Flights of Passage Strategy - Try to ride at Rope Drop or wait until 45 minutes before closing time?

[bdiddy]

We were there a month ago and it never fell below a posted 40 min wait and that was at the end of the day. The longest times were actually first thing in the morning when everyone is rushing there. It was well over an hour right at and right after park opening for hours. I think that unless you are for sure at the front of the pack first thing in the morning, I would wait until later in the day. We rode twice on our first full AK day. Once at 60 min mid day and again at the end when it was a posted 40 min but it was more like 30 min. And then our 2nd half day we rode again in the last few hours when it was about a 50 min wait.

Next to Test Track, it was the longest wait we had all week. The next two longest were Slinky and Mine Train at about 40 min. The rest of the rides were 30 min or under and most being walk-ons. Other than those 4 headliners, I really liked not having fast passes!

 

[KristaZ]

Do you mean that you were at AK between 6:30am to 6:45am ( which means that you're at the bus stop around 6:15am )?

or

Do you mean that you were on the bus stop at your resort between 6:30am to 6:45am ( which means that you'd probably get to AK by 7:15am )?

I'm staying at AoA. I'm gonna have to figure out when the 1st bus leaves the resort to go to AK.

We were on a bus between 6:30 and 6:45, for about a 7am arrival - our last trip we arrived at the park at 6:56am and the driver actually said she couldn't let us off the bus until 7. We generally aim to be at the bus stop no later that 6:30. I haven't done AK from AoA, but last time we did it from Pop, the bus arrived right around 6:40 I believe.

 

[DisneyFive]

Next to Test Track, it was the longest wait we had all week. The next two longest were Slinky and Mine Train at about 40 min. The rest of the rides were 30 min or under and most being walk-ons. Other than those 4 headliners, I really liked not having fast passes!

Unfortunately the crowd levels have been night and day from one month ago until today

 

[nvrenoughdisney]

We did FoP tonight. Got in line at 6:45 (park closed at 7:00). Posted time was 90 minutes and we waited exactly one hour. Also in case you’re interested we got to the park around 5:15. Between 5:30-6:15 my kids did EE twice although the posted wait was 45 minutes the first time and 35 minutes the second time.

 

[harleyquinn]

Related question. How much of the wait is actually inside at FOP right now? Waiting in AC for 40 minutes is WAY different than waiting in the sun in August.

 

[Nick6300]

Related question. How much of the wait is actually inside at FOP right now? Waiting in AC for 40 minutes is WAY different than waiting in the sun in August.

Aside from the queue line inside the caves/bldg., there are 2 queue instructional videos that takes some time. I used to know exactly how long - I want to say they combine for something like 7-10 min., including the time for everyone to gather and find their spots in front of ea. of the videos. If I recall correctly, we have been let in to the park anywhere from 7:15-7:30, for an 8am open, held until 7:40-7:45, off ride anywhere from 7:55 to a little after 8am (I've had to wait a couple of min. for 7:55 to get on 2nd time for an 8am FP). We're on River Journey by around 8:10, Safari, Everest, Kali, Dino, all with lower wait times. We do the shows and trails once crowds pick up, a late lunch, and done with the park by late afternoon.

 

[Nick6300]

Unfortunately the crowd levels have been night and day from one month ago until today

Agree. It is summer, but without FP, not every show/attraction/dining yet to open, wait times have been astonishing. When you see 65 for Dumbo on a Wed evening, you know it's bad.

 

[Nick6300]

How fast do you have to walk to FOP at rope drop to not usually have a significant wait? I'm just not a fast walker anymore, I mean I will walk with purpose, not just lollygag along, but don't want to get mowed down by the throng. My granddaughter really wants to do Safari early in the morning; may just work my way back there and forget about Pandora for later. She will have a DAS pass and can get a return time for FOP later in the day. I don't want to trigger anything if rope drop is a loud packed situation and ruin the rest of the morning.

as a prior poster suggested, it would be good to follow touring plans for a bit, or look up some AK touring guide articles for the trends. It used to be that there was a bit of a lull period for FoP wait times around 10am, with most heading there first to work clockwise around park, and a bit at like 2, and of course at close, like everything else. Early safari's are neat, since the animals are feeding/chance for better viewing. But the few times we've gone to the Africa bridge first thing... they held you until park open, vs. FoP where they start moving the crowd like 15 min early. Not sure they're still holding you there, but just be aware that it's possible.

If you do rope drop FoP, say you're lined up at 7am (hr before open), let in say, 7:30, and while you tried to walk fast, you're several rows from the front who's held at bridge by Tiffin's. With the ride capacity, you should still make it on pretty quick, despite it looking like a 100+ in front of you. Google states that 192 can ride at once when all theaters are running, and cycle through in about 8 min.

 

[Nick6300]

185 minutes posted right now at FoP, yikes.

 

[gharter]

We have done both.
If you are near the front of the line when they let you in the park, heading to FoP is a good choice. If you are further back, the line could be long by the time you get there. It builds very quickly.
our last trip, 1 day we did RD at FoP and waited 15 minutes. The other day, we headed to dinosaur then EE. No lines for either attraction.
If you are going to ride at the end of the day, I would get in line about 5 minutes before closing. 45 minutes before closing, the line still could be quite long.

 

[Eastern]

I try to follow the rules and walk until someone tries to run by me, and then I think about getting up super early, and all of the time I waited in line to be in front of the pack and the competitiveness gets the better of me and I run past that person.

 

[Nick6300]

Maybe some of the other veteran rope droppers can relate, but the few times I've actually let someone by me at FoP, included a time when an extended family who actually rehearsed a coordinated attack! I tend to hug the right side of the path when held at the bridge, since you split right for FoP (left for RJ), and the right side also enters the queue with the others filing behind.

The family's mom shoved me off the road and then 2 of them sandwiched me in while their kids ran past my wife. I actually got an elbow to the chest from the grandmother! I thought at that pt., they need the honor more than me.

 

[cmarsh31]

February, got in line 30 min before close, waited 75 minutes. June, arrived at parking gate at 7am (8am opening), let through, moved as quickly as possible, held in multiple locations, rode around 8:30am, so overall wait time including sitting in car waiting to be let in parking lot, 90 minutes. Both were lousy options. I just want Fast Passes back. Granted neither were "waste" of park time, but both were waste of personal time. Prior to this year, I've never, ever waited in line for FOP without a FP and have ridden it on every trip.

 

[Eastern]

Maybe some of the other veteran rope droppers can relate, but the few times I've actually let someone by me at FoP, included a time when an extended family who actually rehearsed a coordinated attack! I tend to hug the right side of the path when held at the bridge, since you split right for FoP (left for RJ), and the right side also enters the queue with the others filing behind.

The family's mom shoved me off the road and then 2 of them sandwiched me in while their kids ran past my wife. I actually got an elbow to the chest from the grandmother! I thought at that pt., they need the honor more than me.

I walk fast but I never run. I don't like the stroller joggers, they're dangerous.

 

[Nick6300]

February, got in line 30 min before close, waited 75 minutes. June, arrived at parking gate at 7am (8am opening), let through, moved as quickly as possible, held in multiple locations, rode around 8:30am, so overall wait time including sitting in car waiting to be let in parking lot, 90 minutes. Both were lousy options. I just want Fast Passes back. Granted neither were "waste" of park time, but both were waste of personal time. Prior to this year, I've never, ever waited in line for FOP without a FP and have ridden it on every trip.

The current 3 hour posted waiting, which I've seen a lot lately... Even if it's the new normal without FP, I don't think I'd wait more than an hr.

I walk fast but I never run. I don't like the stroller joggers, they're dangerous.

yes, been rammed by one before. not very often though.

 

[Shaft41]

For pure time commitment, it seems to me getting in before close pays off more. A couple weeks ago, we got in line around 6:30 for a 7:00 close. Posted 70, took us about 50.

 

[Nick6300]

For pure time commitment, it seems to me getting in before close pays off more. A couple weeks ago, we got in line around 6:30 for a 7:00 close. Posted 70, took us about 50.

May experience better luck closer to park close, like under 5 min. Be interesting to hear if anyone has tried it very recently though, with these wait times, and more people motivated to try last ride/RD w/out FPs.

This is still a preference choice, though, IMO, like anything else. One can argue that waiting in line prior to park opening and getting in line a minute before park close are both utilizing non park hours for total waiting. But many people have park hopper and can use that evening time at the other parks, and last ride something else.

 

[harleyquinn]

For pure time commitment, it seems to me getting in before close pays off more. A couple weeks ago, we got in line around 6:30 for a 7:00 close. Posted 70, took us about 50.

How much of that time was outside? Any idea? TIA

 

[Nick6300]

We were on a bus between 6:30 and 6:45, for about a 7am arrival - our last trip we arrived at the park at 6:56am and the driver actually said she couldn't let us off the bus until 7. We generally aim to be at the bus stop no later that 6:30. I haven't done AK from AoA, but last time we did it from Pop, the bus arrived right around 6:40 I believe.

still around 6:30 for 1st bus to arrive at resort, last I heard.

 

[Nick6300]

How much of that time was outside? Any idea? TIA

You could go on Kali right before entering the FoP line at night, so you don't catch on fire from the outside section of the queue.

On the occasions we've had longer than 45 min wait at night at FoP, the majority of the waiting was inside.