Avatar Flight of Passage - Recent strategy?

[mama22]

We could not secure FPP for this ride and it is the main reason we are returning to AK next week. Kids and DH want to head there first thing in the morning to make sure we ride it. Looks like park opens at 9 am so I talked to them about getting there 1 hour prior to park opening. My concerns are that we will be at MK until after fireworks the night before, and we plan on staying until last show of River of Lights that evening (doing the dining package.) So that means 2 FULL days. Kids are older and seem to be ok with this strategy, since we only have these 2 days at parks on this trip, but i was wondering if we can ride later. Is park opening our best options? Anyone get there any later? I have been checking the wait times on MDE and right now it is 225 minutes- which is crazy! Any tips?

 

[Darcy03231]

We got in line right before park closing and found the wait times were grossly inflated. We ended up waiting about half of what the posted time was (1.5 hours - we waited about 45 minutes).

It seems like the best way is either at park opening or park closing.

 

[CastAStone]

The wait time is best in the first 45 minutes or right at close. It’s worst at 10AM most days. It’s almost never under 2 hours.

 

[bryanb]

Agree. Based on what you've outlined, I'd definitely get in line in the last hour of the day after ROL.

If your party is small, I'd also try getting same-day FastPasses by rapidly reloading the mobile site and trying to pick up a FastPass. Note that really only works on the day, preferably earlier in the day. You can research "refresh strategy" on these boards if you want more information about this. The downside is that you have to spend time on your phone while you're at the park.

 

[Rich M]

Highly recommend stocking the FP also. They tend to come up sometimes and do come up same day. Don't be afraid to search less people also. Might get lucky.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

On our last visit we got in line right at closing time. The posted wait was 110 minutes but the actual wait was only 17 to the first pre-show room.

 

[cjlong88]

By choosing to ride FoP at park close, that will also give you the morning to get on many other rides with really low waits since everyone will be running toward Pandora (without having to get there SUPER early). Plus, Flight of Passage being the last attraction your family rides will really end your trip on a high note.

If you are persistent in refreshing/modifying, you might be able to find FP's right before your trip. The last two trips I went on were last minute (booked about one week before the trip), and I found FoP two days before both trips. It was crazy! People cancel, especially in those one or two days leading up to your trip.

Keep checking and if nothing comes up, park close is definitely a good option!

 

[DisneyBelle27]

I got in line at 9:58pm on a 10pm closing night, with a posted wait of 90 min, and it was 25 min to the first pre-show room.

I also recommend refreshing day of, I've had good luck getting myself day of FoP FPs and also got them day of for a party of 3.

 

[DisneyGirlMI]

Here my other-side-of the coin. We went to am EMH (8:00am). We got to the park about 7:20. They let us in the gate about 10 minutes later and walked us back to Pandora. We thought they would stop us at the bridge like they have in the past, but they walked us right to the queue. We got to the queue about 7:40. We were about halfway back in the fairly large crowd (it was showing a 75 minute wait by 7:45). We were off the ride by 8:20. It was perfect and the wait time was about 20 minutes.
Side note: That is the LONGEST queue line I’ve ever been in!! I think it’s a mile just to get to the front!

 

[Allastair Blackman]

Hopefully this will work when the time comes for me to ride!

 

[Kerriowl]

In June, for a 9 am opening, they were already letting people into the park and directly to Pandora at 8:30. We were able to ride FoP and still get to Safari to wait at the rope their were holding between there and Pandora. If the kids can go the whole day, I would recommend getting there no later than 8:15 for a 9 opening. Then you can do FoP at opening and again at closing if the kids are still up for it.

 

[Katie1174]

I am with DisneyGirl, we almost always do AK EMH and arrive at 7 for an 8am opening. We are usually right toward the front at the turnstiles. Every time we have gone they have opened up the gate by around 7:30 and walk us back to Pandora and right into the FOP line also. Last 2 times we were close enough to the front to have no wait to ride, just walk through the line right to the loading area and on. Last time we were off FOP before 8am, then walked over to Navi with a 5 minute wait and by the time we got off the line was crazy for FOP. We then walked over to Everest and got there by maybe 8:15 or 8:20 (we are super fast walkers) and rode that 6 times in a row with no wait. It was great.

 

[WDW1970]

If you use the refresh method you should be able to get a FP day before or day of. The last three times at AK we had little trouble getting mid day FoP FP for party of four. One time we were just finishing up lunch at approx. 1 pm and was going to head back to the resort for some pool time and nabbed a FP for 1:30 pm.

 

[YawningDodo]

While getting in line for it right at closing is a solid strategy, that would make me nervous--it's the last thing on your last park day, so if things don't go right (you have to leave early due to unforeseen circumstances, the ride goes down, etc.) you don't get a do-over. My strategy in 2018 was to go at rope drop; I meant to be there an hour ahead but only managed to arrive half an hour before the official opening time and was still done and off the ride within 20 minutes of the official park opening time.

 

[teruterubouzu]

I read the advice here about going at closing, but got nervous because we had only the one day to visit Animal Kingdom. We got there before the park opened. The line took about an hour, which wasn't horrible, but is probably the maximum I would wait for anything. Good luck!

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

I read the advice here about going at closing, but got nervous because we had only the one day to visit Animal Kingdom. We got there before the park opened. The line took about an hour, which wasn't horrible, but is probably the maximum I would wait for anything. Good luck!

A lot of guests follow your strategy and is one of the reasons why the lines are longer in the morning than the evening.

 

[MyTwoPrincesses]

If you use the refresh method you should be able to get a FP day before or day of. The last three times at AK we had little trouble getting mid day FoP FP for party of four. One time we were just finishing up lunch at approx. 1 pm and was going to head back to the resort for some pool time and nabbed a FP for 1:30 pm.

What is this refresh method?

 

[cjlong88]

What is this refresh method?

The refresh method is when you modify an existing FP by alternating between the various time options until you get new options. For example, if you have a FP for a ride and you want an earlier time in the day, you might choose to modify it and see there are no earlier times. However, if you continue to switch between the time slots, sometimes better FP times (or better FP's) suddenly appear. These open up (typically) from someone canceling last minute or shuffling their plans around, opening up slots for better FP's or FP times for you!

I've had a Navi River Journey FP for 3 people, kept "refreshing" the time slots (usually just toggling back and forth between a few), and BOOM, there was Flight of Passage right there. This was 2 days before our trip. I've also had luck with same day modifications or additional FP's. Doesn't always work, but the more persistent you are the better your luck will have.