FoP FP or EMH rope drop?

[DizneyLizzy]

My FP day is coming up, and I feel like rather than stressing or planning my entire trip around the possibility of getting a FoP FP, I should just not even worry about it and instead just show up at AK at 7 AM for 8 AM EMH.

My kids are too small for FoP anyway, so I’d rather use our AK FPs for things our whole family can do. (Safari, Kali River, Navi River). Anyone else do this? If we are at the front of the EMH pack (but don’t run) how bad can the wait be at 8:00 in the morning?

 

[Wood Nymph]

My FP day is coming up, and I feel like rather than stressing or planning my entire trip around the possibility of getting a FoP FP, I should just not even worry about it and instead just show up at AK at 7 AM for 8 AM EMH.

My kids are too small for FoP anyway, so I’d rather use our AK FPs for things our whole family can do. (Safari, Kali River, Navi River). Anyone else do this? If we are at the front of the EMH pack (but don’t run) how bad can the wait be at 8:00 in the morning?

There are hundreds of people trying to rope drop FoP every morning. It is a crazy time. You are much better off trying to get the fp if you really want to do the ride. You should be able to get the FoP fast pass on your day 5 or later without any stress.

 

[Disneylovingmomof2]

I’d get a fast pass if I could. I have one kid who is too small so we did rider swap.
I have no interest in running through AK with a mob of crazies first thing in the morning, but that’s just me. I’m sure some people have positive experiences RD it.

 

[buzzrelly]

Another vote for FP. The rope drop scene is insane and I wouldn't risk it with small children.

 

[OB1]

It is a mob rush. You might be at the front of the line, but by the time you get back to FOP, you may have a 45 minute wait. The good part is, just realize it will be a tough start to the day, then you get to casually enjoy AK for the rest of the day. Make sure to drop by and see the tigers. The young ones are growing up fast, but fun to watch for a while. They tend to be much more active than the older tigers.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

Hmm. Thanks! Mob of crazies does not sound like a fun way to start the day. My mom and sister did it last July on an EMH morning and said it really wasn’t that bad. I guess for me, higher priority fast passes are for seven dwarfs and frozen ever after. I’d rather get both of those and miss out on a FoP fast pass. So maybe I’ll try for those first two, and then if there is anything left for FoP at a time that works, I’ll go for it. We plan on doing Animal Kingdom on the last day of our trip anyway...but it’s only a 4 day trip. If I’m not successful, I’ll join the mob...but I’ll at least try to be at the front of it!

 

[Ensusieasm]

My FP day is coming up, and I feel like rather than stressing or planning my entire trip around the possibility of getting a FoP FP, I should just not even worry about it and instead just show up at AK at 7 AM for 8 AM EMH.

My kids are too small for FoP anyway, so I’d rather use our AK FPs for things our whole family can do. (Safari, Kali River, Navi River). Anyone else do this? If we are at the front of the EMH pack (but don’t run) how bad can the wait be at 8:00 in the morning?

FoP is so AWSOME that I rope drop it and also get a fast pass. You are going to want to ride it twice!

 

[DizneyLizzy]

Another vote for FP. The rope drop scene is insane and I wouldn't risk it with small children.

Oh me neither. I’d go with just my sister and then my husband and kids would join us at the park after the initial rush.

 

[Ensusieasm]

Absolutely get a fast pass for FoP! And here ‘s why......
Let’s say, you decide now to not get a fast pass for FoP, then your AK morning comes and you don’t make it on time (70 minutes before scheduled opening). That would be a disaster. Like I already said....do both. Two rides on FoP is way better than one. I’d skip Navi River if I had to, just to get a second ride on FoP.

 

[Greg Lembrich]

If possible, you could also try to do FoP just before park close. The waits are pretty short at that point, even if they are posted as high. Last Thursday night my daughter and I got on line at 9 pm with standby posted at 110 minutes and were off the ride and in the gift shop by 9:45. The people who got on line closer to 9:30 waited less than 30 minutes. Before that we went standby on NRJ around 8:35 with a posted 40 minute wait and were boarding in less than 15 minutes.

I realize it may be hard to keep small kids up late, but if you have a night without the kids or can get them to take a good midday nap then it might be doable. AK is an amazing park at night, both because most of the rides look really cool at night (especially EE, KRR, and Safari) and the lines get much shorter. Pandora is an amazing setting after sundown, and the waits become relatively tolerable for FoP and NRJ. The standby line starts flying as park closing approaches (and even more so after) because there is no longer anyone coming through the FP queue. Animal Kingdom is my favorite late afternoon/evening park. So many guests start their day there, finish whatever they are going to do, and are done before dinner. Those who stay often go to RoL, so lines are minimal during those shows too. In my experience, unless it is a very crowded week, every non-Pandora ride in the park is a walk on in the last hour or so.

 

[ChristineOH]

Don't subject kids who can't even ride it to RD. Just get a FP for it. You should be able to get a FP for day four. If you're up to RD that morning, roll in 10 minutes before park open, when the crowd has already been let into FoP, and walk onto Na'vi-- your whole party can ride.

You should also be able to get 7DMT, just maybe not in the morning. And FEA won't be a problem at all. You can get that at 30 days. Don't stress.

 

[sharonabe]

Oh me neither. I’d go with just my sister and then my husband and kids would join us at the park after the initial rush.

Since this is your plan, I'd definitely not sweat trying to get the FP+. If there are some still available after your must gets, go for it, but you and your sister will have a blast and a memory of being a part of the early morning group. Just make sure you're there at 7:00, so you ARE in front of the masses.

 

[buzzrelly]

Oh me neither. I’d go with just my sister and then my husband and kids would join us at the park after the initial rush.

I'm sorry then, I misunderstood. I would (and did) rope drop FOP last October with just DH and I was on and off by 9:05 am. It was crazy, but fun, and I'm glad we did it. However, we just got back from a trip and I was with my dear mom who is 74 and has a hard time keeping up with my two teens and me so we just did a fastpass for it.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Either RD it with just you and your sister or get in line right before park close. Or do both!!! I like the idea of your husband meeting you with the kids after the initial rush. You could also have him go back to the room with the kids at park close and you can ride one more time before park close. Or you go back with the kids and he can ride right before park close.

 

[marcais]

FoP was the highlight of our trip last year for those who got on it.

Our plan this year is to RD it on the AK EMH day, then straight on to Na'Vi River Journey, and then have a FP booked for after that. We got lucky in that the AK EMH day is day 60+4, so hopefully we can get an early FP and that'll be us done with Pandora for the day.

 

[sharonabe]

FoP was the highlight of our trip last year for those who got on it.

Our plan this year is to RD it on the AK EMH day, then straight on to Na'Vi River Journey, and then have a FP booked for after that. We got lucky in that the AK EMH day is day 60+4, so hopefully we can get an early FP and that'll be us done with Pandora for the day.

Since you've already done it, you probably already know this, but when people say, "RD it on AK EMH day," my fear is they really do mean they will get there at RD. Even on EMH day, you must be there 45 min - an hour BEFORE rope drop in order to ride without an extensive wait.

 

[marcais]

We've never done RD for any of the parks before. This place has me (theoretically!) prepped for what we have to do.

My concern is that by day 4 we won't be on UK time anymore, so people will be less keen to do the RD, but the day before is one of the few days on site when we don't have a nighttime show planned, so hopefully we can rally the troops to do the RD thing.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

Thanks for all of the replies! My mom has now decided to join us on our trip, so that cements my plan of my sister and I getting an Uber or getting in our car from AoA at literally 6:30 AM for an 8 AM opening. We'll have a car so we could also drive, but will the parking lots be open at 6:45? Otherwise, we'll jsut Uber and my mom and husband can meet us at River Journey at 8 AM. I'll tell my husband to leave AoA around 7 for the 8 AM opening. Hopefully he and my mom and kids will be behind the crazy masses. I was a little worried about sending my husband alone with both kids to the park, but now that my mom is coming, they'll be fine. Thanks again!

The craziest rope drop I ever did was actually with my sister, mom in 2012. We rope dropped Forbidden Journey at IoA on Easter weekend. We were at the front of the pack, and the people running behind us were insane. A dad in a backpack actually knocked me over and kept running. Ha. We still talk about that morning.

 

[Davin_Felth]

I was planning on counting on being there 60+ minutes before RD with my wife and kids (7,8, and 12). Reading this thread has me worried, how bad are the crowds? Are my kids going to get run over on the way over to Pandora after entering the park? I wasn't planning on even trying to get a FP for either Avatar rides and just do them at RP, but now I'm second guessing that plan.

 

[ChristineOH]

I was planning on counting on being there 60+ minutes before RD with my wife and kids (7,8, and 12). Reading this thread has me worried, how bad are the crowds? Are my kids going to get run over on the way over to Pandora after entering the park? I wasn't planning on even trying to get a FP for either Avatar rides and just do them at RP, but now I'm second guessing that plan.

How familiar are you with rope drop?
I don't enjoy being in a crowd for an extended time, having people run ahead when they start walking the crowd back to the ride, going from the front of the crowd to the middle because I'm not aggressive, and getting separated from my family. I've never rope dropped FoP-- this is from experiences mostly rope dropping at DHS for TSM or RnR.
If you've done rope drop for other rides that are high priority, and it doesn't bother you, you'll be fine. Plenty of people do it, including me when I have to. I'd just much rather utilize another plan when I can.
Touring wise, it's efficient to do the Avatar rides at rope drop.