FOP late FP or rope drop?

[M SH]

Hi all,

I was able to score some FPs for FOP 18 days before we visit AK in mid August.
We were planning to rope drop FOP by arriving 90 mins early to park open, but saw the FPs available as I was stalking the Disney app.
The times for the FPs is 6:35 pm so that means we cannot grab more FPs during the day in the park. We have safari and rapids fps, so we would have to do standby for mostly everything else.

Do you guys think it will be fine as long as FOP is covered, or should we do rope drop for FOP and use FPs on other rides?
I will keep checking the app to see if we can move the fps to earlier in the day, but it’s unlikely I guess to get lucky more than once..

 

[DCLPrincess]

I'd keep the FP. I think you'd spend more time waiting for FoP than any other ride even at rope drop.

 

[rentayenta]

I’d keep it and try to change to an earlier time.

 

[slpeters]

I think it will be absolutely fine as long as FOP is covered. It's astonishing how many people that freakin' ride (and line) absorbs. We were there for a 9 day and for the first few hours hardly even saw people once we left the Pandora area (we rope dropped Na'avi--walkon). We also rope-dropped on a 10 day and again pretty much everything was under a 5 minute wait for hours (we had 2 FOP FPs earlier in the trip so didn't even go to Pandora that day). Frankly the whole FOP thing imho makes AK the best park to do on a crowded day and the most productive park for RD or EMH--as long as you aren't lining up for FOP.

 

[Mome Rath]

Honestly, either way is perfectly fine as long as you are at rope drop. Our experience with a 8 am EMH at AK was this; bus didn't pick us up until 7 at Pop (that was the earliest bus), we walked right into AK and walked right to Pandora where we were held til closer to park open. We were led back to FoP; line looked long, but that is because they are filtering people through the FP return line, not the main stand by line. We got on the ride, off the ride, straight to NRJ, posted 30 min wait, waited 10 min. So, both rides in Pandora done at just after 9 am.

But, as everyone has said, if you keep your FP's for later at night, you can practically have the park to yourself at ropedrop while everyone is tied up in Pandora for at least an hour. However, if it is an EMH morning and you aren't a guest on property, the crowd disperses into the park earlier and could block you because they've already been there an hour and are now done with Pandora, though the crowd elsewhere doesn't build that fast from what I observed.

 

[M SH]

thanks for all the replies.
I guess i will keep the FP and try to move it earlier if i get lucky.
A good strategy I gather is to do NRJ at park open, although seems like arriving 15-30 mins before open should be OK for that?
then go to Dino land, everest, etc.

 

[Mome Rath]

A good strategy I gather is to do NRJ at park open, although seems like arriving 15-30 mins before open should be OK for that?

Yes, the mass of people will head toward FoP in the morning, and the smaller group to NRJ. They have been opening Pandora a bit earlier then the rest of the park, so I'd be there at least 20 min early to the park. You'll still need time to go through security, the gate, and to head toward Pandora.

 

[KenHutch]

I managed a fast pass for FoP on our June trip and it was later in the day. We still rope dropped AK but as the mass ran to Pandora we went in the opposite direction. Managed EE,KRR and KS as almost walkons or as little as a 5 minute wait in the first 90 minutes or so. Doing that let my daughter rearrange our fast passes for the day to other rides and made the whole park easier.

 

[lynzi2004]

I would keep the FP and rope drop it! It’s THAT good! Lol

 

[modelar7]

If you are staying on property then you can get into ak at 800am on Saturday and Monday before anyone else. If you are not staying on property you need to be at gate by 800am. They will let you in early I say 830 or 40 BUT they will only let you in up to entrance to avatar park. They will walk you to the ride and you will get into que. there is no mad dash to the ride. I did this a few days ago. I got on fop pretty quick and then I walked over to ks with little wait. then I went to breakfast at Tuskers. But i was able to do anything and this was before 11am i hope this helps.

 

[Redd1989]

Does the FOP rope drop surge calm down after say 10:30 AM?

 

[Mome Rath]

Does the FOP rope drop surge calm down after say 10:30 AM?

Depends on what you mean; the "surge" does, the line doesn't. There's a mob lined up to get into Pandora in the morning, and then the line for the ride just builds from there. The only 2 times the line is more manageable is rope-drop and sometimes right before park close.

 

[gharter]

I would still RD and try and ride early. Keep trying to modify your FoP FP throughout the day. You may be able to change it. I would keep it. FoP is amazing and worth doing 2 or more times.

 

[nutshell]

thanks for all the replies.
I guess i will keep the FP and try to move it earlier if i get lucky.
A good strategy I gather is to do NRJ at park open, although seems like arriving 15-30 mins before open should be OK for that?
then go to Dino land, everest, etc.

That’s what we did this morning and it was perfect.

 

[ZoZo]

Don't forget that expedition Everest has a single rider line! You can save tons of time using that. I went three times in half an hour that way. Never waited more than three or four minutes.

 

[M SH]

well guess what? i got lucky again
some slots for FOP FPs opened up at 2:35pm and i was able to grab them.
This is two weeks before park day!