Soarin': What will AP Preview traffic be like?

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tonypitt

Member
Original Poster
I'm an Annual Passholder who lives about 7 hours from WDW. I'm contemplating heading to WDW for the Soarin' AP preview mid-April. I'm wondering what kind of crowd to expect for that event.

When I've made these weekend trips before, I've driven all night Friday, had Saturday totally to devote to the parks, and (weather permitting) had a couple hours on Sunday before the drive home.

I don't really want to make the trip if I'm going to have to stand in a long line to see Soarin' and waste most of my day on that 1 attraction. I've never been to an AP preview and so I'm not sure what to expect.

Anyone know if Lights, Motors, Action (or whatever the actual name of the show is) might be open that same weekend?

What about IASW?

Part of me wants to go, but another part of me figures that I'll be around WDW for about 10 days this summer and I might just as well wait until then.
 
Chape19714

Chape19714

Well-Known Member
tonypitt said:
I'm an Annual Passholder who lives about 7 hours from WDW. I'm contemplating heading to WDW for the Soarin' AP preview mid-April. I'm wondering what kind of crowd to expect for that event.

When I've made these weekend trips before, I've driven all night Friday, had Saturday totally to devote to the parks, and (weather permitting) had a couple hours on Sunday before the drive home.

I don't really want to make the trip if I'm going to have to stand in a long line to see Soarin' and waste most of my day on that 1 attraction. I've never been to an AP preview and so I'm not sure what to expect.

Anyone know if Lights, Motors, Action (or whatever the actual name of the show is) might be open that same weekend?

What about IASW?

Part of me wants to go, but another part of me figures that I'll be around WDW for about 10 days this summer and I might just as well wait until then.
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Small World will be open, probally LMAX as well. At AP previews crowds do not exist! That's the beauty of them. We went a few times and have never waited at all. here are some wait times from previous AP Preview Events.

Mission:Space-as long as it took for the next set of doors to open, so like 1-2 min.

Stitch's Great Escape-As long as it took for the silver doors to open to go into the preshow. so, maybe 5-10 min.

Mickey's PhilharMagic-yep, you guessed it, as long as it took for the show before us to end, so like 10 min. max.

there you have it, have a great visit.
 
T

tonypitt

Member
Original Poster
My sister-in-law is a cast member. My wife and I are going to the AP preview of Soarin next weekend. Anyone know if they'll let my SIL ride with us (since she's not an AP holder).

Do they let non-AP people that are just guests in the park ride (like a general soft opening)?
 
Frees Fan

Frees Fan

Member
I went to the cast member's preview last night and we waited something like 20 mins or so. I'm planning on going over next weekend for the AP preview as well. I guess since they're doing it for three days it's hit or miss with the lines. I hope it's not really crowded. :)
 
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TURKEY

New Member
Frees Fan said:
I went to the cast member's preview last night and we waited something like 20 mins or so. I'm planning on going over next weekend for the AP preview as well. I guess since they're doing it for three days it's hit or miss with the lines. I hope it's not really crowded. :)
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I went yesterday, both theatres were open. I got there around 5 pm, had about a 25 minute wait.

It's going to be a nightmare once the thing open's to the public the way the queue looks like it's going to be set up.
 
T

TURKEY

New Member
The way it was set up yesterday, the queue looks like it's going to allow people to cut in line and go around slow moving people. Sort of like Haunted Mansion is. People stay single file, but the path is so wide, you can easily cut and manuever around people.
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
If the AP preview of SGE is any indicator crowds will be nonexistent. We are planning on being there 4-15 and 4-16 as well. Fortunately we only live about 2.5-3 hours away and we have a friend that we stay with that lives about a 15 minuets away from the parks.
 
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OmegaKnight

New Member
Master Yoda said:
If the AP preview of SGE is any indicator crowds will be nonexistent. We are planning on being there 4-15 and 4-16 as well. Fortunately we only live about 2.5-3 hours away and we have a friend that we stay with that lives about a 15 minuets away from the parks.
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The difference between SGE and Soarin' though is that Soarin' is actually a good attraction.
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
OmegaKnight said:
The difference between SGE and Soarin' though is that Soarin' is actually a good attraction.
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True but we did not know how good or bad SGE was going to be until after the preview. With any luck crowds will be the same.
 
Brooke

Brooke

New Member
I'm going right after school on Friday...I'm expecting Soarin to have a pretty short wait. All the AP Previews I've been to have had pretty short lines!
 
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OmegaKnight

New Member
Brooke said:
I'm going right after school on Friday...I'm expecting Soarin to have a pretty short wait. All the AP Previews I've been to have had pretty short lines!
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The longest I had to wait during Cast Previews for Soarin' was 30 minutes or so. I don't know how many annual passholders are actually going to trek to Epcot that weekend though.
 
ISTCrew20

ISTCrew20

Well-Known Member
TURKEY said:
The way it was set up yesterday, the queue looks like it's going to allow people to cut in line and go around slow moving people. Sort of like Haunted Mansion is. People stay single file, but the path is so wide, you can easily cut and manuever around people.
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That's when the fill in all the available space speil comes in handy. I understand though how that can happen. POTC also has a similar problem. If one family goes on one side, the rest follow. There was one time the whole left side was full, and nobody on the right side. I walked all the way through to the station on the right side.


I know the previews are this weekend. Anyone know the times?
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
ISTCrew20 said:
That's when the fill in all the available space speil comes in handy. I understand though how that can happen. POTC also has a similar problem. If one family goes on one side, the rest follow. There was one time the whole left side was full, and nobody on the right side. I walked all the way through to the station on the right side.


I know the previews are this weekend. Anyone know the times?
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If it is like the AP preview of SGE they should run all day as long as there aren’t any technical issues.
 
Frees Fan

Frees Fan

Member
I'm planning on going over all three days to ride it. I want to ride it as much as possible now because once it opens, you won't be able to get near it. :(
 
ISTCrew20

ISTCrew20

Well-Known Member
Frees Fan said:
I'm planning on going over all three days to ride it. I want to ride it as much as possible now because once it opens, you won't be able to get near it. :(
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the same thing was said about MS. On a moderately busy day, it is usually just an hour. Granted, Soarin has a small capacity. Even if the line is long, you get to stand in the awesome queue.
 
DolFan

DolFan

New Member
I am a seasonal passholder and I am planning on going to Epcot on Sunday, does anyone know if I can get into the AP Preview if I am not technically an annual passholder?
 

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