RD for FOP & SDD

[Jrits]

I was reading that people don't really stay in line when walking to these rides at RD and that even in line people might jump in. So for each, is there a best way to do this? I will be at each park over an hour early but wondering once we start moving towards the ride, stay towards the front middle, front left, front right etc. Thanks!

 

[jsmla]

I prefer to be at the front PPO because I hate waiting in the crush. If people push ahead once we start walking to the attraction (and they will) then they push ahead. It's not worth getting upset about. I've only done FoP though, no idea about Slinky Dog.

Waiting for Flight of Passage at rope drop, August 2017

 

[gap2368]

I was reading that people don't really stay in line when walking to these rides at RD and that even in line people might jump in. So for each, is there a best way to do this? I will be at each park over an hour early but wondering once we start moving towards the ride, stay towards the front middle, front left, front right etc. Thanks!

For where to stand for FOP pandora is on the left when youn are at the tree and then when you get into pandora it will be on your right

SDD the entrance to toy story land is just before the old TSM and SDD is on your right when you are in TSL.

 

[BrianL]

If you are toward the front of the gates when they let everyone in, just walk briskly but calmly with the group. Some people may pass you, but you should still arrive toward the front of the pack and not have a very long wait time. For FOP they hold at the bridge to Pandora and everyone squeezes in there. There really is no need to run, though some people will.

 

[sscamarogirl2000]

We just did FOP 3 weeks ago. We got there at 8:10 and they let people start scanning their bands at 8:20. We were in one of the middle shorter lines. The lines on the sides tend to be longer. We scanned our bands and started walking with the heard toward Pandora. Some people passed us but it was ok. At this point my husband was like"why are all these people going the same direction we are? Why are people going so fast? What have you got us into?" Lol. I told him to just keep walking. They never stopped us on the bridge we just walked straight to get in line which was out of the queue, around the corner, and down the side walk. When we got up to the queue it said 60 minute wait. However, we never stopped moving until we got right before you go into your instruction rooms. We got off the ride at 9:03. Overall, even though it was a lot of people going that direction it was pretty orderly. It was also really quiet. I think people who get there that early wait a little bit to get their coffee and get rowdy. Lol.

 

[goofyintoronto]

We just did FOP 3 weeks ago. We got there at 8:10 and they let people start scanning their bands at 8:20. We were in one of the middle shorter lines. The lines on the sides tend to be longer. We scanned our bands and started walking with the heard toward Pandora. Some people passed us but it was ok. At this point my husband was like"why are all these people going the same direction we are? Why are people going so fast? What have you got us into?" Lol. I told him to just keep walking. They never stopped us on the bridge we just walked straight to get in line which was out of the queue, around the corner, and down the side walk. When we got up to the queue it said 60 minute wait. However, we never stopped moving until we got right before you go into your instruction rooms. We got off the ride at 9:03. Overall, even though it was a lot of people going that direction it was pretty orderly. It was also really quiet. I think people who get there that early wait a little bit to get their coffee and get rowdy. Lol.

Thats funny. Your poor husband.

 

[lacy1101]

I was able to score a FOP FP+ so won't be rope dropping that attraction, but do plan on rope dropping Na'vi River Journey. I'm assuming we will be in with the herd headed to FOP at first, but at what point will we break off toward Na'vi?

 

[BrianL]

I was able to score a FOP FP+ so won't be rope dropping that attraction, but do plan on rope dropping Na'vi River Journey. I'm assuming we will be in with the herd headed to FOP at first, but at what point will we break off toward Na'vi?

Once you enter Pandora (after the bridge) stay to the left and break off while everyone else will go around the curve to the right for FOP.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

I prefer to be at the front PPO because I hate waiting in the crush. If people push ahead once we start walking to the attraction (and they will) then they push ahead. It's not worth getting upset about. I've only done FoP though, no idea about Slinky Dog.

Waiting for Flight of Passage at rope drop, August 2017

View attachment 358940

I was at FOP back Aug 2017, it was insanity for RD. It's calmed down quite a bit, still everyone is headed to Pandora at RD in AK but it's not a 4 hour wait anymore.

I was reading that people don't really stay in line when walking to these rides at RD and that even in line people might jump in. So for each, is there a best way to do this? I will be at each park over an hour early but wondering once we start moving towards the ride, stay towards the front middle, front left, front right etc. Thanks!

Depending on anticipated crowds when you're there, you should expect everyone RDing will head to Pandora. We've experienced 20 min-45 min wait at RD. I have not been on SD yet but I'll be there next month and we didn't get a FP+ so we will be RDing DHS. Good luck!

 

[NH-to-FL]

Waiting for Flight of Passage at rope drop, August 2017

I think I was in that crowd!!

I was reading that people don't really stay in line when walking to these rides at RD and that even in line people might jump in. So for each, is there a best way to do this? I will be at each park over an hour early but wondering once we start moving towards the ride, stay towards the front middle, front left, front right etc. Thanks!

I made a solo quick trip in early August '17 and did one day at AK. I was at the park waiting, without bag, at Security by 7:30am. I ended up in the second row of the crowd waiting at the rope to Pandora. When they dropped the rope the CMs took off at a brisk pace and there was a bit of jostling as we were walked into Pandora and FoP. I did pretty well keeping up with the crowd and ended up being the single rider that filled up the first flight of the day.

When I rope dropped AK again this summer the CM's walked a bit slower towards FoP and there was less jostling. Though there will always be people who feel entitled to try to push their way forward.

I suggest you stay on the right side of the crowd waiting at the rope into Pandora as the path to FoP veers off to the right after entering Pandora. Once into Pandora the paths narrow a bit and that lowers the jostling.

I also might suggest being 90 minutes early to be at or near the front of the crowd.

Recently they have been opening Pandora early. This August I was walking out of FoP by 8:57am.

 

[ClapYourHands]

I haven't been to DHS since before there was any Toy Story. Where should I aim to be when going through turnstiles if I'm heading to SDD?

 

[Keckster]

We rope dropped FoP on Friday (10/12). We were at the Park by 7:30 on a 9:00 AM open (no magic hour) and probably in the first 150-200 people through security and waiting at the gate. My wife is a slow walker so we were prepared for people to go by us. Some people run, others walked fast. We trudged along and I would say by the time we got to waiting point #2 (the bridge to Pandora) there was probably another 150 that got ahead of us, so we are now about 300-350 people back from the front. From that point on, it was generally orderly as CMs kept things under control. Yes, there was a line, but it was constantly moving. We were in and done with ride by 9:15. We immediately went to Na'vi River (even though we had late morning FP+ for it) and we were done with NR by 9:40. We then ate some breakfast and went to our 1st official FP+ for Safari at 10AM. This video from Touring Plans is a pretty accurate experience. We were a little closer to the gate than he was at the open, but he was by himself (not keeping track of two kids in the crowd), a fairly fast walker and ultimately a single rider.

 

[Jrits]

Are the crowds a bit lighter for RD for emh for FOP & SDD?

 

[davkata]

Are the crowds a bit lighter for RD for emh for FOP & SDD?

I am wondering the same?

 

[Mark Hammond]

Are the crowds a bit lighter for RD for emh for FOP & SDD?

I am wondering the same?

I was hoping that they would be, but our upcoming trip in late May/early June is only our second visit (our first being in 2016), so was hoping that someone else would give some insight to this. With my FastPass window opening up in less than two weeks, I’m starting to get a bit nervous. I’ve probably put more time into planning our days than the actual length of the days themselves! lol

 

[NavyDad]

I was hoping that they would be, but our upcoming trip in late May/early June is only our second visit (our first being in 2016), so was hoping that someone else would give some insight to this. With my FastPass window opening up in less than two weeks, I’m starting to get a bit nervous. I’ve probably put more time into planning our days than the actual length of the days themselves! lol

We have rope dropped FOP probably a dozen times since it opened over 3 separate trips. In our experience the morning EMH have been much busier at AK than normal park open days. The regular park open days have been much less crowded than EMH mornings. If your goal is to RD FOP then I highly recommend arriving to AK 1 hour prior opening time on a regular day with no morning or evening EMH. When you get held at the bridge stay middle-right and you should be able to queue and ride and be off the ride in within just a few minutes after park open. The river ride should still be 30 minutes or under. Any higher than 30 minutes and I would skip it.

If you head right to safari and then to Everest you will have short waits for both and have hit all the headliners by 90 minutes after park open. You should see substantially lower crowds than EMH days and be way ahead of any crowds that are present. We like to ride Everest again a few times after dark and then head to Pandora to jump in line at FOP 5 minutes before park closing time.

 

[gharter]

Maybe it has changed. Last fall when we did RD for SDD, CMs walked the mass of people to TSL and to SDD. You could not run ahead of the CMs.
Similar at Pandora. They held you at the entrance to Pandora and CMs walked you to FoP.

 

[b5sgqueen]

I did a SDD RD during EMH and it was scary.
EMG started at 8a,. I was at tapstiles by 7:04 and into the park before that.
Incredibly crowded and I kept getting pushed further back in the crowd. I was trying to be polite. I went from being in the second row back to just further and further back.
I would not recommend it with small children. it was absolutely awful.

I got off SDD by I think around 9:05am(they started early), got directly onto A2S and then walked to TSMM where I waited for over 25 minutes.

When I exited TSL(at 8:40, I took a pic), the line for SDD was back to the Little Mermaid Theater. I don't even remember what the sign's wait said.

 

[Mark Hammond]

We have rope dropped FOP probably a dozen times since it opened over 3 separate trips. In our experience the morning EMH have been much busier at AK than normal park open days. The regular park open days have been much less crowded than EMH mornings. If your goal is to RD FOP then I highly recommend arriving to AK 1 hour prior opening time on a regular day with no morning or evening EMH. When you get held at the bridge stay middle-right and you should be able to queue and ride and be off the ride in within just a few minutes after park open. The river ride should still be 30 minutes or under. Any higher than 30 minutes and I would skip it.

If you head right to safari and then to Everest you will have short waits for both and have hit all the headliners by 90 minutes after park open. You should see substantially lower crowds than EMH days and be way ahead of any crowds that are present. We like to ride Everest again a few times after dark and then head to Pandora to jump in line at FOP 5 minutes before park closing time.

Thanks a lot for the info. Not what I was wanting to hear regarding such an increase in crowds on EMH mornings though! Will be even worse than normal for us though as it’s the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend that we’re first visiting, and our second visit is on the Saturday afterwards.
I’m in two minds as whether to swap our park days around now, but it’s gonna be a nightmare with the ADR’s that we’ve had booked for months.
I was actually hoping to get FP’s for FoP on both days (60+2 & 60+9), and RD Navi only on the first visit, before going onto Everest. We’ve got children of 6 & 8, so getting there 60/90 minutes early is a non-starter. Was planning on getting to the gates about half an hour before EMH started and hopefully being able to get on Navi without too much of a wait, and then arrive at Everest still relatively early into the EMH...
By the way, what’s the procedure for the non-Pandora attractions opening? Do you get walked to those as well, and if so, what time in relation to the posted park opening hours? Would be really grateful if someone would help me out on this as well.
TIA.

 

[stoudty]

Thanks a lot for the info. Not what I was wanting to hear regarding such an increase in crowds on EMH mornings though! Will be even worse than normal for us though as it’s the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend that we’re first visiting, and our second visit is on the Saturday afterwards.
I’m in two minds as whether to swap our park days around now, but it’s gonna be a nightmare with the ADR’s that we’ve had booked for months.
I was actually hoping to get FP’s for FoP on both days (60+2 & 60+9), and RD Navi only on the first visit, before going onto Everest. We’ve got children of 6 & 8, so getting there 60/90 minutes early is a non-starter. Was planning on getting to the gates about half an hour before EMH started and hopefully being able to get on Navi without too much of a wait, and then arrive at Everest still relatively early into the EMH...
By the way, what’s the procedure for the non-Pandora attractions opening? Do you get walked to those as well, and if so, what time in relation to the posted park opening hours? Would be really grateful if someone would help me out on this as well.
TIA.

They will hold you at the gate in Africa until the park opens and in Discovery Island if heading to Asia. Once the rope drops, they generally escort you (normal speed walking) to safari and EVerest.