Wait times with FP

[Joe Arkansas]

What kind of wait times can I expect when using a FP during my upcoming visit in late July? I have been getting some mixed messages on this subject.

 

[gap2368]

Most of the time it is 10 minutes but thier are thing that can make the wait longer like a ride going down. But the FP is always faster then standby

 

[westie55]

Sometimes with FP you walk right on. Other times there can be a short wait. In my experience most often the wait is no more than 5 minutes but it can be more like 10-15. POTC always seems to have a bit of a wait for FP. I've waited a little for Navi River Journey. FP is definitely the way to go for anything with a wait over 20 minutes.

 

[cmwade77]

Sometimes with FP you walk right on. Other times there can be a short wait. In my experience most often the wait is no more than 5 minutes but it can be more like 10-15. POTC always seems to have a bit of a wait for FP. I've waited a little for Navi River Journey. FP is definitely the way to go for anything with a wait over 20 minutes.

With Navi, we waited maybe 5 minutes, the merge point is really close to the loading area, so really not a long wait at all.

I will say though that if an attraction has broken down, the wait will be longer than normal for FP for the first hour to hour and a half after it comes back up.

 

[epcotobsessed]

I have waited as long as 30 minutes for Soarin, but that was before they built the third theater. It's usually under 10 for most rides, sometimes under 5.

 

[gap2368]

I have waited as long as 30 minutes for Soarin, but that was before they built the third theater. It's usually under 10 for most rides, sometimes under 5.

Earlier this year the FP line was out too the first rich point I got in line waited about 10 minutes the line never moved so I just got out turns out TT went down and every one came over and used thier any time FP for sorin standby was 150 minute

 

[epcotobsessed]

Ugh! That's awful. I would have left the line, too.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

For me the majority of the time its a walk on to 5 minute wait for most attractions.
Occasionally its 10-15 minutes.
Last time as soon as I tapped in for RNRC it broke down so I think I waited about 20 minutes for it to get back up and running.

 

[1lilspark]

On 3/16 it took about 10 minutes just to tap in on buzz line moved smooth after that

On 3/30 after tapping in on Spaceship Earth there were multiple switchbacks before riding (still shorter then the 60 minute standby) then later Soarin took about 40 minutes from tapping in to getting off the ride (posted wait was 45 min when tapped in 75 when exiting)

 

[DisneyWishes14]

It really just depends on ride operations at any given time during any given day. It has taken us up to 45 minutes to get through the entirety of FoP with FP+. On our last trip, FP+ lines for Space Mountain snaked all the way to Astro Orbitor, and the FP+ lines for PP and IaSW were incredibly long (both out of the ride buildings). Meanwhile, BTMRR FP+ line was almost a walk-on as was EE. Soarin' always takes at least 20 - 30 minutes. Getting into a "terminal" doesn't take long, but it seems to take forever to be assigned a row and get on the ride.

 

[TOBS2010]

Most rides you can practically walk right on---but as previous posters mentioned, rides like Frozen Ever After we waited about 15 minutes in late July last year. Keep in mind that for that same ride is was around a two-hour wait at that same time, so I will take the 15 minutes anytime. If a ride breaks down during your fast pass time window, it usually turns into an "any ride" fast pass. You can use the fast pass on another ride or come back later in hopes that the ride is back up and running. I think that is what sparked most of our wait at this attraction.

 

[mesaboy2]

What kind of wait times can I expect when using a FP during my upcoming visit in late July? I have been getting some mixed messages on this subject.

From the FP FAQ, Post #2:

- It is rare for any FP wait at any normally-operating attraction to exceed 15-20 minutes. This includes the most popular or lowest capacity attractions such as Avatar Flight of Passage or Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

 

[LSUfan4444]

I have been getting some mixed messages on this subject.

Im curious...where do these mixed reports come from? 0-15 minutes is a pretty standard answer but I know this question is asked alot and I always wonder who says the expectation should be different from that.

 

[kwdw]

Im curious...where do these mixed reports come from? 0-15 minutes is a pretty standard answer but I know this question is asked alot and I always wonder who says the expectation should be different from that.

I think because the occasional oddball answer is thrown in. Yes - I waited nearly 30 minutes in a Safari FP line last trip - BUT - Dinosaur had broke down - so those folks could pick Safari instead - and an animal had blocked the path of trucks for several minutes (they were making announcements). I know that is weird and unusual - but someone who has only been on one or two trips might not know that a wait that long in the FP line is unusual.

My normal experience is a few seconds to 10 minutes. But - I start counting wait time from when I am done walking without stopping through the queue. If you count from when you arrive at the ride and include walking through the queue time - your perceived wait time will definitely be longer than mine on some rides!

 

[Joe Arkansas]

Im curious...where do these mixed reports come from? 0-15 minutes is a pretty standard answer but I know this question is asked alot and I always wonder who says the expectation should be different from that.

Good question. Most of the replies here have been consistent with what I always believed to be true ... FP+ wait times would be anywhere from walk-on to perhaps a 15-minute wait. (Last trip was 9 years ago ... with the old FP system.)

What gave me pause was a couple of recent vlogs by Tim Tracker. In one, he notes long FP+ lines for BTMR (backing up beyond Splash), and Space (backing up to AstroOrbiter). Granted, this was during Spring Break season.

In another video, he said something about FP+ generally cutting wait times "in half." That would mean for attractions with wait times of 2+ hours, you would still wait more than an hour, even with a FP+.

 

[gap2368]

Good question. Most of the replies here have been consistent with what I always believed to be true ... FP+ wait times would be anywhere from walk-on to perhaps a 15-minute wait. (Last trip was 9 years ago ... with the old FP system.)

What gave me pause was a couple of recent vlogs by Tim Tracker. In one, he notes long FP+ lines for BTMR (backing up beyond Splash), and Space (backing up to AstroOrbiter). Granted, this was during Spring Break season.

In another video, he said something about FP+ generally cutting wait times "in half." That would mean for attractions with wait times of 2+ hours, you would still wait more than an hour, even with a FP+.

Thier are a number of thing that can make the FP longer

If the ride goes down.

If another ride goes down and people get to chose another ride
If it has been raining and a few rides go down
If some group or people think they have a FP and hold up the line for a few minutes
If the parade just passed
If any combination of those things happen together

Space FP lines dose seem to get back up at the first rich point then moves faster once inside


Most of the time of the FP line is long the CM take more FP at the mirage point then they normally do make it the FP line faster then normal.

 

[GoingSince1990]

Disney targets 15-20 minutes max. Generally it’s only an unusual circumstance like an earlier ride breakdown that will make it longer. A significant difference from Universal Express where we have waited 45 minutes for Despicable Me and Gringotts, and where I was told by a CM that Express only guarantees 50% of the standby wait. (This was on Thanksgiving weekend, so a very busy day).

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I liked all the posts that are consistent with what we've seen over many years. There are a number of variables, including the different ways folks define what a wait is. Does my wait end when I reach the merge point? when I reach the pre-ride? or when I'm actually in the ride vehicle? or even when dopamine hits?

Also, I daresay, well, time flies when we are having fun, or anticipating imminent fun.

I have gotten into many disputes on these boards when posting on such topics because, I think, some folks don't actually time certain waits. They post how long the wait felt, which is sometimes a little different from clock time.

When planning ADR's and FP's, say, I find it is better to pad my times, just in case there's a delay. Sadly, while most FP times are often 15 min or less, that isn't ALWAYS the case. Delays are unpredictable, yet somewhat common.

Some rides where I have seen FP waits over 15: Soarin' , TT, Space Mtn, Splash Mtn, and any e-ride during a major holiday weeks. FP waits also tend to be longer when standby waits are at peak, or any of the major rides is down.

In my experience, Express at Universal is similar, though EP waits ebb and flow a bit more. I often re-ride rides twice in a row when I have EP, and have seen EP waits change quickly in just that short span of time.

 

[monkyby87]

Regardless of how long the wait actually is with a FP, I would always rather use a FP than not, especially for the more popular rides. Sometimes your FP wait time ends up being the same as standby when the standby is really short. But more often than not FP will be a less of a wait.

 

[LSUfan4444]

.)

What gave me pause was a couple of recent vlogs by Tim Tracker. In one, he notes long FP+ lines for BTMR (backing up beyond Splash), and Space (backing up to AstroOrbiter). Granted, this was during Spring Break season.

That makes sense....I hadnt seen or heard it anywhere but I see it mentioned all the time. Thanks for the clarification.