60 Days Out Today - Earliest FP for FOP

[rg35]

Makes sense. Thanks for the suggestions. This FP+ reservation stuff has me so confused. I'm one of those people who would love it if they could go back to the old system in which you physically go to the ride and get a FP out of the machine. It's difficult to predict where I am going to be in the park at any given time - 60 days in advance.

Yeah, I hear you. Having to plan so far in advance - 180 day ADRs, 60 day FP+ etc, can sometimes be annoying. This year was our 5th trip in a row, so it has become a bit second nature for me, but for people who are going in blind the first time and stuff, I can see it being totally overwhelming.

 

[Gophers]

Update on our FP for FOP. Checked early this morning and there was a FP for FOP at 9:25 so I switched with our NR FP and now will rope drop NR instead. Keep checking for FOP because you never know if one will show up.

 

[Micca]

it was posted as a 20 minute wait but I think it was more like 15 minutes

I've read comments in a couple of places where NRJ standby times are pretty reasonable. In fact you might find that midday isn't bad at all---either prior to or after FOP.

 

[Alpineslide]

If your going on an EMH morning ride FOP at rope drop, then go over to Navi River Journey. You might have a thirty minute wait for Navi, but you can still get on both rides in under an hour. After that eat breakfast at the Satu'li Canteen.
Fop is awesome so ride it again later with a fast pass, your likely going to want to ride it again anyway.

My family and I did this on Memorial Day, that was opening weekend of Pandora. Not only that but we went into Windtraders and bought two banshees between the rides and still did everything in about an hour.

 

[rasadkowski]

If your going on an EMH morning ride FOP at rope drop, then go over to Navi River Journey. You might have a thirty minutes note wait for Navi, but you can still get on both rides in under an hour. After that eat breakfast at the Satu'li Canteen.
Fop is an awesome so ride it again later with a fast pass, your likely going to want to ride it again anyway.

My family and I did this on Memorial Day, that was opening weekend of Pandora. Not only that but we went into Windtraders and bought two banshees between the rides and still did everything in about an hour.

This Sounds great, and it's what I'm planning for our dec trip!! Just hoping I can get an afternoon fop fp for the emh morning day

 

[JZCubed]

Wor

My 60 day window is today. I logged in to MDE and was ready to go at 7 eastern. The earliest FP I could get for FOP was 2:45. I took it, but it stinks because it knocked me out of the running for Navi for most of the day. TP predicts crowd level at a 3, so hopefully we can do standby for Navi without a ridiculous wait. Ridiculous meaning longer than 30 minutes. (September is too hot for that. )

Work backwards from the FOP FP+ that you have.

You can have a FP+ for another attraction at 1:45pm. And one before that at 12:45pm.

You should be able to ride Navi between 9am and 12:45pm with a fairly short wait.

Besides, I didn't think you can have both FOP & Navi FP+ for the same day anyway.

Maybe this helps you understand what to expect:
http://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/animal-kingdom-pandora-rope-drop-with-9am-open-72517/

 

[DisMommyTX]

We are coming for a long weekend in Sept.--mostly F&W but I was hoping to hop over to AK for Pandora as well. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any FP for FOP during our next stay, even at 7am on 60+2 days.

 

[roopster]

Totally random hint to drop in here, but it may help some people. I'm traveling with my wife and 3 kids (9, 7, and 4). 4 year old is not tall enough to ride FoP. So when we booked FPs, I booked FP for 3 of us on FoP, and 2 on Na'vi River Journey at the same time. We'll get a Rider Switch at each ride (yes, Na'vi River Journey has Rider Switch). Once the 3 of us go through on FoP, my two older kids can go through a 2nd time with the other parent. Then we head over to Na'vi River. The two of us booked with FP go through, and once they're done the other two kids can go through with the other parent using the Rider Switch FP. probably the only way to do both rides in a day without a serious wait or getting there super early at RD. Hope it helps!!!!

Hi - thanks for the interesting strategy! Does this definitely work? I thought Rider switch only lets the adult on who had to stay holding the small child? I didn't think it would let the bigger kids who have already used their fast passes go back on for a second ride without queuing? Or have I got that wrong?

 

[Danimal]

Hi - thanks for the interesting strategy! Does this definitely work? I thought Rider switch only lets the adult on who had to stay holding the small child? I didn't think it would let the bigger kids who have already used their fast passes go back on for a second ride without queuing? Or have I got that wrong?

They don't keep track of who is going on the ride. Used Rider Switch a ton when we went two years ago and our youngest was 2. As a Rider Switch is good for 3 people, my 2 older kids would literally walk off a ride with one parent, and then turn right around and ride it again with the other. Not breaking any rules here. Just using the system the way it was designed. I assume Disney doesn't think the ride would be as fun for the other adult if they had to experience it alone

 

[roopster]

They don't keep track of who is going on the ride. Used Rider Switch a ton when we went two years ago and our youngest was 2. As a Rider Switch is good for 3 people, my 2 older kids would literally walk off a ride with one parent, and then turn right around and ride it again with the other. Not breaking any rules here. Just using the system the way it was designed. I assume Disney doesn't think the ride would be as fun for the other adult if they had to experience it alone

Great thanks! Why does Navi River have a rider switch since it has no restrictions? I have a 4 year old as well - do you think thy wouldn't like the ride (or I guess they won't enjoy it as much as the older kids!)

 

[ElenaJane]

Add me to the group who couldn't get a FP at all for FOP. I logged on right at 7am at my 60-day mark and went to our 4th (farthest out) day. I have been checking about 3 times a day and so far, nada. It has been kind of fun checking though. If I finally get it, there will definitely be a celebratory dance...

 

[Danimal]

Great thanks! Why does Navi River have a rider switch since it has no restrictions? I have a 4 year old as well - do you think thy wouldn't like the ride (or I guess they won't enjoy it as much as the older kids!)

Hmmmm. Hold on a second Touring Plans lists Na'vi River as having Rider Switch and it WAS listed on the Disney website, but while it still shows on Touring Plans, I don't see it on the Disney website at the moment. Anyone that has been on the ride that could clarify would be appreciated

 

[gillep]

We were able to snag a FP for 2 at FOP this morning for Oct 1, it is the 4th, and last, day of our trip, and we only had one option of times, but we will make it work! There were no other times available for any of the first 3 days of our trip. Good luck!

 

[emilymad]

This thread is making me scared about our short December trip. We are coming mid week so I am thinking that people with traditional Saturday-Saturday trips will have gotten all of the FP+ by the time we can book.

 

[KittyKitty]

This thread is making me scared about our short December trip. We are coming mid week so I am thinking that people with traditional Saturday-Saturday trips will have gotten all of the FP+ by the time we can book.

You might be right, so plan on getting to the park at before rope drop for standby. Have a great trip!

 

[dmancuso]

At our 60 day window at 7am, can we use more than one computer to get Fastpasses with the same MDE account?

 

[kandb]

@DeterminedOne do you mind me asking what day of your trip you were able to get your fop fp for? hoping to get ours for day 3 for 6 people. We do not have park hoppers
We'll be booking 60 days out for our trip in dec

I was unable to get FOP for the 3rd day of our trip which is the last week in August (slow time). Had to move our AK day to the 8th day of our trip.

 

[gwmort]

We were there last week. I would not plan on rope drop getting you on FOP in a reasonable time, unless you are very aggressive in the stampede.

We did rope drop at Epcot and it was pretty civil, 1/2 crowd headed for soarin, 1/2 headed for test track, paths are wide and easy to navigate, etc...

Everyone at AK was heading to FOP and the path is narrower than any in Epcot. We refused to run and the line was literally out to Discovery island by the time we climbed the entry path. Apparently a lot of people use early morning ADR's to get there ahead of rope drop (or at least ahead of the rope drop crowd).

We rode FOP standby that evening during the extra EMH and the wait was still 2 hours. The queue was amazingly well themed and impressive to look at but I wouldn't do it again without fast pass.

River journey would be much easier to rope drop, but its no where near as good of a ride.

edit: should clarify, we got there at 8:30 and by the time we went through security and got to discovery island it was right at 9:00, I am now reading that is actually about a half hour after rope drop into pandora now but we didn't know that. Still the line gets ridiculously long very fast.

 

[bizeemom4]

We were there last week. I would not plan on rope drop getting you on FOP in a reasonable time, unless you are very aggressive in the stampede.

We did rope drop at Epcot and it was pretty civil, 1/2 crowd headed for soarin, 1/2 headed for test track, paths are wide and easy to navigate, etc...

Everyone at AK was heading to FOP and the path is narrower than any in Epcot. We refused to run and the line was literally out to Discovery island by the time we climbed the entry path. Apparently a lot of people use early morning ADR's to get there ahead of rope drop (or at least ahead of the rope drop crowd).

We rode FOP standby that evening during the extra EMH and the wait was still 2 hours. The queue was amazingly well themed and impressive to look at but I wouldn't do it again without fast pass.

River journey would be much easier to rope drop, but its no where near as good of a ride.

edit: should clarify, we got there at 8:30 and by the time we went through security and got to discovery island it was right at 9:00, I am now reading that is actually about a half hour after rope drop into pandora now but we didn't know that. Still the line gets ridiculously long very fast.

Glad that you realized that you were late. Like an hour and a half late from running at the front of the pack. But those that show up at 7 (myself included) are still waiting 2 hours to ride it. We are just doing our time before park opening instead of during.