World Showcase question

[alexaveryq]

We will be at Epcot in October, and we were unable to get fastpasses for Frozen Ever After. We figured our best bet is to rush to the ride as soon as the World Showcase opens on that day.

My question is, does the World Showcase truly stay "closed" until opening time (i.e., roped off/no entrance)? If so, we figured we could hoof it to Norway immediately and minimize our wait time. If not, we're afraid people will be lined up and waiting for the hour before opening, increasing wait time considerably.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Make sure you go at 9 AM (park opening) not 11 AM (World Showcase opening) because the ride opens at 9, not 11. If you go at 11 you will have to wait at least an hour, possibly more.

Are you coming from the International Gateway (from the Epcot area resorts) or the main gate of Epcot?

If you are coming from IG you can enter at park opening and then walk around past UK and Canada, cross the Future World side plaza where the two shops are, then pass Mexico and go straight into Norway. Norway will be open already, because Akershus starts serving before park opening. Right at 9, the only persons already in Norway should be the ones who had early reservations at Akershus. Everything after Norway will be roped off.

If you're coming from the front gate when you reach the FW plaza bear a left, then walk through Mexico to Norway.

 

[alexaveryq]

We'll be coming from the front of the park, but I wasn't really looking for the best way to get to Norway.

Future World opens at 9 and World Showcase opens at 11. We wanted to do Soarin' and a few other things at 9, then go to Frozen Ever After right at 11. My question is if people can be lined up before 11, or is the Showcase blocked off.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

if you are going to the Frozen ride, the ride opens at 9. Not 11. It is currently an exception to the World Showcase opening time. You'll have to choose between going straight to Frozen at 9 or to Soarin' at 9.

Yes, people can line up before 11. They will start getting in line at 9 when the ride opens.

 

[glassslippergirl]

FEA opens at 9. You need to head right there from the front of park as soon as the gates open.

 

[alexaveryq]

Oh, sorry! I was checking replies on my phone (small print, partial screen), and I totally missed your first paragraph about the ride opening at 9

That poses other issues, I guess. We fastpassed Test Track, but Soarin is a must-do. Thoughts on that? Are Soarin' fastpasses usually available later in the day? Hmm...

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Pretty sure you can't count on Soarin' fastpasses being available day of, but if they are, they will be for later times.

 

[alexaveryq]

I reaallllyyy hate the tier system that only allows you to fastpass one of those three, as well as having to get three total passes before getting any more. My kids are teenagers (no real desire to meet characters), so there really doesn't seem to be a need to fastpass anything else at Epcot besides those. We've never waited more than 15 minutes for anything else.

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

We'll be coming from the front of the park, but I wasn't really looking for the best way to get to Norway.

Future World opens at 9 and World Showcase opens at 11. We wanted to do Soarin' and a few other things at 9, then go to Frozen Ever After right at 11. My question is if people can be lined up before 11, or is the Showcase blocked off.

WS is closed, but Norway and FEA are OPEN when the park.opens.
You have to hoof it AT rope drop to FEA. FEA opens 2 hours prior to WS opening.
So, if park.opening is at 9 am go directly to Norway to go on ride.

 

[Linleedo]

I reaallllyyy hate the tier system that only allows you to fastpass one of those three, as well as having to get three total passes before getting any more. My kids are teenagers (no real desire to meet characters), so there really doesn't seem to be a need to fastpass anything else at Epcot besides those. We've never waited more than 15 minutes for anything else.

The tier system bothers us also. As adults, most people would want to ride Soarin and Test Track. Choosing only one of them on Tier one, is unfortunate. The other options are either for pictures at the Character Spot, or things that generally have shorter wait times. I wish they would get rid of the tiers. But, we need to race to the other popular rides and Fastpass the ones that we can.

 

[yulilin3]

Oh, sorry! I was checking replies on my phone (small print, partial screen), and I totally missed your first paragraph about the ride opening at 9

That poses other issues, I guess. We fastpassed Test Track, but Soarin is a must-do. Thoughts on that? Are Soarin' fastpasses usually available later in the day? Hmm...

Soarin has had shorter lines ever since the third theater opened so you should be fine later in the day, like right now the wait time is 10 minutes

 

[alexaveryq]

That's encouraging! We'd probably try to ride FEA and then go to Soarin' before heading to catch our Test Track FP.

 

[Disneylover99]

I reaallllyyy hate the tier system that only allows you to fastpass one of those three, as well as having to get three total passes before getting any more. My kids are teenagers (no real desire to meet characters), so there really doesn't seem to be a need to fastpass anything else at Epcot besides those. We've never waited more than 15 minutes for anything else.

If your kids are teens, don't fp TT. Use the single rider line.

 

[alexaveryq]

If your kids are teens, don't fp TT. Use the single rider line.

That WOULD be the smarter move, but my 14-year-old is not so into riding in a car with several strangers

We did single rider for the first time when we were there 2 years ago, and she said she'd rather skip it altogether than do that again. She's ok with single rider on a roller coaster (only one person), but last time on TT all 4 of us were in separate cars. She felt very uncomfortable by herself.

It will definitely mean more of a wait time for other things, but luckily she's the more laid-back of my two, so waiting doesn't bother her much

 

[cigar95]

. . . . , as well as having to get three total passes before getting any more. . . . .

Didn't the most recent update remove this requirement? So that you still had to use up all of your pre-reserved passes to get additional, but there didn't have to be three of them?

 

[blemon]

My kids are teenagers (no real desire to meet characters), so there really doesn't seem to be a need to fastpass anything else at Epcot besides those. We've never waited more than 15 minutes for anything else.

We "tapped off" the character spot. Got FP for that for the 9:00 window. So I get a little "carsick" on IMAX movies like Soarin' so my husband and daughter went to Soarin' at rope drop while I took all three magic bands and tapped them all at the character spot. I did look a little like a superfan FP the character meet at rope drop but it was fun. There is time to tap off all of your magicbands on the way to Soarin' if you don't want to leave them with someone else.

 

[blemon]

My question is, does the World Showcase truly stay "closed" until opening time (i.e., roped off/no entrance)?

I'm not sure if this part of your question was answered.
But no, there are no ropes or anything around the WS. You can walk around there all you want -- it's just that nothing will be open so you won't be able to go into any stores or restaurants.