Thread to share experiences with AK rope drop for FOP during EMH

[whirlthepearl]

Hi! I can't find a dedicated thread for people to share experiences rope dropping AK for EMH 8am openings. I've seen a fewer posters comment about it in other threads, but I'm wondering specifically what time you arrived at the turnstiles and if it was early enough or not. I'm sure others are, too. If there already is a thread about this, please feel free to delete!

 

[v.t.]

We got there 20 minutes before RD, it was not early enough. Wait was 120 minutes when we got to the ride entrance.

 

[gharter]

We went erly as well. Planned to get there 30 minutes before RD, ended up 10 minutes before RD. FoP was 100 minutes already. Waited for the end of the day, and the line was much bette.
If you are doing EMH and want to do FoP without FP, it appears you need to be there 30-45 minutes before RD.

 

[ewasilau]

We arrived at 8:00 (later than planned) and were in Pandora about 8:10, as much of the crowd had already moved through the gates. We went straight to Navi, which had a 20 min wait. Took only 15 minutes. We intended to just use our FPs for FOP later, but at 8:30, it had only a 30 min wait. So we went for it (took 35 min). This was last Thursday May 11. Not saying it is the norm but definitely check the wait times throughout EMH!

 

[KelNChrisKYDis]

Our last visit was in Oct. Park had EMH starting at 8am. Our bus did not drop us off at AK until 7:35. (We waited at our bus stop at the Contemporary from 5:55 until 7:20. Grr.) When we got there there were already loads of people there. However, we managed to be walking off FoP by 8:25. It was organized chaos.

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

We went Xmas just gone. We were there from just before Xmas day till New Year’s Day and did rope drop FOP without fp+ on several EMH days.

We made sure we were standing in line at the left hand barriers 60 mins. before the park opened, we were never the first people there but we were always fairly near the front. They let us through the barriers about 30-40 mins before the park opened and walked us to the bridge in front of the Tree of Life where we were held for approx 10 mins.

We were then walked into Pandora and onto FOP. It was always a straight walk on and we were probably the 2nd group of riders in. We were out of the ride about 10 mins after the official opening of the park by which time the standby line was at 90-120 mins wait.

The walk from the main gate to FOP was always a bit of a jostle with some bumping along and lots of “fast” walking. There were some people that got a bit antsy but in the most part it was good natured.

 

[anna0513]

We went last July 4th week and we got to the gate about 7:15. They started scanning tickets at about 7:20 and we literally ran to Pandora. We did get scolded for running but we continued to slightly run anyway. There were about 30 people ahead of us. They stopped us at Pandora and we thought we would be waiting there until the park opened at 8:00 but they let us in at 7:30. We went straight to FOP and walked right through to the ride. Done by 7:45 for sure. We did not stay on property so we drove from the house we rented. We did not have to wait for busses, etc.

 

[Koz]

You'll always here one "Run Forest, Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuun," as people make their way back to the ride entrance.

 

[Bill West]

We got there about 20 minutes early. The mass of crowd stressed me out big time trying to get back there. I was being patient and walking like a normal person. Too many people were trying to squeeze by people in really tight spaces. The line ended up being listed as 120 or 140 I think but it was actually only about 45 minutes until we got to the pre ride videos.

I think it's better to get there early and ride everything else with little to no wait in the first hour because everyone else goes to FOP.

 

[bethannie203]

Hi! I can't find a dedicated thread for people to share experiences rope dropping AK for EMH 8am openings. I've seen a fewer posters comment about it in other threads, but I'm wondering specifically what time you arrived at the turnstiles and if it was early enough or not. I'm sure others are, too. If there already is a thread about this, please feel free to delete!

You read my mind! We will be there first week of June, and I am wondering the same thing! We will be staying at All-Star Music this time, so I'm just not sure what time we need to be at the bus stop for 8:00 AM EMH at AK. We would like to be there as early as possible. Just not sure how early the buses will run at our hotel before EMH. Can anyone shed some light on this?

 

[peteykirch]

I find it hilarious people think that getting there 10 minutes prior to rope drop is early enough not to wait in a massive line for FoP

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

I find it hilarious people think that getting there 10 minutes prior to rope drop is early enough not to wait in a massive line for FoP

Early morning is by far the busiest time of the day for this attraction.

There have been plenty of recent reports of 20 minute waits later in the evening, which is what we plan to do in a couple of weeks.

Much quicker and less stressful.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

We do 60-90 minutes before opening and never have a problem or much of a wait at all. We also drive ourselves from our resort to avoid bus crowds.

 

[mbcary]

Last November we were staying at Poly and got to the bus stop at 6:35 and a bus was pulling up right then. We were the only people on the bus. Arrived just short of 7am. EMH opening set for 8am. They began letting us in around 7:15 to 7:20 and began slowly walking us back, stopping in several places. On and off FOP before 8am and on and off Navi before 8:10.

 

[Nikki G]

We just did this on April 30. EMH opened up at 8:00a. We did not want to risk the bus making us late so we got a Lyft ride and arrived at the park at 6:50a. They weren't even letting people in through security yet, but did soon after we got there. We went to the left side to wait. By 7:20a they let us as far as the tapstiles, and we were let through them no more than 10 minutes later. It was just my husband and I on this trip and we were quite literally in the front of the line at the stopping point on the bridge onto Discovery Island. I was so smug my plan had worked. And then all hell broke loose. Even though they said to walk, people ran and pushed their way through, even though we were all going to basically walk ourselves on, people ran anyway. My husband grabbed onto the backpack I was wearing, but it was no use and we ended up getting separated to the point that I couldn't see where he was for a little while. I slowed down and we reconnected shortly before the funneling into the line started. It was at that point that everyone tried to push their way through and there was a few seconds where we got really squeezed by all the people around us before we made our way into the line. Even with all of this we still pretty much just walked on the ride, which was absolutely amazing. I didn't check the time once we got off, but it was very shortly after 8:00a. We had a FP for later in the day but we knew we'd want to ride it twice, and I wanted to see what rope drop experience was like in case we needed to do it with the kids. While I'm glad my husband and I were able to do it, I will not consider rope drop with my children this fall when we go back. It was too chaotic and the thought of potentially getting separated from them in that mob is just too scary to me. DH and I getting split up was one thing, the kids, just not worth the risk. Hopefully we get a FP and don't have to deal with rope drop in the fall.

 

[SM1992]

So, this may be the anomaly, but on May 2 this year, we planned on an early arrival for EMH. Waited and waited and waited for a bus from Boardwalk. It finally arrived about 7:50, got to AK about 8:15 (driver in training) Wait for FOP was only 50 minutes but we decided to do NRJ instead. Walked on that ride and when we finished, FOP was still 50 minutes so we got in line, even though we had Fastpasses for later in the day. The line moved along steadily and we were off in about 45 minutes! Best part of it was that we missed the madness of ropedrop, though there was still a stream of people headed to Pandora. I wouldn't recommend this, I guess we just got lucky.

 

[epcotobsessed]

We just did this on April 30. EMH opened up at 8:00a. We did not want to risk the bus making us late so we got a Lyft ride and arrived at the park at 6:50a. They weren't even letting people in through security yet, but did soon after we got there. We went to the left side to wait. By 7:20a they let us as far as the tapstiles, and we were let through them no more than 10 minutes later. It was just my husband and I on this trip and we were quite literally in the front of the line at the stopping point on the bridge onto Discovery Island. I was so smug my plan had worked. And then all hell broke loose. Even though they said to walk, people ran and pushed their way through, even though we were all going to basically walk ourselves on, people ran anyway. My husband grabbed onto the backpack I was wearing, but it was no use and we ended up getting separated to the point that I couldn't see where he was for a little while. I slowed down and we reconnected shortly before the funneling into the line started. It was at that point that everyone tried to push their way through and there was a few seconds where we got really squeezed by all the people around us before we made our way into the line. Even with all of this we still pretty much just walked on the ride, which was absolutely amazing. I didn't check the time once we got off, but it was very shortly after 8:00a. We had a FP for later in the day but we knew we'd want to ride it twice, and I wanted to see what rope drop experience was like in case we needed to do it with the kids. While I'm glad my husband and I were able to do it, I will not consider rope drop with my children this fall when we go back. It was too chaotic and the thought of potentially getting separated from them in that mob is just too scary to me. DH and I getting split up was one thing, the kids, just not worth the risk. Hopefully we get a FP and don't have to deal with rope drop in the fall.

This is awful, and I've read many reports like yours. Does anyone know if you get there before rope drop but do NOT head toward Pandora, can you separate pretty easily from this crush? I imagine that you can, given that we would go right and they would go left, but just wondering if anyone has experience with this.

 

[shocker]

We just did this on April 30. EMH opened up at 8:00a. We did not want to risk the bus making us late so we got a Lyft ride and arrived at the park at 6:50a. They weren't even letting people in through security yet, but did soon after we got there. We went to the left side to wait. By 7:20a they let us as far as the tapstiles, and we were let through them no more than 10 minutes later. It was just my husband and I on this trip and we were quite literally in the front of the line at the stopping point on the bridge onto Discovery Island. I was so smug my plan had worked. And then all hell broke loose. Even though they said to walk, people ran and pushed their way through, even though we were all going to basically walk ourselves on, people ran anyway. My husband grabbed onto the backpack I was wearing, but it was no use and we ended up getting separated to the point that I couldn't see where he was for a little while. I slowed down and we reconnected shortly before the funneling into the line started. It was at that point that everyone tried to push their way through and there was a few seconds where we got really squeezed by all the people around us before we made our way into the line. Even with all of this we still pretty much just walked on the ride, which was absolutely amazing. I didn't check the time once we got off, but it was very shortly after 8:00a. We had a FP for later in the day but we knew we'd want to ride it twice, and I wanted to see what rope drop experience was like in case we needed to do it with the kids. While I'm glad my husband and I were able to do it, I will not consider rope drop with my children this fall when we go back. It was too chaotic and the thought of potentially getting separated from them in that mob is just too scary to me. DH and I getting split up was one thing, the kids, just not worth the risk. Hopefully we get a FP and don't have to deal with rope drop in the fall.

So, we are a party of 4, age 15 and up. I'm wondering if we should just plan that we WILL get separated and start making a plan for that. I'm wondering what the pre-ride videos are like, are they after you've been counted off and waiting to be seated (like Soarin') or are they a room full of people that aren't yet counted off (like RNR or Dinosaur). I'm wondering if we should plan to step aside just before entering this phase and wait until the last of us 4 arrives and can enter the video portion together? What do you think might be a good plan for regrouping?

 

[Nikki G]

So, we are a party of 4, age 15 and up. I'm wondering if we should just plan that we WILL get separated and start making a plan for that. I'm wondering what the pre-ride videos are like, are they after you've been counted off and waiting to be seated (like Soarin') or are they a room full of people that aren't yet counted off (like RNR or Dinosaur). I'm wondering if we should plan to step aside just before entering this phase and wait until the last of us 4 arrives and can enter the video portion together? What do you think might be a good plan for regrouping?

They tell you before you enter the line that you need to have your whole party together before you even get in the line or you will be separate in the ride chambers. I think there are only 18 people per room once you get to that stage and you get divided into several possible rows before you get there. You will want to be all together and accounted for before you enter the line, which will be tough if you do get separated as that's the main mob point. Try to stick together as much as possible. My kids are 9 and 6, so my concern is huge if they get separated from us, but older teens who have their own cell phones would be easier to find. Hold hands, link arms, etc. and have a plan going in of what to do if you get separated. Perhaps step aside before getting into the actual line until all accounted for and then rejoin the line.

 

[rentayenta]

We just did this on April 30. EMH opened up at 8:00a. We did not want to risk the bus making us late so we got a Lyft ride and arrived at the park at 6:50a. They weren't even letting people in through security yet, but did soon after we got there. We went to the left side to wait. By 7:20a they let us as far as the tapstiles, and we were let through them no more than 10 minutes later. It was just my husband and I on this trip and we were quite literally in the front of the line at the stopping point on the bridge onto Discovery Island. I was so smug my plan had worked. And then all hell broke loose. Even though they said to walk, people ran and pushed their way through, even though we were all going to basically walk ourselves on, people ran anyway. My husband grabbed onto the backpack I was wearing, but it was no use and we ended up getting separated to the point that I couldn't see where he was for a little while. I slowed down and we reconnected shortly before the funneling into the line started. It was at that point that everyone tried to push their way through and there was a few seconds where we got really squeezed by all the people around us before we made our way into the line. Even with all of this we still pretty much just walked on the ride, which was absolutely amazing. I didn't check the time once we got off, but it was very shortly after 8:00a. We had a FP for later in the day but we knew we'd want to ride it twice, and I wanted to see what rope drop experience was like in case we needed to do it with the kids. While I'm glad my husband and I were able to do it, I will not consider rope drop with my children this fall when we go back. It was too chaotic and the thought of potentially getting separated from them in that mob is just too scary to me. DH and I getting split up was one thing, the kids, just not worth the risk. Hopefully we get a FP and don't have to deal with rope drop in the fall.

This sounds so unenjoyable; I just can't. I am so sorry you had this experience. Stories like this and others are why I refuse to rope drop FOP. I know its suppose to be amazing but it's just a ride. Maybe I will think its worth the chaos of rope drop once I ride but I highly doubt it.