Soarin' Expansion and new Soarin' Around the World film

[doctornick]

Once the expanded capacity Soarin' is open, I wouldn't be surprised to see them just get of the tiering entirely for Epcot. I assume they will have FP+ for the Anna & Elsa M&G separate from the FP+ for the Frozen Ever After ride.

 

[Horizons '83]

So how is January - June 2016 going to look as far as fast passes go for Epcot?
Something like this?

Group A
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth
Test Track
Living with the Land
Mission: SPACE Green
Mission: SPACE Orange

Group B
Video "Shorts" (EO replacement)
Journey Into Imagination With Figment
Spaceship Earth
The Seas with Nemo & Friends
Turtle Talk with Crush
Epcot Character Spot

 

[JoeCamel]

So how is January - June 2016 going to look as far as fast passes go for Epcot?
Something like this?

Group A
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth
Test Track
Living with the Land
Mission: SPACE Green
Mission: SPACE Orange

Group B
Captain EO
Journey Into Imagination With Figment
Spaceship Earth
The Seas with Nemo & Friends
Turtle Talk with Crush
Epcot Character Spot

Probably but you either need to change Captain EO to "Shorts" or remove it as it will not be there

 

[FerretAfros]

So how is January - June 2016 going to look as far as fast passes go for Epcot?
Something like this?

Group A
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth
Test Track
Living with the Land
Mission: SPACE Green
Mission: SPACE Orange

Group B
Captain EO
Journey Into Imagination With Figment
Spaceship Earth
The Seas with Nemo & Friends
Turtle Talk with Crush
Epcot Character Spot

January is within my booking window, and here's the current list (randomly selected for 1/17/15):

Tier 1:
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth
Living with the Land
Mission: SPACE
Soarin' [Closed for Refurbishment on Selected Day]
Test Track

Tier 2:
Captain EO [Closed for Refurbishment on Selected Day]
Journey Into Imagination with Figment
Meet Disney Pals at the Epcot Character Spot
Spaceship Earth
The Seas with Nemo & Friends
Turtle Talk with Crush

As a group of all adults, we really struggled to come up with 3 FPs, since most of the Tier 2's either don't appeal to us or are completely worthless for FP. I'm surprised they didn't completely eliminate the tiers while Soarin' is closed, since it's really only Test Track (and potentially Illuminaitons) that's exceedingly popular

I also find it interesting that Soarin' and EO are both listed but shown as closed for refurbishment, when both attractions will be "new" attractions when they reopen, yet Maelstrom is nowhere to be seen

 

[danlb_2000]

Permit has been filed for installation of the screen...

2006 Avenue of the Stars (Soarin') - Screen Installation - Project 87

 

[marni1971]

Most FPs are worthless at Epcot....

Another wonderful plus of MyMagic.

 

[rucifee]

All FPs are worthless at Epcot....

Another wonderful plus of MyMagic.

Fixed that for you. The new Soarin should be great, but even that may not be worth an FP+ just rope drop it.

 

[flynnibus]

Most FPs are worthless at Epcot....

Another wonderful plus of MyMagic.

They are great for showing up in the afternoon for rides and dinner. We actually had to skip TT this trip due to not getting a fp and not being willing to wait 50+mins

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Most FPs are worthless at Epcot....

Another wonderful plus of MyMagic.

All depends on what you are doing that day. If we want to go to MK in the morning, we can make our FP+ for Soarin' in the afternoon, and not have to worry that all the fast passes are gone by the time we get there - which would have happened in the past. We can stroll there at our leisure. Sorry, but we love FP+, and never used the older FP system, as it just didn't work for the way we tour the parks.

 

[marni1971]

Which is why I said most. With respect.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Which is why I said most. With respect.

 

[glvsav37]

When you add two more FP+ which would be Elsa & Anna and the Frozen ride- there is no way you will be able to see all the attractions without having a significant wait somewhere as long as they have tiers.

The major attractions become: Test track, Soarin, Frozen, Elsa/Anna M&G

If Tier 1 is Test Track, Soarin, and Frozen (as the only that will have waits)- and the Meet and Greet is Tier 2- you can only rope drop one, fastpass another- and then youre waiting in line for Soarin or Test-track. Whichever one you didn't Rope Drop. God Help us if Elsa and Anna are also Tier 1 and you were wanting to do that.

The only way to see all the major "attractions" (those 4 I listed) would be to eliminate tiers. As the father of 2 daughters still into Frozen (please be done soon)- I hope they do. Otherwise, we'll be skipping something. I don't do lines.

with the additional screen, what effect do you think it will have on the standby? I would think it should cut the wait substantially.

I'd think it'll still be more important to get the TT FP+ (because they have not added any capacity to that ride) or Frozen (b/c its new)

Not sure if this was stated, but was one of the screens going to be FP+ only, like they were considering for the new track for TSM?

 

[dstrawn9889]

there will be no change in wait times, just more people are going to go to the attraction, because it is 'new'

 

[ToTBellHop]

Which is why I said most. With respect.

Just wait til people are forced to choose 1FP between the new Soarin, the new Frozen Ever After, and the pretty-new Test Track. At least in exchange for being forced to wait 240 minutes for the two of those three they can't FP, people will get to skip right past Figment's 3-minute queue.

 

[dstrawn9889]

common misnomer... do not believe there are ANY dedicated theaters/tracks for FP+. that would be stupid. the queues will all merge and then the riders will be dispatched to whichever track/screen has openings, just like it is now.

 

[MichWolv]

Why?

Limits flexibility.

 

[MichWolv]

How? If this were Its a small world, I get it. But please tell me when Soarin or TSMM won't have a stand-by line of over 30 minutes or FP+ distribution isn't full the day of.
If either of those weren't the case, I'd agree with you- but demand is at max capacity on both stand-by (always a wait) and FP+ (never a distribution)

One example...one track/theater goes 101 for a short time. With separate lines, harder to shuffle people around.

 

[DisneyRoy]

One example...one track/theater goes 101 for a short time. With separate lines, harder to shuffle people around.

Or imagine if everyone that has fastpass+ for one hour but decides to not show up until 5 minutes before the hour is over. Does the track then sit empty for the other 55 minutes?

 

[Goofyernmost]

Or imagine if everyone that has fastpass+ for one hour but decides to not show up until 5 minutes before the hour is over. Does the track then sit empty for the other 55 minutes?

Wouldn't that only be a problem during the first hour of operation? Then the late people from the first hour would be in line the second hour. They used to be issued in 5 minute intervals, but, I'm not sure that is the way it still works. Probably does! Not a real problem. I still think that there aren't near as many FP's issued as people think there is. If 75% or above are FP then that line should be full all the time, but, that is hardly ever the case.

 

[glvsav37]

I don't think it will have any effect at all on Standby. I think it will allow more FP+ distribution, and standby will remain exactly the same.


You would need to Rope drop one, and FP+ the other- but that still leaves one of TT/Frozen/Soarin' that you won't be able to do first thing or FP+, resulting in you standing in a long line to experience it. The only way you experience all 3 without a significant wait somewhere, is if they eliminate tiers.


It will be just like TSMM. 2 screens/tracks will be dedicated for FP+ while the 3rd is for stand-by only. Keep in mind- the extra track on TSMM and extra screen on Soarin' was not to decrease the stand-by lines. It was done so they could increase the amount of FP+ distribution.
Say soarin with it's 2 screens can move 1500 people an hour. Lets account FP+ as 60% worth of ride distribution. This has us at 600 people stand-by and 900 people via FP+
Increase your 2 screens to 3 and you have 2250 people an hour. You would then increase your FP+ distribution to 66.6%, resulting in 750 stand-by and 1500 FP+. So yes, while there is a slight increase in stand-by (20%), the amount of FP+ will add 60% more capacity.
Unfortunately, that minor 20% stand-by increase will easily be off-set by the attendance jump for the new upgrades and film- and will more likely increase the stand-by times due to demand. Now, theoretically we should see slightly reduced stand-by wait times on TT if Soarin' can pull some people into that line with the minor capacity jump and increased demand for the new film. Although are we talking about a 55 minute wait at TT instead of an hour. Oh joy.


The only way to truly reduce wait times long-term via stand-by is to increase the number of attractions, not simply the capacity of attractions. For very few rides (Peter Pan)- you need capacity only. For others (TSMM)- you need capacity and an increase of attractions. The capacity alone on TSMM won't help stand by lines one bit, although it will be easier to get a FP less days out from your trip now. Now compound the capacity with Star Wars and Toy Story land? That will help significantly.

thanks for the reply....i see where you are coming from, but I have 1 question, and I don't mean to highjack the thread:

why is it (or has it been stated as fact) that doing an increase in ride capacity automatically makes it so that they can equally increase FP allotment?

I mean, if guests are sitting in line for 70+ minutes for Soarin, wouldn't it be wiser to make a significant impact on that time? That is time where guests could be out doing other things that Dis want them to do—like spending money or eating—vs standing idle.

I understand FP allotment sells out quickly for Soarin, but its not like there isnt FPs avail for other attractions...wouldn't guests be more apt to claim those in good conscious knowing that their E-ticket would have a manageable wait? Vs maybe not going into the park at all

I just dont see the benefit to keeping a lot of people in a long line just so that a few other guests with the FP can breeze in and out.

I get what you are saying about new film grabbing attendance, but does increasing the FP allotment make even less sense then being you can't make everyone happy (meaning get a FP for Soarin) and use that 6.6% of riders to keep the standby wait time slightly more manageable?

Also, where does the 60% come from...is that SOP for FP distribution? (sorry, I don't follow all the FP discussion). Seems to me that WDW operations can control the ebb and flow of FP availability behind the scenes and quietly release more on an as needed basis (for when lines may get long). Again, it goes back to my point about minimizing guests sitting idle. However, capacity eaters are an important part of theme parks, I get it, you can't have everyone roaming the park at once.