Standby for FoP @ ropedrop

[KenHutch]

That long before closing?

I wonder if that will become a thing? If word gets round that getting in line 15 mins or so before closing gets you a short wait then people who might have joined 2 hours before closing will put off doing so, and so the wait time around then drops.

We have a RD planned for our first AK day in August, and an early afternoon FP booked for our 2nd AK day, so a late run at the end of that 2nd day was on the cards. Now I have to think about whether it would be better to get in line at 7:15 or so for a 9:00 close, or leave it till 8:45.

Dilemmas, dilemmas.

They overestimate most of the rides when it gets close to closing to discourage people from getting in line. Remember if your in line you will get to ride even if the park is closed so they overestimate the wait times on purpose. If they had posted a 40 minute wait I guarantee you that the line would have become 120+ minutes again very quickly. I think sometimes they overestimate during the day as well. I was at Magic Kingdom the next day where Standby on PoTC and Haunted Mansion were 55 and 60 minutes. My actual wait time was 25 and 30 minutes. The curse of being a retired Marine I still time everything.

 

[Jrits]

We RD this passed Sunday 6/24. We took the bus from ASMo and got to the park at 710. We were about 15 people back of the tapstyles. They started letting us in around 735-740 and we walked briskly (As fast as DD7 could handle without running or jogging) and rode and were back out front by 817. We rode Na'vi with a posted wait of 10, was closer to 5 and then explored Pandora until 855 and rode FoP again with a 900 FP+. We were back out front again by 925. Being able to ride FoP twice and Na'vi once by 930 was worth getting there early, though I wanted to get there even earlier.

How far in advance did you book the 9am FP? 60 + ??

 

[michygoomy]

We did it this morning. Got on a bus from the Poly at 7:04, arrived at MK about 7:20. Waited a bit in line to get past the first gates then a little in a staging line before the path to Pandora, then followed the crowd to the queue. We were moving in the queue the whole time and had ridden and finished by 8:20am. Got on Navi for a short stand-by wait and were out of Pandora before the 9am crowds arrived.

We were so glad we tried! What a fantastic ride! We rode a 2nd time later in the day with our FP.

 

[MOM POPPINS]

We’re also good in August trying the last ride of the night at closing. 8:30 current closing seems really early. Will it even be dark yet for the lights in pandora ? Sunset is suppose to be 7:51 pm in August for Orlando

 

[Nikki G]

We did rope drop for FOP on 4/30 which was an EMH day starting at 8:00a. We arrived around 6:50a and were off the ride shortly after 8. Yes, we waited about an hour by the fact that we arrived so early. But we didn't waste park time doing it and it honestly didn't feel like an hour. We had a FP for later in the day, but we really wanted to be able to ride it twice. RD was successful, but it sure was a hairy situation when that crowd surged forward into on the final leg into Pandora. We headed straight over to Navi afterwards and waited less than 15 minutes. We briefly wandered Pandora but then headed out into the rest of the park and rode Everest and Dinosaur as walk-ons. So RD definitely works, but be prepared for chaos.

 

[WVMomof3]

We rode twice this week at rope drop. Waited maybe 30 minutes each time. Our plan was to get there early and the darn bus foiled us both times. At the Swan bus stop just before 7 and both days bus came at 7:20 and then had to stop at Dolphin also. So we were nowhere near the front of the line, but we walked quickly straight there and I remember looking at the time the first day it was 7:45 when we entered park and about 7:50 at back of line. We did FOP then straight to Navi and we were done with both by 9:05. I think Navi posted wait was 30 but it was not that long. The second day we did FOP then Everest and PW and left the park by 9:15. It is a long walk between FOP and Everest!

 

[Cynergy]

How far in advance did you book the 9am FP? 60 + ??

I originally had a FP for around 1pm that I got on our FP day for 60+4. About 35-40 days or so before our trip they added morning EMH for our AK day, at that point I began looking daily for a different time and came across the 9am. Was probably complete luck, but I'll take any Disney magic I can get.

 

[hicksnichols]

I originally had a FP for around 1pm that I got on our FP day for 60+4. About 35-40 days or so before our trip they added morning EMH for our AK day, at that point I began looking daily for a different time and came across the 9am. Was probably complete luck, but I'll take any Disney magic I can get.

Thanks all! We always arrive 1 hour prior to park opening but I we always drive. This time we won’t have a car so we will be riding the bus from ASMo. I’ll plan to get there an hour prior to RD and see what happens!