FoP FP or EMH rope drop?

[sharonabe]

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.

Assuming you can trust your 12 yr old to keep up, you and DW each grab one of the younger ones' hands, but huddle with the 12 yr old if you can. Since your plan is to get there an hour early, you should be near the front anyway. I think you'll be fine. It's crowded, and some people will run around to get to the front (think stupid people in rush hour traffic switching lanes again and again), but there are CMs at the front usually doing a pretty good job of keeping the pace at something doable by the masses.

Your other alternative is to wait and do it at the end of day, just before closing. The problem here is it may be difficult to do both rides and you would have to choose. Ride wait times will be inflated at the end of day, but if you get in line even at 5 min to close, you'll get to ride.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Your other alternative is to wait and do it at the end of day, just before closing. The problem here is it may be difficult to do both rides and you would have to choose. Ride wait times will be inflated at the end of day, but if you get in line even at 5 min to close, you'll get to ride.

I checked the touring plan stats from yesterday for an example.

Navi had a 10 minute posted wait an hour before closing time and FoP had a 30 minute posted wait about 20 minutes before close.

Based on this, it would be very easy to ride both during the last half hour of operation.

This is a much more efficient use of time and a lot less stressful than trying to do them in the morning.

 

[Davin_Felth]

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.

We've done RD for Radiator Springs Racers, that's probably the closest thing to it at DL. After reading the responses, I think we'll be ok . Telling my DW that we need to be to the gate 60 minutes before RD at the minimum, earlier would be better.

Fortunately, we're more of an early bird family. Staying for closing wouldn't work for us, kids would be falling asleep while standing in line.

 

[m3b]

When we did it in March (2018) at rope drop they slowly walked us to the ride. No chaos. Everyone is talking about the rush but it was safe and controlled.

 

[mlnbabies]

I was able to get a 9am FP for FOP. Do I rope drop first thing and then use my fast pass after I get off the first time? When does the line split for stand by and FP? Trying to figure out the best plan.

 

[sharonabe]

I was able to get a 9am FP for FOP. Do I rope drop first thing and then use my fast pass after I get off the first time? When does the line split for stand by and FP? Trying to figure out the best plan.

If you do the early rope drop ride, when you get off the ride, you'll meander down to the gift shop. Once you're outside the gift shop, the FP entrance will be just up the little hill and offt on the right side. When we were there, the CM had a standing umbrella (like a patio umbrella), so it was easy to see/find them.