My brother and his teenage girls are headed to WDW tomorrow and are planning on doing FoP in the morning. Does anyone who's done RD there lately have a suggestion for how early they need to be there for rope drop? He's an Orlandoan and doesn't read these boards, so I wanted to give him an idea how early he ought to plan on getting there. Thanks.
What's the current FoP RD strategy?
- Thread starter whiporee
- Start date
hakepb
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2008
Looks like you still want to rope drop an hour early
https://www.disboards.com/threads/fop-rope-drop.3663150/
https://www.disboards.com/threads/fop-rope-drop.3663150/
Babe the Blue Ox
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2007
If they are interested in an alternate strategy, the line for FoP is much shorter in the evening than in the morning. There have been several reports of less than 30 minute waits close to park close. This may be a more efficient use of time that waiting an hour or more before the park opens. Just keep in mind that posted wait times are intentionally exaggerated in the evening to discourage late riders.
rickybobby
Please bring back Tapestry of Nations
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2009
When we went in December, we got to park at 9 am, went straight to FOP, and waited 4 hours. It never got longer than that the rest of the day, so not such a good idea to do that.
Ensusieasm
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2013
You want to arrive about an hour and 15 minutes before scheduled opening.
They will open the tapstiles about 45 minutes early. They will hold everyone back at the bridge to Pandora. Then a half hour before park opening they will let the line move to the ride. I did this three times on three different mornings a couple weeks ago. On a 9 am opening I got off the ride at 9. On an 8am opening I got off the ride at 8:10. When I got off the ride the wait had grown to three hours.
They will open the tapstiles about 45 minutes early. They will hold everyone back at the bridge to Pandora. Then a half hour before park opening they will let the line move to the ride. I did this three times on three different mornings a couple weeks ago. On a 9 am opening I got off the ride at 9. On an 8am opening I got off the ride at 8:10. When I got off the ride the wait had grown to three hours.
Haley R
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2017
Did you show up before the park opened or right at 9 when it opened?
rickybobby
Please bring back Tapestry of Nations
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2009
Right at 9:00.
chloelovesdisney
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2007
Get there at the crack of dawn, run as fast as you can.
Haley R
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2017
Yeah that’s why you waited so long. I think for your best chance you want to be there at least an hour early if not earlier.
sjmac42
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2017
I will be using this RD strategy for my trip later in the year, probably for Slinky Dog as well, but something just occurred to me. If you arrive an hour and 15 or 30 before park opening and get on the ride at park opening or just after, that’s still a 75 to 90 minute wait.
Still better than 3-4 hours I guess plus you have the rest of the day in the park.
All the best.
Still better than 3-4 hours I guess plus you have the rest of the day in the park.
All the best.
FigmentBob
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2018
Just back from our 2/7 to 2/13 stay.
We got to AK on a EMH morning just as AK opened and walked (didn't run) to FOP, like 95% of everyone else there. The line was VERY LONG but it never stopped moving and I doubt we spent 45 minutes in line. The que is so beautiful and detailed that we almost wished the line would have stopped moving a few times to take more pics and leisurely look around from all the different angles the que gives you.
I hope our "strategy" works for someone else. Have fun - don't stress - and good luck!
We got to AK on a EMH morning just as AK opened and walked (didn't run) to FOP, like 95% of everyone else there. The line was VERY LONG but it never stopped moving and I doubt we spent 45 minutes in line. The que is so beautiful and detailed that we almost wished the line would have stopped moving a few times to take more pics and leisurely look around from all the different angles the que gives you.
I hope our "strategy" works for someone else. Have fun - don't stress - and good luck!
Here's my follow up -- my brother and his kids go there at 8 for a 9am opening. They started letting people on the ride about 8:40, and he was off the ride by 9:10. Thanks to everyone whpo said an hour early -- it made me look smart to my brother, and that doesn't happen often 
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