Epcot: Garden Grill to... Test Track?

[Milesjamie]

Three Test Track related questions:

1. Has anyone gone to Garden Grill for 8am breakfast (no EMH) and then gone to Test Track instead of Soarin? If so, where do they hold you after you leave Garden Grill, or can you just wander over to TT? I'm thinking the standby times on TT for 4 people (no single rider desired) might be the better first ride than Soarin'

2. I'm visiting Epcot on a day when rain is forecast in the morning. I understand TT shuts down in the rain. Short of wandering over, is there a way sitting at Garden Grill to know if they will open Test Track that day? For example, does the Disney app show anything before 9am, or do you have to wait to 9am to learn?

3. After a rain, do they wait until the track is dry before reopening TT?

Thanks!

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

1. Absolutely would not do that. you are in the same building as Soarin' so why go across the park???
Not sure where they would hold you.
2. They don't put wait times until the park opens.
IF its doing more than sprinkling you'll know not to bother going over to TT.
3. TT will reopen once it stops raining. Main reason its closed in the rain is so guests don't get wet and since it goes 60mph rain HURTS.

My opinion is you'd be givi9ng up your advantage of having a PPO ADR at GG if you don't hop on Soarin' while you're right there.
Also if it is raining in the morning then TT will be closed so what's the polint of not going on Soarin' and going over to a closed TT?
Unless you already have a tier 1 FP for FEA then I'd get a FP for TT.

 

[Milesjamie]

Thanks Queen. Helpful perspective esp #3. I do have a FEA FP, but it's for 745pm. Theory was Soarin crowd builds slower - so if I can be in front of line at TT, then Soarin' standby not so bad. TT looks bad all the time if not rope dropped. Maybe I just suck it up and re-explain patience to the kiddos. Single rider not an option because car loving kid < 7 yo.

 

[lisa cameron]

We had this exact same scenario last year and ended up just not doing TT, only ride we skipped the entire trip. But we didn’t tell the kids what TT was so that why they wouldn’t be disappointed. We enjoyed Soarin with no line and then did Land right after since inside the same building. We weee there on a busy day so average wait time was 90min for TT on standby

 

[Kippa-Dee-Do-Dah]

We had a PPO rez at GG this summer, then walked onto Soarin as soon as it opened. When we were done, the line was already building. If you want to ride Soarin without a FP this would be the best way. You could always get a FP for later (they should be available) but it seems a waste if you're already there...

Also on our trip, TT was closed because of dark gray clouds. So IMO if there's even a hint that it'll rain, it's gonna close.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Thanks Queen. Helpful perspective esp #3. I do have a FEA FP, but it's for 745pm. Theory was Soarin crowd builds slower - so if I can be in front of line at TT, then Soarin' standby not so bad. TT looks bad all the time if not rope dropped. Maybe I just suck it up and re-explain patience to the kiddos. Single rider not an option because car loving kid < 7 yo.

Ugh that 7:45pm FEA is really hindering your ability to get more FP for the day.
I would try to modify it to much earlier in the day and then there would be a chance of getting a TT FP later.
I mean I guess if your priority is TT go with it but I'd probably just drop the GG ADR. Or you could look for an Akershus PPO ADR and then do FEA after breakfast and get a FP for TT and you can generally get a Soarin FP as a 4th.

 

[GreggW]

We had a 8AM GG breakfast during easter week 2018. we wrapped up breakfast and were on soarin at about 8:45. we then went straight to TT and got about half way there when the crowd started coming in. we ended up waiting for no more than 10 min for TT. Im not sure if they always open Soarin early but
we are going with the same plan Easter 2019 as well.

 

[Milesjamie]

FWIW, for the record, we stuck with Soarin - which was the right call (accidentally) because TT was closed when we walked over (likely weather but it was just windy - it reopened around 945). We did Soarin @ 845, then the crowd started coming in before we could do it a second time, so we went and met Joy/Sadness/Baymax with minimal (5 min) wait. Then Mission Space green walk-on. TP CC was a 7 that day.

 

[rg35]

Did you feel that you needed the FP for FEA? When we rode in Aug 2017 crowds already seemed to be dying down - much lighter than when we rode in the summer of 2016.

 

[gharter]

Did you feel that you needed the FP for FEA? When we rode in Aug 2017 crowds already seemed to be dying down - much lighter than when we rode in the summer of 2016.

When we were there in October, the Standby line mid afternoon was still 60 minutes. Really liked having a FP and making it a 5 minute wait. We were in the park 3 different days and I'm not sure I ever saw standby under 60 minutes.

 

[Milesjamie]

We managed to do a night-before switch to a 9:50a, and then later that day a 7:20p popped up as well that we took - so we got to FP it 2x. Agree that even at 7:30p or so the standby was 45.