Who's been to Pandora? Morning or afternoon?

Zipadeelady

Well-Known Member
We will be going to AK for one day in September. For anyone that has been there, if we arrive at opening, should be go right to Pandora or head elsewhere in the park and then go to Pandora later in the afternoon once the masses have dispersed? Assuming we will have FP+ for one of the rides for whenever we decide to go there.
 

brifraz

Marching along...
Premium Member
We have been there twice in the past week (and going again tomorrow). The lines are bad pretty much from open to close.

The line for Flight of Passage has been going up over an hour within about 30 minutes of park opening. We were at rope drop for morning EMH a couple days ago and immediately went to Flight. We waited about 5 minutes, but by the time we were out of the ride (8:20am on a 9am regular opening day), the line was over an hour. It stayed at an hour and a half pretty consistently all day and evening. We were in Pandora right before the 9:15pm Rivers of Light and the wait was close to 2 hours at that time. So...make that one your FP+ if you can get it.

The Na'vi River Journey is not quite so bad. It stayed at about 30 minutes wait from EMH opening through regular opening. It went up around an hour just after regular opening and stayed between 40 minutes and an hour all day. It was still an hour when we went to Rivers of Light.

The other day we were in AK, we were there to do the evening activities. Pandora looks amazing at night, but if you haven't been during the day it can be a little tough to figure out your way around. We were there during evening EMH (and then the Pandora extra late extra EMH) and the lines for both were still over an hour the whole time.

So, I'd recommend getting to AK before rope drop and going to Pandora right away and try to do Flight and the River Journey back to back. Then just walk around a bit to get a feel for the place. Have evening FP+ for Flight (I think you will want to do it twice...it's like Soarin' on massive steroids) and go back through Pandora after dark for the amazing visuals.
 
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correcaminos

Well-Known Member
Hmmm, not a bad idea. Thanks.
We wound up going back one evening just to do it from late evening to dusk.

I will say that Na'vi might be worth a quick walk on to leave and return later while getting all the other rides done. It's a cute ride but I wouldn't wait too long for it, but really the park is worth seeing both at night and day. They are two different worlds almost.
 
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StarshipDisney

Well-Known Member
I get the feeling that rope drop and having a FP may be the best ways to ride FOP for some time to come. I always walk away from any line over 1-hour as I just don't feel it is worth the aggravation.

I am planning our next trip such that we hit Animal Kingdom for a few hours on both days of arrival and departure. Combine that with a day at the park and I can have at least 3 advance FPs in place for FOP.
 
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ajrwdwgirl

Premium Member
We just got back a couple weeks ago. If you think you will like an attraction like Flights of Passage (even if you have a fp for it later) you should rope drop that. We did during EMH and we just kept moving through the line until they divide you into boarding lines, and we were off the ride in under 20 minutes. When we got off the line was probably about an hour wait. So then after you do FOP and if you have a fast pass for FOP later go to the river journey. If your later fast pass is for the river journey, then move on either explore the land a little or save that for when you come back for a fastpass. It is nice to see the regular queue, but not work hours of your time. The fast pass line has very little extras to see.

When we got done with FOP at extra magic morning, we went over to Everest and rode it 3 times in a row with no waiting before the park opened to regular day guests.

If you are doing AK all day, I would suggest at least walking through the land at night. It is beautiful and mesmerizing. But outside of early morning/rope drop we never saw either line under 90 minutes. One night we went over specifically to do FOP we had checked the wait time on the bus over and the wait was 90 minutes by the time we got there the time had jumped to 150.
 
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fractal

Well-Known Member
We have been there twice in the past week (and going again tomorrow). The lines are bad pretty much from open to close.

The line for Flight of Passage has been going up over an hour within about 30 minutes of park opening. We were at rope drop for morning EMH a couple days ago and immediately went to Flight. We waited about 5 minutes, but by the time we were out of the ride (8:20am on a 9am regular opening day), the line was over an hour. It stayed at an hour and a half pretty consistently all day and evening. We were in Pandora right before the 9:15pm Rivers of Light and the wait was close to 2 hours at that time. So...make that one your FP+ if you can get it.

The Na'vi River Journey is not quite so bad. It stayed at about 30 minutes wait from EMH opening through regular opening. It went up around an hour just after regular opening and stayed between 40 minutes and an hour all day. It was still an hour when we went to Rivers of Light.

The other day we were in AK, we were there to do the evening activities. Pandora looks amazing at night, but if you haven't been during the day it can be a little tough to figure out your way around. We were there during evening EMH (and then the Pandora extra late extra EMH) and the lines for both were still over an hour the whole time.

So, I'd recommend getting to AK before rope drop and going to Pandora right away and try to do Flight and the River Journey back to back. Then just walk around a bit to get a feel for the place. Have evening FP+ for Flight (I think you will want to do it twice...it's like Soarin' on massive steroids) and go back through Pandora after dark for the amazing visuals.

thanks for the confirmation. this was the my plan exactly.
 
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LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
Ride in the morning, as early as possible. Go back in the evening to see Pandora at night...and to ride the nighttime safari.

Edited for spelling...stupid autocorrect
 
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brifraz

Marching along...
Premium Member
Today was even worse in Pandora. No EMH, but they let people into Pandora early. At 9am, the line for Flight was at an hour. At 11:30am, Flight was up to 3 hours and River was at almost 2 hours. Almost 2pm and Flight is down to 2 hours with River at 1 hour.
 
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Zipadeelady

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thanks everyone for the input!

A little side note. We are only spending 1 day at the parks so when I book my FP+ i won't have that 10 day window to work with and from what I'm hearing FOP FP+ isn't easy to get. So I'm worried I won't be able to get one, but since there are only 2 of us this gives me hope. Only 5 days until I get to book FP+!

Also J doesn't want to be rushed (actually neither do I), so for once i wanted to go slow and enjoy the Oasis rather than run through it. We will head to Pandora first like everyone suggested but with our strolling rather than hustling we may be waiting for our first ride. I'll let you all know how my FP selection goes.
 
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Tuvalu

Premium Member
Thanks everyone for the input!

A little side note. We are only spending 1 day at the parks so when I book my FP+ i won't have that 10 day window to work with and from what I'm hearing FOP FP+ isn't easy to get. So I'm worried I won't be able to get one, but since there are only 2 of us this gives me hope. Only 5 days until I get to book FP+!

Also J doesn't want to be rushed (actually neither do I), so for once i wanted to go slow and enjoy the Oasis rather than run through it. We will head to Pandora first like everyone suggested but with our strolling rather than hustling we may be waiting for our first ride. I'll let you all know how my FP selection goes.
Just so you know, only people with a stay of 10 nights have a 10 day window to book FPs (assuming they have tickets). Guests with a three night stay would only have 3 days past their check in day to book FPs. I don't know which day in your trip you plan to go to AK, but you can make your FPs on any day you wish when your 60 days until check in arrives (you don't need to wait until 60 days from the day you want to visit AK.) Your chance of getting a FoP FP may be greater than you think.
 
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LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
Just so you know, only people with a stay of 10 nights have a 10 day window to book FPs (assuming they have tickets). Guests with a three night stay would only have 3 days past their check in day to book FPs. I don't know which day in your trip you plan to go to AK, but you can make your FPs on any day you wish when your 60 days until check in arrives (you don't need to wait until 60 days from the day you want to visit AK.) Your chance of getting a FoP FP may be greater than you think.

I was able to get a FP+ for FoP when my 60 day window opened. Granted, it was in the afternoon, but I got one. And another one for the next morning.
 
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Zipadeelady

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
@Tuvalu your absolutely right! I didn't even think of my check in day, which is 4 days before my AK day!! I'm so happy you go so often to help us all out!! Now I feel even much better. Thanks for making my day a little more magical. :joyfull:

@LAKid53 this also gives me hope!! Thanks!! I actually don't care if it's morning or afternoon. We'll plan our park tour depending on the FOP FP I'm sure. Then I'll try to decide if we should take a right or left at the Tree? :cautious: At MK we always go left.
 
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LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
@Tuvalu your absolutely right! I didn't even think of my check in day, which is 4 days before my AK day!! I'm so happy you go so often to help us all out!! Now I feel even much better. Thanks for making my day a little more magical. :joyfull:

@LAKid53 this also gives me hope!! Thanks!! I actually don't care if it's morning or afternoon. We'll plan our park tour depending on the FOP FP I'm sure. Then I'll try to decide if we should take a right or left at the Tree? :cautious: At MK we always go left.

Based on what others have posted, due to the popularity of Pandora, the other popular rides - Safari, Kali and Everest - are almost walk ons.

Go left at the Tree...
 
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wendysue

Well-Known Member
We went to Pandora July 5. Hmmm....the river ride was very pretty, but not worth a long wait for. Couldn't get near the other ride. Overall, just walking around it didn't impress us much, considering the hype it has received. Not sure what I expected, but we will try it another time. Maybe at night.
 
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DfromATX

Well-Known Member
We just got back a couple weeks ago. If you think you will like an attraction like Flights of Passage (even if you have a fp for it later) you should rope drop that. We did during EMH and we just kept moving through the line until they divide you into boarding lines, and we were off the ride in under 20 minutes. When we got off the line was probably about an hour wait. So then after you do FOP and if you have a fast pass for FOP later go to the river journey. If your later fast pass is for the river journey, then move on either explore the land a little or save that for when you come back for a fastpass. It is nice to see the regular queue, but not work hours of your time. The fast pass line has very little extras to see.
I like that idea, but if you rope drop FOP, do you think the wait would be too long for the boat ride immediately after?
 
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MickeyCB

Well-Known Member
Hi, we went the week of June 11th. There was an EMH 7 am, we were at the gates (used uber) at 6:40 am. It was already a crazy scene by then. I did not have FoP fast passes so we walked at a very brisk pace at 7 am directly to FoP and after the initial fun of getting into the rope shoot, walked right on the ride. Sounds crazy, but to have been slowed down a little would actually have been ok as the queue itself was amazing and I would have like to see it a little better. All total, we were probably off the ride in 20 minutes. We went around to the entrance again to see if we could ride it again, and the line was already at 70 minutes.
We came back later, ate at the canteen, (which we all enjoyed) and then used our Navi RIver ride fast passes at noon.
 
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