPs, the time that you can get your second set of FP might be farther away. Does that make any sense?

That makes sense. If you grab a fast pass as soon as you get to Soarin (let's assume 9:10), what time do you think the tickets will have you return? Since we'll be at the Princess breakfast, I am hoping it will be a 10:30-11:30 range. Is there a sign at the Soarin' fastpass machines that will tell me what the return times will be?

 

[fireman1]

I just got back from WDW and from what I can tell you from our experience with soarin', you can ride it first thing in the mornin with minium problems, but you'll need a fastpass for anymore rides after the first one.

 

[CowboyCO]

We always go staright there, get a FP, then immediately do standby and return later for the FP ride. We do the other rides/shows between the times.

Remember that the key to good FP manahement is to get another fastpass before using the last fastpass. That way you are in a short line and on a ride, reducing your wait time until the next big ride!

We were there in MK on the day before Christmas and got in 20 rides including hitting SPMTN, SPL MTN, BTMRR, JC, and HM TWICE!

 

[ilovecountry]

Well June was our first time there so we really didn't know where Soarin was. We got there right when the park opened, but we rode everything as we came along. We had reservations at Garden Grill for 11:30 & that's when we noticed soarin. We got fast passes at about 11:15 and our fast passes were for something like an hour or so later. By the time we got out of Garden Grill, it was time for our Fast Pass, it worked out perfectly

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I would not count on being able to ride Soarin' and still make a 9:50 Akershus breakfast.

I would:

Go to Soarin and get a fastpass
Eat at Akershus
Walk from Akershus to Test Track and get a fastpass for that (the window should have opened up by then)
Ride Soarin with the fastpass (you can use the fastpass after the return window has expired)
do something else until the Test Track time comes up

 

[RllngRckBrw]

Or if you are willing to go get a fastpass after the first hour in the parks, you can accomplish so much more, because everyone else is running to Soarin. Obvously this is not always perfect, and crowds may do different things on different days, but here is how our morning worked out for us last year (this was an early EMH day).

At rope drop we noticed the characters going into the area next to MouseGears and the CM waving us toward it. Because everyone was running to Soarin we stopped and saw Mickey, Goofy, Pluto, and Minnie. We were the first ones there and there was no one behind us so we got a lot of interaction with them and our entire family got pics with each of them.
We then went to Nemo, which was a walk on, to ride it. Then my wife and son waited in The Seas and waited for Turtle Talk, while I walked up to Soarin and got a FP. From there we were at the first Turtle Talk and walked up to do Soarin. We then went over to get a FP for Test Track and had a real early lunch (we made our Coral Reef ADRs to late)

 

[Mickey_Man]

Another key is whether or not you will be getting there for an EMH morning. You can definitely get in a lot of the rides with this and possibly use your FP for returns to rides.

 

[Harambe]

These are all good ideas, but I think the key will be that Easter week crowd. Only you will know what looks right depending on the crowd.

You'll get a little bit of help from Spaceship Earth, because normally the early morning crowds are split between Soarin' and Test Track, but I think some folks are going to want to see the changes at SE, too.

I hate stress - so in your situation (with that ADR coming at 9:50), I'd take my time, maybe hop on SE if it doesn't look to bad, then amble over to Soarin' and grab a fastpass as I was walking over to breakfast. That way I'd be sure the fastpass was for after my breakfast.

Keep in mind that Epcot is big BIG and it will take a few minutes to walk to Norway from the gate. Arrive a little early for your breakfast - they may take you.

 

[VirginiaMom]

I am such a planner and hate stress.... I need to relax and just remember that there are only a few 'must do's on our list and with a whole day at Epcot, hopefully we'll get everything in. I'll go to Soarin' in the morning and checkout the fastpass times (can someone confirm that there's a board at the fast pass tickets that shows the timeframes for the return times) and go from there......

 

[ThePhantomsGirl]

There is a digital clock display right at the area for fast passes that shows the present window for return times. Easy to see before you get your passes as to how long away the return time is!

 

[VirginiaMom]

There is a digital clock display right at the area for fast passes that shows the present window for return times. Easy to see before you get your passes as to how long away the return time is!

Ahh..... knowing I can see the return times before I get the fast pass makes me feel so much better! I didn't want to get a FastPass which had a return time while I was at breakfast. Thanks a million!!

 

[lntsmom]

no fastpasses left, my family would willingly go through the que! My older son loved it so much that he spent a huge chunk of his pocket money for our DLR trip on the 50th Soundtrack...mainly to get the music for Soarin'.

I can't tell you how many times in the past 3 years we've put that music on, sat back, and relived the ride!

We lucked out and got to ride it 4 times...twice with no waits. The boys are already planning the "shoes and socks off, feet up" routine for this trip, lol!

 

[OB1]

I like the idea of getting fastpasses in the order you stated.

If you get to Soarin' from rope drop, you still may not be in the first load, and that may hurt your 9:50 schedule. Of course, you can fudge the time a little, so lets say by 10:00. That should give you plenty of time to ride Soarin' at rope drop. If you want to ride it a second time, then grab a fastpass on the way in. TestTrack is on the way to Norway, so as your ADR time is arriving, you should be able to get a FastPass for TT because your Soarin' Fastpass should be 9:30-9:40 return time. You can get your next Fastpass at the first minute of your return time (and sometimes sooner).

Your TT return should be perfect for after breakfast. It should work.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

The return window doesn't matter. They'll accept the fastpass anytime after the window opens.

If your fastpass says 1:30 to 2:30, you'll still be able to use it at 3:00.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I keep reading about getting a FastPass for Soarin' first thing in the morning.

This may or may not be a good strategy depending upon your needs. More down below.

If I am waiting at Epcot the second it opens (granted- this is during the busy Easter time), and I go straight to Soarin' and wait in line, how long is the wait?

During your visit (crowded Easter week), I'd say anywhere from Zero to to long to make your breakfast depending upon where you are the second it opens. If you're right behind the CM escorts up at the front of the crowd it will be zero. If the ropes are up at Innoventions and you're back at the gate behind a throng of people, well you're going to have a wait. You are going to have to make a judgment call based upon where in that initial crowd you are because you will not be able to see far enough down the queue to make a judgment and the posted stand by wait time will not be accurate. They haven't had time to send anyone through to get it yet.

So my advice is this. If you are toward the very front of the initial surge, like at or near the rope and right behind the escort CMs, then ride soarin, fast pass Test Track, then hit your breakfast. If something happens that you are not at the front my advice would be to just fast pass it, then go back and play with the characters awhile or ride the boats in the land or Nemo in the living seas depending upon your time, then hit your breakfast.

While your plan might work, I think it is best to always grab a FP first thing and not use stand-by. For this reason:

-If you grab the first "time frame" of FPs, then you can get your second set of FPs earlier. If you wait until 9:30 or later to grab your first set of FPs, the time that you can get your second set of FP might be farther away. Does that make any sense?

It makes sense for the goal of accumulating fast passes. But accumulating fast passes is only a means to an end. There are a great many cases where getting a fast pass right off does not make sense.

If the op beats the surge to Soarin, it makes sense to ride. She will have one of the rides that goes through fast passes mega quickly done, and she will then be able to walk right over to the other ride that goes through fast passes mega quickly and have a fast pass for it in hand. And unless she wants to do these or other fast pass attractions multiple times, she won't have to worry about the time lag in getting her first fast pass.

 

[disjointed]

I would not count on being able to ride Soarin' and still make a 9:50 Akershus breakfast.

I would:

Go to Soarin and get a fastpass
Eat at Akershus
Walk from Akershus to Test Track and get a fastpass for that (the window should have opened up by then)
Ride Soarin with the fastpass (you can use the fastpass after the return window has expired)
do something else until the Test Track time comes up

Your signature is freaking hilarious!!!