Animal Kingdom, Early Open day -- Pandora strategy question

[apulk]

Monday May 21st will be our 3rd day at WDW and first day at AK -- and it's an 8AM EMH. Couple questions since we haven't been there since Pandora opened

• Should we head right to FOP at park opening and attempt to ride standby? Will it already be a massive line?
• I'm pretty sure this is still accurate -- FP+ won't be available for the 8am - 9am early hours
• IF FOP FP+ is only available late in the day 5pm/6pm, etc. should we grab it and assume that is the only way we're going to get on it with less than an hour wait???

 

[Lost Yeti]

1) It depends on how early you arrive at the park. If you plan on rope dropping AK to ride FoP, you should arrive at least 1 hour prior to the EMH opening. Expect people to run past you, despite being told not to, and that you may not be at the front of the line by the time you get to the queue. It may still wind up being a shorter wait than any other time of the day. It all really depends on how many people are in front of you by the time you arrive at the park.

2) You are correct; FPs are not given out for EMH.

3) In May, that it probably a safe assumption. I would grab what you can and then try to get a better time by refreshing. You never know what will pop up. You could always consider getting in line right before close when wait times can be purposefully inflated or hope for a lunch time lull. Even so, it's unlikely you will wait for less than an hour.

Also, don't give on getting a FP before the day arrives! Check for a FoP FP periodically in the days leading up to your AK day and frequently check the night before and morning of - there are always last minute cancellations. Good luck!

 

[apulk]

1) It depends on how early you arrive at the park. If you plan on rope dropping AK to ride FoP, you should arrive at least 1 hour prior to the EMH opening. Expect people to run past you, despite being told not to, and that you may not be at the front of the line by the time you get to the queue. It may still wind up being a shorter wait than any other time of the day. It all really depends on how many people are in front of you by the time you arrive at the park.

2) You are correct; FPs are not given out for EMH.

3) In May, that it probably a safe assumption. I would grab what you can and then try to get a better time by refreshing. You never know what will pop up. You could always consider getting in line right before close when wait times can be purposefully inflated or hope for a lunch time lull. Even so, it's unlikely you will wait for less than an hour.

Also, don't give on getting a FP before the day arrives! Check for a FoP FP periodically in the days leading up to your AK day and frequently check the night before and morning of - there are always last minute cancellations. Good luck!

Thank you SO much for a quick and excellent reply -- I hadn't thought of the right before park close.....my wife and I aren't going to ride but our 5 adult kids will -- if we get lucky in the morning and get on during EMH then at close could be a bonus for them. Wondering too though if I should change my days and NOT visit on the EMH day -- we usually SKIP the EMH hours parks.

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

DS15 and I went in August 2017 for a one day trip and started with AK. We were in line to get in the park at 7:45 for a 9 am opening. We were off of FOP at 9:12 so only 12 minutes of open park time used.

 

[apulk]

DS15 and I went in August 2017 for a one day trip and started with AK. We were in line to get in the park at 7:45 for a 9 am opening. We were off of FOP at 9:12 so only 12 minutes of open park time used.

Now this is news I LOVE to hear. Thanks so much!!!!!!

 

[marcais]

Is RD for EMH less busy than RD on a normal day?

 

[kwdw]

Definitely be there an hour before EMH starts. And I mean an hour at the tapstiles. Give yourself plenty to time to park and walk to the entrance, too.

They definitely controlled the pace of the walk to FOP - but the faster walkers will move forward in the pack and slower ones will move farther back. We didn't find it aggressive - but it was definitely assertive. And really - don't get your party separated. You can't "hold a place" in line in this scenario - so just keep everyone together. There were separated family members looking for others in the queue and texting about whether to wait in the queue for others to catch up or keep walking and meet up after the ride. Because the queue keeps moving for SO long - you can't pass ahead as the queue line forms - you can step to the side and wait as other walk by - but you aren't going to gain ground once in the queue at RD.

 

[apulk]

What do you think? Should I swap days -- Do Hollywood studios on Monday May 21st and switch to Tuesday May 22nd for AK -- neither are early open days so won't have to at the gate at 7am???

 

[apulk]

Folks -- thanks for the feedback. I took at looks at estimated/project crowds on touring plans and decided to swap days -- Do HS on Monday -- and AK on Tuesday -- to avoid the EMH at AK on Monday. We stopped during EMH mornings years ago when they started charging for park hopping and haven't regretted it. I think I can get our party of 9 to the front gate by 8am on Tuesday at AK a lot easier than getting them there at 7AM on Monday for the EMH day. Was able to book the same dining plans so no loss there.

Thanks for the help.

 

[maalca23]

Monday May 21st will be our 3rd day at WDW and first day at AK -- and it's an 8AM EMH. Couple questions since we haven't been there since Pandora opened

• Should we head right to FOP at park opening and attempt to ride standby? Will it already be a massive line?

We did Rope Drop twice last week with EMH at 0800. We arrived at 0700 both days. Yes there we lines already. No issue. We were off FOP by8:08 first day and 8:04 second day.

• I'm pretty sure this is still accurate -- FP+ won't be available for the 8am - 9am early hours

This is correct.

• IF FOP FP+ is only available late in the day 5pm/6pm, etc. should we grab it and assume that is the only way we're going to get on it with less than an hour wait???

This may work, but we never saw anymore FP issued on our days last week, so rope drop was a friend and so easy. Work like a charm.

• Should we head right to FOP at park opening and attempt to ride standby? Will it already be a massive line?

• I'm pretty sure this is still accurate -- FP+ won't be available for the 8am - 9am early hours

• IF FOP FP+ is only available late in the day 5pm/6pm, etc. should we grab it and assume that is the only way we're going to get on it with less than an hour wait???

 

[apulk]

• Should we head right to FOP at park opening and attempt to ride standby? Will it already be a massive line?

• I'm pretty sure this is still accurate -- FP+ won't be available for the 8am - 9am early hours

• IF FOP FP+ is only available late in the day 5pm/6pm, etc. should we grab it and assume that is the only way we're going to get on it with less than an hour wait???

I did end up switching our park day plans -- moved AK form an EMH day to a regular day....9AM regular park opening makes it easier to get our party of 9 to the park by 8am. Thanks for the info....

 

[sharonabe]

Is RD for EMH less busy than RD on a normal day?

No. Even when EMH begins at 7:00 a.m., there is still a LONG line for FoP long before the park opens. If you want to do FoP first thing, you have to be at AK about an hour BEFORE park opening, no matter what time that is.